The first song that came to mind for this blog was “Feeling Good!” It was originally written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for a musical called “The Roar of the Greasepaint — The Smell of the Crowd” and was first performed by Cy Grant in 1964 on the show’s UK tour. It would later be performed on Broadway by Gilbert Price the following year, but the recording that really made the song famous was Nina Simone’s version. Simone was a singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist who took the song and enhanced it to spread a message of the fight for freedom ever present during the 60s in America. Bublé is a singer, songwriter, and producer whose version of “Feeling Good” oozes a sensual appeal fit for a James Bond movie trailer.

The lyrics aren’t all too different, so what changes the meaning behind the words is how the performer decides to, well, perform it. Right at the very beginning (0:00), a big difference in their instrumentation can be picked up on. While Nina Simone starts off acapella, Bublé’s version has quiet strings backing his vocals that will later move into mezzo forte and into a crescendo (sforzando?) when he finishes the chorus. Another difference comes in a little later at (0:27), where Simone vocalizes/scats throughout the chorus before the band comes in to round the section out. Bublé, of course, does not do this in his version, opting to just get on with it. For similarities, the one I found the most fun was at (1:12, Simone’s ver.) and (1:26-7, Bublé’s ver.) The band pauses and takes a beat before coming back in and letting the trumpet/cornet have a tiny solo. We also have the crescendo in the voice at (2:05, Simone’s) and (2:49, Bublé’s) that put an emphasis on the word “freedom,” segueing into our final note.

The difference in not only the music’s setting, but in the time it was sung and the performer who made it happen changes the story up a lot. You hear the determination and urge to get to said promised freedom when you hear Simone, a black woman in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, sing the song. You feel the urge to beat up some bad guys in a suit and blackout shades when you listen to Bublé’s version (and the music video made sure of that!) It all depends on how one carries themselves within the lyrics of this highly-portrayed song.

The song I decided to choose to do a comparison between was Favorite Mistake by Giveon and cover by Lloyiso. Giveon Dezmann Evans was born on February 21,1995, in los Angeles County, CA. Giveon is known to be an American R&B songwriter and singer. Has put out various songs of his own but has also collabed with popular artist on multiple different songs. While when it comes to Lloyiso Gojana, he was born March 8,1999 in South Africa. Lloyiso is known to be an singer, songwriter, musician and producer where he focus is more towards soul pop. Lloyiso goes on to not only put out his own music but he also records and post covers of various artist music on both Tiktok and Youtube. 

The song Favorite Mistake goes on to illustrate the feelings of two individuals in a secret love and ongoing affair where one feels that the relationship is not going to last long. Therefore, he feels the need to cut ties off between each another, although it is not something he fully regrets with what happened. When listening to both versions of the same song for Giveon although he is singing it sounds more like a conversation he is having. When it comes to the tempo of this song it shows to be 170 BPM when sung. The texture within the song would be described as homophony since it would only be Giveon singing and this one melodic line being accompanied by chords. In his version you can hear the piano playing at medium pace, with what sounds like a water drouplets and claps following along towards the end. Although a sudden heavy beat is being played at the end of the song. As for Lloyiso his would be described as homophony since once again the one melodic line is being accompanied by chords. Compared to the original is sounds as it is being sung with more emotion and not as a conversation like in the original. The beat could be seen as much slower with a deepen pitch at some points but goes gradually higher during certain points within the song. A similarity within both performances would be at time stamp 2:09 for Lloyiso and 1:41 Giveon, where there is a similar pace in the specific take off for the lyrics “our secret’s safe”. Additionaly, two differences would be the with the original sung by Giveon he performs this song at a much faster and higher pitch starting from the very begining, while for Lloyiso he performs this at a slower and deep pitch but adds high pitches on 1:26, and  2:23. Over all the different musical settings affect the story and/or emotions of the lyric because when it came to Giveons verison it did give off a sad setting but it sound more as if he was just having a conversation. While as for Lloyiso cover you are able to feel a deeper emotion to the events taking place within the song. 

Favorite Mistake- Lloyiso (cover)

Favorite Mistake -Giveon 

The original song I chose for this blog is “Monsters” by artist Katie Sky. Katie Sky is a singer from the United Kingdom, and her genre of music is dance/electronic. Her song “Monsters” was released in 2014. “Monsters” was also performed by Chinese singer Zhou Shen in 2020 on the show Singer 2020 in China. Zhou Shen, also known as Charlie Zhou, is well known for his wide vocal range. In the song “Monsters,” the message that is being conveyed is that there is always someone there for you when you’re facing something troublesome, and that you are not alone in your fears and problems. It gives the listener a sense of encouragement to keep on going.

Two similarities between the 2 performances is the form and the melody. Both performances have a verse-chorus form, which parts of the lyrics repeating (chorus) and some of the lyrics being different (verse). The melody of both performances are also generally the same, with the same notes and pitches. Two differences between the 2 performances is the different use of instruments (timbre) in some parts of the song, and the rhythm. In Katie Sky’s recording of the song, instruments that are mainly heard are the guitar, drums/percussion, and piano, while in Zhou Shen’s performance, there was a noticable addition of the electric guitar (ex: 1:50-2:06, and throughout the performance). Zhou Shen’s voice can also be described as fuller and smoother compared to Katie’s rapsy voice, hense a difference in the timbre in the 2 performances. There is also a difference in rhythm, although not as noticeable. In Zhou Shen’s performance, there are pauses in the performances, compared to Katie’s recording where the song is continuous with no pauses. Zhou Shen also adds his own touch to the song at 3:07-3:55. The setting of these 2 performances also made a difference in the quality, because Katie’s seems to be recorded, while Zhou Shen’s was live on stage. In Zhou Shen’s live performances, you can feel his emotions from his facial expressions, and his version of the song also feels like there is more of a climax, with the rise and fall of volume.

    Cyndi Lauper is an American singer, songwriter and actress whose mostly known for her song “Girls Just want to have fun” in the 1980s. She grew up in Queens, NY and dropped out of High school to ended up singing in nightclubs and working random jobs. She co-formed the band Blue Angel with another musician but the band later dissolved once it took off. “Girls Just want to have fun” was her first single as a solo artist and the sing became a huge part of 80’s culture. Due to the music video coming out, it set a fashion trend for bold, bright, outrageous clothes. Miley Cyrus is and American singer and actress who was born to a country singer named Billy Ray Cyrus and whose godmother was Dolly Parton. Miley Cyrus had begun acting from a young age and eventually ended up on a show called Hannah Montana where she also ended up having a singing career. The two had actually mey at the 1008 grammy awards where Lauper suggested to Cyrus to cover the song. Although originally written by a man, Lauper had changed up the lyrics a little and the song became a female empowerment anthem to show the world that no matter what a woman looked like, they do whatever they want. The second verse of the song gives that exact feeling saying: 

“The phone rings, in the middle of the night 
My father yells, “What you gonna do with your life?” 
Oh daddy dear, you know you’re still number one 
But girls, they wanna have fun 
Oh girls just wanna have” 

      Right from the beginning of the song, there’s a clear difference between the two versions. While Lauper’s version begins with what sounds like a glissando, a funky sounding guitar, bass, a snare drum for the down beat and the and a synth ( maybe Im not too sure) playing on the offbeat. Miley begins with a faster tempo, a guitar repeating a note, string instruments in the background, some toms playing and another guitar playing a higher version of the chorus. At 1:15 in Mileys version, the song break before the next verse is filled with all the instruments that were originally playing with the guitar soloing and some vocals in the back. But at 1:25 in Lauper’s version, theres a instrument that solos and the synth, snare and bass In the background. The lyrics and the melody are essentially the same, Miley’s version is louder, faster, incorporated some strings and is more guitar driven. Due to Miley’s tempo being faster the song is almost a minute shorter than Lauper’s. However at the end of both songs, they decrescendo and end with a fade out. Cyndi Lapuers version of the song sounds more fit for the 80’s and reminds the listener to have fun. Miley Cyrus’s version is more rock /pop punk driven and, since she was a child star, could be considered a song she sang because she had the desire to have fun with her friends instead of being overworked.  

The song I chose for this blog is called “I’ll be there”. The Jackson 5 originally sung this song in 1970 and Mariah Carey Re-sang the song in 1992. The Jackson 5 were a Motown pop band that consist of 5 family members from Indiana . Their names are Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and the most known Michael Jackson. Mariah Carey is an American singer from New York. She was the first artist to have her first 5 songs hit the billboard hot 100.

The song “I’ll be there” gives emotions such as romantic, caring, joyful, and happiness. The song talks about “a man who tells her former lover that he will always be there for her even if she finds someone new she can always go back to him”. Lyrics that show emotion from the song are, “Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter, Togetherness, well is all I’m after, Whenever you need me, I’ll be there (I’ll be there)”; “I’ll be there to comfort you Fill my world with dreams around you…”. The tempo for The Jackson 5’s version is 94 bpm, and the tempo for Mariah Carey is 74 bpm. The Texture of the song from both artist is Homophony. A similarity of the two songs is that the lyrics are the same. Differences of the songs are that the tempo is different. In Mariah’s version, the song is slower, and the Jackson 5’s song is faster pace. The Jackson 5 have a male singer and Mariah Carey is a female singer. Mariah Carey stresses the sound of the lyrics to make it sound like a slow love song. The Jackson 5’s version has an upbeat feeling but also gives a romantic feel to the song. The recording of the Jackson 5’s song sounds older while Mariah’s version sounds clearer. The instruments used for Mariah Carey’s version are piano and drums, while the Jackson 5’s version is guitar, piano , bass, and drums.

Sources:

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-jackson-5/ill-be-there

Songs:

One song that can be compared is ”You Don’t Own Me” this song falls in the R&B/Soul category. This song was written by John Medora and David White. It was first interpreted by Lesley Gore later on Saygrace recorded a more advanced version of the song. Lesley’s gore version was released in 1963, while Saygrace version that feats G-Eazy was released Jun 1, 2015. These two versions have the same tittle but each singer interprets the song in a different way. Lesley’s version doesn’t feat anyone while Saygrace version feats G-Eazy a rapper. The emotions that are being discussed in the song is on how women are not own by anyone and how women don’t want to be controlled by anyone because they like to be free and be themselves.

The rhythm of the song is different as well as the form. In the version by Lesley gore is more delicate and a little bit slow when she sings, while in the other version by Saygrace is more loud. For example in minute 2 with 42 seconds she kinda shows off her voice by hitting these high notes and she makes a difference from the original song. When it’s going to the chorus the beat drops and she sings louder that the verses, and it also has G-Eazy rap which makes the song more striking. The lyrics of both songs are the same however in Saygrace’s song G-Eazy’s rap is added. Another difference is on how the song is recorded, the oldest version is more delicate with instruments in the background while the newest version has more beats. I can say that the newest version can make someone feel empower by all the beats that it has and by how the music was composed.

The song that I chose is “Fire” by 2NE1. 2NE1 was a South Korean girl group who was active between the years of 2009 and 2016. This song “Fire” was released in 2010 in the album “2NE1” and was written by Teddy Park, lyricist. The tempo of this song was about 126 BPM and it has a very happy mood to it. The genre of this song is more of electro pop and the meaning behind it was for its role in the expansion of the “fierce” and “independent” image in the industry’s girl group scene.

(G)I-DLE, a South Korean girl group under Cube Entertainment who is active from 2018 to present. During the year of 2019, they attended a survival show where different girl groups compete for first place known as “Queendom.” In this show, (G)I-DLE covered 2NE1’s “Fire” as it was part of their mission for a stage performance. In this performance we can see the difference between the instruments thats being played and also some lyrics. From saying, “We are 2NE1,” they changed it to “We are I-DLE” during the beginning of the performance. In the original track, the instruments give of a hip hop vibe, while in (G)I-DLE’s performance they use different types of instruments to give of a “Africa” vibe. The similarities was the tempo, both at 126 BPM and the choreography was the same too. What I like about the setting change is that when it comes to both groups, even though it’s the same song 2NE1 was trying to express “fierce” in this song. On the other hand, in (G)I-DLE’s performance they are showing off a fresh vibe but also trying to let the audience know that they can adapt to any concept if they want to.

2NE1- FIRE (MV)

The song “Come Together” was originally by The Beatles in 1969 as an opening song in the Abby Road album. John Lennon originally wrote it as Timothy Leary’s campaign song to run for governor of California. Although the campaign failed the group still decided to use the song. This ran The Beatles into legal trouble against Leary who was upset that they were using his campaign song, as we know the Beatles won and kept the song. The lyrics of the song can seem nonsensical due to the slang used in the song. The song describes each member of the band about what they are like and what they enjoy. In 1978 the group Aerosmith did a rock cover of the song, with it becoming an extremely popular cover of the original song. Both songs are similar with each keeping the same melody and lyrics. The tempo keeps an easy pace, with a homophonic texture to the song. At (2:00) in the original version it goes into an instrumental section. In the cover, Aerosmith uses more electric guitar and drums. The lyrics are sung harsher and there is more energy. Even with the slight differences the song still holds the same energy and meaning, It’s just in a different kind of voice. 

The songs I chose are Got to get you into my life by the Beatles and the covered version is by Earth Wind & Fire. The Beatles version was released in 1966. It was written by Paul McCartney, but it was credited to Lennon-McCartney. What is interesting about this song is that it was written based on McCartney’s psychedelic experience. According to Many Years from Now, Paul McCartney’s biography written by Barry Miles, he says ‘Got to Get You into My Life’ was one I wrote when I had first been introduced to pot. I’d been a rather straight working-class lad but when we started to get into pot it seemed to me to be quite uplifting… I didn’t have a hard time with it and to me it was mind-expanding, literally mind-expanding.” In 1978, Earth, Wind & Fire covered Got to Get You into My Life. They originally recorded it to take part in a movie called Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the film unfortunately did not gain traction, so the song became popular when “The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1,” which was released. 

In Earth, Wind, and Fire’s version of “Got to get you into my life”, it is very different from the original version. It is very upbeat and has more of a jazz and soul feeling beat. Considering they released this in 1978 during the disco era, it is understandable of why the version focuses more on a upbeat and fast tempo. What is interesting in their version is that they have a intro that is longer than the Beetles version. In the original, it takes them 7 seconds before they start singing their first verse. In Earth, Wind, and Fire’s version, they have an introduction consisting of percussion, snapping, saxophone, and a bit of guitar. That lasts one minute and 11 seconds and then they sing the first verse. In their introduction, they added “got to get you into my life, into my life” and repeat it multiple times. They did not only change the introduction; they also cut out certain verses from the original. They only sing the first verse, part of the second verse, then jump into the chorus, jump back to the first verse and then repeat their introduction consisting of “got to get you into my life.  

The Beetles version is a bit more mellow, which fits with the reason of how the song came to life, and is not as long as Earth, Wind, and Fire’s version. The instruments consist of tambourine, electric rhythm guitar, and percussion. As mentioned before, Earth, Wind, and Fire’s version cut out one of the verses from the original so in the Beetles version, there is one extra verse.  

I believe the story being told by both versions is to have a good time, just differently. Earth, Wind, and Fire’s version is to have a good time and provides a beat to dance to and overall get your mood up while the Beetle’s version is a bit more mellow and has a calming tempo, which could correlate to song being about cannabis. In both versions, we can hear that percussion is present and the chorus stays the same.