![]() It continues, still in past tense, "I looked around. "What's become of me," uses the past tense the words sound like a TV special on "Whatever happened to" some child stars. It starts by worrying about time, repeating the word "time" like it is ticking away. or is "winter" hard by? The song as a whole seems to argue for the latter conclusion. The main question is: What state of development has the speaker reached- is it "the springtime of life". The music itself lurches between the fast lines that take up most of the song and slower interludes that seem to want to take a look around and enjoy the "scenery," only to succumb to the song's driving urgency. You can listen to these songs and previously discussed cover songs in a Spotify playlist.This song seems to be a struggle to determine what how much productive time the speaker has left. On VH1’s “Behind The Music,” Bassist Michael Steele said, “We sounded the most on this record the way we actually sound live… If we hadn’t been so messed up as a band, it could have been a turning point for us.” Not only was that cover emblematic of what the song could be, it was emblematic of what the The Bangles as a band could be. Of the aforementioned songs, I think all Cover Songs Uncovered readers were unanimous in their dislike of “The Loco-Motion,” and I can’t think of any cover songs from the 1980s that I would place above Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” or The Pet Shop Boys’ “Always On My Mind.”īut if we’re ranking (and I apparently am), The Bangles’ “Hazy Shade of Winter” should be considered one of the better cover versions from the 1980s. Of course, some songs covered in the 1980s were better than others, and that comes down to the talent of the artists and the ways those artists did or did not reinvent the song. It had been at least a decade since those songs had been hits, and there was a new generation of fans who might not have heard the originals.Technology and production had advanced, particularly in terms of keyboards.Music had evolved and changed since those songs had been originally released, introducing new genres.We’ve already reviewed a handful of songs from the ’60s and ’70s that were reinterpreted in the ’80s: “Tears Of A Clown,” “Tainted Love,” “I Only Want To Be With You,” “Always On My Mind,” “Suspicious Minds,” and “The Loco-Motion.” Those songs were ripe for remakes in the ’80s for a handful of reasons: When comparing “I Think We’re Alone Now” to “A Hazy Shade of Winter,” it’s worth stepping back and considering how those songs fit in the context of other cover songs in the 1980s. ![]() Simon & Garfunkel may have given us that riff, but as we heard in so many of the covers, it’s Vicki Peterson’s 1987 performance of that riff that gets copied in the cover songs. I think it’s fair to say that the same is true of The Bangles’ “Hazy Shade of Winter.” There are many people (myself included) who heard this version before the original. In last week’s post about “I Think We’re Alone Now,” I said that Tiffany’s version should be credited for the longevity of that song, because her version probably inspired many of the covers that came after it. Orchestra leader and movie soundtrack composer Hugo Montenegro covered “A Hazy Shade of Winter” for his 1971 album, “People… One to One.” Given Montenegro’s background, it’s not surprising that his version sounded larger and more cinematic than the Simon & Garfunkel original, with more singers and instruments. The lyric is one of Simon’s more downbeat early ones, particularly on the chorus, with its images of leaves turning brown (perhaps subconsciously influenced by the brown leaves in John Phillips’ slightly earlier “California Dreamin'”?) and the sky looking like a hazy shade of winter. ![]() A brusque, stiff drum rhythm sets the pace on the opening instrumental section, built around an edgy, up and down guitar riff the melody and arrangement of the instrumental section are duplicated on the track’s subsequent vocal choruses. “Hazy Shade of Winter” was one of their best songs, and certainly one of the toughest and more rock-oriented by a duo more noted for being relatively mild and dignified. In a review for, Richie Unterberger wrote: ![]() Though initially released as a single, “A Hazy Shade of Winter” later appeared on Simon & Garfunkel’s 1968 album, “Bookends.”īesides being commercially successful, “A Hazy Shade if Winter” has been well received by critics. The song peaked at Number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Number 30 on the UK singles chart. Set during the transition from fall to winter, the song focused on a writer, likely a poet, who lamenting his station in life: ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |