Swinging Saturdays #95 : Amazing covers part 2

Swinging saturdays is a musical meme hosted by Ice Cold Passion, to share our passion for music. The goal is to make a top 5 (or Top 10) for whatever genre or artist you like or get creative and share a theme based music top 5. For example a bookish soundtrack, funny songs, song to listen to on a rainy day top 5.

I took a little blogging break again, the last couple of weeks I didn't have any inspiration for new Swinging Saturdays. I am in the background preparing some new posts, some exciting things.  Today were are doing an amazing covers part 2. If you want to know which songs I discussed in the first part, click on this link. It seems that there are a lot of covers floating around, for example the other day I heard a new cover on the radio of No Diggity. 

Hurt: Nine Inch Nails versus Johnny Cash

Yes I have finally found a legitimate reason to use Hurt on my blog! This is one where I knew the cover before the original and yes I am going to say this, I enjoy the cover more than the original. The fragile voice of Johnny Cash in this song is absolutly beautiful. I will let you decide which version you enjoy. The version from Nine Inch Nails, just feels so different, it is still beautiful, just very different to Johnny Cash's version. Both versions have rather dark videos by the way, so be warned.

The Sound of Silence: Simon and Garfunkel versus Distrubed

So my parents were fan of Simon and Garfunkel, I remeber that I used to steal my fathers best of Simon and Garfunkel cd, to take me on the bike to school. So yes I kind of grew up with Simon & Garfunkel. The video of Disturbed covering the Sound of Silence went trending a couple of years ago and it really touched me deeply. The beautiful voice of David Draiman, proves that even if you usually sing metal, you can still have a beautiful singing voice. This version always gives me goose bumps.

You've Got The Love: The Source (ft Candi Staton) versus Florence + the Machine

I actually don't really know much about The Source however befor Florence released the cover it had been a hit in the 90s. I knew the song, but never thought of it again until I found it on the album of Florence + the Machine. I fell in love with this song. So what did the original sound like? Well find out below!

I Put A Spell On You: Screamin' Jay Hawkins versus Annie Lennox

Diving deep into blues history back to the 1950s. This is an interesting song to start with, and I think both preformances are unique in there own way. Which one do you like the most? Have you ever heard of Sreamin' Jay Hawkins? I can tell you I did not, such a peculiar preformance I can tell you, I hope it doesn't freak you out.

Bridge over Troubled Water: Simon & Garfunkel versus Hozier

Finishing off with the cover that started all this, the song that got me thinking that there are covers worth listening to, and that there are artist out there that can bring those beautiful songs a new live, live up to the history of that particular song. Make it available for the youth of today, which might not be familiar with the original. I leave you with that thought happy listening to these last two editions of Bridge over Troubled Water.

Any notable covers I am forgetting here? 
Let me know in the comments!

Want to host Swing Saturdays next week? 

Send me an email: icecoldpassions@gmail.com. 

I would love to hear what kind of music you like!

Books: Crown of Midnight ~ Sarah J. Maas

Title: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Publishing date: August 2013
Number of pages: 418 p.
Series:  Throne of Glass, book #2
Age Category:  Young Adult
Genre: Epic fantasy
Other Books In This Series: 
Throne of Glass, book #1
Heir Of Fire, book #3
Queen Of Shadows, book #4
Empire Of Storms, book #5
Kingdom of Ash, Book #6
The Assassin's Blade, Throne of Glass Novellas
Tower of Dawn

About Crown of Midnight

She is the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But does she have the heart of a killer?

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. But Calaena is far from loyal to the crown. Keeping up the charade - while pretending to do the king's bidding - will test her skills in an entirely new way. And it certainly isn't the only point of confusion for the young girl. Because though she's made her choice between Dorian and Chaol, the ways of the heart are never simple...

My thoughts on Crown Of Midnight

Lest dive into the depth right away. The first half of the book, is rather slow, it is building up to the second half of the book which is very fast paced, and full of action. I think it is a bit of a contrast with the first book, where we got used to all the action, around every corner there was something happening. This was more strategic games, politics and a bit of mystery. I think that if you were to continue straight from the first book into the second one, you will need to adjust abit to the new approach. It slowed down considerably, but I really enjoyed this book, eventhough the pacing was very different I love the political intrigues, the multiple perspectives we see throughout the story. And that ending! Amazing! And I kind of went in a reading slump from there.

There is one part of the book that I really hated and it is sort of the best part of the book as well. One of my favorite side characters dies. It made me cry a bit, I just couldn't help myself. And since this book was a re-read for me I was dreading these pages, as I actually don't like how Celeana's responds to the death of her friend. She get's very unreasonable, and in honesty a bit annoying. She goes to the extremes and it at the end of a the book being a pain in the ass and becomes the reluctant heroine. Don't get me wrong, I get were she is coming from but the way she responds to this death, and again pushes everybody who cares about her away, is just a bit of an overreaction in my opinion.

At the end of the book Celeana is leaving for Wendell, I hope that in the third book she stops running away from her fate, and starts picking up the battle axe, once more. I am very curious to learn more about the fae, this will only be my second series I have read with fae in it. The other series being of course the Mercy Thompson series of which I posted my review of Iron Kissed at the beginning of the year, which is ofcourse an urban fantasy, so in that sense very different. I don't know much about fae in young adult, so I am curious to find out.

Conclusions

I needed some time to adjust to the slower pacing, but that ending, that made up for the entirety of the book. It was so well done. I loved the minor character Mort who is an enchanted doorknob he was so funny. I think story wise we see a lot of character growth, interesting politics and a bit of a mystery to figure out. The outstanding ending of a book, made this into a 5 star read for me.

Swinging Saturdays #94: Spotify A-B-C: F = Freaking awesome

Swinging saturdays is a musical meme hosted by Ice Cold Passion, to share our passion for music. The goal is to make a top 5 (or Top 10) for whatever genre or artist you like or get creative and share a theme based music top 5. For example a bookish soundtrack, funny songs, song to listen to on a rainy day top 5.

It is that time of the week again where I tell you about the music I love. This week we are diving back in to my Spotify acount looking at which artists I follow in the F category. And boy are there some favorites there! So lets see, Family of the Year, FFS, First Aid Kit, Fleddy Melculy, Flogging Molly, Florence + The Machine, Foals, Foster The People, Frank Turner and Franz Ferdinand. However will I choose? 

 Well let's find out shall we?

Flogging Molly ~ If I Ever Leave THis World Alive

For all the women among my readers, have you ever watched P.S. I Love You? Well then you might have heard this song before. It is on this song that they end the movie, and they could not have picked a better song to end the movie on. Honestly if was the perfect ending of the movie. Sorry this might seem really off topic but trust me if you have seen the movie you will understand. So know you might wonder, did you find the band through the movie, but no sorry I knew the band long before I ever watched the movie. I just really love their sound, the Irish feel the flute (not in this song, go listen Devil's Dance Floor), the violin, the aucoustic guitar, but boy they can also rock your socks of. By the way I also love the lyrics of this song!

Florence + The Machine ~ The Drumming Song

Going on with the favorites, if you hadn't noticed it by my long explanation with the last song. This song is from her debut album, a very very impressive debut if you ask me. It is still my go to album if I want to listen to Florence. She has an incredible voice, that is what makes her such a joy to listen to. This performance at the Royal Albert hall I have watched way to many times, I like that it has an ochestra instead of her band, and it sooths her music so well.

Family Of The Year ~ Diversity

Remember Hero? That was their hit song, and I liked it so I decided to try the rest of the album, and ended up really liking it. It is not a band I listen to often, but that album, damn I forgot how good it actually is. Here is something different for you, not Hero, because we all know that song, here's Diversity for you to listen to.

Franz Ferdinand ~ Jacqueline

Been a fan since there debut album came out, but never seen them live. I just never really got the chance, everytime I was either too late for tickets, or only heard they were playing in the Netherlands afterwards, or on a day that is was impossible for me to go. I really hope that I get a chance to see them live some day. I love their music it is full of energy and it just makes me so happy.

Frank Turner ~ Silent Key

This artist I think needs no introduction, and Maarten, if you are still a reader, thanks you ever so much for sharing this music to me. Frank Turner is by far one of my favorite artists of all time, my go to guy to cheer me up. And he has been around a while. I just bought myself a really cool copy of the album No Man's Land, with white vinyl. I like the idea of the album No Man's Land, which is kind of a tribute to woman, specifically women that meant something to the world. It is a beautiful idea, and Silent Key is on the this album, but I so happend to like the acoustic version that was on the Positive Songs For Negative People Delux album, just a bit more. So yeah no fancy video for this one. Let me know which version you like, the No Man's Land version or this acoustic version? Curious to see were you stand in this.

What do you think, have I covered F well enough here? 
Let me know in the comments!

Want to host Swing Saturdays next week? 

Send me an email: icecoldpassions@gmail.com. 

I would love to hear what kind of music you like!