You Really Got Me is a song that was recorded and released by The Kinks in 1964. It was rerecorded and released by Van Halen in 1978 on their debut album and as their first single. The song themed around love and sex with a girl, as per the lyrics, “I said girl, you really got me now, you got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’. Yeah, you really got me now, you got me so I can’t sleep at night”. It has a very fast tempo, with there only being two chords throughout the song. Both versions have vocalists that harmonize on the chorus. Other than the different years are people recording the songs, the other differences are the way the song was recorded and the guitar solos, which are extremely different.

The Kinks version was recorded with much older equipment then the Van Halen version, as distortion didn’t exist. Ray Davies cut the speaker in his amplifier to get the distortion that you hear in every guitar today. Van Halen had many of the recording technology and other tools the Kinks did not have back then, making their recording more crisp then The Kinks. Another thing is the guitar solos. Ray Davies was using the standard blues scale, and although a good guitar player, was not known for his technical ability. Eddie Van Halen, considered by many to be the greatest guitar player to have lived, plays a mind blowing solo that uses many techniques everyone after him copied, like tapping.

We all know who michael jackson is, but we may not know that he stemmed from the Jackson 5 before reaching his popular stardom we know him for as today. When Michael Jackson was a child, he performed “ABC” alongside the Jackson 5 in 1970 by being the lead singer and introduced this song on live television. Another performance by the same song comes from a show named “Glee” on netflix. This show is about how a new musical group in high school rose to fame by performing various famously known songs, “ABC” by The Jackson 5 being one of them. They performed “ABC” by The Jackson 5 because it is a known song so they use that to their advantage against their competitors. 

In the song, the song represents how love between one another can be calm and easy, referencing it as easy as spelling ABC or 123. Throughout the song, we have an upbeat, happy song, but we can feel the romance sprinkled into the song. First performed in 1970, we hear many key differences in the song to other performances today besides quality improvement over 40 years. Throughout the decades, the tempo of the song has remained the same, steady and upbeat. Glee’s performance of “ABC” has many similarities to the original version, from the scale to even how they form the song using the Verse-Chorus form. However, Glees performance had many more performers and so everyone sang a small part of the song, there was no main singer as for they all were singing along the lyrics together. Also, Glee performed the song in front of an audience full of people plus their competition, therefore they had to make the song get people jumping up with their choreography performance, which the Jackson 5 did not originally do. Also, in 1970, the Jackson 5 was introducing their song to the world, so they wanted to make it sound as appealing as it could be. The circumstances of the performance made the song different to which era it was heard in.

The song that I chose to compare, and contrast is “Can’t help falling in love” by Elvis Presley, and cover by Haley Reinhart. This song was first sung by Elvis Presley in 1961. Elvis was a predominantly rock singer, who infused country western music into his songs. On the other hand, Haley Reinhart is mostly known for her pop music, and she also sings many cover songs from previous decades. The song “Can’t help falling in love” portrays a romantic story about love and how it’s hard to stay away from someone whom you’re in love with. This song is packed with feelings of love and the frustration of staying away from someone. This song also portrays the idea of if something is meant for you it will come to you and the inevitableness of meeting your soulmate. When the song was sung by Elvis, the tempo was andante. I say this because the tempo sounds like a steady walk like pace. The dynamic of the lyrics was sung a little loud, but the background music itself was mezzo piano. In the cover by Haley Reinhart, the tempo was adagio. The tempo was fairly slower than the original and sounded like a piano. Although the lyrics were the same, I definitely think that the original was much more active in terms of how it was sung. Haleys way of singing the song was much softer than Elvis. The background music in the original was steadier than the cover. The covers background tempo was much slower.

The selected song is 天ノ弱(Amaojaku) by 164, a Japanese musician who is good at producing rock and VOCALOID music. This song is about a cowardly girl who chooses to escape again and again when she treats the coming of love. She obviously likes him very much but she speaks the opposite again and again. In the face of the boy’s affection, the girl felt at a loss, she still couldn’t speak her heart out. However, time waits for no one,the boy who love her has not been get a response. Until the boy met a new love, then the girl remembered the past, only to find how much they like this person, and sing this regret and sad song.

The story is sad, but the rock style of the whole song makes the mood of the whole song change. In this version, the girl seems to have gotten over the incident, as if she were telling a story that happened a long time ago. But in my opinion, this song is just like the girl in the story, singing this song easily and happily, but the heart is very sad, covering the sadness with rock and roll. This version focuses on the girl’s regret for not speaking her mind. Say “I’m a bron coward” out loud to express the emotion of the regret. The style of this version is rock and roll, so the song rhythm is very fast. In 2:26, the burst of emotion culminates with the electric guitar.

Akie, a Chinese online female singer, rearranged the song to make a piano version of 天ノ弱 , changing the previous electronic rock style. This version is very lyrical, the lyrics and melody do not change, this version pays more attention to the loss and sadness that cannot be confessed, the song speed is very slow, just like a young girl in the pain that cannot confess herself. I like the performance from 2:59-3:26 very much. The simple piano chords in the background and the gentle and slow singing of the female voice show the despair and sadness of the girl watching the boy leave her most vividly, and then she says to herself: “You are a born coward”. I think this is the unique charm of piano. this two versions of the songs are really difference, electric guitar and the piano play completely different emotions, and in my opinion they even change the context of the phrase “I’m a bron coward”.

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.