As constant spectators of the music industry and a generation that is consuming more media content than any one previous, us college students hear many artists pop into the music scene. We watch the careers of young stars flourish and often times see the numbers of musicians in the limelight dwindle within the span of five years. Some artists, in a number of different genres, have taken permanent residence there however, refusing to fade away with time. So, naturally, one flatters such resilient acts through imitation (is it cheating to cover a song that was already deemed a classic? But I digress).
Here are some legendary songs that got a 21st century facelift.
“Hotel California” by Alabama 3
London outfit Alabama 3 recorded a cover of the Eagles’ “Hotel California” in 2000. While leaving the lyrics unaltered, the band put their own spin on the track by adding their own flair to the basic foundation that the song already provided. A3, as they are sometimes called, have labelled themselves as “Sweet Pretty Muthaf***in’ Country Acid House Music” (according to their description on their website), and this seems to be the only genre that fits the mixture of computer-generated effects and spoken verses infused with gnarly vocals and the twang of country guitars. The original song is ranked #6 on Q104.3’s Lucky 13th edition of the 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time, two slots higher than “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. While this version is guitar heavy and (despite lyrics “‘we are all just prisoners here, of our own device‘“) sounds more inviting than the haunting A3 version .
“Cheek to Cheek” by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
Cheek to Cheek, a album recently released by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, debuted as #1 on the Interscope Records’ U.S. album charts. The LP includes a track of the same name which was originally written for Fred Astaire’s character in the movie Top Hat. The 1935 recording, orginally written by Irving Berlin, features a big band sound that highlights Astaire’s soft, sweet singing as well as the time period. The 2014 chart-topping collaboration took this love song and turned it into a sensual duet that one would expect to hear in an upscale jazz lounge. The “Born This Way” singer shows off her range and lovely timbre and Bennett, now 88, has proved to the world that he’s still got it.
“Rolling In The Deep” by Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin released her cover of Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep” on September 29 on her Vevo Youtube channel. This was the first track that she released off her upcoming album, Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics. Adele’s 2010 hit seems to have a fairly simple composition in regards to the instruments recorded and the audible effects used on them. Ms. Franklin further complicated the song by adding another level of harmony and using multiple layers of keys to add depth. She kept all of the lyrics the same with the exception of the sample that she included of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Despite the addition, the chorus flowed seamlessly from Adele’s “you’re gonna wish you never had met me” into Franklin’s “I still love you.”
The audio for all of the covers have been added to this YouTube playlist! For your viewing pleasure, continue below…