Various Artists slaughter "Everybody Hurts" for Haiti

Urban Hat€monger ? · 02-03-2010, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickenbacker

I heard on NPR today that internationally known D-bag Simon Cowell of American Idol and X Factor fame had orchestrated a cover of the 1992 R.E.M. classic "Everybody Hurts" by some "famous" artists to raise money for Haiti, a la We Are the World. Of course I had to check it out and by god is it the worst thing I have ever heard? Pretty damn close. As I listened to Mariah Carey slaughter some of the most endearingly beautiful lyrics ever with her "talent", the heartbreaking memories I once associated with the song dissappeared, only to be replaced with even worse memories of Bon Jovi fucking up a great song. Well done Mr. Cowell! You have succeeded in commercializing one of my favorite childhood songs and you did it with conviction! Gone is the naive innocence of Stipe's technically imperfect but emotionally flawless vocal. Gone are Mike Mill's song-making harmonies. Gone is everything about this song that once made it great. I do hope the Athens, G.A. boys are having a good laugh about this one, because I certainly am not.

Thoughts on this travesty?

Eh it's a charity song. It's supposed to be sickly & morose.
It's not meant to be a musical masterpiece, just a piece of over emotional tat that raises money. They seem to have succeeded pretty well at doing that.

Rickenbacker · 02-03-2010, 07:50 PM

Ugh, why can't they do the inoffensive thing and just donate a bunch of money themselves. This idea comes across as contrived and pretentious.

Engine · 02-03-2010, 07:51 PM

All this talk made me watch the damn thing all the way through..
It's hilarious when at the end (about 5:10) the announcer starts promoting the song and talking about when it goes on sale and then nervously states "it doesn't matter whether you like it or not .. it's just what it's all about so..uhh.." then the audio cuts.

So I guess you're not alone in your pain, Rickenbacker.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 02-03-2010, 07:53 PM

I'd gladly bung a tenner their way if I never have to hear it ever again.

Sadly I have a feeling when I return to work in a couple of weeks i'll be hearing this all day every day.

hoorayforpeepee · 02-04-2010, 03:00 AM

Impressive, they managed to make an already pretty bad and cheesy song even worse! Then again, with those “artists”, it’s no wonder..

littleknowitall · 02-04-2010, 04:17 AM

Did Cheryl Cole sing or did they just plant her face in the video?

This sort of thing is awful for me. I keep thinking I should probably support it because it's in aid of a charity but let's face it it's just a very fake venture on behalf of Simon Cowell again and in his head I'm debating whether or not this is foreseen as a charity event or a publicity stunt.

Guybrush · 02-04-2010, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickenbacker

Ugh, why can't they do the inoffensive thing and just donate a bunch of money themselves. This idea comes across as contrived and pretentious.

If they just donated money, then who would know about it? Like - all just give-away and no promotion? That wouldn't make any sense.

The song is not very good, but I'm already tired of the original and I'm not normally exposed to a lot of present popular music, so I don't think this will impact my day to day life much. I think it's good that artists do this kind of thing despite possible corrupt motivations, such as artists doing it for exposure perhaps more than anything.

In the end, the result is the same whatever motivation. I'm sure you can find some way to argue that it's stupid when rich people donate money, but I think the people of Haiti will accept and appreciate them. Their opinions matter more.

storymilo · 02-04-2010, 07:03 PM

I stopped after Miley Cyrus and James Blunt sang in a row.

It's godawful.

TheCunningStunt · 02-04-2010, 07:21 PM

Listening to that has really pissed me off, Miley Cyrus was where I really fucking hated it.

Yay, let's take a beautifully written and sang song, and ruin it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by storymilo

I stopped after Miley Cyrus and James Blunt sang in a row.

It's godawful.

I posted about Miley Cyrus being the tipping point without reading the other pages, spot on. And James Blunt also pissed me off.

Mojo · 02-08-2010, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickenbacker

Thoughts on this travesty?

Its no better or no worse than every other charity song. It serves a purpose and in my opinion a good one. Its not the kind of song that people buy because they like it, its the kind of song people buy to be a part of contributing towards a cause so really the quality of the cover doesnt matter at all.

I say whats the harm?

02-03-2010, 07:50 PM	#12 (permalink)
Rickenbacker / Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Conn Posts: 1,338	Ugh, why can't they do the inoffensive thing and just donate a bunch of money themselves. This idea comes across as contrived and pretentious. __________________ last.fm rym Talk About the Passion - R.E.M.'s Discography Reviewed

02-03-2010, 07:51 PM	#13 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	All this talk made me watch the damn thing all the way through.. It's hilarious when at the end (about 5:10) the announcer starts promoting the song and talking about when it goes on sale and then nervously states "it doesn't matter whether you like it or not .. it's just what it's all about so..uhh.." then the audio cuts. So I guess you're not alone in your pain, Rickenbacker. __________________ Like an arrow, I was only passing through.

02-03-2010, 07:53 PM	#14 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	I'd gladly bung a tenner their way if I never have to hear it ever again. Sadly I have a feeling when I return to work in a couple of weeks i'll be hearing this all day every day. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

02-04-2010, 03:00 AM	#15 (permalink)
hoorayforpeepee Groupie Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: The Outside World. Posts: 47	Impressive, they managed to make an already pretty bad and cheesy song even worse! Then again, with those “artists”, it’s no wonder.. __________________ http://www.last.fm/user/shortbuzzrider Last edited by hoorayforpeepee; 02-04-2010 at 04:45 AM.

02-04-2010, 04:17 AM	#16 (permalink)
littleknowitall Pow! Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,671	Did Cheryl Cole sing or did they just plant her face in the video? This sort of thing is awful for me. I keep thinking I should probably support it because it's in aid of a charity but let's face it it's just a very fake venture on behalf of Simon Cowell again and in his head I'm debating whether or not this is foreseen as a charity event or a publicity stunt.

02-04-2010, 07:03 PM	#18 (permalink)
storymilo Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,845	I stopped after Miley Cyrus and James Blunt sang in a row. It's godawful.