Lame HOTM Cover!

[sodascouts]

I went to see The Other Boleyn Girl at the theater last night, and there was a preview for the upcoming movie adaptation of Sex and the City. The song they are using during the preview is an awful version of Heart of the Matter by India Arie. It's hard to mess up such a great song, but she managed it.

Hear for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT9jrPbZ5ug

What do you think - am I being too harsh because I'm so attached to the original version?

[DonFan]

No--her version is vastly inferior to Don's.

How was the Boleyn movie? I want to see it, too.

[Freypower]

I will be interested to hear about the film because this is my favourite historical period and Henry VIII is my hero. The Sydney Morning Herald review this morning was not kind. I picked out several historical inaccuracies which would annoy me (I tend to get a bit self-righteous about the 16th century in this regard). Sorry, I don't want to veer off topic but as it came up...

[Mrs Frey]

Soda, I agree with you completely.

I'm sorry, but I don't enjoy the "R&B" way of singing - India.Arie's vocal histrionics in this song particularly are completely inappropriate. She manages to compose some of her own lyrics too. :roll: I also don't like the plastic instrumentation, if one can refer to it as such.

Don sings this song with tremendous feeling: passion and deep emotion to convey his important and thought provoking lyrics. He keeps his vocal simple - his voice and message are so powerful that over-the-top vocals are unnecessary.

India.Arie's version gave me the impression that she's trying to show us she has a voice. That is the problem with so many singers these days, and they all end up sounding the same. All that is needed is for the singer to interpret the song. The rest will take care of itself.

Don interprets the song, that is all - and he shows us, without any effort to do so, that he has a great voice.

[Brooke]

I'm taking your all's word for it! I can't even bear to listen! Don's is so beautiful I don't want to hear it from anyone else.

That's the way I am about most Eagles songs! :D

[sodascouts]

Regarding the Boleyn movie - it's tragic, as we all know, yet despite the foregone conclusion it held my interest.

I think it was well-acted and the characters were developed well, although not as well as in the book (inevitably). Henry VIII is portrayed as a complex man who is capable of both tenderness and ruthlessness. When it comes to Anne, however, he acts like a fool. Anne Boleyn is also portrayed as ruthless and vindictive, although you can't help but feel sorry for her when the moment comes for her beheading. Mary comes across as uncomplicated and sweet, completely sympathetic even when she falls in love with Henry VIII despite the fact she is married to another.

I was very impressed with the costume and set design. They really had that nailed. Henry VIII's clothes looked like they came straight out of a painting of him.

Yes, some sacrifices in accuracy were made for the sake of plot, but overall they did pretty well. I definitely think it's worth the price of admission.

BTW, Eric Bana is yummy!

[Glennsallnighter]

No! I don't like India.Aries version either. She sounds to me like she's just singing words to sing them rather than trying to interpret the song in a meaningful way. Now obviously she had a tough act to follow, but still she doesn't inject the passion into it that Don does.

As for the Boleyn film I too would love to see it. I read quite a number of rather long novels based around Tudor history the summer I was 14 (Jean Plaidy's 'The Sixth Wife' and 'Murder Most Royal' to name a few) and as a result am fascinated by this period in English history. I always watch Tudor programs on the History channel when they are on and would love to see this interpretation regardless of the reviews.

[Freypower]

GA, you might be interested to know that I've still got my old Jean Plaidy books that I bought usually at W.H. Smith on Victoria Station or in Bromley.

Now on this 'cover' version:

HOW I HATE THIS STYLE OF SINGING!!!!!

The exaggerated breathing. Rushing the words. The utter lack of emotion. The melisma (bending notes all over the place for no reason). She doesn't seem to know what the song is about. Spare me. I could write a book about this. Why sing the word 'warm' so loud? What does that mean? I'm listening to it as I type. 'pri-i-i-ide'. UGH.

'Happliy ever after'? QUE?

No, dear, the flesh WILL get weak. That is important. And there is more to 'you don't love me any more' than teenage petulance.

I need not say how wonderful both Don's original version and the raw HFO version are. This is an insult to a wonderful song.

[Mrs Frey]

Woo hoo, FP, you and I are on the same page here regarding this "cover" version!

[Mrs Frey]

No! I don't like India.Aries version either. She sounds to me like she's just singing words to sing them rather than trying to interpret the song in a meaningful way. Now obviously she had a tough act to follow, but still she doesn't inject the passion into it that Don does.

As for the Boleyn film I too would love to see it. I read quite a number of rather long novels based around Tudor history the summer I was 14 (Jean Plaidy's 'The Sixth Wife' and 'Murder Most Royal' to name a few) and as a result am fascinated by this period in English history. I always watch Tudor programs on the History channel when they are on and would love to see this interpretation regardless of the reviews.

Highlight 1: Absolutely, GA! :nod:

Highlight 2: My goodness, GA, you are very well read! :shock:

[septemberwn]

Actually Don Henley, said himself that he really enjoyed Indie.Arie's cover of his song Heart of the Matter

[sodascouts]

Well, I guess his tastes diverge from mine a bit, lol. How flattering for her, though!

[sad-cafe]

I don't care for it

however, I am kind of an original artist snob. I usually do not like remakes

[Houston Debutante]

Love Don, but disagree with him here ~ this cover is nothing compared to the original IMO.