Monday, September 8, 2008

Blown Cover

I'm no expert, but there are a few things a band must consider if they want to play a cover of a popular song. The song should have some time behind it. When the cover is played, it should make people say "Oh yeah, remember that song?" Second, the covering band should have something new to contribute to the song. The point of doing a cover song is for the band to play a classic song, but give it their own flavor. Otherwise, there is no point in covering it, people will just want to listen to the original.

So why in the WORLD did Bowling for Soup do a cover of "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne? My friend Katie makes Christmas compilation CDs every year. They are pretty awesome. She has given me the last several years of Christmas CDs. The one she most recently gave me is from 2006 and has "Stacy's Mom" by Bowling for Soup on it!? I listened. I frowned. The original is awesome. This one offered nothing different, nothing better, nothing period. Fountains of Wayne released the song in 2004, the Bowling for Soup version was on a 2006 CD. What the heck? That's like U2 doing a cover of "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay. It just came out! And, it was fine before, thank you. Whatever, just thought it was weird.

3 comments:

The Dyer Family said...

it's totally possible i was wrong - i didn't even know who sang that song in the first place. i just thought it was funny. those two bands sound exactly the same to me.
you're gonna love what i'm working on for this year!!! a little aretha, flight of the conchords, reverand al green, george michael!!! it's great!

The Dyer Family said...

it's kind of like how joe thinks rush and reo speedwagon sound exactly the same. this perturbs my brother - the ultimate rush fan - to no end. :)

Anonymous said...

Revolver----the best Beatles cover band in the US of A period.
The nuances are right there in your ears. Some numbers are BETTER than The Liverpool 4. Eleanor Rigby...Revolution...Back in the USSR all finer than frog hair!!