Pet Peeve: Current bands covering current songs....

[vi5]

I love a good cover song as much as the next guy. But I think there should be some noticeable distance between the song being covered and the band covering it. The Iron and Wine cover of the Postal Service tune, The Scissor Sisters doing the Franz Ferdinand Tune, now I hear Ben Lee doing the Modest Mouse song, and the worst offendor is that awful Joss Stone version of the White Stripes song.

Has the shelf life on songs become that short now? What makes it worse is that these bands are for the most part within the same genres and subcultures, and largely appeal to the same base of people. At least if an indie band covers a pop song it could pass as ironic (it would still rot, but at least there is a distance between the genres and scenes).

[bkcc]

1. I haven't heard most of those covers...

but I have heard the Joss Stone cover of "Fell In Love With A Girl" and it's one of the most hideous things ever recorded.

But, hey. As long as the masses keep buying the albums, the record companies will keep putting this shit on the market.

[Biased Liberal Media]

2. I hate Jessica Simpson more than I can say

and her rendition of "Take My Breath Away" pisses me off. What's worse?? She and her husband (nick lachey) re-did "A Whole New World". BARF!!!!!!

[blondeatlast]

3. If they cover it, they should make it theirs.

Look at the evil that has been done to the Motown classics over the years, with nary a note change.

Cole Porter's songs are a good example. Everyone does them, but they take ownership and they all sound different, but the innate quality remains.

[catchthefever]

4. I hate Britney

and her version of "My Prerogative" sucks. Of course, it would help if she could actually sing. A decade ago someone did a cover of "Pride" by U2, and it sucked.

[FightinNewDem]

5. But...

Every so often, though, someone hits the bullseye and actually improves on the original. Think about Tracy Ullman's cover of "They Don't Know", originally recorded by Kirsty McColl.