Cover songs versus the original track, which ones are better?

[pinball1970]

I hated prince when he came out. Everything I detested about the 80s in one artist.
When I found out he wrote this I was gob smacked. Everything you want to tell someone you love in one song (after you have split that is!)
Anyway, I am not keen on the original but I totally appreciate the writing. Words and music. Brilliant.

 

[pinball1970]

I thought the Roberta Flak was the original but it was this.

 

[pinball1970]

I always thought this was chromatic enough to be 1960s.

 

[fresh_42]

Anyway, OLJ you love her even more than Lemmy!

I have a weakness for sopranos, preferably coloraturo soprano.

 

[pinball1970]

I have a weakness for sopranos, preferably coloraturo soprano.

I had to look that up, I thought you meant contralto! I know you do not like Miley Sirus but she actually displays some coloraturo features in that performance. Trills, range tone... Surprising.

 

[Hornbein]

Kanade Sato plays Spain w/ anonymous government officials.

 

[Hornbein]

Japanese fusion version of Earth Wind and Fire's In The Stone.

 

[Hornbein]

Tokyo plays Tower of Power's The Oakland Stroke. Well, it's an extended version that includes that bass riff and drum beat.

When I lived in Tokyo there were about a dozen musicians whom I saw every chance I got. Three of them are in this band.

 

[Hornbein]

Turn Your Love Around (George Benson) I remember George from before he started to sing.

 

[pinball1970]

Turn Your Love Around (George Benson) I remember George from before he started to sing.

Thanks for these @Hornbein I will definitely check them out

 

[Hornbein]

Everlasting Love was a hit when I was a kid. It appears they extracted the vocal then had session men copy the original parts exactly. Sounds a lot better. So...is it a cover?

 

[BWV]

The distinction does not work for Jazz as the definition of ‘original’ does not really work. Like most stuff about music it presupposes everyone is talking about rock and rock and pop.

what is the best ‘cover’ of this original?

 

[symbolipoint]

@BWV, you gave a video example of Stella By Starlight, as being of Jazz, but my senses tell me that the example given is something other than Jazz - but what category, I am not sure. Your example seems like nice smooth mostly unexcited music; the kind of music that one would have expected as filler music played in a movie theatre in the 1960's and 1970's just a few minutes before the featured movie was to be started.

 

[BWV]

@BWV, you gave a video example of Stella By Starlight, as being of Jazz, but my senses tell me that the example given is something other than Jazz - but what category, I am not sure. Your example seems like nice smooth mostly unexcited music; the kind of music that one would have expected as filler music played in a movie theatre in the 1960's and 1970's just a few minutes before the featured movie was to be started.

Stella by Starlight was from the 40s and is one of the most played jazz standards, most of which are Tim pan alley tunes of the 20s -40s

 

[Hornbein]

@BWV, you gave a video example of Stella By Starlight, as being of Jazz, but my senses tell me that the example given is something other than Jazz - but what category, I am not sure. Your example seems like nice smooth mostly unexcited music; the kind of music that one would have expected as filler music played in a movie theatre in the 1960's and 1970's just a few minutes before the featured movie was to be started.

Many of today's jazz standards were originally famous popular tunes. This made it easier for the audience to relate to. Heck, John Coltrane and Miles Davis played Disney tunes. Now the originals are forgotten while the jazz versions live on. Very common also was to write a new melody over the chords of a popular tune. All this went out of style with modern jazz. However Japanese jazzers still often play the popular tunes of today. Not coincidentally jazz is a lot more popular in Japan than in the USA.

There are so many versions of Stella by Starlight -- thousands? -- that I'll just pick a trusted one. I went to this gig but showed up late, was given a seat by the drummer, couldn't hear a thing, got my money back and left.



Her command of harmony is wonderful.

 

[Hornbein]

@BWV, you gave a video example of Stella By Starlight, as being of Jazz, but my senses tell me that the example given is something other than Jazz - but what category, I am not sure. Your example seems like nice smooth mostly unexcited music; the kind of music that one would have expected as filler music played in a movie theatre in the 1960's and 1970's just a few minutes before the featured movie was to be started.

A beautiful and dramatic piece that well deserves its immortality. The European style is now no longer popular but remains preserved in "classical" music. There's a reason people have gone to so much trouble to keep it going. It's called love.

 

[Hornbein]

Voivod -- Astronomy Domine

 

[symbolipoint]

Hornbein and BWV,
I am not too knowledgeable about Jazz, although I have heard some. Some forms or types I do not know how to recognize. Some pieces, I might miscategorize as something else.

 

[Hornbein]

Hornbein and BWV,
I am not too knowledgeable about Jazz, although I have heard some. Some forms or types I do not know how to recognize. Some pieces, I might miscategorize as something else.

I don't worry about genres. Either I like something or I don't.

 

[pinball1970]

@BWV, you gave a video example of Stella By Starlight, as being of Jazz, but my senses tell me that the example given is something other than Jazz - but what category, I am not sure. Your example seems like nice smooth mostly unexcited music; the kind of music that one would have expected as filler music played in a movie theatre in the 1960's and 1970's just a few minutes before the featured movie was to be started.

When someone says Jazz it has connotations to it but really it is like saying "classical"
There is a world of difference between Stravinsky and Mozart. They both use an orchestra.

Jazz for me is Piano, bass, drums with or with out brass, vibes, flute or voice.
Virtuoso playing, often with complex chord structure/key changes/time signature but that is fast and loose.

I learned from TV because I grew up in the late 1960s and early 1970s. So films from the late 40s-60s had jazz themes it was great. Even the cartoons, listen to "Spiderman" arrangement, lots of brass stabs and vocal chord at the end. (Vocal Chord ha ha!- sound like a name for an acapella group)

I will check out the above.

There some nutty jazz versions of rock tracks used for a series called "sugar rush" I will dig a few out.

 

[pinball1970]

Speaking of jazz....

 

[Hornbein]

Speaking of jazz....

Kids these days don't know what real entertainment is.

 

[Hornbein]

Josephine Alexandra -- Sweet Child of Mine

 

[pinball1970]

Josephine Alexandra -- Sweet Child of Mine

That goes right into the "better than original" category. Brilliant.

 

[Hornbein]

Y'all seem to be searching for a definition of jazz. This is as close as I can come. Count Basie Big Band with Arthur Prysock.



I used to hang out in the Usenet jazz guitar group. It included some famous players. They were a very tough audience, extremely critical. Jazz guitarists have a hard life. I claimed this was the ultimate in swing and defied them all to exceed it. No one even tried.

The band said the key to their swing was Freddy Green, the almost inaudible guitar player.

 

[BWV]

 

[BWV]

Y'all seem to be searching for a definition of jazz. This is as close as I can come. Count Basie Big Band with Arthur Prysock.



I used to hang out in the Usenet jazz guitar group. It included some famous players. They were a very tough audience, extremely critical. Jazz guitarists have a hard life. I claimed this was the ultimate in swing and defied them all to exceed it. No one even tried.

The band said the key to their swing was Freddy Green, the almost inaudible guitar player.

Everything in Jazz flows from Pops

 

[Hornbein]

White people can make great jazz too.



But swing like Basie? Nah...

Clint Eastwood was asked if he intended to learn to play sax like Charlie Parker. Clint replied, "a man's got to know his limitations."

 

[pinball1970]

White people can make great jazz too.



But swing like Basie? Nah...

Clint Eastwood was asked if he intended to learn to play sax like Charlie Parker. Clint replied, "a man's got to know his limitations."

A myth. Buddy Rich, Stephan Grappelli, Joe Pass, Jaco Pastorius and Glen miller one of the fathers of swing all the absolute all time greats.
Charlie Parker, Duke, Charlie Parker, Dizzy, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis all icons..... however..
You have posted good links on Asian jazz and fusion players.

 

[fresh_42]

When someone says Jazz it has connotations to it but really it is like saying "classical"
There is a world of difference between Stravinsky and Mozart. They both use an orchest

Ok, it is no cover, but after all these discussions about Jazz, I have to post it:



And more "jazzy" in its modern interpretation

 

[Ibix]

Speaking of jazz....

It's good, but I find myself distracted trying to work out if the lead singer is convincing CGI or a real person with enough hairspray to sink a battleship.

 

[pinball1970]

It's good, but I find myself distracted trying to work out if the lead singer is convincing CGI or a real person with enough hairspray to sink a battleship.

The thing with this song is that 'tongue in cheek' does not cover it and yet it's great! The arrangement, the clever change of the rhythm and chords.
The story goes that Liam Gallagher heard this in a department store and confronted Noel to ask him if he had stolen it. He thought it was a genuine 50s/early 60s jazz track!
I hope it is true.
Anyway, this it just to give you the live version. TOTP did do some live stuff then, vocals at least.

 

[pinball1970]

I did not expect to find this.

 

[pinball1970]

I do not like this. I don't hate it because they have attempted to do A version not simply copy it or completely murder it.

 

[pinball1970]

I hated this when I first heard it now I really like it. Very Stranglers, listen to the bass! Has to be a Ricky to sound that dirty, lots of top end. Anyway.