Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2012 July 2

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July 2

why do bands who cover older songs get the lyrics wrong?

For instance, Van Halen's cover of Pretty Woman, where they get the lyric "It's not the truth" as "It must be true" which is the exact opposite? Many other examples that I can't think of right now. Gzuckier (talk) 01:34, 2 July 2012 (UTC)

Probably varies from band to band. In Johnny Cash's cover of Trent Reznor's Hurt, "crown of thorns" was more appropriate for Cash than "crown of shit." In William Shatner's abomination before God, Satan, and Dr Who which he called Bohemian Rhapsody, I can only assume it was sheer laziness and arrogance that led him to treat the lyrics the way L. Ron Hubbard probably treated the young girls he kept on his boat for "labor."

Thank you for telling me about William Shatner's version of Bohemian Rhapsody. I was not aware of it, but now I am rocking out to it, and it's all thanks to you. InforManiac (talk) 15:31, 5 July 2012 (UTC)

In Van Halen's case, I'd guess too much hairspray. Ian.thomson (talk) 01:48, 2 July 2012 (UTC)

In many cases, the change is made on purpose in order to imply a different meaning (e.g. making the new cover version more politically correct, or more current and contemporary, or more similar to the artist's other songs). For example, Cee Lo Green generated controversy when he sang his revised version of "Imagine". See also this article. Zzyzx11 (talk) 01:52, 2 July 2012 (UTC)

I'm reminded of "Achy Breaky Heart", whose tag line was originally the more mundane "Achy Breakin' Heart". Hannah Montana's father changed it for his recording, and apparently it worked. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:56, 2 July 2012 (UTC)

Some bands will do cover versions based on hearing the song, rather than having full sheet music or guitar tabs. If you're listening to lyrics rather than reading them, mistakes are likely. Or they may have misremembered the lyrics. Even performers doing their own songs sometimes get the words wrong. --Colapeninsula (talk) 11:40, 2 July 2012 (UTC)

Joan Baez admitted that her mishearing of the lyrics was the reason for the changes in her cover of The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Deor (talk) 01:50, 3 July 2012 (UTC)

Actually the name of the song is "Oh, Pretty Woman", and the line is "You're not the truth", so you have may have answered your question by asking it ;). --Michig (talk) 12:10, 2 July 2012 (UTC)

It's always bugged me that in "City of New Orleans" Arlo Guthrie changed Steve Goodman's rhyme "steam/dream" to the much more pedestrian "steel/feel". —Tamfang (talk) 07:07, 7 July 2012 (UTC)

Movie rights to X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and Spider-man

When or under what circumstances does Marvel Entertainment get the movie rights back to these three titles? --Melab±1 ☎ 17:07, 2 July 2012 (UTC)

Does anyone know the answer to this question at all? I know that the studios have release a movie every few years to keep the rights but are there any limitations on this? Is there a fixed expiry date at all? --Melab±1 ☎ 17:57, 6 July 2012 (UTC)

Beyonce Knowles' total worldwide sales.

I would like to know if she has sold over 125 million records worldwide? She has sold a total of 75million (as of 2009) as a solo artist and over 50million with Destiny's Child. I would like to know why this isn't combined to show her total sales on the page that has the greatest-selling artists of all time. Michael Jackson's total sales on the greatest-selling artists of all time page includes his sales with the Jackson-5. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.126.182.174 (talk) 18:32, 2 July 2012 (UTC)