To cover a song is such a difficult job for an artist. Of course it's an interesting experience to make people hear another interpretation of their favourite songs (at least that's what I think). But, and especially if it's a very well known song, eventually people will start to compare your version with the original. And I must say that usually the original version of the song wins. That's the way it is and it can't be changed. Anyway, sometimes the cover version is at least as good as the original, if not better. Tainted Love, the cover Marilyn Manson made after Soft Cell's song, or Placebo's Running Up That Hill (sang originally by Kate Bush) stand as proof.
That's why I am always interested to hear covers. And that's why I decided to listen to Eliza Lumley's covers of Radiohead's songs. I knew already, even before listening to her, that she was either praised or criticised for these versions – and I became really curious, asking myself how I would react. I'm not much of a Radiohead fan, I don't know all of their songs, I haven't listened to all of their albums, but I love the songs I listened to up until now, and I love Thom Yorke's voice. That made me even more impatient.
Among the songs I listened to were Karma Police, Street Spirit, How To Disappear Completely and Let Down – four of the most beautiful songs Radiohead have. Eliza Lumley sings accompanied by piano (which does an excellent job). She has a pure, high and clear voice, and she sings perfectly. Now probably you'd expect me to say that she's just wonderful and she is one of the artists who make cover versions as good as the original. Well, no. Even if it seems she has all the advantages on her side, she completely fails.
And if you want to know why, well, the answer is simple. Her covers are just too perfect. Preoccupied with singing as well as possible, Lumley completely forgets to put some feelings in her voice, she sings like she would resolve some math problems, coldly and cerebrally (actually the title of her album is She Talks In Maths, and now that I listened to her songs, I find it very ironical). I must say that this is the first time I have listened to Street Spirit without feeling the need to cry. Don’t get me wrong. The girl is not bad; I already said before that her voice is good. But music is not only about how well you sing, just like painting is not only about how well you draw. Music (and not only music, but all that means art) is about how you feel and about how you make the others feel. As far as I'm concerned, Mary Had a Little Lamb sang by a four year old kid is much more impressive than Lumley's so called perfect songs.
And now back to Radiohead.
Covers are also about how an artist understands someone else's creation. If you're trying to say that Eliza Lumley isn't Thom Yorke, well okay, but that isn't something to blame. She simply does it in an old, rigurous way, showcasing Radiohead songs to a so-called "higher" class. This is something Greenwood&Co couldn't have done that naturally, and which, in my opinion, deserves a bit more appreciation.
ReplyDeleteI know perfectly well she is not Thom Yorke. And I agree that covers are about how one understands someone else's creation. Even more, I'd say that covers are about the feelings one has towards someone else's creation. Lumley has a good voice, but the problem is her complete lack of feeling. And that's something I can't be okay with. Because music is (or it should be) about feelings in the first place and not about perfection. At least that is what I think.
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