Who Owned It: 25 Cover Songs Better Than The Original

Attention!!!

There comes a time in all our lives when our jaws drop when we realize that a song that we really like is merely a cover. However, does it really matter that we like the cover better than the original. What if the cover is better than the original? This list is about those artists who have done a much better job than the original artist or band and how they made it their own. Almost all the songs on the list are identified with the covering artist and most of these happen to be their signature songs. 

This list is carefully compiled after considering whether we actually know the original artists. You will find them in the brackets next to the song title. Whitney Houston's global smash hit I Will Always Love You from the soundtrack of The Bodyguard is numero uno as she definitely owned the song originally sung by Dolly Parton and even covered thereafter by Kenny Rogers. Songs like Santana's Black Magic Woman, Gloria Estefan's Turn the Beat Around, Bananarama's Venus and particularly Aretha Franklin's Respect are their signature songs. 

It is fundamental to realize that this list is not about the best covers of all time, as there is a separate list in relation to that, and that this is about how most of us think that these 25 songs are covered by the artists in front and not the ones in brackets. So close your mouth as you read this list as I guarantee your jaw will drop…

1. Whitney Houston – I will always love you (Dolly Parton)
2. Aretha Franklin – Respect (Otis Redding)
3. The Righteous Brothers – Unchained melody (Todd Duncan)
4. Willie Nelson – Always on my mind (Gwen McCrae)
5. Celine Dion – The power of love (Jennifer Heart)
6. Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee (Roger Miller)
7. Sinead O’ Connor – Nothing compares 2 u (Prince)
8. Santana – Black magic woman (Fleetwood Mac)
9. UB40 – Red red wine (Neil Diamond)
10. Soft Cell – Tainted love (Gloria Jones)
11. Ike and Tina Turner – Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
12. Natalie Imbruglia – Torn (Ednaswap)
13. Jennifer Lopez – Waiting for tonight (3^rd Party)
14. Gloria Estefan – Turn the beat around (Vicki Sue Robinson)
15. Michael Andrews ft. Gary Jules – Mad world (Tears for Fears)
16. No Doubt – It’s my life (Talk Talk)
17. Bananarama – Venus (Shocking Blue)
18. Los Lobos – La bamba (Ritchie Valens)
19. Vengaboys – Sha-la-la-la-la (Walkers)
20. Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse – Valerie (The Zutons)
21. Sheryl Crow – The first cut is the deepest (Cat Stevens)
22. Johnny Cash – Hurt (Nine Inch Nails)
23. Monica – Angel of mine (Eternal)
24. The Corrs ft. Bono – When the stars go blue (Ryan Adams)
25. Boyzone – Baby can I hold you (Traci Chapman)

Till the next beat…

At Ease!!! 

Saddest Songs of All Time

Attention!!!

Sadness is a subjective feeling which can be generally termed as emotional pain associated with feelings of despair, rejection, loss, loneliness, disappointment and sorrow. Music as we know is quite capable of generating emotions. There are songs which can tug at your very heart strings to invoke those depressing feelings and leave you quite miserable. While happy songs are quite upbeat with a peppy melody and positive lyrics, sad songs take on slow gloomy rhythms accompanied by soft vocals and disheartening lyrics. These songs are mostly tributes to loved ones who have passed away and some are dealing with heartbreak while others are about personal loss. While there is a blurred line between sad songs and songs about heart break, the tone, mood and emotion sets apart the latter from the sad songs as well as the fact that the sad songs which are also about heartbreak deals with the pain one is going through instead of bitter feelings towards the other party. 

So Evanescence's Hello is crowned as the saddest song with its extremely emotional lyrics accompanied by a haunting Amy Lee on the piano. The song is about how Amy Lee still remembers how she found out about her 3 year old sister's death when she was 6 years old. At second place is Ross Copperman's Holding On and Letting Go with Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven at a close third. Evanescence has 4 entries on the list with Sarah McLachlan having 3 entries. So here are the saddest songs of all time:

1. Evanescence – Hello
2. Ross Copperman – Holding on and letting go
3. Eric Clapton – Tears in heaven
4. Don Mclean – Vincent
5. Vonda Shepard – 100 tears away
6. R.E.M. – Everybody hurts
7. Spiritualized – Lay it down slow
8. The Carpenters – Goodbye to love
9. Elton John – Candle in the wind
10. Skeeter Davis – The end of the world
11. The Band Perry – If I die young
12. Nelly Furtado – All good things come to an end
13. Evanescence – You
14. Vonda Shepard ft. Emily Saliers – Baby don’t you break my heart slow
15. Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera – Say something
16. Pearl Jam – Last kiss (Original by Wayne Cochran)
17. Gary Jules – Mad world
18. Boz Scaggs – We’re all alone
19. Chental Kreviazuk – Leaving on a jet plane (Original by John Denver)
20. Gabrielle – Out of reach
21. Bob Dylan – Knockin’ on heaven’s door
22. Timbaland ft. OneRepublic – Apologize
23. Sarah McLachlan – Angel
24. Enya – Only time
25. Gilbert O’ Sullivan – Alone again (naturally)
26. Mariah Carey & Boys II Men – One sweet day
27. Jewel – Foolish games
28. Sarah McLachlan – Rainbow connection (Original by Kermit the Frog)
29. Evanescence – My immortal
30. Simon & Garfunkel – The sound of silence
31. The Beatles – Yesterday
32. U2 – With or without you
33. Sam Smith – I’m not the only one
34. James Blunt – Goodbye my lover
35. Peter & Gordon – World without love
36. Patti Smith – No mistakes
37. Miranda Lambert – Over you
38. Adele – Someone like you
39. Joshua Radin – Closer
40. Whitney Houston – I will always love you (Original by Dolly Parton)
41. Lifehouse – Broken
42. Roy Orbison – In the real world
43. Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – See you again
44. Cyndi Lauper – Time after time 
45. Avril Lavigne – Nobody’s home
46. Radiohead – Creep
47. Johnny Cash – Hurt
48. Sarah McLachlan – I will remember you
49. Mike + The Mechanics – The living years
50. Coldplay – Fix you

Till the next chord…

At Ease!!!

Mother's Day Playlist: Best Songs About Mothers

Attention!!!

Although everyday should be Mother's Day where we celebrate those special ladies who gave birth to us, the West has made it a tradition to honour their mothers on the second Sunday of May, which has slowly seeped its way to the East. Spice Girls' Mama takes the top spot with its emotive lyrics, mellow beat and a very personal and unique music video which features the super stars' mothers. Their rival boy band Backstreet Boys' The Perfect Fan comes in second place followed by Boyz II Men's A Song for Mama. So these are the top 20 songs about mothers. Happy Mother's Day to all mothers everywhere. 

1. Spice Girls – Mama
2. Backstreet Boys – The perfect fan
3. Boyz II Men – A song for mama
4. Jamie O’ Neal – Somebody’s hero
5. Christina Aguilera – Oh mother
6. Carrie Underwood – Mama’s song
7. Taylor Swift – The best day
8. The Band Perry – Mother like mine
9. Mr.T. – Treat your mother right
10. Good Charlotte – Thank you mom
11. Kanye West – Hey mama
12. Elvis Presley – Mama liked the roses
13. Blake Shelton – The baby
14. Ashanti – Mother
15. Girls’ Generation – Dear mom
16. Dolly Parton – Coat of many colours
17. Metallica – Mama said
18. Eminem – Headlights
19. 2 Pac – Dear mama
20. Justin Bieber – Turn to you

Till the next chord…

At Ease!!!

Xposition - April 2015

Attention!!!

Well April did have its moments in terms of major drama and breakups. First up, Miley Cyrus split from a five month relationship with Patrick Schwarzeneggar and this was followed by Big Sean and Ariana Grande's breakup. A lame twitter spat between Diplo and LTTE terrorist supporter M.I.A. over her being signed on to a major label was also the subject of unwarranted media hype. 

The 50th Academy of Country Music Awards was held in April where Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert emerged as the biggest winners of the show. Luke Bryan who co-hosted the show alongside Blake Shelton won the Entertainer of the Year. Miranda Lambert took away the Female Vocalist of the Year and Jason Aldean won the Male Vocalist of the Year. The other winners are:

• Album of the Year: Miranda Lambert - Platinum
• Song of the Year: Miranda Lambert - Automatic
• Vocal Duo of the Year - Florida Georgia Line
• Vocal Group of the Year - Little Big Town
• New Artist of the Year - Cole Swindell
• Single Record of the Year: Lee Brice - I Don't Dance

The 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards was also held in April where Enrique Iglesias and Romeo Santos ruled the night. Enrique Iglesias took 9 awards including Latin Pop Album of the Year for Sex & Love and his global hit Bailando won the award for Hot Latin Song of the Year, Airplay Song of the Year, Digital Song of the Year, Streaming Song of the Year and Latin Pop Song of the Year. Romeo Santos bagged 10 awards to seal his title as the most nominated artist in the history of the awards. In what seemed a very emotional performance for her, Jennifer Lopez stole the show when she paid tribute to Selena, who was tragically murdered 20 years ago.  The significant winners included:

• Artist of the Year: Romeo Santos
• New Artist of the Year: J. Balvin
• Social Artist of the Year: Shakira
• Hot Latin Songs Male Artist of the Year: Romeo Santos
• Hot Latin Songs Female Artist of the Year: Natalia Jimenez
• Billboard Spirit of Hope Award - Carlos Santana

The 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards were also held in April with performances by Fifth Harmony, Nick Jonas, Sheppard, Natalie La Rose and Shawn Mendes. The Song of the Year went to Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea's Problem while the Hero Award was awarded to Jennifer Lopez. Other winners of the night included:

• Best Female Artist: Ariana Grande
• Best Male Artist: Ed Sheeran
• Best Group: Fifth Harmony
• Best New Artist: Charli XCX
• Best Band: 5 Seconds of Summer
• Best Collaboration: Demi Lovato ft. Cher Lloyd - Really don't care 
• Best Song to Dance To: Taylor Swift - Shake it off 

The much anticipated 2015 Billboard Music Awards are to be held next month with Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea opening the show with her newest single Pretty Girls, which is hyped up to be one of the biggest collaborations this year. Taylor Swift leads the nominations with 14 followed by Sam Smith with 13, Iggy Azalea with 12 and Meghan Trainor with 9. Mariah Carey is also to perform for the first time since 1998 at the show. 

In the US Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk ruled for the first three weeks of the month completing 14 weeks at No.1 and tying at second place with 6 other songs behind Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's One Sweet Day which holds the record for staying 16 weeks at number one. However, Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth's See You Again taken from the Furious 7 soundtrack dethroned Uptown Funk's reign. This tribute to Fast and the Furious star Paul Walker who died in a tragic car accident in 2013 once again shows that this year the Billboard Hot 100 is more tolerable to soundtracks as it comes in the wake of the success of Ellie Goulding's Love Me Like You Do and The Weeknd's Earned It from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. Flo Rida ft. Sage the Gemini and Lookas' G.D.F.R., Natalie La Rose ft. Jeremih's Somebody and Walk The Moon's Shut Up and Dance all managed to enter the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. 

In the UK the month started off with Jess Glynne's Hold My Hand at the top the position of which it kept till Wiz Khalifa's See You Again claimed the top spot in the UK as well. During the month Ed Sheeran's Bloodstream, Nick Jonas' Jealous, and OMI's Cheerleader all peaked at No.2. Sia's Elastic Heart also achieved a peak of 10 and Steve McCrorie's Lost Stars a peak of No.4 during the month. 

Some of the other songs that became during the month are:

• Jason Derulo - Want to want me
• David Guetta ft. Afrojack & Nicki Minaj - Hey mama
• Little Big Town - Girl crush
• Skrillex & Diplo ft. Justin Bieber - Where are u now
• Major Lazer & Dj Snake ft. MO - Lean on
• Carly Rae Jepsen - I really like you 
• Iggy Azalea ft. Jennifer Hudson - Trouble 

Till the next beat…

At Ease!!!