The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Hoblit wrote:Personally, I think this is a terrible idea.

Agreed.

fodroy wrote:

Hoblit wrote:Personally, I think this is a terrible idea.

Agreed.

Okay, that's at least three people who think it's a bad idea. I'm sure that you have some great, valid reasons for thinking that it IS a bad idea, but I have yet to see even one of those reasons expressed by the naysayers. Thus far, all I have seen is sarcastic comments about the movie of the same name.

If you're not going to explain why you think it's a terrible idea, those of us who think it's a decent idea have no chance to see it from your point of view. We only know that your opinion is different.

ROCK!

Glenn Case

OK, well here's why I think it's a bad idea: Sgt Pepper has been DONE. I don't mean done, I don't even mean Done, I mean DONE. I mean, I'm not even a Beatles fan, but seriously, you're gonna try and beat them at their own game? It makes about as much sense as me covering Floodland would.

obscurity wrote:OK, well here's why I think it's a bad idea: Sgt Pepper has been DONE. I don't mean done, I don't even mean Done, I mean DONE. I mean, I'm not even a Beatles fan, but seriously, you're gonna try and beat them at their own game? It makes about as much sense as me covering Floodland would.

See, that's a reason that makes sense. I can see why someone would choose to pass on this challenge because you'll never make the album anywhere near as good as the Beatles did.

If I record anything from this album, it will be to see if I can learn a few tricks in the process of covering greatness. It's a "Can I do this?" test of sorts.

It's a significant album for me, personally. The only Beatles album we had in our household where I grew up was "Rubber Soul" because it was my mom's copy. My dad didn't care for the Beatles at all. I discovered "Sgt. Peppers" after moving away from home, and I was amazed by how many of the songs I already knew. The track listing practically read like a greatest hits album!

So, I personally want to tackle at least one song because "Sgt. Peppers" was the album that made me want to check out all of the other Beatles albums.

ROCK!

Glenn Case

GlennCase wrote: If you're not going to explain why you think it's a terrible idea, those of us who think it's a decent idea have no chance to see it from your point of view. We only know that your opinion is different.

Fair enough. If I really had to support my opinion with a logical reason, I would say that the true accomplishment of the record is in the arrangements and the production. What they were able to do with the technology of the day is astounding. Yes, the songs are good (not as good as those on Revolver) and the performances are excellent, but the technical achievement is what made it ground-breaking. With today's technology, it will not take as much effort to produce the same effect, even on a home-studio scale.

But my real reason to think it's a bad idea is that I don't want to hear half-assed versions of song that are very dear to me. If [SF artist name removed to protect identity] does a complete shit version of Within You, Without You, I may have to kill someone or, at the very least, my computer. On a strictly emotional level, I don't want to hear these songs reimagined by SongFighters.

Yes, I know I don't have to listen, blah blah blah, and I likely will not, which is why I didn't post specific reasons for my opinion in the first place--you are all welcome to do whatever you wish! But since Glenn asked and I like Glenn, I thought I'd respond.

ROCK!

frankie big face wrote:But my real reason to think it's a bad idea is that I don't want to hear half-assed versions of song that are very dear to me.

That caught me off-guard, just because it makes so much sense. Man. The music really is a masterpiece, and the majority of us are just mediocre musicians. Massacring majestic melodies might mutilate magical moments from the past. Maybe. In all seriousness, that comment might just be a reason to kill this thread.

Thank you for the genuine, well thought out response!

I really do appreciate where you're coming from, and I think your concerns are valid. It's one thing to hear a song butchered when you don't really care about it one way or another, but it's quite another thing when it's a song you hold dear.

Then it's like a trainwreck, because you know better than to listen to all of the entries, but you can't help yourself.

I can't speak for everyone, but I know that I will try to do right by any of the songs from the album that I do cover.

ROCK!

Glenn Case

This album is such a defining piece of music in our culture, I think we have all heard it enough (at least those of us who care) that hearing a few bad versions isn't going to ruin anything. The songs are so engrained in my head, personally, that I could listen to 100 god-awful versions of Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds, but when I play it back in my head after all that, John's perfect vocals will still ring in my noggin.

I personally, would love to do this, and would love to hear this. I dunno if I could ( no recording equipment at college, which ends in late may, giving me about a week to record possibly the most respected album out there, in its entirity) but I already know most the songs anyway, so it would just be a matter of arranging them and layin 'em down.

Bottom line, Im up for it!

I just think that the Beatles have been covered way too much. Just leave it alone for awhile. And Sgt. Pepper's may have been groundbreaking album, but it's in no way the Beatle's best. Wait another year and do the White Album. I'd have less of a problem with that.

It also could be that there have been a bajillion sidefights recently, and it's just too much all at once.

or better yet, just quietly get a bunch of people together and do it without fanfare and impress us. discussing it sets high expectations out of the gate. jeff f. covered a classic U2 album and got seemingly good response (and deservedly so), but he surprised everyone and i don't think people were comparing it with the quality of the original as much as being impressed with his dedication and perseverance to see something like this all the way through.

at least with sgt. pepper, i think the thing to remember is that any reason for listening will be mostly for the novelty and not be taken seriously, at least not in the context of the original.

i'd probably listen to it for a chuckle or a passing listen, but i can say with a high degree of certainty no matter who covers this, it's highly unlikely i'll be impressed.

Jack, you'd be impressed if I covered the whole album using nothing but pitch-shifted fart noises and inward singing. Admit it.

no doubt d00d. i'd even play it for my friends.

If I was to cover anything on Sgt Pepper, I know I could never compare to the original, so I wouldn't even try. I would do something in my style and completely different, BUT with all the passion that the original gave me and still does give me. If it's a slow song, I'd speed metal it, if it's a fast aggressive song, I'd do an unplugged acoustic piece. I think this is the kind of thing Frankie would hate, as he expressed. But it's the only way I can cover a great song without sounding like I'm butchering it....if that makes sense.

The only songs worth talking about on that over-rated album are "Within You Without You" and "Good Morning"

"Getting Better" is aight too.

Frankies post pretty much covers it for me.

SINCE YOU'RE ASKING (otherwise I'da just stuck with my first response quietly)

I too don't wanna here songfighter versions of that album for the same reasons as Frankie. To save from soundin' like an A-hole, I think that album is virutally untouchable...songs I've heard other folk do of that album almost come off as either 'over the top' or they almost mock the original recordings. LEAVE IT ALONE!

One of the reasons I have never watched the Wizzard Of Oz to Dark Side of the Moon is because I want to remember Dark Side of the Moon with my own associations. Just as I don't want to associate a GREAT album, a great BEATLES ALBUM with songfighter randitions. Not that I think all of them will be crap, not by any means...but I'd rather not even have the association. Good or no good.

I'm gonna stop now because I could go on and on with even more and more reasons. It's just my opinion and who am I but a guy who has done his own share of bad covers.

Be careful when covering the Beatles.

Frankie, thanks for putting 'revolver' in my head tonight. (pun intended) I busted it out and was reminded.

* Hoblit makes Beatles gang sign (whatever that is)

"peace out"

I find it startling that someone's supposed "love" for an album can be so shaken by the prospect of someone else handling its material. The album's still going to be there, regardless of who reinterprets it.

WeaselSlayer wrote:I find it startling that someone's supposed "love" for an album can be so shaken by the prospect of someone else handling its material. The album's still going to be there, regardless of who reinterprets it.

First of all, I thought you were going away for awhile.

Secondly, who said their "love" for the album would be shaken? A few of us said we thought it was a bad idea and some other people asked us why we thought that. Nobody said don't do it and I don't think anybody said their "love" would be shaken.

I find it startling that you are so easily startled.

Why does it matter? I understand where you're all coming from, but is it worth 2 pages of bickering? JB'll delete this thread in no time, and I don't know if I'll be sad about it. People will do what they will do. It's not your problem, and you can just ignore this thread and pretend it never happened.

I am going to play the whole album live, completely nude - using just my body parts for instrumentation.

For peace.

Caravan Ray wrote:I am going to play the whole album live, completely nude - using just my body parts for instrumentation.

For peace.

Sgt. Pecker's Bonely Hard Chub Man?

Billy's Little Trip wrote:

Caravan Ray wrote:I am going to play the whole album live, completely nude - using just my body parts for instrumentation.

For peace.

Sgt. Pecker's Bonely Hard Chub Man?

Would you like to duet on "With A Little Help From All My Friends"?
I'll bring the biscuits.