[Vote] Originals vs. Covers - which do you prefer? (Current Vote: Songs 191 and 192)

[Corki]

Song 140: Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

 

Time for the battle of the ballads. The original of Making Love Out Of Nothing At All is provided Australian rock band Air Supply. Competition comes in the form of Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler.

 

ORIGINAL: Air Supply

Australian rock band Air Supply released Making Love Out Of Nothing At All in 1983, and it came off their Greatest Hits compilation album. In the US, it peaked at number 2 on the Billboard, and a rather lowly 80 in the UK. It was our challenger, Bonnie Tyler, with Total Eclipse of the Heart that kept them off top spot in the US.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86gRRa7y2jY

 

 

vs.

 

 

COVER: Bonnie Tyler

Bonnie Tyler released her version of Making Love Out Of Nothing At All from her 1995 album Free Spirit. The full version is nearly 8 minutes long, and suits her gritty vocals superbly - probably better than the original. It opens with a word-less choral voice, before the melody begins, played on piano. It reached number 2 in the Belgian charts, 17 in the Dutch and only 45 in the UK.

 

 

Voting ends Monday 7th March 2011 at 10pm (GMT)

[Jeannaisais]

139: Can I mix them and have the vocals from the original but the music from the cover? lol I'll go Original

 

140: Cover

[el Nynaeve]

Cover

Original

[Corki]

Song 139: I love the original, but adore the concept for the cover!

 

Song 140: I am voting for the cover since it seems more suited for a voice like Bonnie Tyler's.

[Mira]

139: Original

 

140: Cover

[Talya]

139. I'll go with Original

 

140. I like the Cover

[Krakalakachkn]

Cover

Original

 

Yah

[Corki]

Last few hours or so to vote!

[Corki]

Time to wrap up songs 139 and 140.

 

Song 139 was Heaven Is A Place On Earth, and the final result was a 3-3 tie between the original and cover.

 

Song 140, which featured Making Love Out Of Nothing At All was won by Bonnie Tyler's cover with 4 votes to 2.

 

Time for the next two songs!

[Adrian44]

Original

Cover

[Corki]

Song 141: Can You Stand The Rain

 

It looks like we are heading back to the 1980s! Song 141 features Can You Stand the Rain, with the original by New Edition, and the cover coming from Boyz II Men.

 

ORIGINAL: New Edition

New Edition released their R&B/Pop style ballad Can You Stand The Rain in 1988. It was the third single from their fifth studio album, Heart Break. The theme of the song is about a man asking the woman if he can count on her to remain by his side should things ever become stormy in their current relationship. Many consider the song the one that transformed the group from a "teen pop" act to a grown up vocal ensemble. The song charted at number 44 on the US Billboard.

 

vs.

 

 

COVER: Boyz II Men

Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and complex, intricate a cappella harmonies. The group covered Can You Stand The Rain as part of the 1997 album Evolution. The album got nominated for Best R&B Album at the 1998 Grammy Awards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCVIqHkOHr0

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 10th March 2011 at 10pm (GMT)

[Corki]

Song 142: Love Is All Around

 

Next, we head to the 1960s with Love Is All Around by The Troggs. And the cover comes from the 1990s courtesy of Wet Wet Wet.

 

ORIGINAL: The Troggs

The song was first released as a single in the UK in October 1967. Inspiration supposedly came from a television transmission of the Joy Strings Salvation Army band. It peaked at number 5 in the UK, and at number 7 on the US Billboard in May 1968.

 

 

vs.

 

 

COVER: Wet Wet Wet

The Wet Wet Wet version was the soundtrack to the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral, and became a huge international hit. In the UK, the song spent a staggering 15 weeks at number 1, with a total of 37 weeks in the Top 75. Because of its success, some radio stations banned it! The band even took the decision to delete the record from sale! Lead singer Marti Pellow has this view on their version: "I still think it's a brilliant record. Its strength is its sheer simplicity. Any band would give their eye teeth to have a hit record like that. I'm very proud of it".

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 10th March 2011 at 10pm (GMT)

[Corki]

141: Cover

 

142: Cover

[Corki]

Any additional votes?

[Adrian44]

Cover X2

[Talya]

I don't particularly like the first but will go with

 

Original

 

Cover I like Wet Wet Wet...

[Corki]

I am going to leave this run, and plan to get 4 up on Saturday afternoon to cover tonight and Monday.

[Jeannaisais]

totally missed this haha

 

Original

 

Cover

[Majsju]

141: Neither

142: Cover. Only because it appeared in 4W&aF, as the song is utter crap no matter who performs it.

[Wolfst3r]

142: wet wet wet ( COVER )

141: neither really, if i have to choose i like the sound better in the Cover...

[Corki]

Time to wrap this up a bit later than expected since I ended up watching the rugby all afternoon!

 

In song 141, the cover of Can You Stand The Rain by Boyz II Men secured a 3-2 victory.

 

And Wet Wet Wet's cover of Love Is All Around secured a 5-1 victory.

 

I am currently working on the next batch so watch this space!

[Corki]

Song 143: Wuthering Heights

 

Next up is an artist who hasn't had much success in "Original vs. Cover". With two losses to her name, will it be third time lucky for Kate Bush? This time, the song is Wuthering Heights. The cover is performed by China Drum.

 

ORIGINAL: Kate Bush

Released in January 1978, Wuthering Heights was her début single. It was a number 1 hit in the UK for her, and also is her biggest selling single. Inspiration for Bush to write the song came after watching the last ten minutes of the 1970 film adaptation of Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights. The single beat Blondie's début single Denis to claim top spot in the UK charts. The video is the UK version, since it has the white dress; the American version has a red dress.

 

 

vs.

 

 

COVER: China Drum

China Drum were an English punk rock band that were active between 1989 and 2001. The group released their first album in 1996. Their high tempo cover of Wuthering Heights was their breakthrough hit. It was the B-side to their 1996 single Can't Stop These Things.

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 17th March 2011 at 10pm (GMT)

[Corki]

Song 144: Physical

 

Time to put Olivia Newton-John, star of the hit musical Grease up for "Original vs. Cover" with her successful single Physical. Goldfrapp provide the cover.

 

ORIGINAL: Olivia Newton-John

Physical was released in 1981 and topped the chart for 10 weeks in the US, making it her biggest chart success there. It only charted at number 7 in the UK. The song was also the most successful on the Hot 100 during the entire decade of the 1980s. The song was a move away from her work in Grease and her number 1 hit, the country-pop ballad I Honestly Love You. The music video ran into a few issues with its overt sexual connotations of the term "physical"

 

 

vs.

 

 

COVER: Goldfrapp

Now, I am quite a big fan of Goldfrapp, the English electronic music duo. The song was "reworked" by Goldfrapp for the re-release of their hit single Utopia in June 2001. The full name of the duo's version is U.K. Girls (Physical). The cover version is a lot more sultry and ethereal than the original.

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 17th March 2011 at 10pm (GMT)

[Corki]

Song 145: Send Me An Angel

 

Yet another song from the 1980s. Next up is Send Me An Angel by the Aussie band Real Life. It has proved a popular song to cover, especially in the trance/dance world. The cover comes from Norwegian industrial rockers Zeromancer.

 

ORIGINAL: Real Life

Released in 1983, Send Me An Angel is the Australian New Wave/Synthpop's best known song. It was the band's début single and scored number 1s in Germany and New Zealand. It also managed number 26 on the US Billboard. The song is about a man, who asks himself whether he finds true love. Enjoy the music video that seems to get a female Robin Hood, Star War's Chewbacca (with metal teeth) and someone who could pass for Moraine in the same place!

 

 

vs.

 

 

COVER: Zeromancer

The cover appeared on their 2001 album Eurotrash. While the album spawned two singles, it is this cover that is well known from it. There is a feel of quite a lot of synthesizers in the song, but it does work as a song.

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 17th March 2011 at 10pm (GMT)

[Corki]

Song 146: Listen to Your Heart

 

Time for a European battle featuring artists from Sweden and Belgium. The original of Listen to Your Heart is performed by Sweden's Roxette, while Belgium's D.H.T. featuring Edmée provide the cover version.

 

ORIGINAL: Roxette

Released in Sweden in 1988 and worldwide in 1989, Listen to Your Heart was one of many successes for Roxette in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It topped the US Billboard, and number 3 in Sweden. It only reached number 62 in the UK chart, but in 1990 peaked at number 6 when re-issued. The song has been voted The Best Roxette Song ever by readers of fan-site The Daily Roxette. The video is shot at the Borgholm Castle ruin on the Swedish Baltic Sea island of Öland.

 

 

vs.

 

 

COVER: D.H.T. featuring Edmée

In 2005, D.H.T.'s version became a worldwide hit. Initially released in Belgium in 2003, it reached the US clubscene in 2004. By the end of the year, it was released as a single. By August 2005, it had reached number 8 in the US Billboard, as well as number 7 in the UK. As well as these two successes, it achieved many top 20 positions in various European charts. As well as many different remixed versions, there is also an acoustic ballad cover by the group.

 

 

Voting ends Thursday 17th March 2011 at 10pm (GMT)