At first, I wanted to write this blog about awesome covers of Britney Spears' song "Hit Me Baby One More Time", but it turned into something else. I don't know why I thought I should explain this.
I've been a fan of Amanda Palmer's for quite a long time, but I'd never really listened to her band, the Dresden Dolls, until they recently announced a comeback tour. I didn't get to see Evelyn Evelyn and, in vain hope, I told myself that maybe their tour would end up in the UK within the next few months.
I know most of Amanda Palmer's music but I hadn't heard the Dresden Dolls, so I thought before I planned on buying tickets to their potentially non-existant concert I should get to know all of their songs.
I knew how awesome Amanda Palmer was, and I imagined that the band would be mostly her. I completley underestimated Brian Vigilone's awesomeness.
Because Brian Vigilone is not just a drummer; I think that drummers are often thought of the backbone of most bands, with the exceptions of Ringo Star, Carl Palmer, Tom *McSurname* from IAMX and Focus' drummer, embarassingly I can't actually recall many names of percussionists from some of my favourite bands.
I'll talk about the Dresden Dolls more another time - perhaps I really will get to see them soon, but that's not the point. The point is that one night during NaNoWriMo this year I sat down at my computer and procrastinated by exploring all of the Dolls' music through Youtube. One of the brilliant things about them is the covers that they do at their live shows, and because of how special they are I compiled a list of some of my favourites for you.
I think maybe it's also a sorry for all the self indulgent crap I've been venting here recently.
COVERS
Cover of Bon Jovi's Living On A Prayer
is perhaps my favourite, and definitely the funniest. Amanda on drums, Brian playing guitar, and Jason Webley's there because things are just more awesome when he is. I couldn't believe I hadn't realised that about the lyrics.
Another good one is Hit Me, Baby, One More Time
with somebody called Brendon Urie who I hadn't heard of before. Is that bad? Also, I squee'd at 2:33.
And this is how this week's blog almost ended up entirely a selection of hilarious covers of this song because of Max Raabe and the Palast Orchestra's version - in the style of 1920s German swing music. You'll find it. They deserve a blog to themselves, but it's wonderful.
Cover of Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These)
by the Eurythmics is also pretty brilliant, because it's a mixture of guitars and drums and strings and the vocals sound pretty magic. Sxip Shirey's there too!
AND SOME OF MY FAVOURITES OF THE DOLLS' ORIGINAL SONGS
... because there aren't quite as many covers as I thought
I first heard Delilah when I was about 11 or 12, and I loved it, lost it and came back to the band years later. Look around, and you'll find a performance with just Amanda and a singer called Georgia something from a band called Bitter Ruin who are pretty awesome.
A brilliant song about friendship and anger and females.
One day soon I'm going to teach myself to play Coin Operated Boy on the piano (one day I'll explain how I only sort of play piano).
"But I know he feels like a boy should feel,
Isn't that the point?
That is why I want
A coin. Operated boy."
It's short and energetic and I'm never sure if it makes me laugh or feel faintly sad inside, because it's a brilliant example of how sometimes Amanda Palmer can write a cheerful song about something much more serious. The music video is good.
I haven't heard Shores of California as much as the others, but it's a really good song and a Youtube commenter made me laugh when comparing it to Katy Perry's "California Girls" song, because it makes you realise just what you're doing. It's upbeat, heavy on piano and in ways I feel weirdly like it's almost bordering on lounge music - just from the first verse or so. Sounds best spinning round on a chair at 2am.
And finally, Sing.
When I first heard this song recently, I was sure I'd heard it before somewhere. Maybe you've read about my take on crying - only the most random rel life situations make me cry, it takes an eventful movie but for music, it's easy. And this song gets me every time. It's beautiful, the lyrics are overpowering and make my stomach twist. It's one of the songs that made me fall in love with the Dolls. It's a demonstration of how Amanda Palmer just understands human beings. I'm pretty sure I want it at my funeral.
"Life is no cabaret,
We don't care what you say,
We're inviting you anyway,
You motherfuckers will sing some day."
it's LOVE.
I'll leave you with that today. Can you believe that took me a bit of Thursday, then forty five minutes just now to write?
Have a good week. Hope your doin' well.
Lizzie
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