Tune du Jour: “One” – U2
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Elisa vs. Christian Kane & Mary Blige vs. Mike Masse with Jeff Hall
VOTE, COMMENT, then DRAG THE PAST OUT INTO THE LIGHT
CoverMeImpressed.com CoverMeImpressed.com CoverMeImpressed.com
Did I Ask for Too Much?
More Than a Lot …
You Gave Me a Carrot Guitar
Now That’s All I’ve Got
The Original
U2:
R.E.M. with Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen Jr.:
A damn shame. This one could have been a contender. But you just can’t slip the original band’s bass player and drummer into the mix and call it your own. Well … at least not on CMI you can’t!!! (Yeah, we’re a bunch of badasses around here, deal with it!)
Johnny Cash:
I know, technically, this is a cover and should be down below battling among other contenders. The problem is this cover is perfect. The song absolutely cannot be performed any better. As such, I feel to include it in the competition would be disrespectful to the memory of the Man in Black, as well as unfair to the poor bastards below who so desperately covet the industry accolades that come with a CMI victory.
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Elisa vs. Christian Kane & Mary Blige vs. Mike Masse with Jeff Hall
Elisa:
Christian Kane & Mary Blige:
Mike Masse with Jeff Hall:
SPACE
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. It is your solemn responsibility to decide which cover song prevails. In other words … Which Side Are You On?!!?
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
cover me impressed 
Once again, great song and 3 very good covers. All three chose to structure their version as the original – start quiet and subdued, then build gradually to enthusiastic and loud. But it’s a formula that certainly works for this song. I’m going to go with Christian Kane/Mary Blige. I was unfamiliar with both of them. But I liked how the song started off in a male voice, transitioned to a duet, and then finished in a female voice. And a very good female voice at that. One other note I’ll share: From watching the Mike Masse video I now know the song’s chords!
The Kane/Blige version is fantastic but suffers a bit from the Urban Cowboy style video. Very impressed with the Masse/Hall stripped down version and can even sort of forgive the NY Yankee cap. Nothing offensive about Elisa’s version either. Really difficult to decide between Kane/Blige and Masse/Hall. I voted Masse/Hall but already wondering if I made a mistake. This one will keep me up tonight!
I agree Johnny Cash’s cover was best.
I voted Mike Masse and Jeff Hall on this one.
I’m surprised Cuspid doesn’t know who Mary J. Blige is. Now, I’ll be the first to admit I can write everything I know about hip-hop on the back of a postage stamp. So I am Not part of her audience. But a quick look at wikipedia confirms she has been one of the most successful musical acts of the century, as well as an award winning actress.
Was under the impression Mary K was straight up hip hopper, but loved her vocals, video way too creepy though, they actually synched “brother/sister” with the Barbie twins lip-locking. Im a sucker for great acoustics so went all in with Masse, but when all is said and done Cash is King… Hey Dougie, do you still play much, passing it on tomthe kids?
I would agree with Kerry – the JC version is the best. I think Cash almost makes this song his own, as if U2 were covering him.
I followed rap/hip-hop from the mid-80’s until the early 90’s. Then I pretty much lost interest, as I thought it was moving in the wrong direction musically. Nothing that I’ve heard in the past 25 years has changed my mind. Today, I don’t know any of the popular rap/hip-hop personalities. A couple of my kids like it. So I get to listen to it every now and then. But what I hear I think is terrible. The music is boring, the lyrics are crap, the videos are pornographic. In short, I see no redeeming value whatsoever.
The really sad part is that a whole generation of kids is growing up thinking this is what music is and the best music has to offer. You don’t actually have to be able to write music, sing, play an instrument or have anything to say. As long as you can dress cool, have the right hair, and make videos of yourself surrounded with mostly-naked young women shaking their butt, you’re worthy of acceptance and admiration.
Consequently, my kids aren’t too impressed with me and my guitar playing or music interests.
I liked the way the Kane/Blige version started but it got too overblown for me. I don’t think of Mary J Blige as a hip hop performer but more of an R&B/modern Soul singer but I don’t follow her career. I like Mike Masse and his simple acoustic rendition but his vocal echoed Bono’s delivery a bit more than I would have liked. I thought Elisa’s cover was affecting and haunting by slowing it down.
First, I listened to the original. Then the great REM and friends version. Then the amazing Johnny Cash version. Then the three covers. Jesus Christ, I’ve been sitting here all damn evening! Man, this is tough. I have to give it to Mike Masse and Jeff Hall. The no-frills approach really lets the melody and power of the lyrics shine through. Unlike Doug, I did not follow rap/hip-hop in any way, shape, or form. I disliked it from the beginning, and still do. I know of Mary J. Blige just because she’s a huge name and you’d have to be living under a rock not to have at least heard of her. A few years ago when the Stones were touring, they had a different female vocalist perform the rape/murder part of Gimme Shelter, and one time they had Mary J. Blige, and it was pretty great. She’s can act, as well. I saw her in the recent movie Mudbound, a very powerful movie. She was fabulous. Her voice is great, but frankly, I didn’t like the way she performs it here, holding and stretching out those notes. For me, the song is about the melody and the lyrics, and any flashiness to the vocals detracts from that, I feel. So I give it to the acoustic guys.