A follow-up to a reader’s comment on my previous post, which simply quoted some lyrics from one of my favourite songs, Dancin’ in the Moonlight by the immortal Thin Lizzy. The comment said simply:
I think I like the Pumpkins’ version better than the original..
Below is an extract from an MSN chatlog from earlier this evening, when I was talking to Fiona about the aforementioned comment, which I offer as my response to same.
Matt: Did you read that post on my blog that was just some lyrics from Dancin' in the Moonlight, or rather did you read the comments it received? Fiona: yeah Matt: One chap said he preferred the Smashing Pumpkins' cover version of the song Matt: I just downloaded it, and let me say this so that there can never be any room for misunderstanding: Matt: it is utterly fucking awful. Matt: terrible. Fiona: hee Matt: I just wanted to make that plain. Fiona: ok Matt: when you listen to something and are genuinely unsure whether it's actually some twisted joke by Weird Al Yankovic, you know it's not musical genius. When it's a cover of perhaps one of the greatest songs our dirty little species has produced, it borders on sacrilege. Fiona: if you had smilies switched on and there was a saluting smiley I would be using it Matt: And I don't mean like swearing in church kind of sacrilege. I mean doing every nun in the place, several times, over the pulpit, with a big plastic Jesus frowning on down the whole damn time. Matt: That is the level of wrongness I'm trying to convey. Fiona: OK Fiona: saluting away here! Fiona: agreeing Matt: I'm glad we understand each other. Fiona: 100% whole-heartedly Matt: I recommend you never listen to it. Fiona: yes sir! Matt: Are you mocking me by any chance? Fiona: no Fiona: I'd never do that
(To Thomas, who made the comment in question: no offence intended, dude. But you are on drugs if you prefer that version.)