What is the hardest song to ruin?
- Jim of Seattle
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What is the hardest song to ruin?
If you asked 100 randomly-chosen musicians to do a cover a the same song, what song would return the highest number of good covers? In other words, what is the hardest song to ruin? I was pondering this as I listened to Louis Armstrong doing "Summertime" and it occurred to me that I've never heard a non-awesome cover of that song.
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- ken
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Louie Louie?
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Nope.ken wrote:Louie Louie?
"I'd like to see 1984 redubbed with this in the soundtrack."- Furrypedro.
NUR EIN!
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- Billy's Little Trip
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
My Sharona.
On a separate note. It just occurred to me that the singer of The Knack looks like a young Bill Nye the Science Guy from his college days, lmao.
Has anyone made that simile yet in interwebz history? Or am I some kind of "he looks like that guy" genius.
On a separate note. It just occurred to me that the singer of The Knack looks like a young Bill Nye the Science Guy from his college days, lmao.
Has anyone made that simile yet in interwebz history? Or am I some kind of "he looks like that guy" genius.
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
I've never heard a bad cover of "Hallelujah" (by Leonard Cohen), but I'm not sure there's anything about that particular song that makes it so.
My brother suggests "Chopsticks."
Maybe it should be a song where expectations aren't too high? I mean, when I hear that someone has done a Beatles cover, I immediately tense up, because I know that when you screw up a Beatles cover, you can screw it up badly. Whereas if you're some girl with a ukulele making a Youtube video, and you cover Britney Spears' "Toxic," who's going to care if you do it badly?
My brother suggests "Chopsticks."
Maybe it should be a song where expectations aren't too high? I mean, when I hear that someone has done a Beatles cover, I immediately tense up, because I know that when you screw up a Beatles cover, you can screw it up badly. Whereas if you're some girl with a ukulele making a Youtube video, and you cover Britney Spears' "Toxic," who's going to care if you do it badly?
"Warren Zevon would be proud." -Reve Mosquito
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
YOU FAILBilly's Little Trip wrote:My Sharona.
- Billy's Little Trip
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
No way, dude. You nailed it!Albatross wrote:YOU FAILBilly's Little Trip wrote:My Sharona.
- Jim of Seattle
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Funny, I once posted a question here many years ago asking what was the biggest hit song of all time that would probably lose if it were a Song Fight entry, and the original Louie Louie was suggested and pretty much shut the thread down as the definitive answer.ken wrote:Louie Louie?
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- roymond
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
La Vie en Rose
roymond.com | songfights | covers
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"Any more chromaticism and you'll have to change your last name to Wagner!" - Frankie Big Face
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Nothing could make me want to hear about Bryan Adam's first real 6-string any less than I already do.
- Jim of Seattle
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Someone needs to release an EP with covers of
Summertime
My Sharona
Louie Louie
Margaritaville
La Vie En Rose
Hallelujah
Chopsticks
It can't fail.
Actually, why hasn't anyone done a really awesome cover of Chopsticks? I just Wikipediaed it. Originally called The Celebrated Chop Waltz. Written in 1877. Hmmmm...
Summertime
My Sharona
Louie Louie
Margaritaville
La Vie En Rose
Hallelujah
Chopsticks
It can't fail.
Actually, why hasn't anyone done a really awesome cover of Chopsticks? I just Wikipediaed it. Originally called The Celebrated Chop Waltz. Written in 1877. Hmmmm...
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- JonPorobil
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Jim of Seattle wrote:
Actually, why hasn't anyone done a really awesome cover of Chopsticks? I just Wikipediaed it. Originally called The Celebrated Chop Waltz. Written in 1877. Hmmmm...
"Warren Zevon would be proud." -Reve Mosquito
Stages, an album of about dealing with loss, anxiety, and grieving a difficult year, now available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms! https://jonporobil.bandcamp.com/album/stages
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- Billy's Little Trip
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Damn, that makes me want to Watch bugs Bunny hearing that. Liberace was damn good.Generic wrote:Jim of Seattle wrote:
Actually, why hasn't anyone done a really awesome cover of Chopsticks? I just Wikipediaed it. Originally called The Celebrated Chop Waltz. Written in 1877. Hmmmm...
....by the way, he wishes his brother George was there....I'm guessing.
- fluffy
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
fooGeneric wrote:I've never heard a bad cover of "Hallelujah" (by Leonard Cohen), but I'm not sure there's anything about that particular song that makes it so.
My brother suggests "Chopsticks."
fooMaybe it should be a song where expectations aren't too high? I mean, when I hear that someone has done a Beatles cover, I immediately tense up, because I know that when you screw up a Beatles cover, you can screw it up badly. Whereas if you're some girl with a ukulele making a Youtube video, and you cover Britney Spears' "Toxic," who's going to care if you do it badly?
- JonPorobil
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Yes, I was aware of both of those.
Stop lowering our standards for entertainment, fluffy.
Stop lowering our standards for entertainment, fluffy.
"Warren Zevon would be proud." -Reve Mosquito
Stages, an album of about dealing with loss, anxiety, and grieving a difficult year, now available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms! https://jonporobil.bandcamp.com/album/stages
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- Freddielove
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Sweet Jane.
Everything But the Girl but without the scary big chinned woman
- Furrypedro
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Way back in '83 KFJC in Los Altos Hills did a weekend marathon of Louie Louie covers and the majority were done just for the event. They called it Maximum Louie Louie.ken wrote:Louie Louie?
I think about 500 entries. The original songwrighter flew out for it. Poor guy.
That song is easily butchered.
I know KALX preceded this with it's own event but only had 100 or so.
Ah, college radio.
sonofsupercar, Kindly Swears, Bang Operator, Turtle Boy
- Mostess
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Shenandoah.
You can't ruin it. It's like a diamond. Tom Leherer said "the reason most folk songs are so atrocious is that they were written by the people" but this is the exception that proves the rule.
You can't ruin it. It's like a diamond. Tom Leherer said "the reason most folk songs are so atrocious is that they were written by the people" but this is the exception that proves the rule.
"We don’t write songs about our own largely dull lives. We mostly rely on the time-tested gimmick of making shit up."
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
It seems there are a couple ways to look at this. 1) The song is so good it withstands any treatment of it. 2) The song cannot be made worse than it already is.
I submit Wagon Wheel.
I submit Wagon Wheel.
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
Having never seen this thread before, my first suggestion was the first response in this thread with Louie Louie.
But the next one would be I wanna Be Your Dog by The Stooges.
But the next one would be I wanna Be Your Dog by The Stooges.
- Jerkatorium
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Re: What is the hardest song to ruin?
I once had an album (on vinyl) that was just a bunch of cover versions of Flipper's "Sex Bomb". My favorite was essentially just the drum track and baseline with a couple of girls shrieking and screaming the "lyrics" for like 15 minutes.
Flipper's "Sex Bomb" is a song that is, arguably, impossible to ruin and impossible to improve.
Flipper's "Sex Bomb" is a song that is, arguably, impossible to ruin and impossible to improve.
"Yes, I am a Muppet with B.O.; this song speaks to me." - Manhattan Glutton