From 1998, here's grunge rock avatars Pearl Jam and their utterly inexplicable live version of J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers' greaseball car crash classic "Last Kiss."
You know, the whole earnestness thing notwithstanding, I have no particular problem with Pearl Jam or Eddie Vedder. In fact, I think they're a pretty cool band and he's an interesting guy.
But as remakes go, this one just flummoxes me. Forget that nobody in PJ was familiar with this song or its cultural context; Eddie actually found a vinyl copy of it in a flea market, had an epiphany and then turned the rest of the band on to it, which to me is just...well, hilarious.
But there's no question that this is on every level the most clueless contemporary cover of a crappy old song in rock history; the only thing that comes close is Tesla's unplugged version of "Signs." The fact that both of them were the hugest hits in their respective band's careers, of course, just being the cream of the jest.
In any case, as always, a coveted PowerPop No-Prize will be awarded the first reader who groks its relevance to tomorrow's Weekend Listomania.
Rotsa ruck, though.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
eddie vedder than what !!! lol
Nobody likes a wise guy...
:-)
Best songs about the afterlife. You know, meeting your baby in heaven.
Or...
Songs covered by bands written before the band members were born
bands that were on mtv unplugged ?
Just looked up the original of this and was slightly flummoxed to find it was written by Wayne Cochran.
The white James Brown. Have no idea if his music was any good, but he toured for years with this white soul revue. Huge bleach blonde pompadour.
He's a minister now. Some shock.
:-)
Clueless covers.
Car crash songs.
Songs my daughter likes that make me want to throw up!
Songs the Weasels never got around to covering but should have.
In all fairness to Pearl Jam, it should be mentioned that their version of "Last Kiss" was intended only as a one-off Christmas fans-only CD release and then leaked to modern-rock radio. Eddie Vedder, from all accounts, was somewhat perplexed that it not only gained enough interest beyond the joke it was likely intended as but became the monster radio hit that it did.
Worst Cover Versions is way too obvious and was taken many Listomanias ago so I won't guess that one. My second choice, songs that mention car crashes, has been spoken for. Just to throw a guess out there, songs with the word "Kiss" in the title. A little obvious, but no other guesses out there.
No, no, no, no, and...
well, you get the idea.
:-)
Oh, okay, I was going to be a literalist hardass, but I'm persuaded that racymind gets it.
Babe -- your coveted No-Prize is wending its way to you by the fabulous Bagel Express as we speak.
:-)
In the radio business, this is what's known as a "Splatter Platter".
Post a Comment