Audience is a pretty big deal in writing. We have been talking about it all semester, how audience makes all the difference in composing a text—who is reading, who is taking action. As we are about to step into the Argument Project, it got me thinking about the power of audience and how technology has helped create new audiences that might not normally be there.
I have a series of videos here, the original song and the remake. Watch them. But most importantly, give them a listen. Consider how audience changes, depending on the text. Listen to the beat of the music, the vocal arrangement, the switch in genre. What’s the context? Did it change for each song? Did the voice and tone change the meaning? How might audience change the purpose of the text? Go on. Give them all a listen. I dare you.
Eurythmics, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”
I was a big fan of the Eurythmics in the 80s. How could I not be? Powerful female with an ultra-feminine voice yet so very, very androgynous.
Marilyn Manson, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”
Ah, Marilyn. Tried to be as powerfully androgynous as Annie but never quite pulling it off. But not a bad version. Enough for me to see him perform this in concert. Really.
Depeche Mode, “Personal Jesus”
Oddly, I could only find live versions of this song, all mellowed out acoustically. But this is the original song, a fantastic song…
Johnny Cash, “Personal Jesus”
Until The Man in Black did a cover. Fantabulous.
There is huge popularity in redoing hip-hop songs. Not certain if it’s because of the content or the opportunity to rework the beats. Perhaps both. Why do you think?
Jay Z, “Hard Knock Life”
Love, love, love the beats. I am guessing many of you have never heard the original song Jay Z sampled. You must watch it below.
Annie, “It’s A Hard Knock Life”
Originally a Broadway show with many, many now famous Annie’s (Sarah Jessica Parker, for one). This video is from the film. Chose to post this version because the choreography is just way too much fun.
Dr. Dre, “Bitches Ain’t Shit”
Yeah, I hated it when I first heard it. The lyrics got my feminist ruffles up. They are rough for my 42 yr old ears. No original video on this one so you’ll have to settle with just a listen.
Ben Folds, “Bitches Ain’t Shit”
And then I heard this version. And what do you know? A perfect example of how audience can change if the text is composed differently. Love it. Actually made me go back to the original and learn to appreciate the rhymes. Really.
Michael Jackson, “Smooth Criminal”
I’m honestly not a Michael Jackson fan but I do like some of his stuff. This is one of his I really, really like.
Alien Ant Farm, “Smooth Criminal”
And I REALLY, REALLY like this. But then, I like my music a bit on the loud side.
Black Eyed Peas, “My Humps”
For the record, let’s just establish that Fergie can do no wrong in my eyes.
Alanis Morissette, “My Humps”
Rumor has it that Fergie sent Alanis flowers after seeing this vid on YouTube. I believe it. She is just that cool.
Nelly, “Hot In Herre”
This song is pretty good. Like anything of Miley’s and Britney’s, it stirs my earworm every time I hear it.
Jenny Owen Youngs, “Hot In Herre”
But, omg. This pushes me over the edge. I love this chick. I will follow her to the moon.
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November 4, 2009 at 10:15 pm
lindsey9954
The main way that these artists change the audience is by changing the tempo of the song. A lot of the songs tempo either slowed or increased to reach the newer audience or the audience that the artists usually focused on. Especially with “my humps” song Alanis Morissette’s audience is more of the mellow, emo type audience. Don’t get me long I love some of Alanis’s songs, but the Fergie audience and Alanis audience are completely different. All of Alanis Morissette’s songs are about revenge or how life is ironic and hard, while Fergie’s songs are more of a pop, party audience. Fergie’s song I can dance to, but all of Alanis’s songs you can’t dance to.
The artists themselves have a certain audience. If a country star redid a rap song I’m sure the audience that listened to the rap version would not like the country version. But some remakes of songs just don’t fit, and that might be the aim for some of these songs.
I feel like a lot of these songs are a spoof on the original although I’m not sure if that it what all of them are meant for. The one that I find the funniest is “Bitches Ain’t Shit.” When I heard the slower song done by Ben Folds it made me laugh. The words that he was singing with the music behind it just didn’t fit in my head. But it did sound good, I liked it more than the original version, I don’t like rap very much.
November 9, 2009 at 10:10 pm
junebugg81
These songs are just a few of songs that have been made over. I never heard these before and after hearing some of these, I understand why i never heard them before. They are terrible. The Nelly song, ” Hott in Herre”, is a classic song and was jumping a good five years ago i believe. That song was meant for all the party animals who loved to dance and grind and get low on the dance floor. It was the anthem for the club scene or the dance scene and was entitled for anyone who liked to dance and have a good time. I would say it was for the girls who liked to get it poppin on the dance floor, but then again the fellas were always running to the dance floor to try and get up behind a good looking woman who knew how to drop it to the floor. This song was great and would definitely get people dancing if they heard it now. Its a classic. However, some songs are just not meant to be remade and this song is one of them. Jenny Owens? never heard of her and i know why after i heard this song. First of all, I dont know if she was trying to be funny and remaking this video in an igloo, which means its cold as ice in there. The song is called “hot in herre”, why the hell is it being shoot in an igloo. It needs to be just straight shot. It was so terrible actually listening to it and watching the video. If i was nelly i would be so disappointed. I dont even know if that was considered country music. I actually like some country songs but that was just horrible and not even in the ballpark of a good song.
November 10, 2009 at 4:08 am
coen22
Hahah some of these remakes are great! I think my favorite one was either Smooth Criminal or Bitches Ain’t Shit. Audience really does have a lot to do with a text and that was apparent in many of these remakes. The most drastic was probably the Ben Folds cover of Dr Dre because only the tempo was altered and they were able to change the audience completely. Ben Folds is a more softer alternative rock group where as Dr Dre is known for being a hardcore rapper from the streets and it’s almost humorous how this band covers a song with such strong language and controversial lyrics and still manages to somewhat hold their composure which I think was their intention in remaking the song.
Another similar remake that reminds me of this, is Phish’s remake of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice”. This is another cover that uses the exact same lyrics, but by changing the tempo and giving it a country twist makes the song appeal to a completely different audience. I think remakes have the potential to be good things because they expose songs to different audiences that might not normally appreciate the original beat or tempo of the song. My mom for example generally hates rap and artists like Snoop Dogg, but she found the remake by Phish to be entertaining when I played it in the car.
November 10, 2009 at 4:32 am
junebugg81
Yo Jay Z and that little girl Annie is a good combination of who should be making remakes. He turned that song into a hood anthem. Comes through with a powerful message for all the young ones struggling through life. Lifes not fair ya know, its hard out, just keep your heads up. Both these songs have young kids in the scenes which shows the audience is too mainly focus on the youngsters. The youth who are suffering from the ghettoes and the hardships of living with not a lot to offer to them. Jay z’s hit hard knock life is a good anthem to listen to. That little Annie girl is a cute kid and a good little actor. Bothe the videos are fun to watch. What can i say… its a hard knock life
December 8, 2009 at 12:45 am
Alex Cragg
Personally, I love both the Dr. Dre version and the Ben Folds version of “Bitches Ain’t Shit” but I do see the song as less offensive when coming from a while man. I think this mind set has a lot to do with the media and how certain images are fed to us. Rap music as a whole is usually deemed as offensive where as Indie/Pop music is not. Honestly, Ben Fold’s version is seen by many people as funny. You would probably never hear of people protesting Ben Folds because this song but there have certainly been a fair amount of people whom have protested Dr. Dre. The foundation of this idea comes from racist ideology that is fed to us through the media’s interpretation of music.