Monday, June 02, 2014

My Music Monday

I thought that maybe for June, the My Music Monday posts would be dedicated to covers.

I don't mean purposefully cheesy covers of songs, like William Shatner doing, well.....anything, but mindful covers or even reinterpretations of music that has been done before.

the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatal" has been covered from everyone, or so it seems.

Elvis Costello, R.E.M., Tracey Thorn (Everything but the Girl) and Duran Duran. There are a lot lesser names who have taken a stab at this song too, but you get the idea.

I cannot say I was a huge fan the Underground. I know that's like heresy, but I never found Lou Reed & Co to be that great. I can take them in limited doses, but I'm not tripping over myself to listen to them or praise.

Some of the covers are better than others. I thought I'd select the take from the Tom Tom Club.  Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth were in the Talking Heads, which was formed shortly after the Underground disbanded. But of all the people who cover "Femme Fatale", I would say they are closest in experience (more the Heads than Tom Tom Club).

Granted, this song is never going be as fun or as inventive as say, "Wordy Rappinghood" or "Genius of Love", but what are you gonna do?  It is not a spot-on cover, but it's close on most accounts - just a little breathier (if you will) than the Velvet Underground might have done.

It is taken from their 1989 album, Boom Boom Chi Boom Boom.


Tom Tom Club - Femme Fatale

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