I was in a funky jewellery shop the other day. (Don’t ask. Sometimes, these things have to be done.) Fortunately, I was distracted by the music. It was a studio recording of Across The Universe sung by a beautiful, clear female voice. I was especially taken by the air of acceptance in the ‘nothing’s gonna change my world’ line. It was slower by a notch than the original and had minimal backing, led by a poised acoustic guitar. The Eastern flavour had been removed and there were no druggy overtones. This was not Fiona Apple. There was no hint of an accent, either. Pure, delicate and a touch of fragility.
I’ve searched the interWeb fruitlessly, so I thought I’d try The Afterword. Any ideas?
In the meantime, let’s enjoy the worst cover ever…
David Bowie – Across The Universe.
I’ve said many times, Bowie can’t do covers. See also Brian Ferry. The mannered voices just don’t translate.
I’ve got his “Let’s Spend The Night Together” as the worst cover ever.
I’ve also got him starring in the worst film ever, “Absolute Beginners.”
And (from a recent edition of Mojo), a photo from 1974 features him wearing the worst clothes ever.
So I’m a tough marker.
Wild is The Wind is superb
Absolutely! Probably the best cover ever.
You know Billys is better 🙂
Good point, well made, but, not quite. ?
I really like Bowie’s cover of “Alabama Song”, too.
I love Pin Ups as a whole!
You are me.
You might say it as many times as you like, but it doesn’t mean you’re right. Ferry in particular is (mostly!) well-respected for his interpretations of other artists’ work – hell, half of his solo career is built on them!. His voice might have been ‘mannered’ in the early days, but this certainly wasn’t to the detriment of his innovative treatment of disparate songs such as ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ and ‘These Foolish Things’. The vulnerability of his voice in recent years adds a great deal of genuine feeling and gravitas to more recent covers such as those on the ‘Dylanesque’ album and many others, for example ‘Song To The Siren’ and ‘Johnny And Mary’.
You might disagree with me but that doesn’t make me wrong, of course. Bryan is fab but his “Let’s work together” is a great example of a rubbish cover.
For his own stuff of course, he is tremendous.
I do like The In Crowd and Hard Rain.
And Shame, Shame, Shame is terrific
Ferry has had some magnificent interpretations of other’s songs over the course of his career. He croons beautifully on River of Salt and his cover of Positively 4th Street completely transforms the original.
Bowie’s version of Sorrow is one of my favourites of his.
Oh bugger, I’ve heard this somewhere, but don’t know/can’t remember who it was. Sorry.
Helpful start, as always, mini. I feel I’m onto a winner.
Got it 😉 Cops cruising by, riverside. Circulate it. Smart move. You’d have worn/stretched surgical gloves over your driving ones. Excellent. Untraceable to perpetrator DNA wise. Can I send you a dm about my postman ?
But, of course! It’ll cost you.
Fiona Apple maybe?
No. But, thank you for asking.
Might it have been Ann Wilson?
Close. More Estuary English, less cluttered backing (not that there is much for Ann). I though Norah Jones. She has done a cover of Across The Universe but with a whole bunch of people and it was live.
I’ve got it! 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC7SLfbGL3M
Nooooooo! No strings.
My money’s on the Lighthouse Family.
So’s mine. Well spotted!
Ha! Just saw your tag.
You’ve probably already checked this. Lana Lane anyone?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Across_the_Universe
Too tremulous, a bit Country and too many instruments and voices. Nice try, though.
Could it be North Korea’s favourite live band: Laibach?
No, I didn’t really think so, but the video is rather entertaining.
You are right. It isn’t.
I could have sworn that Natalie Merchant had done a version, either solo or with 10,000 Maniacs but I’m damned if I can find it anywhere. Anyone help?
I can’t find it either!
Texas? Really. It’s shite..except it’s piano and muted organ. And Sharlene.
Nope. Too many slurred vowels and too much emoting. The voice I’m thinking of sounds as though she has suffered enormous grief but is now reaching the point of acceptance. It’s almost as though she is trying to disguise the pain rather than express it.
Texas – Across The Universe
How about this?
Closest vocally so far but too much going on in the sound bed.
Cyndi sang this to our small band one evening on Southwold beach. I woke up the next morning behind a hut next to a woman I had never ever seen before. I found my car and drove slowly home.
https://youtu.be/O0_37cZuT9g
Yep. Love Cyndi but this ain’t the one.
You could work your way through these tigs.
https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/564
I’ve been doing so. I think it may be this, even though it is all piano and no guitar.
http://youtu.be/apVYlroXbMs
Akiko – Across The Universe
Nope. Definitely not this.
I’m sure it’s not this, but any excuse to post it as it’s very lovely…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSmKNtXheH0
Are they singing in a church? That echo is spectacular.
In a subway apparently.
Rumer?
This is nowt but a guess, as I can’t find any reference to her covering the song.
Have a word with her. It could hit the spot.
I really enjoyed the clip of her and Darryl Hall doing ‘I Can’t Go For That’ on another thread a wee while ago.
She does good accompanying vocals indeed:
Could it be Aussie lass Katie Noonan?
I can’t access this video. I’ve seen a live version with a string backing. The voice could be hers. Is there a studio version with an acoustic guitar. The other possibility is Rachael Leahcar. She was in Australia’s The Voice but I can’t access a clip.
Yes, the version I posted is studio, But it’s piano based with woodwind joining in later.
Rachael Leahcar is also piano + strings
OK. That’s helpful, thanks, JC.
Drew a blank! I can’t believe it.
What is truly astonishing about this thread is not that this estimable group has so far seemingly failed to identify the artiste, but that so many have taken on one of the Beatles’ least interesting songs.