I know what your thinking. “Bri-Guy there is nothing interesting about covers, the musician just tries to accurately depict the style and exact phrasing of a song to the chord progression and then they are good to go.” Oh assumed audience (or just Regina at this point) you couldn't be more wrong. Good covers are actually best when they are a simple adaptation of the song itself. This is why at live shows we get so excited when we hear a cover we love in the style we are not accustomed to. The simple mix and change of the song style makes us feel like we are listening to the song for the first time. What does it sound like when punk songs are swung? What happens when you take a jazz song and make it totally metal? These questions pinup a unique door for songwriters.
Think of a song’s lyrics and chord progression as a pasta noodle. Now this pasta noodle shape would be considered the songs feelings (sad, happy, introverted, mean) like penne, or spaghetti or angel hair pasta. The pasta can be used in several different dishes and with different tastes. In this case, the ingredients in which the pasta is served with is considered the genre. Just look up how many times the song “Hallelujah” has been covered. All of them with there own style and feel but of the same noodle (yes, I am still talking about pasta.) Bands have been covering songs for centuries, look at, for example, Cake’s over of the Motown throwback “I will survive”. This isn't just for throw backs. Acoustic versions of hip hop songs have been widely excepted. Covers are not just a way to make a quick buck at a bar for musicians or for karaoke night. With artistic vision they can be used to make the covering artist’s cover their own song.
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