#984. Lineage of Song: “I’m a Believer”

 

The Monkees

Smash Mouth

Here’s one that’s surprisingly good twice. The Monkees were a TV creation that produced a few classic songs, one of which the seemingly one hit wonder Smash Mouth turned into a second hit for themselves in the early huge success for Shrek.

#983. Lineage of Song: “American Pie”

Madonna

Don McLean

Gosh, I guess I’m not really a fan of Madonna, but I still found it interesting for her to do a cover of “American Pie,” of all things, in one of her periodic drastic reinventions to find acceptance once the last thing was no longer working. Kind of a shame that eventually she just gave up, which is weird because there was about a quarter century where the act was endlessly successful. And now you never hear about her. Unlike Elvis, she did disappear into Europe.

#982. Lineage of Song: “Last Kiss”

 

Wayne Cochran

J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers

Pearl Jam

Here’s another one that bugs me. I love the Pearl Jam version. I see no reason for critics to clutch pearls over these things. 

#981. Lineage of Song: “All Summer Long”

 

“All Summer Long,” Kid Rock

“Sweet Home Alabama,” Lynyrd Skynyrd

“Werewolves of London,” Warren Zevon

Here’s yet another that I hesitated to include in the Lineage because it’s essentially a mash-up and I used to think it was just lazy nostalgia for an artist trying to extend a legacy that was over at that point. But the radio loved the result. And it keeps great music in the mix. In recent times, that’s kind of how this works.

#980. Lineage of Song “American Woman”

The Guess Who

Lenny Kravitz

Here’s one I always thought was ridiculous; ridiculous in how classic rock fans tried so hard to reject the Kravitz take, which is kind of how classic rock fans in general (the journalists especially), downplayed the achievements of the last several generations of rockstars and bands, which was probably the leading factor in rock’s current status as close to invisible in pop culture, which for years seemed utterly impossible. History doesn’t end just because you wish your favorites always maintain the status you assigned them when you were young. Music, as with everything, keeps moving forward. If your favorites remain good in new context, great! But don’t sit there denying good new things because you’re scared the good old things somehow can’t compete, because that’s the actual message you’re sending posterity.
 

#979. Lineage of Song: “Wanna Be Startin Somethin”

 

Michael Jackson, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”

Rihanna, “Don’t Stop the Music”

Here’s one that’s more remix than remake, but it all works, the way music can organically evolve, like anything, given the right inspiration.

#978. Lineage of Song: "Everybody Knows"

 

Leonard Cohen

Sigrid

This is kind of funny timing (I obviously didn’t do so well with a certain national anthem that’ll show up well past, say, Independence Day). (Here I should remind readers out there I generally compose these things well in advance as far as selecting songs and compiling videos.) I just saw Superman last night, in opening weekend. It’s pretty great, though certainly a very different cinematic vision of the character than we’ve ever seen, a huge contrast with its immediate predecessor, last officially depicted in Justice League (though he cameos in Black Adam, very very ironically similar to the new film). The complicated production of Justice League famously led to different cuts. The theatrical version, which this song opens, was completed by Joss Whedon, though the song and moment feels very much like Zack Snyder’s work. In Snyder’s version the song has been omitted.