Looking back at this video..

[The Curmudgeon]

Thought we'd take a look back at a song that divided people more than most. Some loved it, some hated it. Me? I hated it at first but the more I heard it (and it was played a LOT) I ended up quite enjoying it. Created by the BBC, it was a charity single and a cover of a beloved song. So it should almost certainly be atrocious, right? Example; I heard Ricky Gervais on his podcast absolutley DESTROYING it, saying he loved the original and this ruined it.

So it's a glossy, pomp and circumstance cover that completely removes the simple integrity of the original. In it's defence, though, the people they do bring in are hardly faded pop star scrubs desperate to boost their profile. Elton John? David Bowie? Bono? Tom Jones? Are there any bigger stars in the world than those guys? And hey - it IS for charity.

Anyway, the track in question; the cover of Perfect Day, by.. loads of people, including the man himself at the beginning and end.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN90xB7DswE

So what do you think? Was this song a hit over the pond? Should it be destroyed forever? Or is it actually a rare example of a good charity cover version?

[trashcanman]

Never heard of this. Reed and Velvet Underground are not played on the radio over here and are pretty much a hipster/indie fan kind of thing on this end. Song is great (never heard the original) and as far as charity songs go its alright, but I just really hate that one-line-per-artist format. It's corny and leaves no room for each vocalist to make a genuine impact on the song. It has no real artistic value, just "hey look, it's Bono! Hey look, it's Bowie! Who's that one? Hey look it's that singer from that other band!"

[The Curmudgeon]

Remember a few months ago when you were shocked I had never heard "Orange Crush" by R.E.M, because it was such a played song over in the US? This is the same deal. Someone who actually knows about music having never heard "Perfect Day" is just... bizarre. Man, cultural differences in full effect.

And yeah, the "one line per singer" thing does get a little bit old, but I think it works here. I mean, you could have had..

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts1HxVopG2k

Let's see how long you sit through THAT.

[trashcanman]

I made it a couple minutes, but yeah, it was pretty dull. Never heard that one either. I guess people in America really don't give a shit about charity songs for other countries any more.