terabient

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I had a really hard time with this one - there are a lot of covers I prefer over the originals, but I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call them better. The covers that I like listening to are the ones that do something completely different in sound and interpretation when compared to the original, and I feel picking one over the other is...missing the point.

For a cover to be better than the original song, I think it needs to keep close to the original version in arrangement and interpretation while surpassing it in technical performance. Basically, it does what the original did (or wanted to do) but...better. Obvious, but many covers are intentionally performed with the idea of answering, changing or rebutting the intent of the original song. The quality of the new version is tied to the old one in a way that makes it hard to choose one over the other.

Anyway, the point of that pretentious verbal vomit is to say: Mary J. Blige's cover of Stevie Wonder's Overjoyed knocks Stevie's version out of the park.

The thing is, the MJB version is practically identical to the Stevie Wonder version. She just sings it so much better. Part of it is that the song as-is plays very well to Mary J's vocal strengths, but also...the Stevie Wonder version is just too sweet and syrupy to be more than pleasant background music. There's something in Mary J Blige's voice that makes me feel like she's gone through absolute hell just before coming into the absolute best time of her life through the song. The Stevie Wonder version, by contrast, sounds like he's going from 'okay' to 'yay!' which is....nice.

Another cover I really enjoy (though I hesitate to call it better) is Raphael Saadiq's version of The Spinners' It's A Shame. I absolutely adore both versions of this song - I think they both showcase the best qualities of 70's soul - but I lean towards Raphael Saadiq's cover a little more. I think part of it might just be because it's NEW AND SHINY, but more seriously, the increased prominence of the bass and the clarity of Saadiq's voice (particularly in the lower registers) makes the song pop in the way the Spinners' version doesn't.

Also I might have a huge, embarrassing music crush on Raphael's voice/bass playing skills, and unashamedly love any and everything he does. ^___^;;

Whatever, I'll just post both versions and let y'all decide which is better. :D

Just in time for my not-at-all serious deadline, again! I feel mildly accomplished!