Songs That Shouldn't Be Redone

[Insider]

a local deejay has a competition between two versions of the same song. today it was "holding back the years" by simply red and allyson williams. no contest.

the deejay said we need a name for songs that were 'nailed' by one artist and shouldn't be redone. i say 'Untouchables'. there have to be tons, but here are five (soul? r&b? pop?) off the top of my head:

1. holding back the years (hucknall) - simply red
2. killing me softly (fox/gimbel) - roberta flack
3. a house is not a home (bacharach/david) - luther vandross
4. and i am telling you i'm not going (eyen/kreiger) - jennifer holliday
5. get back & let it be (lennon/mccartney) - the beatles

btw, the isley brothers did a nice job with "holding back the years", but even they couldn't top mick hucknall.

got more?

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. I don't think any of them should be redone.... write your own shit

that goes for movies and TV shows.
I am sick to death of derivative garbage.

[Deja Q]

19. I agree

It's been overdone.

In 1970, Tina Turner did sing others' songs for a while, but she did one hell of a job at it - and in some cases made them her own thanks to a riveting performance. "Proud Mary" instantly comes to mind. That's hers, the CCR original doesn't quite compare, though it's good too... :-(

It's not as much derivative these days as it is no soul in the performances. Tina had soul. Most of today's artists merely use newer instruments and take out the soul.

The updated "Secret Agent Man" is the latest audio filth I've had the displeasure to listen to... Why do they bother, it does not work...

[Insider]

20. omg, 'proud mary'

yeppers. that's the kind of stuff i was thinking about. perfect performance of that material.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

36. Speaking of Proud Mary

Every hear Leonard Nimoy's version?
Someone should've put that one out of it's misery.

[NightTrain]

41. Know who else did an awesome version of "Proud Mary?"

Solomon Burke!

In fact, John Fogerty had this to say about it:

"The first time I heard Solomon Burke sing PROUD MARY, I was plain amazed. Two thousand miles away, this man had crawled right up inside my head to learn what PROUD MARY was all about. Sure, it's great when someone sings your song--but when he understands it, you listen like it was the first time."

[ILeft]

2. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Never.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, baby...

[Mz Pip]

7. Has anyone ever

tried to re do that one?

Geez, I think I still have that LP somewhere.

MzPip
:dem:

[NewHampster]

8. I have the MP3 right here on C:

:hippie:

[Beware the Beast Man]

10. Slayer re-did it

on the sountrack to the film "less than Zero" back it 1988...its was a very tongue in cheek 4 minute version.

[NewHampster]

26. If you call them LPs you must be older than me

:evilgrin: And I turn 53 this Friday

[blondeatlast]

30. Check out the Camper van Beethoven version, then see if

you see things the same.

[bigwillq]

3. I have to admit that lauryn hill's version of Flack's tune

was some good shit.

[arwalden]

4. Rose Royce's Version Of "CAR WASH" Was Perfect.

I can't see how anyone could improve on it.

-- Allen

[blondeatlast]

31. Yeppers.

My kid's favorite song (not to mention a great movie).

"I Wanna Get Next to You" is a slam as well.

[DAGDA56]

5. "Legend of a Mind" by the Moodie Blues...

...it would just sound silly...that and "Bungle in the Jungle" by Jetro Tull...

[Dookus]

6. I'm in the minority, I guess

I NEVER say a song or a movie shouldn't be redone. Some of the remakes suck, yes, but some surprise me a lot.

Lauryn Hill's great remake of Killing Me Softly is a great example. The Judy Garland/James Mason version of A Star is Born was a remake - and a damned good one.

To me, it's like saying a great play should never be re-staged... it's nonsense. Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald didn't write (well, hardly) their own songs - they re-did other's. And did it fantastically.

Let a thousand voices be heard.

[Insider]

16. okay, maybe i should use other words

no disrespect to any artist who wants to make a song. maybe, the right words are "the best of all versions (so far)"

[TroubleMan]

9. The Rappin' Duke

DA HAAAAAA, DA HAAAA, DA HAHAHAHAHAAA!


That should never, ever, nevereverever be remade.

Another one that was so bad, I never want to hear it again....

The Funky Worm.

[x-g.o.p.er]

11. Hey Jude

Or almost anything else by the Beatles

[Archae]

14. You should try listening to...

I Am The Walrus re-did by Jim Carrey.

He slaughtered it almost as bad as Shatner did Beatles tunes.

[politicat]

28. Boingo did a version of Walrus....

(Yes, Danny Elfman). It's eerily Beatles. I personally like it.

That said, I'm all for remakes. I happen to be one of 10 people on the planet who prefers and finds totally fascinating "El Tango de Roxanne" (from Moulin Rouge), and prefers it to the Police orginal (Roxanne).

Pcat

[unblock]

12. she bang, she bang! -- william hung

can't touch this!

[Archae]

13. What a Wonderful World

Re-done by Britney Spears. :wow: :scared:

[Mz Pip]

15. OHMYGOD

That is just wrong. :puke:

MzPip
:dem:

[ironflange]

24. Or "Satisfaction"

:evilfrown:

too late

[TroubleMan]

17. They should remake this one:

http://homepage.mac.com/evanbaumgardner/iMovieTheater6.html

[ForrestGump]

18. "Disco Duck"

[NightTrain]

21. Anything from Atlantic, Motown or Stax.

I've yet to hear a remake of any '60s or '70s soul record that doesn't pale in comparison to the original! Look at it this way: would you rather hear "You Can't Hurry Love" by the Supremes or by Phil Collins?

[TroubleMan]

23. Hold on now

Al Green remade "Can't Get Next To You" and some people (including me) think it's better than the original. I'll admit that's debatable, but it's a DAMN good remake.


How about Al's remakes of "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" and "For The Good Times."

Both better than the original

[Missy Vixen]

37. Amen

The first "artist" that attempts "Respect" -- well, I'll have to put the smackdown on them. That song is owned by Miss Aretha Franklin.

I was mad enough when Celine Dion defiled Etta James' "At Last". How dare she?

I was fairly pissed when Simply Red thought that the deathless Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "If You Don't Know Me By Now" was open for reinterpretation.

Another song I hope the "talents" of today keep their grimy mitts off of is the Isley Brothers' "Who's That Lady".

Julie

p.s. NightTrain, I'm sure that liberalhistorian has lots of reasons to think you're hot, but you also have impeccable taste in music ;-).

[NightTrain]

40. Speaking of Simply (d)Red(ful)...

...they're currently stinking up the airwaves with a desiccated remake of "You Make Me Feel Brand New." That makes those bastards repeat offenders! :grr::nuke:

[NightTrain]

22. Aretha Franklin did a great version of "Let It Be" in 1970.

And for my tastes, the Fugees' 1996 remake of "Killing Me Softly" is even better than Roberta Flack's original.

[TroubleMan]

25. Oh yeah, and Aretha's remake of ...

"Bridge Over Troubled Waters"


was brilliant, too.

[Insider]

27. debatable indeed

lauryn made a great version, a different interpretation IMO. i love it myself. i think it's not quite timeless like roberta's tho. lauryn's has somewhat more narrow appeal (dare i say 'funky'?) than roberta's more classic love song.

whose will be listened to 20 years from now?

[mitchum]

29. No one has mentioned Michael Bolton's "Dock Of The Bay" yet?

What in the hell was he thinking? That Otis didn't quite nail it?

[no name no slogan]

32. In the mid-80s, some asshat redid "Stairway to Heaven"

I swear to Allah I heard it at least three times on the local "pop rocky" station here in Minneapolis.

The worst indignity was the disco-shuffle drums and the horrible chorus singing "stairway to heaven" in the last part (after the guitar solo when you get to "And as we wind on down the road").

Talk about m****er f***ing painful-- OUCH.

However, I once played in a band in the late 80s who did a reggae version of "Stairway" at least two years before Dread Zeppelin did it. I have evidence here somewhere....

:D

[blondeatlast]

33. Can't forgive Hucknall for his pathetic remakes of classic

Philly sounds.

He must be stopped.

[NewHampster]

34. I do think Grand Funk rocks with Loco Motion

i'm listening now. who woulda thunk the most classic of classic rock could be covered. Grand Funk Railroad thats who.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

35. Rod Stewart's catalogue for the past 10 years

My sister loves him. I wonder what happened to him. All he's done lately are cover versions.

[DS1]

38. ALL OF THEM!!

:nuke:

[SarahB]

39. Britney Spears re-did Satisfaction and I Love Rock N'Roll

I just about :puke: at it. Kind of sacriledge really, but that was a couple of years ago and thankfully the one who liked it has evolved a tad (but I'm still working on it further as most hip hop isn't too much better) in her taste in music.

Damn kids! Turn down that radio.

[Mr. Blonde]

42. I remember that performance

I was really upset about the song, but then something happened to her clothes and ummm what were we talking about again? I lost my train of thought.

<>

[no name no slogan]

43. Funny thing is

Joan Jett was not the first one to do "I Love Rock and Roll". IIRC it was originally done by somebody in the 60s, but I can't remember who....