Tag: Badfinger

Def Leppard – ‘Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection’ (2005) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic27 Comments

The compilations are coming fast and furious. First we had the UK greatest hits compilation called ‘Best of Def Leppard’ which came in a 1 CD and a 2 CD version. The U.S. did not get that release. Instead, about 6 months later, the States got a slightly different collection called ‘Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection’. This was released May 17, 2005 about 7 months later and went to #10 on the Billboard 200 chart selling over 1 million copies in the States alone. Canada bought about 200,000. So, it did well.

How does this one differ from “Best of”? Not by a whole lot. The biggest, noticeable difference is the artwork is really spruced up and more vibrant with the Union Jack used as background. Some of the pictures are the same and the liner notes I think are identical. This time, Disc 1 is identical to ‘Vault’ with the only change adding 2 songs. Disc 2 is pretty close to the same as well. There is a different New song. Instead of the cover of The Kink’s “Waterloo Sunset”, we get a Badfinger cover of “No Matter What”. We do get 18 tracks on Disc 2 instead of 17 with “Paper Sun” and “Mirror Mirror (Look Into My Eyes” being different. The dropped “Make Love Like A Man”, thankfully. And lastly, the track order is shaken up on Disc 2 as well. Let’s be realistic, they aren’t that different.

DISC 1:

The album opens with the biggest song of their career, “Pour Some Sugar on Me”. It was the third single off ‘Hysteria’ in the UK, but the fourth in the States. And it was do or die time for the band. They need to sell way more and this song did it for them. Yes, the song is about sex, but it is it the energy of the song that make this one so good. This is the ‘Historia’ Video Edit version which opens with “Love is a like a Bomb” and is actually longer then the album version.

Then with no mercy, we get “Photograph”.  First…the song is NOT about Marilyn Monroe.  The song is about an obsession with a woman and all you have of her is that photograph.  The Marilyn Monroe part was added for the video to help tell the story.  And it captures it perfectly.  As the video shows that obsession going a little too far. The song was perfect in my book and the video was mesmerizing.  The two together captured my attention like nothing ever had before and every time MTV showed, I turned up the volume! 

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The Original vs. The Cover vs. The Cover – “Without You”

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic37 Comments

This version of The Original vs. The Cover is going to be 3 songs. The song is the classic “Without You” and we will kick it off with the original by the band Badfinger. Now, I have to admit, I thought the original was by Harry Nilsson and didn’t realize his was a cover. So, Harry is up next. Lastly, we will throw in one of the most successful covers by the great Mariah Carey. The song was written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans from the band Badfinger.

Pete Ham was originally writing a song called “If It’s Love”, but the song didn’t have a good chorus. When he was getting ready to leave the studio one day, Tom Evans stopped him and said he had an idea for a song. Peter was supposed to go out with his girlfriend, well his girlfriend knew him well and knew he would not be able to focus so she made him stay behind. Tom was working on a song with the chorus “Can’t live if living is without you”. The two parts were like chocolate and peanut butter. Apart they are good, but together they are perfect. The two didn’t think much of the song but apparently it has now been covered by over 180 artist.

On a side note and after effect of the song, Both Ham and Evans later committed suicide due to legal and financial reasons. Evans reason for the suicide seemed to be related to the royalties on this song which makes it a pretty sad tale.

BADFINGER

The Badfinger song came out on November 9, 1970 and was on their album ‘No Dice’. It is was a guitar ballad and had some heavy bass and both electric and acoustical accompaniment. Ham and Evans both take on lead vocal duties. It has that classic 60’s/70’s rock vibe to it and there is a punch to as the song progresses. There is a yearning to the vocals and you can feel the pain of that broken heart. It is a rather effective song and why I wasn’t overly familiar with it before I have no idea.

HARRY NILSSON

Harry Nilsson covered the song a year later on his 1971 album ‘Nilsson Schmilsson’. The song was released on October 11, 1971 and the song went all the way to #1 on Billboard Charts. Harry’s version turns the song in to a piano ballad giving it it an airy atmostpheric feel. The bass groove that lies just behind the lyrics is impactful and soulful. And when the chorus explodes it is so much more dramatic and he owns the pain and sorrow in those vocals. It is almost cathartic and you know he feels better after singing it. The song might be even more effective than the original and he even shaved a minute off the song. Harry truly owns this one and has probably the most recognizable version…at least for 20+ years.

MARIAH CAREY

Then on January 24, 1994, Mariah Carey releases her version of the song from her 1994 album ‘Music Box’. A whole new generation would now be introduced to the song which only went to #3 on the Billboard Charts. Mariah’s version is based off Harry’s as it is mostly a biting piano song with some heavy, heavy bass added to it. Almost too much bass. Her vocals soar and hit notes that Harry would only dream of, however, her vocals, though beautiful, don’t capture the emotion of the song. I feel she is singing it, but not feeling it.

THE VERDICT

Based on the above, I am torn between Badfinger’s version and Harry Nilsson’s version. As I said Mariah, she sings it beautifully but she doesn’t feel the song. And if I am basing on who “feels” the song and makes it believable, I guess I would go with Harry Nilsson’s version. He truly owned it and made it his own. Changing it to a piano based song really turned up the feels and you believed he felt the pain and sorrow of those lyrics. Badfinger is a very close second as I do love the guitar and bass work on the original. I hate they didn’t get the recognition they truly deserved for creating such a beautiful and powerful song.

I am really interested in hearing what everyone else thinks of these two songs.  Let me know which version you like the best and why.  Feel free to leave a comment and talk about the song and tell me how right or wrong I am on this one.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

LYRICS:

“Without You”

Well, I can’t forget this evening
And your face when you were leaving
But I guess that’s just the way the story goes
You always smile, but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

Well, I can’t forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
I had you there, but then I let you go
And now it’s only fair that I should let you know
What you should know

[CHORUS:]
I can’t live, if living is without you
I can’t live, I can’t give anymore
I can’t live, if living is without you
I can’t live, I can’t give anymore

Well, I can’t forget this evening
And your face when you were leaving
But I guess that’s just the way the story goes
You always smile, but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

[guitar solo]

[CHORUS x3]

I can’t live, if living is without you.