Karaoke Forums

Not sure where to post this, but after reading the following comment
in the technical forum

I thought it would be a nice idea to share song facts, for some of the more popular songs at karaoke...

For example the more obvious fact that Black Velvet was written about Elvis (i'm still suprised by the number of customers that don't know this despite singing it week after week )

Or... Eminem sampled Labi Siffre "I got the..." in his song my name is.

There is a good site for information like this http://www.songfacts.com but it would be nice to hear what little gems you guys know.

Seriously, not got my laptop with me right now but go find the original of "I Think We're Alone Now" because it's a lovely little song.

OK, samples... I hate "obvious" samples, but love creative use of them. Such as Cam'ron - Hey Ma using Commodores - Easy.

I'm a big fan of what some call "B*st*rd pop", which is mashups, covers, remixes, etc. Lot's of cool stuff to be found. But also love covers. Flipping that round, I love finding really rare originals of songs that went on to be famous by other artists.

Moreover, sometimes these provide alternative versions to sind.

Take That released Patience in 2007, now Nick Lachey has covered it - it's much more within my range, and so am looking to get that once it's out.

OK another pop fact. Take That - Could It Be Magic. Was not sung by take that. Listen to it, other than Robbie's voice, does that sound to you like 4 Manchester lads?

No... Robbie provided the lead vocals, the rest is layered recordings of Levi Stubbs, lead singer of the 4 Tops...

I am a huge fan of cover songs. I think it lets you see who bands and singers are influenced by, and I like to hear how they arrange their version of the song.

Song Fact: Black Betty by Ram Jam was originally recorded by Hattie "Leadbelly" Leadbetter. Of course Ram Jams version is more of a rockin' tune, but the original is an interesting listen.

I dislike cover songs... only a few of them did I ever really like.

What I like is when a regular who was a bit older than me shouted out after I sang "Dreamweaver", "Hey, what group was Gary originally in that they had a hit song with?" And that got people thinking... enough to where I'd ask out some trivia like that, or say things like, "man, remember THAT video on MTV?"

I like covers that change the style of a son, show another way to song/play it. Straight 1:1 covers seem pointless to me.

Moreover, boyband covers do my head in. Case in point: Westlife - Mandy.

Take an amazing ballad, really heartfelt. Then regurgitate it with over-produced vocals and zero emotion or passion.

And eys, I know the Manilow version is a cover of a song originally called "Brandy" about drinking.

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What film did Duran Duran get their name from? Barbarella

What band were 80's duo Pepsi & Shirley the backing singers for? Wham

Who simetimes used to tour in the 90's as "Tins of piss"? REM

The song "Black Betty" was also covered by Spiderbait, a rock band out of Australia.

I don't dislike cover songs, but I do find that most of the time the covering artist attempts to duplicate the original too closely.

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Mongo ain't exactly a "who," he's more of a "what".

There used to be a band that came through here on a regular basis. They did a mean rocking cover of "On the Wings of a Snow White Dove". Yes, I said Rocking!
I still think their version was worth a recording studio.

Trivis fact: Joan Jett did NOT do the original "I Love Rock and Roll". It was the Arrows.

I'll always got a kick out of that WILLIE NELSON wrote "CRAZY" sung by Patsy Cline

And of course Dolly Parton gave Whitney Houston a big boost in her career with "I Wll Always Love You."

He also sang it as well.

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How about Vicky Lawrence (mama on "mama's family), also Carol Burnett Show. Was the original on "The night that the lights went out in Georgia", made famous by Reba McIntire. Just picture "mama" singing it.

talking about covers. i agree its pointless to "cover" a song almost just as it was to start. BUT some times it can be nice when a band does cover an obscure song and does it well it can be a good thing such as Great white doing "twice shy". the song was first released in the late 60s or 70s, but I can't recall by who. basicly all that they changed was the production quality and vocal harmony. the same can be said for almost all of Metallica's Kill em all.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

I think covers are great. For the most part, they give a new generation of people a chance to hear a song they would have normally "dismissed". Hip hop has been taking samples of songs for decades. The punk genre has a few bands that do mostly oldies and 80's covers, like the band "Me First and the Gimme Gimmes" (look them up!). the Ataris have a slew of covers songs from The Cure, Don Henley and Bryan Adams.

Johnny Cash's version of NIN's "Hurt" sold way more than the original.
Disturbed came out with a pretty intense version of "Land of Confusion" written by Phil Collins.

On a side note, for all of The Beatles fans out there....shame on you if you haven't heard the soundtrack from the motion picture Across The Universe!! Every single song in that movie (with the exception of Blackbird) was covered perfectly!

I think most people would agree that a cover done as an exact replica of the original doesn't hold much value.


Let's not forget, however, the BAD covers. Big & Rich had no business remaking The Beastie Boys "Fight For Your Right". Just TERRIBLE!!!

Tiffany's cover of I Think We're Alone now is pretty good. One of my favorite covers is Earth Wind and Fire's cover of the Beatles Got to Get You Into My Life--groovy and soulful.

Here's an article the other day from the Guardian regarding Phil Collins' songs being samples:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicbl ... ic-revival

I don't like the Fugees cover of Killing Me Softly. Killing Me Harshly?

Nor Destiny's Child cover of Emotion

I had forgotten about land of confusion! the gimme gimmes are a long time fave. I have a bunch of there stuff on the mp3 i use for filler. once in a blue moon somebody asks about it. Ive been complemented on my filler music many times. one guy told me he came to my show to here the filler as much as the singers (sometimes more).

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

I prefer CCR's cover of I heard It Through The Grapevine over Marvin Gayes. I don't think I've ever heard Gladys Knight's version.

Tom

"The Power of Love" from Celine is the one I use to sing in the Engelbert style, many are not aware that Enge sang this one in the 80's before Celine did

Also, many good covers from Zoom with Eva Cassidy, nice acoustic sound on some great classics

Thanks for the song trivia site I saved it to my favorites my wife and I are always comining up who did what & when music questions.

Covers can be ok. Example: George Strait's "Amarilo by Morning" was a cover.

Jim-n-TN

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Don't burn your old house before you build a new one.

This thread is way cool. It got me thinking and I went into the dusty archives to locate some cover gems by well known artists that became hits over the original.
1...Twist and Shout, Top Notes(1961) Isley Brothers, Beatles
2...New Orleans, Big Boy Miles(1960) Gary US Bonds
3...This Diamond Ring, Sammy Ambrose(1964) Gary Lewis and the Playboys
4...Blueberry Hill, Gene Autry(1940) Fats Domino
5...Little Darlin', Gladiolas(1956) Diamonds
6...Johnny Angel, Georgia Lee(1960) Shelley Faberes
7...Tom Dooley, Grayson & Whittier(1929) Kingston Trio
8...Baby Talk , Laurels(1959) Jan & Dean
9...Mercury Blues, K.C. Douglas(1948) Alan Jackson, Aretha Franklin
10.Hanky Panky, Raindrops(1963) Tommy James
11.I'm Into Something Good, Earl-Jean(1964) Herman's Hermits
12.Stranded In The Jungle, Jayhawks(1956) Cadets
13.Louie Louie, Richard Berry(1957) Kingsmen
14.I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday, Bobby Mitchell(1957) Fats Domino
15.Toy Bell (My Ding-a-Ling), Bees(1954) Chuck Berry
16.See You later Alligator, Bobby Charles(1955) Bill Haley and His Comets
17.Jock-A-Mo (Iko Iko), Sugar Boy Crawford(1953) Dixie Cup

Many think Proud Mary was originally Tina Turner - Creedence wrote & recorded it first.

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