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Changing a song's style


xgsjx
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When I started my band I specifically said that I didn't want to play indie/pop rock type stuff (Stereophonics, Oasis, the View & so on). Nothing wrong with that genre, I like to listen to it, but I really don't want to play it as I find the plodding basslines a bit mind numbing.

So we have a new singer & I said to him on the band's Facebook convo "any songs you want to sing between writing", so we can play something between writing.
He suggested Superstition (Stevie Wonder). Good song, but the 2 guitarists then said it's a keys song, it'll sound rubbish on guitar & then one suggested Local Boy (Stereophonics).

I explained that I really don't want to be in an indie band & play that sort of stuff unless we can rework it into our own style (which is more a mix of rock, funk, house & fusion. So completely different from the plod of indie).
The drummer then chiped in saying that we shouldn't cover a song the same as the original & we should put our own style on it, which I agree with.
We're gonna do both songs.

So what I'm asking here is if anyone has changed a song's style completely?

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We sometimes do Superstition and have 2 guitarists but no keys, one plays the riff and the other does a wah wah chord kinda thing in the verse, bass plays the horn riff in the chorus which is fun and I think it sounds pretty good, I guess it's more akin to SRV's version then the original.

I'm all for putting your own spin on a tune, although if you are in a straight up covers band the punters might not like it.

Next up for us is 'Fell In Love With A Boy/Girl' which will be somewhere between the White Stripes and Joss Stone versions.

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On a more serious note, yes ... do it a lot because when you are mixing ukulele and lapsteel and piano and guitar and harmonica and bass and percussion the only successful way to pay a Gloria Gaynor song is by rearranging it.

A song is just a melody line and some words, other than that do what you want.

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In our country band we have a weekly Thursday night residency. Usually in the first set, we have a feature
called 'its not country but....' where we play something (usually a pop/rock song) that's well known but in
a country style. Most have worked well - recent ones being 'Valerie', 'Don't you want me baby', 'Fat bottomed
Girls'. As in previous post, songs are there to be altered if you feel like it and it works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OF4NOdbBLo

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[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1384940112' post='2282453']
Here we go ..

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1A3tew97ng[/media]
[/quote]

Interestingly that versions is quite similar in feel to Blondie's original demo. The song changed completely to the version we're all familiar with when Mike Chapman got his hands on it.

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[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1384946874' post='2282562']
I'm looking forward to lunchtime so I can have a listen to these.
[/quote]

In which case here's a better Nouvelle Vague cover:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=516ZUtOeWMg

And Susanna And The Magical Orchestra:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma_RMAMdFVM

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[quote name='TG Flatline' timestamp='1384942098' post='2282482']
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyvxHL5hLfE[/media]

Gets rubbish before too long and is obviously a mash rather than just changing styles, but it's amazing what works...
[/quote]

I like that!

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A couple

Smoke on the water as an uptempo shuffle i.e Hot for Teacher
Groove JEt by Spiller as like a Funk metal type thing
Hush as a funk shuffle
Sweet dreams by eurythmics but like an Ozzy number i.e Bark at the moon
Whole lotta shakin by Jerry Lee lewis but as a v fast punk number
Anglels by Robbie williams but in a fast punk way

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