I’m writing a set of Beatles revisions for a band I’m hoping to put together (harp, flugelhorn, bass, violin, you?). I like the idea of covering the band that basically ended common-practice rock and roll. The Beatles made cover bands – until then, the norm (and in classical music, still the norm) – look cheap, uncreative. If you wanted to be a band, you had to write your own songs.
But hearing covers – interpretations, variations, remixes – affords a cognitive experience that original songs don’t offer. We hear one piece of music through the prism of another. There’s a zone between faithful imitation (transparent, uninteresting) and perfect anti-imitation (opaque, uninteresting) where each sound can be loaded with commentary, relationships, surprises. We experience something similar, though less concretely, when we hear music stretch a style.
Here’s a rough sketch of my version of If I Fell:
3 Comments
I would like to read (or write) an article/book about cover strategies–perhaps working with five or six examples that illustrate different approaches. Heard any great covers lately? I really liked Jose Gonzalez’ version of “Teardrop” at ACL. Also recently heard my friend Pat’s jazz version of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” and didn’t even recognize the tune, in spite of my long relationship with it. Covers can really reawaken you to a composition–we should know this already from hearing different versions of music in the classical world, but for some reason we usually don’t make the analogy.
Wasn’t it you who first pointed me to the Rzewski People United? There’s your book. Want to write any wild Beatles covers for my band? Any plans coming into focus for next year?
I’m all for borrowings and revisions.
Looking forward to the set!