Cover: Malcolm Middleton does Girls Aloud (ooh, er)
I’m always wary of posting covers where I’m entirely unfamiliar with the original version. Given I couldn’t identify one Girls Aloud song from any other, or that of any other girl “band” for that matter, I was going to give it a miss. I always enjoy new Malcolm Middleton material though, even if I tend to end up having a love-hate relationship with many of his songs.
What threw me about Call The Shots is that if I didn’t know it was cover, I probably wouldn’t think it was. I even had to go to Youtube to make sure there really was an original version, and although I could stomach no more than thirty seconds of it, it did establish that this was indeed a Girls Aloud song. All of which entirely undermines my hatred of mainstream pop. Now, the production is certainly different, but the underlying song remains the same. Yet I enjoy this and can’t stand the original.
Maybe Middleton is just suited to this kind of song (previous covers of The Saturdays and Madonna suggest this could be true), but it’s still a bit weird. How does stripping a pop song down to it’s most basic level, leaving only a vocal and an acoustic guitar, suddenly give it value? Ultimately it probably doesn’t, and it’s likely I’m just being elitist about this things.
Given the difference, it’s likely that fans of the original will probably dislike this, although I doubt very many of them are reading this anyway. If you do happen to know both versions, which one holds up better of the two?
It does likely mean that you’re being prejudiced, seeing as you dismissed the song after 30 seconds on the basis of — venturing a guess here — you not approving of the glossy video, the made-up girls and the fact that, well, ‘the music can’t be good then, right?’.
The original is a great song, a true classic in british synth pop. Girls Aloud have been a driving force for innovation and unusual songcraft in the mainstream pop sphere, and this is actually one of their most traditional pop songs – albeit a beautiful one, with a subtle melody and a real drive.
Middleton’s cover is great. His voice has always appealed to me, and somehow feels especially fit for this melodic tune.
Agree completely with John. Sounds to me like you’re a bit of an elitist and definitely a music snob… as far as pop goes, Girls Aloud do tend to push the boundaries a bit.
Nevertheless, Malcolm Middleton’s cover is great.
Everything John said.
The original is a cracking piece of pop, and as he says, Girls Aloud have consistently performed excellent songs, and are a long way from sticking to some conservative bland pop template.
What!!! you don’t know any girls aloud songs what about the ones we listen to in your car! I’m sure I heard call the shots when driving to cants a couple of weekends ago..
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