Imitation: It's Not Always Flattering

The old saying states that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That could be why old TV shows get turned into movies and old songs are redone by the next generation. If that's true, though, a pig will be crossing the Atlantic like Charles Lindbergh any second now.

There's a much better reason: the money's already there. If you loved the TV show, or the song, the industry is counting on you to fork over some more cash to love it again. And, sometimes, the remakes aren't so offensive. Whitney Houston did a beautiful job with Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," and Limp Bizkit actually didn't suck when they redid "Behind Blue Eyes." But sometimes it's just best to leave well enough alone. A few examples...

"Drift Away," Dobie Gray, redone by Uncle Kracker: This is the song that inspired this article. Sure, Gray was along for the ride on this one, but Kracker did his usual wonderful job of sucking the life right out of this song. A crowd pleaser if sung even modestly well, whether at the karaoke bar down the street or in a crowded arena, Gray's soulful power carries this song to greatness. Kracker carries it to the basement. There's one good song in Kracker's catalog, called "Yeah Yeah Yeah," from the "Shanghai Noon" soundtrack. The video features him sucker-punching Jackie Chan. One could make it more enjoyable by imagining Chan taking him out back and finding imaginative ways to beat him senseless with whatever's lying around.

At least I did.

"Killing Me Softly," Roberta Flack, redone by Luther Vandross: As much as I love Luther's music, this wasn't the song for him. Not that he sang it badly. He could've taken "The Hokey Pokey" platinum with his voice. Just something about a man singing this song didn't ring right. The Fugees only did slightly better with it. It's hard to top Roberta Flack in any case, and her version of the song is just too powerful and heart-rending to even be matched.

"Superstitious," Stevie Wonder, redone by Raven: I'm probably biased, but I feel there's a short list of artists that can pull off remaking a Stevie Wonder song. Brian McKnight and John Legend are the only two that spring immediately to mind. And Raven, to be fair, does try her best, but the result is just a little too cutesy.

"Back at One," Brian McKnight, redone by Mark Wills: Speaking of McKnight, Mark Wills took a shot at "Back at One" from his catalog. Wills is a talented country singer who has kind of disappeared. He'd probably be better served to stick to material like "19-Something" and "Don't Laugh At Me." There's just a little too much to follow up on for just about anyone when it comes to McKnight.

The entire album "Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles" by various artists: This is one that's not actively bad, it's just not any different other than the voices singing the songs. You could've taken Travis Tritt out of "Take It Easy" and plugged in Glenn Frey and there'd be little to no difference. If you're going to remake something, at least inject some of yourself into it instead of running it through the Xerox.

The following's going to sound a little weird, but there is one song that I feel should've been passed on by its original artists to the act who remade it. I'm speaking of "Hurt." Originally done by Nine Inch Nails, written by their lead singer, Trent Reznor, the original version of the song sounds like someone that's a little hesitant to be saying what they feel needs to be said. When Johnny Cash took on the song, I feel he realized Reznor's vision better than he himself did. Cash sings it with a growling hunger, strongly stating that he's lost, alone, and numb. This is the only case that comes to mind of a remake besting the original.

It just goes to show you that, while paying respect to those that inspired you is great, blazing your own path is usually a much better choice.