Tag Archives: 80s

Cover Friday: “Jessie’s Girl”

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Made for Working
Made for Working

“Jessie’s Girl”
by Matt the Electrician (originally by Rick Springfield)
from the album Made for Working
2003
Buy the album on Amazon

Not a ton to say on this song. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but just a nice, mellow version of a classic song. I’ve said before I have a weakness for cookie cutter emo and punk bands doing covers, but also included in that list are acoustic covers in most genres. I’m not very good at it, but I occasionally check the rss feed for http://coverlaydown.com/, and I’m pretty sure that’s how I came across this song one day.

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Karaoke Tuesday: “Bad”

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The Unforgettable Fire
The Unforgettable Fire

“Bad”
by U2
from the album The Unforgettable Fire
1984
Buy the album on Amazon

I hadn’t picked a song for today yet, and Lance went with U2, so it seemed like a good enough direction as any (after all, he and I have done U2 medleys before). U2 has never been on my list of favorite bands. I owned The Joshua Tree when I grew up, and there are some undeniably epic, classic songs on it, and throughout the years some of their other songs have hooked me, and usually hooked me hard. I respectfully accept their place in the rock pantheon, but I’ve mostly stuck with their hits, and am still discovering classics within that list.
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Karaoke Tuesday: “All I Want Is You”

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Rattle & Hum
Rattle & Hum

“All I Want Is You”
by U2
from the album Rattle & Hum
1988
Buy the album on Amazon

Although I’m not much of a U2 fan these days, there’s no denying that they have some amazing songs and albums in their catalog (if you don’t think Joshua Tree is a perfect album, please leave the planet now).  Rattle & Hum is a mixed bag sandwiched between the aforementioned Joshua Tree and the brilliant Achtung Baby (which should have been their final album).  There is a ton of filler and disappointing covers but they also include some downright amazing tracks, notably “God Part II,” “Desire” and my pick for Karaoke Tuesday, “All I Want Is You.”

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Cover Friday: “Like a Prayer”

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On the Run
On the Run

“Like a Prayer”
by Bigod 20 (originally by Madonna)
from the album On the Run
1992
Buy the album on Amazon

To show how bad my memory is, I didn’t remember I posted a Madonna cover last week as well until I came to post this.

I’ve never enjoyed going to a dance club that just plays electronic music, but, though I haven’t done it in years, I used to love going to dance at clubs with industrial/goth/alternative nights. I like to dance but I want music that has words, that I can sing along to (even if it’s just in my head), that I know has an end and that I know well enough to dance to the timing of it. This is one of the songs I used to love hearing and dancing to. It’s such a great dance song and also such a great subversion of the original. The original was the only Madonna single I ever bought, and I listened to it a ton, so it made me love this version more.
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Cover Friday: “Like a Virgin”

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What You Do To Me
What You Do To Me

“Like a Virgin”
by Teenage Fanclub (originally by Madonna)
from the album What You Do to Me
1992
Buy the album on Amazon

I’ll write some other time about how I came by Teenage Fanclub (and some #CoverFriday I’ll post Buffalo Tom covering Teenage Fanclub), but decided to go with this for the week. This cover was first released a year earlier on Teenage Fanclub’s second album The King, but I know it from this EP/”maxi-single”, which I picked up along the way.

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Karaoke Tuesday: “Sunglasses at Night”

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First Offense
First Offense

“Sunglasses at Night”
by Corey Hart
from the album First Offense
1983
Buy the album on Amazon

Yes, i totally missed KaraokeTuesday last week, and admittedly I nearly missed it today (what can I say, it was a day off from work – yay Canada!). This is why Lance and I are blog buddies, to egg each other on when the other one forgets.

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Cover Friday: “Never Say Never”

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Rated R
Rated R

“Never Say Never”
by Queens of the Stone Age (originally by Romeo Void)
from the album Rated R (Deluxe Edition)
2010
Buy the album on Amazon

Yep, it’s a QOTSA week here on MNP, especially if Chris doesn’t get off his ass and post.  That’s right motherfucker.  Called you out.  What are you gonna do?

Sorry, QOTSA does that too me… get’s me in a fighting, fucking or drinking mood.  Sometimes all three.  I didn’t discover this song until a few months ago.  I picked up the reissue of Rated R like any good QOTSA fan would, but I never really gave it a good spin.  Like most of my musical discoveries, this song came into my life via shuffle.  Quickly followed by pounding the back button two times so I could hear it again. Continue reading Cover Friday: “Never Say Never” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “True”

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True
True

“True”
by Spandau Ballet
from the album True
1983
Buy the album on Amazon

A quintessential classic 80’s song. There are songs that fit that description in all the wrong ways. This is not one of them. Unless you just have never heard it before, as soon as those breathy sighs start, I don’t think there’s a person who doesn’t love this song. It’s pure class (just look at the singer in the video!) and romance.
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Karaoke Tuesday: “Total Eclipse of the Heart”

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Faster Than the Speed of the Night
Faster Than the Speed of the Night

“Total Eclipse of the Heart”
by Bonnie Tyler
from the album Faster Than the Speed of the Night
1983
Buy the on Amazon

I think i’ve resisted this long enough. Yes, it’s completely a karaoke cliché. Yes, it is totally overdone. Yes, it always has the potential to be completely epic.

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Karaoke Tuesday: “Under the Milky Way”

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Starfish
Starfish

“Under the Milky Way”
The Church
from the album Starfish
1988
Buy the album on Amazon

I’ve never quite nailed  this song to my satisfaction but it’s had a firm position in my karaoke song list for a few years.  As to when it made its first appearance, it was almost assuredly a drunken addition one evening at a NYC basement karaoke bar.  But the song weaseled its way into my heart a long time before that.

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