The American Idol version of Modest Mouse "Float On" vs the Kids Bop version

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[link]http://www.bestweekever.tv/2007/03/15/icymi-the-day-the-music-died/[/]

I guess this was a commercial.

― curmudgeon, Friday, 16 March 2007 03:27 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.bestweekever.tv/2007/03/15/icymi-the-day-the-music-died/

― curmudgeon, Friday, 16 March 2007 03:29 (eighteen years ago)

Alex Blagg overreacts just a bit in his posting about this American Idols version for a Ford Commercial:

Thursday11:34am
ICYMI: The Day the Music Died

"For me American Idol has always been kind of like Uggs Boots: annoying, ridiculous and counfoundingly popular, but relatively easy to ignore. Last night, however, a line was crossed when Ford Motors sponsored a commercial featuring the finalists’ douche-chill-inducing Kids Incorporated-inspired music video rendition of Modest Mouse’s hit song “Float On”, featuring Zombie dances and trashy convertible Mustang 5.0’s that are orange. Now, I realize that this song - and the album from whence it came - outgrew Modest Mouse’s long-held punk rock ethos long ago, but this - this was like the modern musical equivalent of the Kennedy Assassination, Watergate and and Jack Nicholson getting killed at the end of Easy Rider, all happening in front of us, at the same time, set to the soundtrack of Avril Lavigne covering ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”. In short, sensory rape. "

― curmudgeon, Friday, 16 March 2007 03:34 (eighteen years ago)

Too soon!

― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 16 March 2007 10:33 (eighteen years ago)

When material concerns of life are satisfied it can be things like this that exercise the educated mind

― maricopa john, Friday, 16 March 2007 10:37 (eighteen years ago)

I'm just surprised the singing isn't better. Why isn't it better? Hmmm?

― I know, right?, Friday, 16 March 2007 11:44 (eighteen years ago)

lol

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 11:54 (eighteen years ago)

i had holded float on sacred, now it is a pop song

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 11:55 (eighteen years ago)

I just thought, y'know, with indie music not really having a good reputation for flashy singers, that they would be pretty easy to out-vocalise or whatever. But this is weak.

― I know, right?, Friday, 16 March 2007 11:55 (eighteen years ago)

i dont like half the singers on AI. or maybe their song choices aren't melodic enough? that could be it too. if songs don't have enough melody they cannot be enjoyable in anyway. geir, back me up here bro.

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:00 (eighteen years ago)

im no musicologist, but float on has a nice melody (do do do do do dum dum dum dum)

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:01 (eighteen years ago)

American Idol is weird. They always seem to be doing songs from The Wiz'

― I know, right?, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:03 (eighteen years ago)

"Float On" is nice enough but it is patently NOT a "singer's song".

― HI DERE, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:10 (eighteen years ago)

I don't know, there's a lot of nice nooks in there that I imagine a really good singer could make something of. I really like the original though.

― I know, right?, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:12 (eighteen years ago)

yeah there is no reason for a singer to sing that song. i mean, the talking heads covered al green not the other way around!

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:19 (eighteen years ago)

haha now imagining Al Green singing "Once in a Lifetime"

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:22 (eighteen years ago)

yeah there is no reason for a singer to sing that song. i mean, the talking heads covered al green not the other way around!

The Staple Singers covered Talking Heads.

― Andy K, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:28 (eighteen years ago)

damn i knew someone like you was going to school me right after i clicked send.

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:31 (eighteen years ago)

i'd like to hear the cover!

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:32 (eighteen years ago)

(no offense meant by "someone like you" btw i wish i knew every soul and r&b song ever recorded. maybe someday...)

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:42 (eighteen years ago)

None taken (and I'm not even close to having that amount of knowledge).

― Andy K, Friday, 16 March 2007 12:52 (eighteen years ago)

this was like the modern musical equivalent of the Kennedy Assassination, Watergate and and Jack Nicholson getting killed at the end of Easy Rider, all happening in front of us, at the same time, set to the soundtrack of Avril Lavigne covering ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”. In short, sensory rape. "

This is funny stuff. I guess he did not even appreciate that one Idol contestant's afro.

― curmudgeon, Friday, 16 March 2007 13:17 (eighteen years ago)

set to the soundtrack of Avril Lavigne covering ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”

i like avril fine, but why would she cover dancing queen? no one should be allowed to cover dancing queen. you can play the song and lipsync if you want.

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 13:31 (eighteen years ago)

(im sure a million people have covered dancing queen)

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 13:37 (eighteen years ago)

There isn't anything for a singer to latch onto in "Float On" without making up an entirely different vocal line. All of the hooks in that song are in the instruments with the exception of the chorus,which lies in a lower vocal register than the verses and, as a result, does not bring a sense of vocal climax to the song.

Conversely, "Once In A Lifetime" sits in a much more present register for both the verse and chorus, plus it has a lot more motion in the chorus and a lot more vocal harmony that would allow the singers to really gel and lock into a great rhythm. Also, it reads as being much more uptempo thanks to the rhythmic syncopation.

Neither is a fantastic choice to highlight the talents of people in a singing competition but "OIAL" would have been an infinitely better choice in terms of entertaining the viewers (and I like both songs).

― HI DERE, Friday, 16 March 2007 13:38 (eighteen years ago)

sure you can get all 'technical' and 'knowledgable', but the question remains what is the yo factor? anybody know? scale of 1-10.

― artdamages, Friday, 16 March 2007 14:01 (eighteen years ago)

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