The Beach Boys released "California Girls" in 65. Two decades later, David Lee Roth covered it. The original is one of my favorite Beach Boys songs, and one of my favorite songs from the first half of the 60's. I wish I had lived through that first half, especially in California. But until I can time travel, the closest I'll get to those years are movies such as the first four Bond films, TV shows such as Bewitched (the black and white seasons, anyway), and songs such as this one. When I'm listening to the original, I'm sitting on a pristine, not overcrowded beach in Southern California, enjoying the view -- and I don't mean the ocean.
David Lee Roth covered this for his first solo single. While I'm not the hugest Van Halen fan, he was better (as was the band) when he was their lead singer. He needed a band to reign in his excesses. This song, however, unlike the video, is not as over the top (especially by David Lee Roth standards) as it could have been; maybe it should have been. Instead, it comes across as a more of a cheap knock-off than a cover. When I'm listening to it, I'm on a seedy boardwalk rather than a beach -- and if I am on the beach, there are hypodermics on the shore -- and the girls I see look as fake as the song sounds.
Although not a cover, "California Gurls" by Katy Perry, the ultimate California girl, honors the original more than Roth's version.
vs.
In 1985, Tears for Fears released "Everybody Wants To Rule the World", another one of their Songs from the Big Chair. In 2013, Lorde covered the song for the soundtrack to Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Although the original is one of my favorite songs, and I think that Lorde is a little overrated, Lorde's vocals on "Royals" gave me some hope for the cover. I appreciate that Lorde attempted a unique take on the song, but her interpretation just doesn't work. Maybe it would have worked in the movie if it had actually been used therein instead of just on the soundtrack, but it doesn't work on its own. The original is a big and powerful pop song without being over the top. The cover comes across as largely lifeless. Lorde doesn't sound as if she wants to make the most of freedom or of pleasure. She sounds as if she's just going through the motions. Lorde may be hot at the moment, but she's not omnipotent. She took on too much with the song -- or she didn't try hard enough. Not everybody can rule this song.
vs.
"White Christmas" was written by Irving Berlin and originally recorded by Bing Crosby in the 40's. Not only is Crosby's version far and away the most popular version of the song, and the most popular Christmas song, it's also the best selling single worldwide of all time. Through this song -- Berlin's lyrics and Crosby's crooning -- I can experience a white Christmas while staying warm. It's a dream in the form of a song.
Among the over 500 covers of this song, the most covered Christmas song of all time, is the 89 version by the New Kids on the Block. I like this song better than I thought I was going to, but when I listening to it, I find myself dreaming of a white Christmas -- Crosby's "White Christmas".
vs.
Wham! released "Last Christmas" in 1984; Taylor Swift covered it in 2007. The original is another one of my top 12 Christmas songs; it's also my favorite original 80's Christmas song, which is now a classic in its own right. The Christmas season doesn't begin for me until I hear this song on the radio. The music is somber for a Wham! song, but it's merrier than the lyrics. The lyrics are among the most depressing of any Christmas song. The singer gave "you" his heart on Christmas, but you gave it away the very next day, on Boxing Day. You couldn't even wait until December 27th? But there's some hope buried in the lyrics. There's always next year.
Although I prefer the original, I'm unembarrassed to say that Taylor Swift's version is my favorite cover of the song. It's the only cover that doesn't make me wish I was listening to the original. And who better to sing a song about heartbreak than Taylor Swift?
vs.
One of the most popular and one of my favorite versions of "Winter Wonderland" is Bing Crosby's from 62. The 87 version by the Eurythmics, from the compilation album A Very Special Christmas, is not only my favorite version of the song, it's also one of my favorite Christmas songs (definitely in my top 12) and one of my favorite songs by the Eurythmics. The thoroughly original arrangement and Annie Lenox's voice capture, as no other version does, both sides of the snowflake: the warmth and merriment of the season, as well as the cold and loneliness.
vs.
This post marks only the second time that I'm picking a non-80's song over an 80's song, and the first time I'm picking a post-80's cover over the 80's original. "Jump", from Van Halen's 1984 album, was released in December 1983. It was covered on TV's Glee in 2009. The original is classic synth-rock and is one of my favorite 80's Van Halen songs. When I'm listening to it, I can't imagine not hearing a synth line. The cover was one of the first songs I heard on Glee, and it was one of the songs responsible for getting me hooked on that show. Unfortunately, it ended up being of the few Glee songs that I really liked, and I soon grew tired of the high school drama. I no longer watch the show, but I still listen to the song. As much as I enjoy the original, only the cover makes me gleeful. It doesn't make me want to start watching the show again, but it does make me want to jump on a mattress.
vs.
"Dancing in the Street" was released by Martha and Vandellas in 1964. David Bowie and Mick Jagger covered it in 1985. The original is classic Motown; the cover is over-the-top (although not overly over-the-top) 80's dance-rock. Bowie and Jagger may not make the best dance partners, but they make a natural singing duo. You can just hear how much they enjoyed working together. When I hear the original, I want to dance in my chair; when I hear the cover, I feel like actually dancing in the street -- albeit a deserted street like the one in the music video.
I know that some readers still haven't forgiven me for picking Devo's cover of "Satisfaction" over the Rolling Stones' original. Perhaps I've made up for that, at least to some extent, by selecting Jagger as the winner in this battle. Or perhaps I've dug myself an even deeper hole....
vs.
