No Doubt - "It's My Life"

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I must be losing my mind, but I'm in love with this song. It's like it's 1983 all over again. There's something about that chorus.

― Berkeley Sackett (calstars), Monday, 15 December 2003 22:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I was waiting for ILM to rise up and smite No Doubt over this cover yet again before I said how much I enjoy it.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 15 December 2003 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Pardon my ignorance but who is the original artist?

― Berkeley Sackett (calstars), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Talk Talk

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I really like it, too.

― Sam J. (samjeff), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I like it, too. I think it's a good song for Gwen's voice.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Good, but not as good as nu-Mandy's "Senses Working Overtime"

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't really like the chorus - I feel like it needs more variation. (The original might have the same problem (having never heard it)). The rest of the song is good though.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:47 (twenty-one years ago)

original >> this version

― A Nairn (moretap), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Gwen Stefani should be bludgeoned with a ballpine hammer for this atrocity. I can only hope that Mark Hollis received a big fat fuckin' check.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah don't get me wrong, the original is better. I just don't think it's a crime against humanity or anything.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

What's so hateable about this version? It doesn't stray very far from the original?

― man, Monday, 15 December 2003 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

You guys sure know how to make me download a song.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Monday, 15 December 2003 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the source of my ire towards No Doubt's butchering of Talk Talk's work is rooted in Gwen Stefani's whistleheaded exclamation that "It's My Life" is a "feel good song".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

No, it's almost a carbon copy except with Gwen over the top. I am opposed to this kind of cover. I am also opposed to No Doubt but I'll let someone else deal with that bit..

― dog latin (dog latin), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 00:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm also curious whether her resemblance in the video to Madonna in Dick Tracy was intentional.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 00:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the Billy Jean drums. But the guy from Talk Talk has a cooler voice.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 00:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm not quite as much on the rampage as Alex in NYC...but I sympathize. This is more out of my lingering 'die and be buried' sentiments towards No Doubt than it is towards any song they cover, but even so.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

The original chorus EXPLODES skyward; the pre-chorus *leads* us somewhere. The chorus is actually louder than the verse, too -- dynamics, you '90s-infected dilletantes; listen and learn! The '90s showed us that to be felt in a song you have to have a little anger or pissiness in your voice. Gwen knows this well, so she gives that little extra bit of what I'm sure she considers intensity and thereby smothers the emotional nuances Hollis so beautifully captured in the original. Turn up the alt, turn down the synths, you got yourself a cover!

― Clarke B., Tuesday, 16 December 2003 03:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Anything that'll inspire some No Doubt fan to check out the Talkies is OK by me.

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 16 December 2003 03:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I've loved No Doubt since my days of braces and backstabbing but this one is a bit eh. Too much dead space in the chorus (if the original is like this it can go to hell too). I like the synths through, they sound pared-down by pressure like creating a little jet-stream of air with your lips instead of burping all at once.

― DarrensCoq, Tuesday, 16 December 2003 03:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Hollis is an unequaled genius...no doubt are no doubt

― geeg, Tuesday, 16 December 2003 07:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Meaning they're great. The singles collection only has a couple of pre-Tragic Kingdom duds. Everything else is good to fucking excellent ("Ex-Girlfriend," "Don't Speak").

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 07:30 (twenty-one years ago)

dave q started a thread on this, singing it's praises

i think it's pretty weak tho

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 10:30 (twenty-one years ago)

i've always considered 'It's My Life' a feelgood song tho, regardless of actual lyrical theme and delivery

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 10:31 (twenty-one years ago)

i thought it was bon jovi who made that song

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 10:33 (twenty-one years ago)

It's definitely missing something, and I think it may be Hollis' vocals, they just seem to fit the song better. Alsothe original has a better video

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, flamingoes > gwen

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 10:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Bet you $40,000 that this cover was the bass player's idea.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 10:39 (twenty-one years ago)

haha

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 13:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Really boring & uninspired cover if you ask me.Exactly the same as the original.I find the Girls Aloud cover much more interesting.

― Paul R (paul R), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I really can't think of anything redeeming about this massacre of a great pop song. Put me over there on the extreme end of the discussion with Alex in NYC (minus the suggestions of brutal violence towards Gwen, natch).

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)

It's not that I'm so in love with Talk Talk (which I am) that I'm not willing to accept any re-interpretations. I was actually keen to hear it when I first got wind of the cover. But listening to it doesn't stir anything in me, other than the desire to listen to something else.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 13:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Girls Alahd have covered it as well? oh fucking hell

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

i assumed that was referring to the recent "jump" pointer sisters cover as an example of another recent/questionable cover song in general. if girls aloud really did a cover of "it's my life", then i have to start digging my hole to crawl into.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 14:03 (twenty-one years ago)

so am i the only one who thinks it's possibly even better than the original?

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Hahaha yes!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 14:48 (twenty-one years ago)

no dave q did as well!

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

i think the smoothed-overness that someone referred to upthread as a negative is actually this version's strongest quality!

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Liberty X have covered Runeii - it's on the label side of their next single. The way they autoharmonise on the word 'rescinded' will make you cancel the papers and move to Telford.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

is that, uh, good?

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

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