Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal"

Trekker4747 · April 8 2009, 09:44 PM

I get the... "pleasure" of hearing this song on the Muzak at work everyday.

It's not one I recall hearing when it first came out several years ago and, well, I'm glad.

How the fuck do you cover one of the better Michael Jackson songs -probably one of his best songs- and one of his best videos?!

That's just... I'm sorry, that's just like trying to be God.

Michael Jackson is six-shades of fucking bizzare crazy nuts right now and someday when he dies we'll find he had some bizzare varaint of CJD or some other brain-rotting disease but back in the 80s he was all aces.

Thriller and Smooth Criminal. Pure awesomness.

You can recreate it, duplicate it or best it.

Alien Ant Farm. You were made of fail.

Servo · April 8 2009, 10:00 PM

I think it's a pretty decent cover.

Mistral · April 8 2009, 10:09 PM

It gives them a distinctly amateur sound on the cover-some things are just iconic and should be left alone. I mean, even people/groups that cover Beatles tunes don't try to do it like the Beatles. AAF didn't take it far enough from the original to make it sound fresh, IMO.

Zion Ravescene · April 8 2009, 10:13 PM

That's the thing with uninspired covers. Be too faithful and you'll be accused of not being fresh. Make an interesting re-interpretation, and you'll be accused of sacrificing a baby kitten wearing a bonnet.

Caleuche · April 8 2009, 10:27 PM

I actually liked this as a cover, though the video was nowhere as good as the original (or indeed any good at all.) and the bands own stuff was weak. The Jackson cover I can't stand is Fall Out Boys version of Beat It. Urggh.

Trekker4747 · April 9 2009, 12:04 AM

Servo wrote:

I think it's a pretty decent cover.

No.

No it's not.

You cannot cover the King of Pop.

I actually liked this as a cover, though the video was nowhere as good as the original (or indeed any good at all.) and the bands own stuff was weak. The Jackson cover I can't stand is Fall Out Boys version of Beat It. Urggh.

Yeah, that one isn't very good either but at least they made it their own a little bit and changed it a bit more. It's crap, but at least it's more "their own."

I mean This Video is damn near perfection.

Servo · April 9 2009, 12:07 AM

Trekker4747 wrote:

Servo wrote:

I think it's a pretty decent cover.

No.

No it's not.

You cannot cover the King of Pop.

The evidence would suggest that you, in fact, can.

Jono · April 9 2009, 07:54 AM

Definitely better then the original.

Skywalker · April 9 2009, 07:57 AM

Meh, it's just a song. The original still exists, so who cares?

Nerys Myk · April 9 2009, 09:58 AM

I've alway liked Alien Ant Farms take. Liked the video too. Never thought Smooth Criminal was one of those songs that couldn't be covered.

hyzmarca · April 9 2009, 10:16 AM

Great songs come from the soul. To do a great cover, you have to find a song that mirrors something already in your soul, absorb that song into your soul, and regurgitate it transformed into something of your own.

Johnny Cash's version of Hurt is a great cover.

Jimmi Hendrix's version of Wild Thing is a great cover.

And I've never heart either version of Smooth Criminal so I have no opinion on either.

MyCylon · April 9 2009, 11:28 AM

Smooth Criminal is a classic IMHO. And classics are very, very difficult to cover. Alien Ant Farm, again IMHO, were never in a place where they could have hoped to succeed with a cover. In order to succeed, they would have needed to put their own spin on the song, make it their own. But I think they're simply not good enough to do that.

I agree with hyzmarca that Cash's version of "Hurt" is an example of a really great cover, as are many of the other covers he produced as part of the "American Recordings" albums. The thing is, he really takes those songs and makes them his own. What you end up with is something that is based on the original song but still very different and moving.

Trekker4747 · April 9 2009, 11:44 AM

rofeta wrote:

Definitely better then the original.

Impossible.

Jono · April 9 2009, 03:01 PM

Justtoyourleft wrote:

Smooth Criminal is a classic IMHO. And classics are very, very difficult to cover. Alien Ant Farm, again IMHO, were never in a place where they could have hoped to succeed with a cover. In order to succeed, they would have needed to put their own spin on the song, make it their own. But I think they're simply not good enough to do that.

I agree with hyzmarca that Cash's version of "Hurt" is an example of a really great cover, as are many of the other covers he produced as part of the "American Recordings" albums. The thing is, he really takes those songs and makes them his own. What you end up with is something that is based on the original song but still very different and moving.

They did succeed with the cover given that it reached no. 1 status in the modern rock charts and over here in Australia.

HappyDayRiot · April 9 2009, 03:07 PM

AAF succeeded with Smooth Criminal in many ways. It's a damn good fun rock song. Is it better/worse than the original? I don't care.I've always liked AAF's version of Smooth Criminal and in the last 8 years this is actually the first time I've known anyone who outright hates it, Jackson fans included.

April 8 2009, 09:44 PM	#1
Trekker4747 To boldly go... Location: Kansas City	Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" I get the... "pleasure" of hearing this song on the Muzak at work everyday. It's not one I recall hearing when it first came out several years ago and, well, I'm glad. How the fuck do you cover one of the better Michael Jackson songs -probably one of his best songs- and one of his best videos?! That's just... I'm sorry, that's just like trying to be God. Michael Jackson is six-shades of fucking bizzare crazy nuts right now and someday when he dies we'll find he had some bizzare varaint of CJD or some other brain-rotting disease but back in the 80s he was all aces. Thriller and Smooth Criminal. Pure awesomness. You can recreate it, duplicate it or best it. Alien Ant Farm. You were made of fail. __________________ Just because it's futuristic doesn't mean it's practical.

April 8 2009, 10:00 PM	#2
Servo Rear Admiral Location: Manchester, England	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" I think it's a pretty decent cover. __________________ *"You're not married, you haven't got a girlfriend... and you've never watched Star Trek? Good Lord..."* Currently Playing: DC Universe Online & DUST 514

April 8 2009, 10:09 PM	#3
Mistral Vice Admiral Location: Between the candle and the flame	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" It gives them a distinctly amateur sound on the cover-some things are just iconic and should be left alone. I mean, even people/groups that cover Beatles tunes don't try to do it like the Beatles. AAF didn't take it far enough from the original to make it sound fresh, IMO. __________________ ...sf fandom is only a personality disorder if you do it right.-Klaus http://www.adastrafanfic.com - archive stories! www.4rumboys.com for honest gaming

April 8 2009, 10:13 PM	#4
Zion Ravescene Admirable	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" That's the thing with uninspired covers. Be too faithful and you'll be accused of not being fresh. Make an interesting re-interpretation, and you'll be accused of sacrificing a baby kitten wearing a bonnet. __________________ "Well, I would like to make another trip," he said, jumping to his feet; "but I really don't know when I'll have the time. There's just so much to do right here."

April 8 2009, 10:27 PM	#5
Caleuche Commander Location: Deep Blue Sea	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" I actually liked this as a cover, though the video was nowhere as good as the original (or indeed any good at all.) and the bands own stuff was weak. The Jackson cover I can't stand is Fall Out Boys version of Beat It. Urggh.

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April 9 2009, 07:54 AM	#8
Jono Rear Admiral Location: Australia	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" Definitely better then the original. __________________ Those who lose dreaming are lost.

April 9 2009, 07:57 AM	#9
Skywalker Admiral	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" Meh, it's just a song. The original still exists, so who cares?

April 9 2009, 09:58 AM	#10
Nerys Myk Admiral Location: House of Kang, now with ridges	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" I've alway liked Alien Ant Farms take. Liked the video too. Never thought Smooth Criminal was one of those songs that couldn't be covered. __________________ Nerys Myk's Midnight In Never Land A novel of Dark Fantasy @ Amazon.com

April 9 2009, 10:16 AM	#11
hyzmarca Fleet Captain	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" Great songs come from the soul. To do a great cover, you have to find a song that mirrors something already in your soul, absorb that song into your soul, and regurgitate it transformed into something of your own. Johnny Cash's version of Hurt is a great cover. Jimmi Hendrix's version of Wild Thing is a great cover. And I've never heart either version of Smooth Criminal so I have no opinion on either.

April 9 2009, 11:28 AM	#12
MyCylon Rear Admiral Location: Am I a Cylon?	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" Smooth Criminal is a classic IMHO. And classics are very, very difficult to cover. Alien Ant Farm, again IMHO, were never in a place where they could have hoped to succeed with a cover. In order to succeed, they would have needed to put their own spin on the song, make it their own. But I think they're simply not good enough to do that. I agree with hyzmarca that Cash's version of "Hurt" is an example of a really great cover, as are many of the other covers he produced as part of the "American Recordings" albums. The thing is, he really takes those songs and makes them his own. What you end up with is something that is based on the original song but still very different and moving. __________________ "For everyone lost in the endlessly multiplicating realities of the modern world, remember: Philip K. Dick got there first" - Terry Gilliam

April 9 2009, 03:07 PM	#15
HappyDayRiot Commodore Location: Cardiff, Wales	Re: Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" AAF succeeded with Smooth Criminal in many ways. It's a damn good fun rock song. Is it better/worse than the original? I don't care.I've always liked AAF's version of Smooth Criminal and in the last 8 years this is actually the first time I've known anyone who outright hates it, Jackson fans included. __________________ "All you ever feel is anger. Why can't you ever express anything else?" Francine "Because people make me mad all the time for being stupid about everything!" Stan