Readaption of the week

[JackFarmer]

During German City Festivals it became quite common to cast "cover bands".

 

Most of these try to imitate original, popular songs recorded between 1950 and the present age.

The results: nothing for me

 

The music industry started this trend a long time ago and it resulted in a lot of hits.

The results: (mostly) nothing for me

 

In general, these "cover artists" are just mimicing the originals as they do during the festivals I have mentioned above.

 

British musician Bryan Ferry did a lot of "cover versions", but he preferred the expression "readaption" for a certain reason: he wanted his interpretations to be different.

 

Please post here links to videos, comments, mp3s or whatever you have to real readaptions of existing songs (known or unknown, live or studio) you think would deserve much more attention.

 

Let met start with oustanding musicians from Sweden:

 

First Aid Kit interpreting Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill".

 

 

Since I found this take, I find the original version unaccceptable.

 

The comments on YT are so embarassing. These girls are no angels; they are elfs.

 

Check out their original works if you are interested in alternative folk rock with strong American country roots. Till now, they have recorded four albums.

Edited May 26, 2019 by JackFarmer

[HMart]

Nice cover and I also like the original.

[JackFarmer]

Yeah, I agree with you, the original is also great.

[peter_spy]

This isn't really a readaptation, it's just a slightly folksy and rushed version of the original.

 

This isn't a readaptation either, although this cover bends the instrumental side of things a bit towards the style of this particular vocalist:

 

Now, this is a readaptation, taking a song and remaking it into something your own and different:

Edited May 27, 2019 by peter_spy

[Petike the Taffer]

Let met start with oustanding musicians from Sweden:

 

I've liked First Aid Kit for years now. They're in a league of their own.

[STiFU]

Not what you're looking for, but it's a classic...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JH4nZanzCw

[JackFarmer]

Velvet Underground's John Cale transformation of an Elvis Presley cult hit:

 

 

Back then this take was described as "manic-depressive".

 

I do not know about you, but I prefer John Cale over Lour Reed. He is a beter singer, he is more creative....and I personally find him very funny! :)

Edited June 8, 2019 by JackFarmer

[esme]

You've probably already seen this one then

 

[JackFarmer]

Tin Machine's version of a Roxy Music classic:

 

 

The songs caught on the live album from 1992 were even crazier and...more rampant (if that is the correct word).

The guy on the lead guitar (Reeves Gabrels) is incredible...and so is his hair cut!

And the drummer? Oh, man...

 

 

Edited June 23, 2019 by JackFarmer

[JackFarmer]

The Lee Hazlewood/Nancy Sinatra song had one problem: clunky drums.

Giant Sand & Lisa German fixed it in 1998 with a latino rhythm:

One can almost smell the American/Mexican desert.

Hm, yeah, it is fitting for this hot weekend in Central Europe as well.

Let's hope for rain in the coming days.

Have a nice weekend, whereever you are.

 

Edited June 29, 2019 by JackFarmer

[JackFarmer]

Hm....let's try something different. Let's listen to a band doing a different version of a song they wrote in the 80s.

 

It was popular among young dudes during the 80s to dislike these guys. I hate myself for following the herd back then.

Truth is, these guys from Norway already did albums in the 80s including various styles in their music, some themes even very close to "The Cure".

I can recommend their latest live album. Great music.

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2019 by JackFarmer

[JackFarmer]

John Campbell with his take of a LZ classic:

The album includes also a cool version of Tom Waits' "Down in the hole" with David Lynch vibes.

 

[JackFarmer]

Canada's best since Neil Young. Period.

I have to admit, they do a lot of covers (most popular perhaps their take of the Townes Van Zandt song "Waiting around to die" used in an episode of "Breaking Bad", season 2), but this is why I bought all three available albums from them (and I liked all of them):

 

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2019 by JackFarmer

[JackFarmer]

Back in the day when Stan Ridgway was singer with Wall of Voodoo they did a cool version of a famous J. Cash song:

 

 

 

 

[JackFarmer]

An alluring & titillating French voice, and Martin L. Gore is singing background.

Hmm...maybe DM should have done it this way back in the eighties!

 

[Amadeus]

4 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

Hmm...maybe DM should have done it this way back in the eighties!

That certainly would be a sight to see

[JackFarmer]

This man was one of the best shapeshifters the US ever had to offer.

I did not even know that this was NOT a Hendrix original, thus I cannot say how much this differs from the "real" original. However, I think it is cool.

[JackFarmer]

Portishead's reimagination of ABBA's "SOS":

If I am not mistaken, this was also used in a Sci-Fi movie in 2016/2017.

 

 

[Arcturus]

There's an entire subgenre of slow and/or acoustic versions of "Smells like teen spirit": 01, 02. But my favourite has always been this version of "Come as you are" by Polish band Pink Freud:

 

[lowenz]

Originally performed by The Call in the 80s, Celldweller's takes the emotionally gripping track and modernizes it as an alternative/shoegaze epic in homage of original songwriter, Michael Been, who passed away in 2010. "I really loved “Into the Woods” by The Call. I thought Michael Been was a brilliant songwriter and lyricist but their sound was generally a little more traditional than I liked. I wanted to take this lyrically powerful song and produce it in my style which fit perfectly within the vibe I wanted on this album." - Klayton (Celldweller) Offworld, Celldweller's fourth vocal-based studio album departs from the project's signature sound of aggressive guitars, blasting beats and ass-kicking intensity and delivers a journey of sentimental feels and emotionally gripping tracks, showcasing the intimate song-writing side of project mastermind, Klayton. The album's 11 tracks range from the soul searching "How Little I Must Know," to the modern shoegazer "Echoes," the somber a cappella "Mother's Arms," to the acoustic guitar driven "The Great Divide," and the heavy, yet atmospheric vibe of "Last Night on Earth." The album begins and ends with the title track & reprise of "Offworld," which gives the album a narrative backdrop as a sci-fi adventure of leaving the world behind – perhaps to explore a new one or join life on the other side, closing the album experience with a familiar Celldweller lyric... "we will never die." The digital/CD version of the album include a bonus remix by Ulrich Schnauss (Tangerine Dream).

 

Edited September 12, 2019 by lowenz

[JackFarmer]

Bryan Ferry's "normalisation" of an rampant Screamin' J. Hawkins classic.

I  think Gail Ann Dorsey plays bass guitar. That must have been  one or two years before she joined D. Bowie's live band.

 

 

[JackFarmer]

Trent Reznor wrote this song. After hearing this version, he said, "I wrote it, but JC owes it now".

There is also a version available with Bowie/Reznor performing it.

 

 

 

[Destined]

I love this song. I first heard it in the trailer to the movie "Logan" (also very recommended, if you like the X-Men; and even if you don't it is quite good). Since then, it is a permanent part of my playlist.

[JackFarmer]

Holy Joe, this version of an original recording from The Can is extremely impressive:

 

In the meantime I lost track about all the musicians and bands influenced by The Can.

Edited April 27, 2020 by JackFarmer

[JackFarmer]

Bought this one back in 1993 (or 1994?) but learned about the Leonard Cohen orignal from 1985 (or was it 1984?) only two years later when I bought the respective album from LC.

 

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by JackFarmer