Take my shoes off, and I will throw them in the lake

[venta]

It's Friday, it's about 3 o'clock. It's time to go underneath the covers (with the lights out).

I always recommend listening to a cover version without knowing what or who it is, so click on the link before reading ahead...

Today's cover version [mp3 download]

That was China Drum covering Wuthering Heights, originally by Kate Bush

... with apologies for Kate Bush for a second massacre.

I'm not sure whether this one's really a legitimate topic for posting, because surely everyone and their dog already knows it. I'm a big fan of it, though, and it's my LJ so I'll post China Drum if I want to. Although I'm willing to bet that a good half of you got it from the first guitar-squeal.

This was the bonus track on the Goose Fair album, which is well worth the effort if you like your jumpalong punky rock. Though, for some reason, I don't seem to own a copy. I must sort that out.

The other interesting thing about China Drum is that the lead singer was also the drummer, which you don't see very often. That always scores highly on the Venta tickybox review scale.

Comments

[zotz]

It's quite sad to identify a song from the opening feedback whine, isn't it?

Snuff had a singy drummer too, and were also highly covertastic. Their version of I Think We're Alone Now remains definitive.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Having taken myself to the Laughtons 80s night last Sunday in Whitby, I can confirm a whole room full of people recognised the song from the opening rev of a motorbike engine :)

Now Playing: I Think We're Alone Now, by Snuff (live in my hometown, no less) courtesy of YouTube. The recording's flippin' awful.

[zotz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw_U6UfKVeM

[venta.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, much better!

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Really....Gimmie Tiffany or The Birthday Massacre any day !

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

"I can confirm a whole room full of people recognised the song from the opening rev of a motorbike engine :)"

Yup !

[hirez.livejournal.com]

The entirety of the 'Flibbiddydibbiddydob' EP is a fine thing also. Particularly the Kellog's and Kwitfit adverts.

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

The Carpenters, post-Gabriel Genesis, Jellyfish, The Bangles/The Eagles/The Band/The Monkees/The Beatles (bands that didn't really have one main lead singer, and their drummers sang regularly).

[venta.livejournal.com]

None of which I have ever seen, thus confirming my comment :)

I agree it's not unknown, but it's still pretty unusual.

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

*g* I've seen Jellyfish live, so I can vouch for that one. Andy Sturmer drummed standing up, to make the singing part easier on him. I think we can count TV for verification purposes, and I think I've seen all the rest drumming and singing on TV/film. I'd be surprised if you haven't. :)

It has been pointed out that Dave Grohl is a grey area, being a lead singer who was a drummer, but I don't think he's done both at the same time. And They Might Be Giants do get their drummer to sing live but he was running around the stage, not drumming. (They missed the opportunity to do 'D is for Drums'.)

[venta.livejournal.com]

I think I've seen all the rest drumming and singing on TV/film. I'd be surprised if you haven't.

You should never be surprised at the extent to which me and pictorial wireless do not interact :)

I do also draw a distinction between "dummer who sings backing/occasionally sings lead" and "the band's only lead singer drums all the time".

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I sort-of do too, which is why I linked those five together. The first three definitely count properly, though.

I do think it's worth noting that those five drummers sing on some quite significant tracks, though - not just filler songs, but some pretty big hits. Regarding the Monkees, I'm amused to discover that in fact none of them was originally a drummer, and all 4 had a go: "had the live performance lineups been based solely on playing ability, it should have been Tork on guitar, Nesmith on bass, and Jones on drums, with Dolenz taking the fronting role". Dolenz wound up on drums because no one could see Davy Jones behind the kit. :D

[zotz]

The Family Mahone, featuring the vocal and percussive talents (if that's the word) of Mark Radcliffe.

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

Blyth Power and Low?

[venta.livejournal.com]

I, sadly, have never seen Blyth Power. neilh and I tried to go to a BP gig in Oxford once, but it turned out to be Josef Porter solo.

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

Seriously? I thought you'd been to the Ashes and stuff?
I've only seen them a couple of times but seen Wob quite a lot (only years after he left the band, though)

[venta.livejournal.com]

No, I've never been to the Ashes. I keep intending to, but not quite making it.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

I'm going to be miserable (yet) again and say that I like this possibly even less than the Puppini Sisters version :-) but that may be because I find this whole sort of subgenre of jump-about-y musically-competent compulsory-fun type stuff a bit boring.

Singing drummer kudos though! I can think of lots of drummers who also sang lead, but not many who did them both at the same time, on all or most songs. Don Henley springs to mind...

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Blyth Power !!!!

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Ignore....Reading from the bottom up after posting !

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Never heard of China Drum.....But Wooo A version of Wuthering Heights that doesn't make me want to rip my ears off and leap through the nearest window. I *HATE* that track by miss bush, such a shame as i really rather like her other stuff, there is just something in tonaly or soundwise that will prety forcefully make me leave as quick as i can when i hear it.

Almost crashed my mini to it a few times as an ex put it on a mix tape for me and the stereo was under the passenger side dash, pressing your finger on fastforward while not killing yourself became a bit of an odd skill !

[venta.livejournal.com]

What is it that forces extremely tall chaps, such as yourself, to drive tiny cars like minis?!

[skorpionuk.livejournal.com]

Most serious Mini drivers I know are extremely tall. I don't know why this is so; maybe Minis are the only small car tall people fit into? Certainly my Ka was a pain for anyone taller than me!

[venta.livejournal.com]

I know, it's a mystery!

A friend of mine, who is not as tall as ulfilias, I don't think, used to drive a mini and the inside of the roof had a dark patch where the top of his head rubbed on it.

[language diversion: I just changed "ceiling" to "inside of the roof", because it sounded funny. Why don't cars have ceilings? Or do they?]

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

because it sounded funny

I parsed that sentence as: you made the change to make the sentence sound funny. People should do that more!

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

No Idea. Lots of space in them once you've changed the steering wheel as they are very sit up and beg. I had two. The second one got gothed up with sisters logos, fangs and eyeliner !

[lnr]

Oops, I came and clicked on the comments before I spotted what day it was and what post it was. I rather like that though.

I have the urge to go put The Futureheads on next, and wonder if you were thinking of their version when you chose the title for this post?

[venta.livejournal.com]

Actually I was thinking of the Futureheads... because I don't really know the Kate Bush version. In fact, I was struggling to think of any other Kate Bush song that I know, as I used a line out of Hounds of Love when posting the previous Wuthering Heights cover.

Surely I must know another Kate Bush song... mustn't I? I know some titles, but don't think I know the actual songs.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Do if you get the chance, she's great! From the early stuff (like WH) up to the Aerial album that came out a few years ago, it's all at least interesting, and often brilliant.

(To quote TFOAK re one of the tracks of the latter: "In the song 'π', Bush sings the number to its 137th decimal place, although for an unknown reason she omits the 79th to 100th decimal places.")

[lnr]

I love Cloud Busting, and Running up that Hill, and Don't Give Up with Peter Gabriel, but don't think I could name many others. That's already more than I thought I knew :) And I can't sing any of them in my head right now as it's still full of the Futureheads.