Remakes

Earlier as I was perusing the halls of YouTube (figuratively obviously), I came across some remakes by Carrie Underwood and it made me think.  As I was watching some concert footage that a random fan recorded, I realized that for the most part the songs I was listening to, she be recorded in a studio by Carrie Underwood.  They sounded that good.  Inasmuch as I believe that the songs I heard should be re-recorded by Ms. Underwood, there are oodles and oodles of songs that should have never been remade.


Music is very subjective, and what one person thinks is a classic, another may think it is complete rubbish, its the nature of the beast.  How can one demand, or expect for that matter, that the song that they love can and/or will be remade and retain what we liked about that song?  Unless the band remaking the classic is a tribute band (I hate tribute bands), should it be expected that the remake(r) will sound exactly like the original, uhm...  NO, that would just suck.

Remade songs are a conundrum for that reason, we expect everything to be the same but another band can really make a huge change, for the good of the song.  I listened to a remake of Enter Sandman by the punk legend, Vice Squad and I really like it.  Enter Sandman has become an iconic song for Metallica but with the vocals of Beki Bondage, that song is killer.


Vice Squad - Enter Sandman

To find a song like this, you MUST be adventurous and run away from that comfort zone, and if this isn't your idea of a great song, find one you like.

Notwithstanding, the realm of remakes can be as slippery a slope as the back of a greased pig but its really worth looking at.  For instance the band Agent Orange took on another iconic Metallica song, "Seek and Destroy" and once again the song stands by itself.  Obviously the lyrics are the same, but the tempo is done in pure Agent Orange style.


Agent Orange - Seek and Destroy

The world of punk and "metal" in any of its variations consists of many, many bands that can write, and play every bit as well (if not better) than any mainstream artist, but lets wander from those genres.  Hair bands, R&B singers, Country singers and every terrible karaoke singer remakes songs in their own way.  Think back to the '80s hair bands, Tesla remade "Signs" by the Five Man Electrical Band, this song is still as identifiable with Tesla as any other.

Tesla - Signs

Obviously these a few of the examples I like (I could spend weeks finding them all) but that is my opinion, but what are examples of "Remakes Gone Wild", oh I've got a list of those too.

Imagine to the horror of some AC/DC fans when Marylin Manson remade "Highway to Hell" for the movie Detroit Rock City.

Marylin Manson - Highway to Hell

I imagine that the most hardcore AC/DC fans probably listened for Bon Scott to roll over in his grave but who could tell, they're probably loaded (kidding).  Look, for every one of these remakes we do not appreciate, like, revere or enjoy but that is why the people that record these things are called "Artists".

Artists do not have to follow the same black and white world that we believe we all live in, but they shouldn't have too.  Find some remakes, tune in and listen, I'm sure we will all find some we like and some we hate.