31 replies to this topic

[UselessRocker]

I got this idea after having a late-night YouTube Westerberg spree. Sometimes it's funny when singers change a line to throw in an inside joke. Sometimes you're disappointed that a song you love has been changed or modified. Sometimes artists "update" or modify a line it because their beliefs have changed.

Favorite examples?

Least favorite examples?

The one that inspired this thread is from Westerberg doing a solo version of "Alex Chilton". He changes the line to "I never travel far.... without a little.....GNR...."

Least favorite example I can think of, off the top of my head:
-Prince changing "I'm physically attracted to you" to "I'm spiritually attracted to you" in recent performances of "I Feel For You".
-the Morrissey one mentioned in thread title; just cringe-worthy

[scarymuppet]

-Prince changing "I'm physically attracted to you" to "I'm spiritually attracted to you" in recent performances of "I Feel For You".

I sincerely want to the pray the taste out of your mouth

(not real)

[BobtheSquid]

In concert, Bono changes the lyrics to "Pride" to be more accurate, since MLK wasn't shot "early morning April 4."

[Mitchell]

When Rootjuce covered "Taxman" in 1997 they changed Heath and Wilson to Major and Blair.

[Rob Gordon]

Charlie Daniels' Long Haired Country Boy People say I'm no-good, And crazy as a loon. I get stoned in the morning, I get drunk in the afternoon. Changed to: Iget up in the morning, I get down in the afternoon. I don't want much of nothin' at all,But I will take another toke. Changed to: But I will tell another joke.

[arkin]

When Placebo covered "Bigmouth Strikes Again," they also did "her megadrive started to melt," which may or may not be worse than iPod.

[Mitchell]

"Big Gay Heart" Lemonheads. 'Suck my dick' to 'duck my sick' for radio play

[Agrimorfee]

Speaking of Charlie Daniels and radio-safe versions, he calls the Devil a "sonofabitch" or "sonofagun" depending on which version of "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" you hear. Also the radio friendly version of "Now Now John" by Pink Floyd features people shouting "Stuff all that" to drown out the "Fuck all that" refrain. It still didn't help make it a hit. The Residents have added new lyrics--sometimes whole verses-- to songs in concert. Their bizarre performance of "We Are the World" was rewritten for DVD release and in concert with supremely stupid lyrics, and retitled "Just For You" (for some reason). In Primus' cover of "Have A Cigar", Les Claypool subs "Which one's Pink?" with "Who is this Bob Cock?" (who is a good buddy of the band)

[UselessRocker]

I groaned (both at the line and the reaction to it) when I saw Kanye live and he changed the line in "All Falls Down" from "and the white man gets paid off of all of that" to "George Bush gets paid off of all of that".

[Agrimorfee]

Perhaps the first recorded lyric update: John Lennon, when he made up his mind whether he could be counted "out" or "in" the "Revolution".

[Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ҈҉Ѡ]

I vaguely remember a live version of "Cut Your Hair" where they change what they yell during the bridge, but I can't remember what it is.

[Holiday in Risk]

My reaction to "and her iPod" on Live at Earls Court two summers ago involved dry-heaving out the passenger window, and I hadn't even been drinking. Morrissey doesn't need to pander to the kids.

[brobee]

Morrissey doesn't need to pander to the kids.

funny, that doesn't stop him very often. this fake vegas transformation is feeling less tongue-in-cheek every day.

[Waylon]

My pet peeve is when people change the gender pronouns in songs. If you're a man singing a song that was penned about another man, sing it the way it was written. Have the balls to look like a sissy. Besides, there's nothing better than a woman singing a love song to another woman.

[bleach]

has mick jagger ever sang the line from brown sugar 'just like a black girl should'? he always changed it live as far as i can tell...something about a young boy/man should.

[Slackmo]

"girl, we couldn't get much better"

[simulated stereo]

What I'd like is I'd like to hug and kiss you.

[More Drama]

My reaction to "and her iPod" on Live at Earls Court two summers ago involved dry-heaving out the passenger window, and I hadn't even been drinking. Morrissey doesn't need to pander to the kids.

If u mad about this, you should never've listened to Morrissey.

[typical pickle conflicts]

i expected black flag sticker on a cadillac in the first post

[Pretzellogic]

"girl, we couldn't get much better"

Also: "Let's spend some time together"