Townsman Disputes Judges’ Ruling on Round 6 of Stewart vs Stones Battle Royale

  5 Responses to “Townsman Disputes Judges’ Ruling on Round 6 of Stewart vs Stones Battle Royale”

1. 

   mwall says:

   06/26/2008 at 5:02 pm

   It’s a driving rock and roll song, a little sloppy, a little generic. Good enough if not hugely memorable, and not bad in a head to head with “It’s Only Rock and Roll,” but the Stones song, if equally generic in its lyrics, has a more memorable tune and, of course, a more capable rhythm section. Advantage: Stones.

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2. 

   Mr. Moderator says:

   06/26/2008 at 5:09 pm

   Agreed, Mwall. If I had a vote in this Battle, I would not overturn it based on this number. It was helpful to give it a second chance, however. Thanks, HVB!

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3. 

   hrrundivbakshi says:

   06/26/2008 at 5:44 pm

   Good Lord, but that version sucks. The manic conga playing in particular is awful, a real deal killer. Your ruling stands!

   HVB

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4. 

   cdm says:

   06/26/2008 at 6:05 pm

   Sultry, yet macho…

   While searching for a track listing of Smiler I came across a Rod Stewart fan club site called “Smiler” that offered this quite excellent review of Rod’s version of Downtown Train. I hope that Tom Waits guy appreciates the turd polishing that Rod did on his behalf.

   Rod Stewart’s cover of this “hit-song-incognito” brought attention to Waits as a “hit” songwriter when “Downtown Train” rocketed to #2 on the Singles Chart in 1990. Waits’s original version contained all the necessary material: the catchy melody, the upbeat tempo, and the lyrics of love’s expectation. Using these same elements, and mixing them with his sultry, yet macho vocals, Stewart shaped this underground lament into a pop ballad of longing, the ideal “upbeat-blues.” The average radio listener appreciates “The Rod’s” enthusiasm and performance, especially for a song that evokes mental images of street corner girls and midnight trains. However, there are those who call themselves “true fans of Waits” ( i.e., stalkers) that think Stewart’s version lacks the depth of feeling that Waits’s original recording held, but this is best judged by the listener.

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5. 

   Mr. Moderator says:

   06/26/2008 at 10:14 pm

   Fascinating, cdm. Great find!

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