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August 14, 2006

Attack Of The Eighties Cover Songs

Stereogum listens so you don't have to.

  • For Love Songs (out 9/12), ex-NKOTB Jordan Knight puts has-been spin on Phil Collins ("One More Night"), Wham! ("Careless Whisper"), and Foreigner ("Waiting For a Girl Like You"). You can stream that last one at MySpace. Jordan's bio explains:
    I think I leaned toward things like George Michael's "Careless Whispers" [sic] and Foreigner's "Waiting for a Girl Like You," because they have simpler chords than the ones I usually use.
    Uh, OK. And just in case you forgot, Jordan himself was popular in the '80s! The new collection features a duet with Debbie Gibson (no, we won't call her Deborah), and they performed it last week at the Cutting Room.

  • Hot on Jordan's heels is American Idol winner (or did he lose to Ruben? We can't remember) Clay Aiken, who is defining the love song by covering '80s hits from Richard Marx ("Right Here Waiting"), Paul Young ("Everytime You Go Away"), Mr. Mister ("Broken Wings"), and ... again Foreigner ("I Want To Know What Love Is"). We don't have any audio. Lucky you!

  • Leigh Nash (remember? from Sixpence None The Richer?) is also hoping MySpace will kick-start her solo career. She's recorded an acoustic, stripped-down version of Stereogum's mom's favorite song "It's Raining Men." You can hear it here, and I love that in her blog post she calls the song an "atrocity."
    Hi! SO you may notice that the first song you hear on my profile now is "It's Raining Men". this atrocity was penned by Paul Shaeffer I believe in the 80's -when else? I recorded it for a television show that doesn't seem to be too impressed with it: ) Oh well, thought you might enjoy it for a while.
    Her Blue On Blue is out 8/15. At least she's not covering the La's again.

  • Jessica Simpson never met a song she could write. After "borrowing" Madonna's "Holiday" for her hit "Public Affair," her next single could be Dead Or Alive. At this poll on her website Jess explains:
    So it's time to start thinking about a second single. I picked the first one, so I was thinking y’all could help me choose the second one! There are new songs on my website. Have a listen and then let me know which one you like best!
    Check out "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" y'all: REAL | QT | WIN MEDIA. Her album's out 8/29.

    Seriously, vote for "Like A Record." Pete Burns could really use the extra cash to finally get his penis cut off. He really stuck with that whole androgyny thing, hasn't he? At least Boy George's singing a different tune today.


    Posted at 11:27 AM
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    11 Comments

    Jessica also has another song out, called BOY, that samples the Cars' "You Give Me Just What I Needed" (or whatever) a la her one song that sampled "Jack and Diane" (or whatever). She's a creative girl.

    Posted by: Brandon at 08/14/06 12:33 PM | Reply
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    i'm ashamed to admit that i clearly remember who jordan knight is though i always preferred joey mcintyre. oh why can't he just let his career die peacefully?

    oh jessica. i don't mind the sampling you do as it's not that unusual of a practice in this biz, but the thing your new songs just plain suck. but i really did like you during your pre-nick lachey days when i often mistook you for mandy moore.

    Posted by: finn at 08/14/06 1:15 PM | Reply
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    She sucks more than Asslee now, that is some shitty "new" music of hers.

    Posted by: Simphole at 08/14/06 2:00 PM | Reply
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    Bad 80's cover songs! However I think there are some decent ones out there. A playlist from my iPOD of more recent artists doing stuff from the 80's. I even included some still around and done acoustic! Check it out:

    The NINETEEN80's REMADE

    1. I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) –ORSON
    2. Faith –BOY LEAST LIKELY TO
    3. Let’s Dance-THE FUTUREHEADS
    4. If You Leave-NADA SURF
    5. In Between Days-BEN FOLDS
    6. Everybody Wants To Rule The World-TEARS FOR FEARS (acoustic)
    7. World Shut Your Mouth-DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
    8. Spirits In The Material World-CORD
    9. It’s Different For Girls-BOY KILL BOY
    10. Heaven-LORRAINE
    11. I Melt With You-NOUVELLE VAGUE
    12. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want-ELEFANT
    13. Voices Carry-AIMEE MANN (acoustic)
    14. Modern Girl-CAMERA OBSCURA
    15. So. Central Rain-GRANT LEE PHILLIPS
    16. Promises Promises-NAKED EYES (acoustic)
    17. Running Up That Hill-PLACEBO
    18. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me-MARK EITZEL
    19. Love Will Tear Us Apart-CALEXICO
    20. Just Like Heaven-KATIE MELUA
    21. Don’t Dream It’s Over-TEDDY THOMPSON

    Posted by: Nick at 08/14/06 2:15 PM | Reply
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    Whta's the point of doing a cover when it sounds exactly like the original? Nobody needs a "You Spin Me Round" cover right now. Though, for once, her vocals weren't completely overwrought!
    Woo!

    And...I'm not really liking that Leigh Nash, either.

    Posted by: a is for applebits at 08/14/06 5:03 PM | Reply
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    The advantage of the Dead or Alive cover is that the song was so ridiculous (in a good way) to begin with, it's really hard to screw it up.

    Posted by: Joey Headset at 08/14/06 8:10 PM | Reply
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    It might be fun to note that just what i needed is somewhat, hrm, inspired by yummie yummie yummie by the archies. So I guess this closes the bubblegum circle.

    Posted by: ds at 08/15/06 9:01 AM | Reply
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    cocaine is a hell of a drug LOL

    Posted by: Wrinklepaws at 08/15/06 3:04 PM | Reply
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    For some 80's songs remade by the original artists, pick up "80's Hits Stripped"

    release party pics:

    http://www.dailyceleb.com/production/index.php?view=event&eid=4162

    track list:

    1. Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl
    2. Colin Hay of Men at Work - Down Under
    3. The Outfield - Your Love
    4. Berlin - The Metro
    5. Howard Jones - No One Is To Blame
    6. Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
    7. The Motels - Only the Lonely
    8. Tommy Tutone - 867-5309/Jenny
    9. John Waite - Missing You
    10. Heart - These Dreams
    11. Thomas Dolby - Blinded Me With Science
    12. Naked Eyes - Promises, Promises
    13. Asia - Heat of the Moment
    14. Jane Wiedlin - Our Lips Are Sealed
    15. Billy Squier - The Stroke

    Posted by: Memememe at 08/15/06 7:49 PM | Reply
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    So if you're Jordan Knight and your tenuous grasp on relevancy relies strictly on an album of bland covers, does covering a cover somehow make you spontaneously combust or something really cool like that? One can dream....

    "Every Time You Go Away" was Paul Young covering the one and only Hall & Oates. Jordan's doing that double-cover thing. All Hail Darryl!

    Posted by: tqa at 08/20/06 5:18 PM | Reply
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    Someone actually already covered You Spin me Round...a few years back Full Devil Jacket did it. It was around the same time Fear Factory covered Gary Numan's Cars and Orgy did Blue Monday (New Order). I think some of these metal covers were actually pretty good. I know there are more...some one covered Goin Back to Cali as well (not new wave, i know). Not so sure about Rammstein's cover of Stripped though (Depeche Mode)...

    Posted by: MJSaladino at 01/08/08 2:03 PM | Reply
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