The originals

[jawnbc]

Sometimes it's something unlike anything previous. Sometimes it's a fusion of things ostensibly incompatible. Sometimes it's taking the known, giving it a tweak, and producing something unique. But these are some recordings that, from the very first listen, caught my ear. They're not earworms, they're classics.

Wuthering Heights Kate Bush: An anthemic pop song based on 19th century Brit lit, sung as the wail of the Banshee? Oh yeah!

American Pie Don McLean: Cryptic, hypnotic, profound and singable in a pub, encapsulating a culture

First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Roberta Flack: Known as a singer-songwriter-producer, FTEISYF was written by firebrand Marxist folk singer Ewan MacColl (Kirsty's Da)--in tribute to the woman who inspired him to leave his wife. But it's Flack's vocal and arrangement that make this sublime.

Father and Son Cat Stevens: I don't know many men for whom this song doesn't resonate. The meaning I find in the lyrics has changed with age, but it remains powerfully moving--particularly the counterpoint at the end (stay...stay...stay...)

Rivers of Babylon Boney M: Fusing pop, calypso and reggae and adapting verses of Scripture, to make the sound of joy. They were produced by Frank Farian, whose next "act" was Milli Vanilli

Le Monde est Stone Fabienne Thibeault/Céline Dion/Cyndi Lauper: Sometimes the package is better than its parts. Here's a sublime melody, with ostensibly pedestrian lyrics, yet it totally works. It's sung by a small town girl, new to the big city, working as a nighttime restaurant where, quite literally, everyone is stoned. But you really don't need to understand a word for it to move you to tears. [Lauper's version is The World is Stone]

Good Vibrations the Beach Boys: Nothing like it, before or after. Arguably the first American recording to use the human voice as an instrument.

Comments

[mondragon.livejournal.com]

Either we're both really predictable or we're both fabulous.

I don't know "Le Monde est Stone", but the others are def. lifetime tops.

[jawnbc]

Oh definately fabulous. Without a doubt.

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

As much as I love Kate (and her Bush) I have to say that I actually prefer Pat Benatar's cover of Wuthering Heights, even if that makes me sound Squaresville. Kate's sounds like a banshee--on helium. Great songwriting but performed in a poorly-chosen key.

[jawnbc]

Nah it's purposeful to the piece. Song of the harpee sung by a harpee. Regardless, no one's ever come out with a song like it, before or since.

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

Was it really supposed to be banshee-esque?

You're up on Irish lore. Do you know about the pre-Columbian Mexican lengend of La Llorona, the crying woman? It's nearly identical to the legend of the banshee. Freaky, huh?

[mondragon.livejournal.com]

It's an acquired taste that some people just can't acquire.

As long as you recognize _Hounds of Love_ as a masterpiece of all time you're forgiven.

[tim-e-bear.livejournal.com]

I like every piece but ONE on Hounds of Love. (Mother Stands for Comfort just leaves me cold - I'm sure Freud would have a LOT to say about THAT. ;) ).

[mondragon.livejournal.com]

As part of the whole, I like it. I particularly like her reading of:

It breaks the cage, and fear escapes and takes possession,
Just like a crowd rioting inside.
(make me do this, make me do that, make me do this, make me do that...)
Am I the cat that takes the bird?
To her the hunted, not the hunter.

I just love the whole fucking thing

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

Oh, my. That is her finest hour.

I love "Cloudbusting." It's inspired by a biography of Wilhelm Reich, a psychoanalysist who got in deep trouble with the Nazis, written by his son.

[tim-e-bear.livejournal.com]

I don't think Kate would entirely disagree. This may be why she redid the vocals entirely for the version on THE WHOLE STORY.

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

That's right! I'd forgotten all about that. And it's a fucking gorgeous version. Far superior to the original.

[chrisglass.livejournal.com]

An interesting twist on Kate Bush, The Futureheads cover Hounds of Love (link for MP3 at end of story)

[mondragon.livejournal.com]

Oh My God, that's just Heresy.

I never liked the Jam much, anyway.

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

I HEART heresy!

[jawnbc]

U R such a faux heretic! Totally!

Faux! Faux I say!

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

Oh, "J'accuse," eh?

Defend your position!

[jawnbc]

limiting one's social sphere to miscreant musclebears does not meet the international standard of idolatry.

No idolatry, no heresy.

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

My social sphere is hardly limited to miscreant or musclebears and especially not those who are both.

And how can an international standard determine heresy? Heresy is individual to idiosyncratic sensibilities. What pisses off the taliban may or may not piss off a hindu fundamentalist or a Marxist of the humorless variety, blah, blah.

Is heresy really a function of idolatry?

[jawnbc]

Miscreant musclebears is specific category, not items in a typology.

UN Universal Declaration of Heresy (http://www.un.org/madeulook.html) is what I quoted. I know how loathe Americans are to surrender sovereignty to outside forces, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Yes, yes it is. However, you clearly qualify as a heathen, which isn't as kewl (ignorance rather than defiance), but 'tis better than being a Believer. Even a Daydream Believer.

[sunsmogseahorse.livejournal.com]

You are a silly bear and in dire need of a proper rogering. Please refer to your husband for the proper treatment.

[querrelle.livejournal.com]

Administered.

[jawnbc]

That is, indeed, very cool. Thanks Mr. Chris!

[jawnbc]

ja ja, but the male vocals on Rivers of Babylon are like teets on ze bull--somewhat decorative but useless.

But the hair! Oh the Gumby-wedge 'fro! More play than Kid 'n Play!

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

Arguably the first American recording to use the human voice as an instrument.

I think I probably don't understand what this means. But my counterexample would be - Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Ethel Waters.

[jawnbc]

No you're fine-when I wrote I knew it was sort of clunky.

I meant it's one of the first US recordings that wholly orchestrated the vocals with the instrumentation. The vocal arrangements were specifically part of the overall arrangement.

Does that make sense?