Worst Cover Song EVER!
Celine Dion (with Anastasia) covering AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long.”
Go ahead and let that sink in for a second.
Got it?
Can you see it yet?
Have you burst a synapse?
If you can’t visualize it, you can watch it:
The rating of “worst cover” is not according to me, but according to a survey in Total Guitar Magazine
It’s pretty bad. When I first heard it, I had to quickly look around and make sure I wasn’t at the local karaoke bar listening to the former high school theater ingenue try to impress her brand new match.com date by singing a “real rock ‘n roll song.” But no, I was at my desk, in front of my computer.
I realize this is my second Celine Dion post in a week, and I don’t want you to read into that. That’s not what this is about. Really, it isn’t. I swear, I don’t have a Celine poster in my room. I don’t!
Anyhow…
I’m all about people stretching themselves and trying something new. That’s the entire premise of my “yes, and” principle. However, “yes, and” is a mentality, a first response. It doesn’t mean you go and say “yes” to everything that comes your way.
I think it’s great that Celine initially sayed “yes,” to the idea of going so out-of-genre with AC/DC. But, you would hope that after thinking it over, running it a few times, and getting some feedback, she would have said, “you know what, this ain’t my thing.”
On the other hand, I actually applaud her for trying. I definitely prefer “try and fail” to “not try at all.” The thing is, you have to pick your spots. This is why even top name stand up comics try new material at open mic nights. A nationally televised performance may not be the time to try something that new.
But when it works it works real well. For an example of somebody crossing over genres amazingly well, check out this clip of country star Grethen Wilson – backed by Alice in Chains! – singing Barracuda by Heart. I can’t stand country music, but I gained a lot of respect for Gretchen after seeing this:
Dang, she can sing!
If you want to compare it to the original, you can see Heart perform it:
The added benefit of watching this version is that Fergie from that Black Eyed Peas joins them halfway through – and she doesn’t do a half bad job. Plus, at about the 2:40 mark she does this oddly hypnotizing one-handed cartwheels…
I am left with horror, anger, and fear.
I wish I had torn my eyes and ears out at birth such that I would not have born witness to that.
If I could go back in time and do one thing, somehow I would make sure that never occurred, no matter the cost.