The trouble with your mother is she's always sleeping with your brother

[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 [link ro mp3 download expired]

That was William Shatner (feat. Joe Jackson) covering Common People, originally by Pulp

Yes, yes. I know. It's not a patch on Pulp's version. Quiet at the back there. This is mainly included for curiosity value.

I'm not a huge fan of William Shatner's music. And he has done some truly awful things in the cover versions department. I am, however, a huge fan of Joe Jackson. I'm mainly in this for the Joe Jackson bits.

I do quite like the last verse in this version. The Pulp original was always such a singalong that it's easy to forget that the lyrics are about grinding, inescapable misery and hopelessness. Hearing a different version reminds you to listen to the words, and at least one of them seems to understand what he's singing about :)

Shatner could lose the choir in the middle, though. I'm not down with that.

Comments

[lnr]

I've heard this before, so it's cheating a bit, but I recognised what the original was from the first two or three notes, and guessed it was going to be the Shatner version, immediately confirmed when the vocals come in of course ;)

I have to admit in the past I've just laughed and moved on, but I quite like the duet bit towards the end, it's surprisingly effective. Though I rather snerked at laugh and bath rhymed in a non-Northern accent.

I do wish I knew why quicktime insisted on playing mp3s at full volume.

[lnr]

OK, I went and watched the original, and blow me but *both* of these gave me goosebumps. I wish I could have a new Pulp album to listen to!

[venta.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm really torn over this Pulp reunion idea.

Pulp: at their best, bloody marvellous. Reunions: fraught with peril. I shall watch with interest from the sidelines :)

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that was surprisingly good.
More Shatner anyone?

[sesquipedality.livejournal.com]

ARGH! Shatnerrolled! That was not kind.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

I actually really like the whole album. The stuff with Henry Rawlings is fun; the Amie Mann desperately sad

(Also a huge Joe Jackson fan here)

[zotz]

Album: seconded. Common People is the song on it that I like least.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Ah, OK. I don't really know the rest of the album. I would have listened to it today, but have been trying to sort grahamb's mix thingy out instead. Will cue it up for next week.