We all know that with the development of social networks and video sharing platforms, many opportunities have opened up for musicians. Professionals and amateurs. To share their talent playing original compositions, or performing already existing works and songs.
This is a completely normal occurrence. The artists received an innate gift, which takes a lot of time and work to develop into true skill and virtuosity. Already in the era of romanticism, there were concerts, perhaps it would be better to say gatherings, music evenings, where the elite of musicians gathered and performed their compositions. But at one point composers who were also friends, such as Franz Liszt and Frederic Chopin, began to perform each other’s compositions.
More and more musicians began to perform works by other composers in public. In the twentieth century, it experienced a great boom, and so humanity lived for a century attending live concerts. But music could be heard through other forms as well. With the advent of radio and television, music programs have also spread musical works and songs all over the planet, easily and quickly.
At one crucial moment, when perhaps the greatest invention of the late twentieth century came on the scene, the limitations were erased forever. Internet.
Forums, video platforms, social networks... Can a musician be calm and not spread his talent and virtuosity? Of course not. Just like of course I can't be calm and keep quiet about the ideas that are running through my head. Musicians all over the world started to publish their music videos and cover songs, mainly on the largest video platform that exists, you know which one. There are also some smaller ones and video platforms on the blockchain where musicians share original works and covers. Covers. That word will be the main actor here.
My overthinking has led me to write this post just now. The title, as you can already see is Original vs Covers.
I’ve been thinking about this idea for a while now, but I haven’t developed the idea in details. But in essence, maybe I just need to give it a go and it will come on its own, with its natural course. Thanks to one person yesterday evening for telling me that I am overthinking it and should not. Launch and see what happens. Thank you indeed!
So, my idea is to pick one original song, and a few covers, performed by amateur or professional musicians, good and not so good ones, from youtube or other platforms. However, not just that. I want to include in each post one hive user who made a cover. This last one is actually what I wanted to emphasize. Interaction with other hive users. Reviewing their work, encouraging or giving some advice if needed. Making connections, engaging and giving more fun to everyone. Promoting their work. Don't know how often I would repeat it. I already have a bunch of songs and covers I found interesting, funny and ready to share and review, I just have to find a perfect match of a cover by a hive user. It will depend on the time I have left and the inspiration I feel in the exact moment.
Long story short, I would like to start with one song, Sinnerman, as I first browsed a little bit in the youtube channel of one hive user. So I extremely liked his cover of Sinnerman by Nina Simone. In the end of this post you will see who is that hiver.
Nina Simone was the artistic name of an American singer and songwriter Eunice Kathleen Waymon. Her music spanned a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop. The song Sinnerman is a song written by Will Holt and was recorded by various musicians before Nina Simone. However, her version of 10 minutes that she recorded in 1965 made the song very popular and it is what we are going to listen to here.
I found this cover as an interesting combination of cello, guitar and vocal. Dirty Cello is a band playing in style of blues and bluegrass. The group is led by Rebecca Roudman, a cross-over cellist. This song they bring in a calmer way, not so energetic as their other songs I listened to.
The Sinnerman song here comes performed in Gospel style. It is recorded live at Église Notre-Dame de Calais on 11th November 2016. How I love here the movements of the singers and their powerful voices. The church gives a good reverberation, too. They give their soul into this singing and if you notice the pianist, you will see how good is he too.
Belako is a post-punk group from Spain. The term Belako refers to the neighborhood of Mungia (city they come from) where they rehearse. They were formed in 2011 and the excellent critics made Belako to present itself as a band with great potential on the national scene. This cover on Sinnerman was recorded live in a concert in 2015. I love this version and seeing a live concert makes it for me even more energetic and interesting!
So I could not miss a piano version. I found this video of a pianist called Vahe Petrosyan, made probably with a phone (don't judge hahah, I also do that). The image is swaying in the rhythm of the song.. At minute 2:23 he is shaking his right hand, probably to relax after so many quick chords. Good work mister pianist, despite of the quality of the video. But here it doesn't matter.
So here comes one hive user cover. Edprivat! I hope, I really hope you will not be mad at me bringing a cover you made some years ago. It was one of the covers I liked that you made and that I like the original too. I liked your cover of Timberlake also, but I dont like the original Justin Timberlake song. So Nina Simone came into the game.
What a fresh sound and arrangement you made here. I love the details, and just the slightly calmer pace, but boosted with those detailed beat section. The voice is awesome here, with a special colour that could bring us closer to Nina Simone's life story but still with the unique timbre you have.
I like of course the Nina Simone version, she was an iconic musician, but the covers are not bad, right? Let me know which one you liked and if you want to check out more works of
