There was quite the conflux of people in my house last night. What started as a four person grill out turned into an 60+ person fiesta, oh how word travels to the bored and thirsty. As my kitchen got trashed, cans and bottles played the role of landmines, and ping pong balls found their way into solo cups - a funny thing happened. A party, most of the time, can be massively enhanced with the music being played.
So, I had my iPod hooked up to the stereo churning out "party music" from a default, shuffled playlist: Journey, Steve Miller Band, Chili Peppers, and various rap (you get the gist). At one point during the night Eric Prydz came on with his infamous dance tune "Call On Me". Everyone knows this song, everyone shakes their booty at some point during the song, and the music video got more response than the track istelf. After the song was over I thumb scrolled to another jam, the source of Prydz wealth.
[MP3] Steve Winwood - Valerie
I thought it was a given that everyone knew "Call On Me" was a rip off of "Valerie", that is until I heard the following comments upon pressing play:
"Dude, this is a sweet cover."
"Who is this? Covering a techno song takes balls!"
"Where did you find this?!"
I was a sushi roll of emotion to the comments (a hearty combination of shock, amusement, and apathy) and even attempted to explain the song's originality. The reactions were partially expected, but half baffling. Here's to the anti-cover, the original Johnny Appleseed, and the song that wasn't in Thursday's forecast.
13 comments:
I'd never heard of "Call on Me" until you linked to the video, so I guess I'm the opposite of all those other people!
girl talk samples that little synth too
Stevie Winwood was a wunderkind - he began recording when he was 15 years old; played with Hendrix when he was 20 - he's had an amazing career
Winwood has more talent in his little finger than most rock "stars" could muster up in a lifetime. Most probably don't know that he founded the Spencer Davis Group (Gimme Some Lovin'), and Traffic (Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Mr. Fantasy). But his solo stuff is amazing (Back in the High Life, and the classic, Higher Love). Thanks for educating the masses!
Here's a live performance of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b_vGpvRVmQ
why would you ever want to watch a live performance of call on me when you have that video.
"why would you ever want to watch a live performance of call on me when you have that video?"
because its less faded :) and because, he has a whole repertoire of material to showcase
I'd have to say I'm the opposite of all of those people. Because I've never heard the techno version of this until I watched that video just now...
Perhaps you have dumb friends. Yes, that must be it.
I don't know what's more gay--that you have "Call On Me" and "Valerie" on your ipod or that it was the subject of debate at your party. Oh, wait. Their both equally super gay. Did you go on to discuss the nuances of Judy Garland's vocal inflections after that?
well i for one was pretty psyched about this post. i fell into the "ive never known the orginal" camp. and boy am i glad I do now.
good song though.
I can't believe you can just remix a chorus of a song and make a career of it.
In so many ways it seems like folks forgot Steve Winwood... Though to be fair, 'back in the high life' does sound a little dated now (hey, I went to that tour! Bruce Hornsby & the Range opened).
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