Covers

I can’t get Johnny Cash’s cover of ‘Hurt’ out of my head. Such an incredible song, sung by an incredible man. It’s led me to listen to his other stuff again. On You Tube there are some great live duets with Cash playing with Bob Dylan. Joni Mitchell, and Willie Nelson amongst others. I especially suggest Ray Charles singing ‘Ring of Fire’ on The Johnny Cash show. Oh. My. God. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhGZdSkX6IM&feature=related

What does make me laugh though, is all the comments underneath, people arguing of which version of Hurt is best: the original, or the cover? Who cares? The words may be the same, but they are two very different songs. Trent Reznor even agrees;

‘I pop the video in, and wow… Tears welling, silence, goose-bumps… Wow. [I felt like] I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn’t mine anymore… It really made me think about how powerful music is as a medium and art form. I wrote some words and music in my bedroom as a way of staying sane, about a bleak and desperate place I was in, totally isolated and alone. [Somehow] that winds up reinterpreted by a music legend from a radically different era/genre and still retains sincerity and meaning — different, but every bit as pure.’ Alternative Press #194. September 2004.

It goes to show that even the original artist can concede that a song is no longer theirs once it has entered the public arena, and made anew by someone else. Who’s to say that only original versions of songs are the best? Some of the best songs are covers. Look at what Jimi Hendrix did to ‘All Along the Watchtower’. Bob Dylan was the original, but Hendrix is the one to have captured imaginations with his version. No disrespect to Bob because I love him, but I have to say I prefer Jimi on this occasion.

I suppose it’s easy for fans to be precious about songs and musicians they love, but they should lighten up. Johnny Cash had no qualms about letting Ray Charles soulify one his songs, and Trent Reznor has no problems with Cash countrifying one of his.

Oh and Happy New Year!

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