Tune du Jour: “Blister in the Sun” – Violent Femmes
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Fruity Ukuladies vs. Nouvelle Vague vs. Amanda Palmer and Guests
VOTE, COMMENT, then DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF
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I still contend that the Violent Femmes self-titled debut album is as good as any release in the 80’s.
The Original
Blister in the Sun:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Fruity Ukuladies vs. Nouvelle Vague vs. Amanda Palmer and Friends
Fruity Ukuladies:
It takes a bit before these fruity ladies get going but once they do …
Nouvelle Vague:
Amanda Palmer and Guests:
When I die and go to heaven I want to live next door to Amanda Palmer (and she’s single and loves short, bald guys …).
SPACE
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. It is your solemn responsibility to decide which cover song prevails. In other words … Which Side Are You On!??!
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
cover me impressed 
The first act sure had a lot of fun with this, but forty-five seconds of giggling during the intro might have been a bit overdone. This also raises concerns about their possible use of mood modifiers, indicating their cover might have been drug-aided.
Nouvelle Vague surprised me with a more up-tempo version than I anticipated. I also enjoyed it more than their previous entries on this site. That put them in first place, and I thought they might win the vote.
Amanda Palmer and friends get the vote today by surpassing the others, helped along by the video.
I had never seen the Femmes’ video for this before. Love it. Kind of evokes certain long-past hallucinatory experiences …
This one was hard. I’m mean really HARD!!!
I’ve seen the Amanda and friends video many, many times and just adore it. The spontaneity, charm and pure fun that they are having just makes me yearn to be a part of it. I came into this slanted, knowing she’d get my vote.
But the Ukuladies match that same feel and vibe. Where were these three when I was young (not that they would have anything to do with me 😦 )? Can’t help but feel that my beloved cousin Kris is channeling some cosmic energy into the center uke-lady who kind of resembles Kris and exudes the same kind of cherished spunk and charisma.
Nouvelle Vague seems to be exploring a new genre here … and I LOVE it! More sped-up and energetic than the usual sultry lounge music. Impressive interpretation.
Going with the Fruity Ukuladies in an insanely close race.
Almost went with the Fruity Ukuladies, but just found the Nouvelle Vague to be too appealing.
I remember exactly when this album came out. My friend John was instantly obsessed. I taped it from him and played that cassette nearly into the ground.
This has to be one of the great opening tracks on one of the great debut albums — period. “Add It Up” was the one that probably resonated the most with us, especially Gano’s anguished “Why can’t I get just one fuck?” And then there’s “Kiss Off,” with that classic smartass line about this going down “on your permanent record” and the immortal count-off: “Eight, eight… I forget what eight was for.” And how about that xylophone solo in “Gone Daddy Gone”? The whole record is brilliant from start to finish. I’ve been lucky to see them in concert twice.
As for the covers: The Fruity Ukuladies are exactly the sort of thing Richie gravitates toward — charming, photogenic nubile young women that he (not so) secretly longs for, and just competent enough to make the grade. Cute video, though they could’ve trimmed the first 45 seconds of chatter. Nouvelle Vague, as usual, does a respectable job. The vocals oddly reminded me of Shonen Knife — which is hardly a criticism. I love Shonen Knife.
But I ended up giving it to Amanda Palmer and Guests. They captured the song’s youthful spirit — and it looked like a party I would have crashed.
Flashback: driving a rented van to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the song blasting. Kathy Messer and I were singing along in the back seat. During the quiet part, we slumped over like we’d passed out — then popped up in perfect sync, at the exact right moment, belting out “Lemme go onnnnn!” Eugene Way nearly lost his mind laughing.
Some songs just refuse to age. If only my body could do the same.
Tough to pick a winner today. A stylish European kitten oblivious to its surroundings and a tenuous grasp of English, free spirited urban amateur assembly line music terrorists or a trio of declawed house muffins having a strum romp. I flipped a three sided coin in favor of the muffins.