Apropos of Nothing...
Aug. 28th, 2009 09:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stoutfellowI have three covers of "Early Morning Rain" on my hard drive.
Gordon Lightfoot's is, not to put too fine an edge on things, crap. It's odd, because, judging by other things he's done, like "Song for a Winter's Night", he ought to be able to sing it well; but he can't. (Or at least he didn't in this particular recording.)
The Kingston Trio's version is pleasant, but nothing special. They can do poignant - "Tomorrow Is a Long Long Time" - but they're better at playful stuff, and they don't really do much with this one. The fact that their voices aren't all that distinct from one another doesn't help.
Peter, Paul, and Mary. Ahh, that's the stuff. When Mary Travers' sweet voice breaks in, halfway through the first verse, that's what sells it. (It happens that this was the first version I heard, so there's probably a bit of familiarity bias working, but I really think this is the best cover of the three.)
Gordon Lightfoot's is, not to put too fine an edge on things, crap. It's odd, because, judging by other things he's done, like "Song for a Winter's Night", he ought to be able to sing it well; but he can't. (Or at least he didn't in this particular recording.)
The Kingston Trio's version is pleasant, but nothing special. They can do poignant - "Tomorrow Is a Long Long Time" - but they're better at playful stuff, and they don't really do much with this one. The fact that their voices aren't all that distinct from one another doesn't help.
Peter, Paul, and Mary. Ahh, that's the stuff. When Mary Travers' sweet voice breaks in, halfway through the first verse, that's what sells it. (It happens that this was the first version I heard, so there's probably a bit of familiarity bias working, but I really think this is the best cover of the three.)
