As it’s the weekend I’m taking it easy (see what I did there?!) and will be spending the day with the paper, music and football. I can only really share one of those with you, so here goes…..
One of the great delights in music for me is when someone covers a song and adds something to it. Many covers are just inferior copies or, in some cases, total massacres of great songs. I’m thinking Madonna’s destruction of the iconic American Pie, or perhaps Cher’s annihilation of Marc Cohn’s lovely Walking In Memphis (Walking in Memfuss, anyone?). Now that I’m about to tell you this, I guess this isn’t a guilty pleasure any more, but I love Taylor Swift’s music. I know, I know! I’m about 50 years older than most of her fans, and the wrong gender, but hey, each to their own! The first single off her most recent album was this one:
Catchy, fun, funny, what’s not to like? Unless it becomes today’s earworm after you’ve heard it. Sorry. (Not really!)
Some of the best covers I know are made by The Canadian band Walk Off The Earth. They have made a specialty out of incredibly inventive videos, both for their own songs and for covers. Their version of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know is amazing and has over 168 million views on YouTube. Here’s what they did with Shake It Off:
Now THAT’s how to do a cover! Keep the song, but make it your own too.
Have a great weekend 🙂
Take It Easy 
I love Twenty One Two’s version of “Shake It off” sung for The Hillywood Show’s Supernatural Parody. (The two sisters, Hilly and Hannah Hindi are SO talented!) If you’ve ever watched the show, Supernatural, it’s a LOT of fun!
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I’ve never even heard of it! But I’ll need to check it out now that you’ve told me about it. Thanks for the tip 🙂
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Update: I’ve just watched it and it’s great! I watched some of the gag reel too – looks like they had a lot of fun making it.
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Glad you liked it! The Hillywood Show gives me such a giggle. I’m a Dr Who fan, that parody is also great. 🙂 The Hillywood Show started out as two sisters with a camera a dream. What’s not to love?
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I’d never heard of them before, but I’ll be watching more!
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Absolutely! I am a die-hard Dolly fan! She is probably the closest thing I have ever held as an ideal actually. I wish I could meet her with all my heart more than any other Star.
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Maybe one day!
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I am glad to hear you are “taking it easy!” I could not agree more with you on how many incredible pieces have been completely trashed by artists. The worse off the top of my head > Smells like Teen Spirit covered by Miley Cyrus. Though I think it has to the way, Britney Spears did Joan Jett’s I Love Rock n’ Roll.
Though Thinking back to history 🙂 I have to bring up House Of The Rising Sun It has roots if I am not mistaken in the 16th or 17th century? The oldest known recording is…
Rising Sun Blues by Tom Clarence Ashley & Gwen Foster in 1933
It was done by many awesome artists after IMHO but, the second I love the most…
Dolly Partons version recorded in 1981.
I love how she made it a song only Dolly would have 😉
The last I am going to point out and has actually made it to one of my top lists Is…..
Five Finger Death Punch – House Of The Rising Sun 2014
When Master came home and told me, HOTRS was redone “Metal” I went a bit ill at that moment. He saw my face and said no no no you will love this! He was right it was done so entirely different yet it held its integrity. It is now my top favorite remake of a song I hold in a highlight.
Love this post a ton Clive thank you once again for sharing!
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Many thanks Lexie! I’ll try those, though for me the first verson I heard, by the Animals, is and always will be the classic one. Have you heard Dolly’s version of Stairway To Heaven? Sensational!
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