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(Some shocked guy)   For some reason, Styx decided it would be a good idea to release a cover of "I Am the Walrus" in 2004. Amazingly, it doesn't suck   ( styxworld.com) divider line
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18736 clicks; posted to Main » on 20 Dec 2004 at 6:23 AM (13 years ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook   more»



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Random_McEric
2004-12-19 11:01:33 PM  
Call me crazy, but I really don't see any reason to release a cover if you don't bring SOMETHING of your own to the table. Styx doesn't do that here. Until about the last 10 seconds, their version sounds virtually identical to the Beatles' version. If it was playing in the background and I wasn't really listening closely to it, I probably wouldn't even realize that it wasn't the Beatles. This is an admirable imitation to be sure, but why listen to this when I can listen to the original?
 
Confabulat [recently expired TotalFark]
2004-12-20 12:43:54 AM  
Where's Dennis DeYoung?
 
Folderol
2004-12-20 01:24:58 AM  
Bailed to do Broadway.

The "Behind The Music", like Journey, Guns N' Roses, etc, pretty much revealed him to be a prima donna.

as Van Halen called it, "LSD" - "lead singer disease"
 
Frozen
2004-12-20 01:43:36 AM  
I agree with Random_McEric. This is a good tribute, but not a good cover, if that makes any sense.

Also, never before has a music video given me such an urge to kill before. Something about putting a picture of the lyrics pisses me off. "Hmmm...the song says 'sitting in a cornflake' so let's put a picture of us sitting in a cornflake in our video. That would be great! Yipee!!" Grrr.
 
numlok
2004-12-20 03:54:20 AM  
Yeah, this video seriously blows.
The song may be well done, but the ringing in my ears from video-rage drowned it out.
It's like someone's AfterEffects traveled back to 1994 and then vomited out every plugin it had.
Ehhhgggg... Man!
 
CrazyCurt
2004-12-20 04:45:23 AM  
At least it ain't rap/hip-hop or some lipsynching pop idol.
 
Cerie
2004-12-20 05:50:52 AM  
That was craptacular.

CrazyCurt

At least if American Idol did it we would have a reason for the suckage.
 
Peaceboy [TotalFark]
2004-12-20 06:23:23 AM  
Yeah, I don't know what the point of that was, either, unless it's just sheer desperation, which has often been the case with bands who traditionally develop their own material and then start looking to cover a classic. But that was a live track (unless they just added in live audience effects at the beginning and end, but it didn't sound like it) and from snooping around the site (and I didn't snoop that much) it didn't seem like this was intended to be their Big New Single. It may just be an online freebie for fans, who knows.

It did say they re-recorded "Fooling Yourself" for their latest album. Don't get that, either.
 
oasics
2004-12-20 06:27:46 AM  
who says it doesnt suck?
 
StrikitRich
2004-12-20 06:28:44 AM  
Still stinging from the idea of 'Hung at Christmas.'
 
eps
2004-12-20 06:35:33 AM  
Amazingly, it doesn't suck

I disagree.
 
Pseudonym
2004-12-20 06:35:45 AM  
I totally disagree with the non-suckage.
 
Winktologist
2004-12-20 06:36:29 AM  
Random_McEric

If you play it backwards, the lyrics actually taunt the dynamite monkey...
 
twohands
2004-12-20 06:37:37 AM  
Amazingly, I couldn't bring myself to watch it.
 
Rushmore
2004-12-20 06:38:55 AM  
Was that Billy Bob Thornton holding an egg?
 
Nuke Laloosh
2004-12-20 06:43:18 AM  
the song isn't bad, but the video is teh ghey.


seriously though, I hate it when videos are literal interpretations of the lyrics...it especially doesn't work when its a lyrical mindfark like "I am the Walrus".

and the lead singer is acting way too retarded in the video, almost takes away from the song.
 
morrisonsl
2004-12-20 06:43:54 AM  
StrikitRich: Still stinging from the idea of 'Hung at Christmas.'

You mean "Hung for the Holidays"?
 
aaadarklaw
2004-12-20 06:44:04 AM  
They do it competently. But I agree, if you're going to cover a song and add it to your catelog you should rework it and make it yours. HOWEVER, I don't think that's what they're trying to do. I think it's just them playing the song, they aren't trying to make it theirs.
 
therecksays
2004-12-20 06:44:37 AM  
"It's like that song Come Sail Away by Styx. Every time I hear it I can't do anything until it's finished."
 
spliffybigfeet
2004-12-20 06:46:18 AM  
oh come on guys, styx just wanted to make a video so they could show off their hot bods!

oh wait... that can't be it either
 
aaadarklaw
2004-12-20 06:49:22 AM  
No, they wanted to show off all their "1994 video plug-ins" by puking them into their movie.
 
peter_hook
2004-12-20 06:49:49 AM  
Damn Yankees, remaking classic British songs.

I'm sorry for that.

Ok. Anywho, that video is almost as terrible as Eminem's "Mosh" which looks like it was made on a Mac Quadra 610av.

This video looks like it was done on an Amiga 2000 with Video Toaster.

So it's 1% better.
 
peter_hook
2004-12-20 06:51:15 AM  
ps

Let's hope for an for this thread.
 
morrisonsl
2004-12-20 06:53:04 AM  
peter_hook: This video looks like it was done on an Amiga 2000

Amiga rocks. You don't know what you're talking about. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to rewind the tape.

/ok, so that was the Commodore
 
bv2112
2004-12-20 06:54:18 AM  
[image from perso.wanadoo.fr too old to be available]

/obvious
 
PainlessJim
2004-12-20 06:57:00 AM  
I swear to GOD that was Billy Bob.....
 
todd4551
2004-12-20 06:57:39 AM  
Styx is the greatest American rock band and the only reason the critics never say so is because they're all cynical assholes.
 
EatTheRich
2004-12-20 07:02:32 AM  
To my fellow Canadian FARK'ers who watched this and stared at the Lead Singer in dumb shock

YES That IS him, you can stop saying WTF!?!?!?!? now.

/Ahhh Mullet Days on old MuchMusic
 
jetyee
2004-12-20 07:04:50 AM  
Sounds like the original, so at least it sounds good :)

However, isn't there some kind of age limit at which you're not allowed to make music videos anymore?
 
StrikitRich
2004-12-20 07:06:45 AM  
morrisonsl - Yeah, you're right. Too early to get my Williwm Hung titles correct.
 
dukefluke
2004-12-20 07:09:57 AM  
This "stynx". AHA HA HA HA HA!

What?
 
LightGiver
2004-12-20 07:12:07 AM  
That was Great! Styx were also great when they played my hometown prom in Hinsdale. (they are still talkin about that prom back home)
 
callmedutch
2004-12-20 07:16:12 AM  
But Killroy...what about the young people?
 
TheCharmerUnderMe
2004-12-20 07:18:21 AM  
I'm right there with ya, Random.

If you're gonna cover a song, and you're not some cover band or tribute band, then put your own spin on it and make it sound different than the original. This version may not suck, but it's unneccessary.

I can only think of a couple of cover songs that came across as a fresh alternative to the originals.

All along the Watchtower - Hendrix
Johnny Cash - Hurt
Talking Heads - Take me to the river

And if you want a good Beatles cover, I give you:

Joe Cocker - With a little help from my friends
 
yarness
2004-12-20 07:23:37 AM  
 
ironhead
2004-12-20 07:23:37 AM  
In this era of over-rated "performers", I'm just glad that (Larry/Lawrence) Gowan is still out there rockin'; even if it is with Styx. That is one man who was gravely under-rated, and most of you Yanks probably don't even know who the hell I'm talking about.
 
ironhead
2004-12-20 07:26:37 AM  
TheCharmerUnderMe
I'll probably get flamed for this one, but I thought STP did an admirable job on "Revolution".
 
PunkWalrus
2004-12-20 07:29:24 AM  
In other news... Styx still exists.
 
virgosnake
2004-12-20 07:36:11 AM  
Serious non-art here folks. What really annoys me is the occasion faux English accent on some of the lyrics. Arrrgggh.

Sounds like a rehearsal joke gone to far. And then becomes a seriously overproduced piece of crap for public release. A punk rock or classical version might be interesting... but this blows.
 
Gonz
2004-12-20 07:37:21 AM  
Somehow, I don't think Styx understood the song- and I don't mean on a musical level.
 
kajoob
2004-12-20 07:40:16 AM  
goo goo kajoob
 
Pseudo Psy
2004-12-20 07:45:43 AM  
It's not that bad. Except for Gowan. I could have done without Gowan. He sounds like Chris DeBurgh in this..
 
ganpachi
2004-12-20 07:53:04 AM  
Whatever. That is still a most excellent mullet. I want it.
 
Parallax [TotalFark]
2004-12-20 07:53:51 AM  
I thought a cover was an identical version and a tribute was something entirely different and more like the sound of the band playing it.

Such as "The Metro" by System of a Down. The lyrics tend to be there, and he shrieks "Riding on the Metro" once and a while, but the structure's been completely farked with. That's not something I'd expect a "cover band" to do, so is it a cover or a tribute?

Meh?
 
Mr. Clarence Butterworth
2004-12-20 07:55:10 AM  
Freakin' pointless.
 
Parallax [TotalFark]
2004-12-20 07:55:47 AM  
I just realized the TotalFark logo looks like the Wal-Mart logo. Man, am I slow on the uptake.
 
marsilies
2004-12-20 08:02:30 AM  
TheCharmerUnderMe

Some other good re-interpretive covers:

Ruben Blades - The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul.
Softcell - Tainted Love
Fountains of Wayne - Baby One More Time (seriously)
LMP - Only Happy When it Rains
Thea Gilmore - Straight Up
Glow - Dancing Queen
Estradasphere - Super Mario Bros 2 Theme
Ash - Cantina Theme
Max Raabe - Super Trooper
Dream Academy - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Cake - I Will Survive
Brian Dewan - R2D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas
 
Close2TheEdge [TotalFark]
2004-12-20 08:04:32 AM  
Want a great cover? Yes' cover of America is killer. I agree that covers are only worthwhile if you bring some kind of twist to it. This is just a "by the numbers" version with a little heavier guitar.
 
bellydirt
2004-12-20 08:15:18 AM  
Close2TheEdge

I'm just not sure that I could agree more! I got thier cover of America on the remastered Close to the Edge last year.
 
WhackingDay [TotalFark]
2004-12-20 08:17:41 AM  
Actually this is Styx, I don't recall Damn Yankees redoing any classic British songs.
 
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