I wanted to post this a couple weeks ago, but with all the junk that came out recently about Ms Cyrus it wasn't a good time. Now that her 15 minutes are up we can check out a cover of "We can't stop" that knocks Cyrus' out of the park.
A few posts ago I did a compilation from Tyler Ward. He is a cover artist, pretty much does his own arrangement of every song that comes out.
With his cover of Miley Cyrus' "We can't stop" he does a little tribute/homage of sorts to Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. If you don't Israel google or youtube him/his version of Wonderful World/Over the Rainbow, good stuff.
If you live under a rock and haven't heard Miley's original version, take a listen, its actual kinda catchy. But then it will sound like crap compared to Tyler's version.
Here is another "Part 2" version. Same singer, same song just re-arranged, more mellow like.
So Ellie Goulding is a new chick on the scene, pop music. I've grown away from this genre along time ago. Very rarely will I like a "pop" song now days. A few posts ago there was one.
Anyways, when I heard this song I liked it immediately. Very catchy!
When checking it out on youtube I came across this version she did for a radio station. Very close vocally to the original but without all the pop music. Just a little electric piano. Really cool song, really cool version.
I got lazy for this one, just haven't posted in awhile, this one popped out so I chose it, thats it.
If you haven't heard the original by chance here it is too.
To be honest I thought I knew all of CCR's library, apparently not. Back in the day I used to pride myself on knowing alot of bands and their music. One point it was almost my job. Lately it seems I've come across nuggets from artists I thought I knew, makes me feel like a punk when that happens.
Anyways, not really sure how I found Joe Cocker's cover version of Creedence Clear Water Revival's "Long as I can see the light." I believe I was piddling through youtube, maybe looking for something to do with "light" or light at the end of the tunnel kind of thing, searching for the light, IDK?
I like Joe Cocker, I have one of those 20th century artists greatest hits CDs I purchased back in the day. Probably for just a couple songs too. I of course have never seen Joe Cocker live in concert but have seen music videos of his, live tapings that sort of thing. You wouldn't know it by looking at him but he puts alot of energy and emotion into his music. It's evident here with "Light". At one point in the song if you listen closely you can hear him choke up kind of. Maybe thats just the way he sings or how his voice sounds when doing ballads? But I bet watching/listening to him record this record must have been an experience for those involved.
I like the line "...Guess I've got that old travelin' bone,
'cause this feelin' won't leave me alone.
But I won't, won't be losin' my way, no, no
'Long as I can see the light..."
As much as I love CCR I like JC's version of this song better.
So apparently there is this show on HBO called "Girls" that is getting rave reviews or something? I don't know, I don't have HBO. But I do know that the soundtrack has at least one good song!
I like The Rolling Stones, and honestly I thought I've heard most of their stuff, guess I was wrong. I hadn't heard "Fool to Cry" before last week. I heard the Tegan and Sara cover first also.
Seems to be a trend lately, hearing the cover before the original. I love both versions. I love Rolling Stones ballads. They never got enough if any airplay.
I chose this cover for a couple reasons, one its new and its really good. Mostly because as I was driving home from Grandma's house, just picked up Piper, this song came on in the car. Towards the very end of the song I swear I hear Piper trying to sing it. The song does repeat the word "Daddy" in it alot, so maybe that is what intrigued her or subconsciously started her on her love of music, I don't know?
It was a really sweet moment for me. She's not even 2 years old yet. I've had a couple "run ins" with music and her. When she was born Adele's album 21 had come out and 'Someone like you' became an instant favorite. When I help her I would in my of course very pathetic voice sing that to her in her ear kinda thing.
Well couple months later I had music playing on my phone and 'someone like you' comes on and she freaks out! I had to give her my phone and she sat there just staring at it. I knew.
Anyways, later tonight I played 'Fool to cry' on my phone and she had to take it and hold it up to her head/ear like she was having a conversation. She was listening. I was hoping she would try and sing again but it never happened. Maybe a few more times?
Tegan and Sara covering The Rolling Stones "Fool to Cry":
Tegan and Sara have an awesome cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark' if you wanna check it out.
Not very often you hear the cover before the Original. I guess in this digital/viral age you could see it happen more often.
That's the case here with "I want u back". Originally recorded by British X-factor contestant Cher Lloyd. I guess she's pretty big in the UK? I've actually heard a couple songs now of hers that were recorded. Both covering artist did better than she did on the song. Too early to form an opinion?
She's very produced, has a very thick accent, almost 'May Fair Lady's Elisa' before being fixed by whats his face with the slippers and chocolates.
Anyways, I stumbled (by stumbled meaning I subscribe)on this lovely version of Want U Back by YouTube cover Artists "Boyce Avenue" featuring Hannah Trigwell. Boyce is alot like Tyler Ward, take popular songs and most of the time re-arrange the pop song into a ballad. Boyce and Tyler have even teamed up on a few songs, I think they've toured together also.
I've been loving this song for about a week now, thought I should finally hear the original. So there it was, watched the video, heard the song. Very poppy, very almost rapped kind of pop song. Wasn't impressed. Sure it can be catchy, but mostly because I've heard this fantastic cover and am hearing a little bit of it in my head.
The lyrics fit so much better as a ballad and a duet. This is why I love the 'cover'. you can take a crappy song, re-arrange it and make it great.
Here is Boyce Avenue's version:
And Cher Lloyd's version:
OK after listening to Cher's version a couple times I like it now, crap.
If by chance you want to check out Boyce Avenue's youtube channel, you'll be sorry not to look up his cover of Journey's classic 'Faithfully'. Its good, GOOOOOD.
If you don't know who Tyler Ward is, you might want to look him up. I found him a couple years ago in my search for covers. He is a big YouTube cover artist. He does write some original stuff too, mostly mainly known for his covers.
He does duets alot, actually more often then not. But I like most of his interpretations of mainstream music. The playlist below I added some of his better stuff. The Eminem cover of 'No Love' is crazy good. His mom and brother help him out on it. You take a curse laced rap and bring it down to a cleaner more mellow rap/ballad, sweet.
Again taking an upbeat song like Fun's 'Some Nights' and bringing it down with a duet. Then taking Adele's huge hit 'Someone Like You' which was already a mellow song, dropping it slower and adding a great vocalist to make it a duet.
The other songs are just him, Kenny Chesney's country song 'Somewhere with you' and the Fray's 'Never say Never'. Even did a better version covering Demi Lavato's 'Skyscraper'.
I subscribe to his youtube channel. Sometimes the covers are 'bleh', but sometimes you get really good gems.
*No the picture is not of him. Tyler is a clean cut young man.
