Soundtrack, Part 9
By Mitch Berg
Of all the music I’ve talked about this past two weeks, this one may be the closest thing to an emotional time machine.
My own baggage notwithstanding, if you built a time capsule and wanted to put “The perfect 1980s song” in it, this would be a candidate; the shufflying synth drums and faux orchestra skirling about with Mike Campbell’s ultra-minimalist punctuation on guitar (which is backwards rock and roll!) – it tied the whole decade together.
And the song itself – all about getting your arms around what you’ve lost? It felt perfect then.
And a couple of decades later, it still does.
Back to more regular blog material Monday.
October 13th, 2023 at 9:40 am
Mike Campbell: what can’t he do. Just a brilliant song.
Also my answer to the question: what’s the best cover you have ever heard?
The Ataris” version Boys of Summer. Catches all the heart and soul of the song, but with something of their own added.
October 13th, 2023 at 10:03 am
I’m an amateur guitar player and lover of all things musical, including my interest in covers. Another good one (surprisingly), an alt/punk band called the Lemonheads covered Mrs Robinson, and captured the soul of it (which is the melody of the chorus) but with their own sound, electric guitar and a faster tempo.
The bad? It’s My Life, a fine 80’s song by Talk Talk, covered by Gwen Stefani and/or No Doubt. Nothing for or against them but the cover was useless, sounded almost identical to the original. What’s the point?