So something has been bothering me lately. I tried to complain to my husband about it, but he just looked at me like I was crazy (like usual). That led me to you fortunate (or unfortunate) people! It's your lucky day.
As you probably know by now. I'm obsessed with music much like I'm obsessed with writing. (Read: there is NOTHING about writing in this post. If you want to stop now, I'll never know.) I listen to a plethora of music in just about every genre. From opera and classical to alternative and punk to hip hop and rap. It's all there, on my iTunes.
I also listen to the radio on occasion. (Very rare occasions. VERY rare. I hate commercials and morning shows. They are the bane of my existence.) On the radio is where I hear alternative songs being remade in hip hop and R & B songs. Doesn't anyone else notice this? And do you EVER hear about the alternative artist who initially recorded the track? No. No you don't. You just run around thinking, Aww man, these rappers/ R & B ers/ modern singers are so phresh (lol!) and fly.
Truth is. No. They aren't. They're just taking another artist's work and pulling it off as their own. And unless you're a music junkie like me, you don't know the difference.
SO! Now I would like to enlighten you to 4 songs. The 2 originals and then the 2 new versions. Instant cred to the original artists. (Not that I don't like the sampling in the remakes, I do! I just think there should be some sort of credit law for this. Must be the writer in me!)
Song Number One: Float On by Modest Mouse
It's a lovely tune, totally dance worthy. And there are sheep in the video. (Um pretty sure there's a goat posse out there who will at least appreciate the sheep.) Has guys with big 'staches. Retro cool.
Song Number Two: The Show Goes On by Lupe Fiasco
Also totally dance worthy. Fun. Has far less scantily clad women than expected. (Props Lupe for being different.) Has big bad ass dudes with ear pieces. Plus the Shark Week ad at the beginning features Lady Gaga's Teeth which makes me insanely happy. But I digress...
Do you notice a HUGE similarity in these songs? Seriously! Modest Mouse rocked it out and Lupe Fiasco took it and rapped it out. Whoa? Whoa?! (Interrobang! Learned that from Michelle Simkins)
Song Number Three: Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap
A weird techy song by a chick with a rocking awesome voice. Has a bit of a lyrical twist to it.
Song Number Four: What You Say by Jason Derulo
Oh my gosh! Did you listen while you dancing around your kitchen? It's the same lyrics. Whoa interrobang is right, my friends. Whoa, indeed. (Plus has scantily clad women. No props, Jason. None for you.) (It does have the Shark Week ad though. Yesss!!)
What it comes down to people, is cred. It should be given where it's due. I could go on, but this rant has taken up a significant portion of my morning that was supposed to be dedicated to cupcakes. (And jungle animals!)
End Rant.
All the best,
Kacey
As a rabid Imogen fan, Whatcha Say made my ears bleed when it first came out. And I feel like such a hipster for snapping at people when they're like "OMG LUV DIS SONG!"
ReplyDeleteI appreciate its merits as something that exists because of sampling. Which is like... the highest possible rating for a sampled song is a C- rather than an A+ in my mind. Geh. Write yo own stuff, kids. Nicki Minaj does it.
Exactly! I knew I wasn't the only one this made crazy...(Although in my head I'm probably the biggest cray cray out there.) Eh. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI have thought about this a lot. I do but don't like the idea of covers. Because some covers I like better than the originals. But I think that they should display the credit. Have it like in the song name or something. You know, tag a little originally by . . . (insert name here), or something like that.
ReplyDelete