let's get right to it.
for a few weeks now, i've been downright irate about Boyz II Men's cover of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me." i refuse to listen to it ever again. i'm partial to originals. and while i do make exceptions here and there, i only do so for the very best. [i'm a self-proclaimed music snob. and i like me.] and i tend to have one rule when it comes to a good remake: KEEP IT SIMPLE. Raitt's classic about unrequited love is beautifully haunting, raw, and bare. as you can imagine, Boyz II Men took that thing and cluttered it with runs and riffs galore. a mess. i like them as a group, but this cover is tragic.
Joe, on the other hand, recently released an impeccable cover of "Cant Get Over You," originally recorded by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. the cover is part of Silky Soul Music: All-Star Tribute to Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly. i've yet to hear the album, but if Joe's offering is any indication of the album's potential...i'm interested. Joe did the damn thing. he took a classic and freshened it up a bit. he made it his own, but not so much so that it's unfamiliar. he found the balance. Boyz II men (and countless other artists who cover classics and even obscure gems) should take note.
both vids are below for your own judgment. holla at youtube for the originals of both (i'm following my own rule and keeping it simple here).
what say you? and what are some other good and bad remakes?
new do!
Pandora
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5 comments:
Steph, I agree totally on this, lol. I love Joe's "Can't Get Over You" - was planning on getting that tribute CD just because I heard that song. The Boyz II Men song I didn't even know was a remake- now I'll listen to the original and tell you what I think about that later, lol. But most remakes are bad, in my opinion. And most of the time, other people think they're good, like the "As We Lay" remake, the "My First Love" remake, and especially all those "This Christmas" remakes (these are all off the top of my head- I hate many others too, lol). I am extremely partial to Shirley Murdock, Rene and Angela, and Donny Hathaway, so I took personal offense to all of those, lol. Maybe after Whitney did "I Will Always Love You", we should have just left it alone...
BTW- there is a tribute album, similar to this Frankie Beverly and Maze album- only it's a tribute to Luther. Have you heard it? I don't think I could stand to hear anyone else sing "Superstar"...
all of those covers annoyed me, too, for the same reason.
i haven't heard the Luther album, but i heard John Legend's version of "Love Won't Let Me Wait," which was on it. i actually was pleased with what he did with/for it. the album also includes "Always and Forever," as remade by Wyclef. i can't.
and as a matter of fact, Luther's beautiful version of "Superstar" is a cover itself. one of many, and certainly one of the most popular, but a cover nonetheless.
I'm usually partial to originals as well.
yeah so... i have the Maze tribute album and there is a reason Joe got the video. He has the best song of the bunch among offerings by M.J.B, Music Soulchild, and Ledisi such a shame.
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
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