Earlier this week, my friend Megan programmed a back-to-back block of Bon Jovi into a jukebox: "Wanted Dead or Alive" followed by "Livin’ on a Prayer." Now, when you’re the only customers at a Wildwood, NJ Pizza Hut, on a Monday night, in the off-season, and you pay to hear Bon Jovi, it’s because you want to rock. Not because you want a recreation of Jon and Richie’s unplugged performance at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. That magic won’t be recaptured.
Let’s start a list of songs that should never be effed with, even by the original artist. I nominate "Livin’ on a Prayer," which, as previously stated, should always rock. Unlike the maudlin "Prayer ‘94" version below.
Your turn.
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I agree wholehearted with ya, Mandi! Although I did enjoy Blake Edwards’ version of it on American Idol, that rocked too. I would like to nominate Saved by Zero by The Fixx which is currently being butchered in a car advertisement. That’s just wrong and spits in the face of the sheer essence of ’80s music. Not the economics of the ’80s, tho, cause it’s all about corporate greed, Go Gordon Gekko!!!!
The original “Layla” is intense, sexy and awesome. The unconscious, er, unplugged version is painfully boring
Sorry, Mandy. Can’t agree with you on this one. I’ve never been a big Bon Jovi fan, but I think David Cook’s rendition of “Livin’ on a Prayer” is awesome:
Springsteen turned “Born to Run” from a song that made you glad to be alive to a song that made you want to kill yourself (he started doing a slow version several years back).
“Over the Rainbow.” I hate it when singers diva it up.
OMG, that is awful. I couldn’t finish the whole song!
I think if I had never heard the song before in my life, I might like that, but…no. What were they thinking?
matt, I couldn’t agree more! Layla is a searing song full of passion while the unplugged version is positively soporific.
i actually ADORE the Prayer ‘94 (studio version) from the Crossroads CD.. this performance wasn’t up to par with the actual studio version, so.. I’m not going to say i loved this performance. But.. in general.. Prayer ‘94 is firmly planted on my iPod. That doesn’t mean i don’t love the original, but.. ya know.. don’t go knockin’ Prayer ‘94 man.. it’s damn good… that’s my 2 cents.. do with it what you will.
Ooh, I’m with Matt. I can’t stand the unplugged “Layla” — it sucks the life right out of that song. “Over the Rainbow” sounds good when Israel Kamawhatsisface sings it. I don’t like the Star Spangled Banner when some famous person has to fancy it up at football games. Just sing it!
I’m sick of hearing a bajillion versions of Modern English “I Melt With You” and people messing with The Romantics “What I Like About You” – I hate songs being butchered for commercials – oh, and someone should tie Pete Townsend’s hands together to prevent him from selling any more Who songs to be used to sell anything.
I’ve recently heard yet another version of Journey’s ‘Faithfully’. NOT COOL! The origianl should never be messed with – no one’s got the emotive chops like Steve Perry or the nimble fingers of Neal Schonn. I’ve heard 2 such versions by newer artists and each time I’ve cringed!
What was the Supertramp song that was recently butchered by some teenybopper group? I was out with my kids this summer and heard it and immediately made them listen to the original version to educate them properly. Anyone out there know which song I’m talking about?
I think it’s pointless to cover The Sex Pistols’ Anarchy in the U.K. The original is just perfect in it’s raw anger. Also, don’t mess with American Pie. *Ahem*. Madonna, I’m looking your way.
Nobody should be allowed to cover The Sex Pistols’ Anarchy In the U.K. The original hits the perfect combination of driving, wild energy and anger. Also, don’t mess with American Pie. *Ahem*. Madonna — I’m looking at you.
I agree with all of you–can’t stand the unplugged version of “Layla.” The song is all about the wail. The emotion behind the song (and I’m sure that everyone knows what it’s about by now) just isn’t the same without the screaming guitars and wailing lyrics.
I’m with all of you about “Layla.” That song (and I’m sure everyone knows the story behind it now) is all about the wailing guitars and emotionally strained singing–not a cool jazz vibe. And how about “Big Yellow Taxi?” Can’t recall who redid it not too long ago, but they had to change some of the rhymes in order to make it work for them. Just strange.
But then again, there are a lot of songs that worked better as remakes, like “Respect” (Otis Redding’s originally) and “Woodstock” (Joni Mitchell’s was too slow).
The rest of my post was cut off for some reason—
How about “Big Yellow Taxi?” Whoever it was who redid it not too long ago had to change some of the rhymes in order to make it work for a male singer. Just weird.
Sorry about all the duplicate posts–the message boards are acting strange for me today.
I love the fact that this story began in Wildwood’s Pizza Hut on an off-season Monday. Thanks for reminding me of one of my favorite places (Wildwood) and songs (Living on a Prayer)) on this cold Friday.
I have to agree with trish, David Cook made me fall in love with “Prayer ‘94″…
Anyway, my picks…
-Journey, “Don’t Stop Believin’”… Already perfect in every way. No need to mess with it and no one could sing it like Steve Perry.
-Bryan Adams, “Heaven”… I really love this song, but I always seem to catch the techno-fied female cover of it on the radio, and it makes me want to vomit.
-Dolly Parton, “I Will Always Love You”… I will never understand how Whitney Houston’s version became so huge. She sucked all the beauty out of it.
I would say alot of the songs from the 80’s should never have been remade. “I melt with you” “what I like about you” many of those songs defined an era/generation and should never be relegated to commercials. That being said.. almost any song by Madonna can never be remade.. especially not Holiday, Into the Groove, Like a Prayer, Vogue..etc. she redid Into the Groove for the Reinvention tour to match her Gap Commercial at the gime and totally ruined it.
You’re thinking of Gym Class Heroes “Cupid’s Chokehold”, I do believe. I only know that because I had to listen to a co-worker vent about that for roughly 20 minutes one day.
I hate that techno cover of Heaven too!! Actually, I think that same group/chick/artist/annoyance has butchered other songs I like too..and it seems the only versions radio will play are the butchered versions..grr..
Interesting thread . . . I agree that new cover of “Saved by Zero” in that one car commercial is pretty bad, though no worse than that cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” currently being bastardized in some other auto ad. To Jack, the Supertramp song in question is “Breakfast in America.” Long live classic rock!
Oh god, that cover of “Space Oddity” that’s in the new Lincoln (?) commercial. Repeat after me: song. is. about. suicide.
Here’s another vote for LAYLA – the unplugged one puts me into a walking coma. The end of the song alone deserves an award for best way to end a song.
And John Mayer pleas stay away from anymore Tom Petty songs I hate your version of Free Falling
Gotta agree with others that I love the acoustic Livin on a Prayer! Sorry Mandi! It’s hard to think of things unless I hear the song.
For instance if someone would have told me I’d like John Mayer’s emo “Free Fallin’” I would’ve told them they were crazy. Journey seems a safe bet – don’t frak with Steve Perry!
I was watching this guilty pleasure 80s horror movie the other night (Night of the Comet, starring Kelli Maroney) and during one scene, the two girls are dancing in a deserted mall to “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” The only trouble is that song was covered by someone named Tami Holbrook. What’s up with that? How can you cover an 80s classic like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”? And while we’re at it, can we put an end to people covering “True Colors” too? There will only be one Cyndi Lauper and that’s the way it should stay.
Staying with the topic of Bon Jovi – they did a god-awful, slow, acoustic cover of their first single, Runaway. And then played that version during several tours. STOP IT!
Here are some remade songs that I actually liked BETTER than the originals:
- Manfred Mann’s cover of “Blinded by the Light”
- Rick Derringer’s cover of “Rock and Roll Hoochie-Koo”
- Santana’s cover of “Black Magic Woman”
- The Who’s cover of “Sumemrtime Blues”
- The Rolling Stones cover “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”
- Eric Clapton’s cover of “I Shot the Sheriff”
- The Honeydrippers’ cover of “Sea of Love”