Description

James Montgomery joins us to fill us in on some of the worst songs and cover songs out there.

Transcript

The Worst Cover Songs Ever Audra Lowe: Well we are going to do a little laughing right now and that is because the topic of cover songs it is hotter than ever take Glee for example, you know they revive songs on a weekly basis, very popular show right. But not all cover songs are meant to be. That’s because James Montgomery is here and he says -- he is the rock editor of Rhythm TV news, and James has got some of the worst covers of all time including some by Madonna, Britney Spears, you just were not feeling on this time around. James Montgomery: It is a lengthy list of things and I think it is important that you mentioned Glee. Sometimes covers songs can be great, you know a lot of people know Jeff Buckley’s of Leonard Cohen’s version of when it is going to Hallelujah which is a beautiful song or you know Johnny Cash or the version of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails. Audra Lowe: And people appreciate it, they are great. James Montgomery: It can be great sometimes. These are not example of being great. Audra Lowe: Okay, so let us talk about Britney Spears, you said she is nothing at all rock and roll, she is just pop right? Stick to it. James Montgomery: This is the thing I love Rock and Roll -- the Joan Jett, black eyes really great and then that thing and she did it for a movie called Crossroads and it is really kind of bizarre pop pseudo rock thing, if you look at Britney Spears you don’t see bad chick. Audra Lowe: Hardcore rock, yeah. James Montgomery: Yeah, and this is what you are trying to pull of it is so fake and it is just -- Audra Lowe: Oh, you did not like her. Okay now what about Smash Mouth I'm a Believer, what do you think about them? James Montgomery: You know, they started make a career out of these cover version and this is like the one from Shrek and it is probably the best songs of The Monkeys ever wrote probably the worst songs Smash Mouth ever -- wait you are saying something? You know it is real just cheesy kind of-- Audra Lowe: Yeah. James Montgomery: You know they are frequently and they a lot of these even -- they did a Beatles cover at one point and you know they are all kind of in this category. Audra Lowe: Look at you-- you said it is not a surprise after this the band hasn’t had another hit. Okay they are tough especially when you are here okay Counting Crows’ Big Yellow Taxi. James Montgomery: It’s a Joni Mitchell song, it’s a beautiful, really powerful song in there Counting Crows, its odd version just kind of -- it is very cheesy know like they are going for this the sentiment that it is just not in the song. Audra Lowe: You were the only one that felt this way because it was voted the worst song in the decade last year? James Montgomery: It is a pretty bad, it is a pretty bad version of the song, Joni Mitchell does not approve this. Audra Lowe: Not like this at all. What about Madonna American Pie and she even admitted that she was kind of coerced into doing this. James Montgomery: She did the Don McLean the classic song, this rebellion lost youth song, she did this in a movie she was in like a romantic comedy and then she did it again for an album it is I don’t know it is an odd kind of up tempo dance version. It doesn’t need to be really -- that is the thing sometimes you don’t have to tinker with these songs and artist feel the need to sort do whatever they want with them and sometimes with disastrous results. Audra Lowe: But others have the same thing with that National Anthem he is like you know what just do it straight. Don’t try to fluff it all up. James Montgomery: You don’t need to ride them. Audra Lowe: Yeah, okay Sheryl Crow she had a few songs that really just got under your skin aren’t you? James Montgomery: Sheryl Crow is on this a lot you know she did the version of Led Zeppelin’s Dyer Maker and you know and she did Sweet Child of Mine, as if she keeps doing these things and you know these are rock songs and Sheryl Crow, great artist -- Sheryl Crow that exactly a rocker, you know and so it comes off as kind of fake. Audra Lowe: Thank you so much James good to see you back again.