(I didn't realize that "I Was Meant for the Stage" was originally written by the Decemberists. and so I sounded like an ass. Thank you to the kind commentor who so politely pointed out my error. I still think the song sounds flat, but do love it. I'll have to think about who I'd like to cover it most...)
Seems to be all songs all the time right now. I'm sick of writing about politics and can't keep up with them anyway being cut off from everything like this, so songs and books and fish and the weather are all that I've got an opinion about these days.
Anyway, I was excited to see that The Decemberists had covered "I Was Meant For the Stage", thinking that since I liked the song and the band that I would like them combined and we all know how I like my covers. Wrong wrong wrong.
I am only just hearing this for the first time these last couple of times and I keep trying to tell myself that I am going to like it, that I just need to listen to it one more time. Nope, it just isn't good. Dull, flat, boring. They fall for the silly indie trap that if you just slow a song down and try to make it sound dramatic it will be something special. It takes more than that for it to be an interesting cover.
I've tried telling myself that I am being unfair because the only other version of this song that I have at my disposal now is the Kiki & Herb version, which is heavy company to compete against. It isn't just in contrast though; the Decemberist version straight up sucks.
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2 comments:
I know not to expect much in the blogosphere, but one would think that someone writing about music and about a band they claim to like would know when said band wrote an original song. "I Was Meant for the Stage" is not covered by the Decemberists, it is a song that they wrote, recorded, and produced. It is also a great song and their "version" is fantastic. Maybe next time, do a slight bit of research and you won't look like quite as much of a douchebag.
thanks for the info. I wrote it while out at sea and didn't really have any access to check up on this stuff.
and my music writing isn't meant to express any kind of authority or expertise. I'm just commenting off the top of my head about how I feel about the song.
I still think "I Was Meant for the Stage" sounds flat by the Decemberists. To their credit, the song sounds like a standard and upon hearing it, you feel like you have heard it many times before.
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