Rough Love
Recorded around July 2005
While in college I used to drone on occasionally with a 6/8 version of Soft Cell’s Tainted Love (originally performed in 1964 by soul singer Gloria Jones). As with any beloved song you’re either going to love or hate the inevitable covers. This rough take has some wild notes and a misplaced line or two—I may have even reversed the first and second verse—but I think it has a certain earnestness that’s endearing. It’s plodding, dark, and low-fi. It barely resembles the original which may work in its favor.
Of course, in digging up that CNN link I discovered that everyone and their etiolated Goth brother has covered this song. Oh well. For posterity then.
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033 Comments
Shaun-
I love this song in six — never would have thought of it. As I drum along on my desk, there are so many great opportunities for hemiola-type accents (3/4 feel over the 6/8)…which you already kind of do in the vocals with the “woah woah woah.”
I think I have a new favorite Tainted Love cover (replacing the Marliyn Manson version)…and you’re right, there are are lot of them.
Hot stuff.
Look at Wolf howling out the hits and Croftie dropping the indecipherable musician-speak. You guys are delicate geniuses, I tell you.
The only question is, who will play John Cusack and who will play Jack Black in the High Fidelity sequel?
Come on Mike, Apple has given you the tools to hang with the big boys. Control+Apple+D works for “decipher” as well as “dictionary” or even “Educate Mike D.”
Thanks Jeff. Our drummer in college actually did just that. I wish I had a decent recording of it. There is a live recording from ‘00 lurking around on the Internets but the levels are terrible and the vocals lackluster.
I am loving the sound of it Shaun, very nice indeed. I always like the natural sounds of acoustics, mmm
Yours is definitely darker than the synth pop of Soft Cell, but I don’t think even Marilyn Manson’s version was as dark as Coil’s. That song creeps me out every time I hear it.
I loved it. Sounded amazing. The ending was great! You need to be posting/recording more music more often.
Seriously great cover, Shaun. Speaking of Apple giving you the tools, though, you’ve got to start picking up some recording equipment … you know, if you want to be “discovered.” ;)
Thanks man, but you can hear that warble in my voice—or maybe you can’t because of the low-fi recording techniques I hide behind. :)
Besides, who wants to be discovered? I like my music well enough but I wouldn’t want to hear it on the radio 24/7. I’m content to having a handful of people enjoy it and then forget about it.
Love your site, but not so hot about this version of Tainted. The rhyme is interesting but the vocal melodies are too flat and out of key to completely be appreciated for me. (note- wrong note on the chorus lead in… plus a few others- but you already know that). I find it far from “dark” , your voice is more Blink 182 than Depeche Mode (“run awayy” sounds squeally), or open mic at Cafe Coffeheadz.
Not trying to be the disgrunted critic (although this probably comes off very harsh) here really but maybe this song is covered so many times not only because it’s a great song but because no matter what no one seems to get it right.
Soft Cell -YES Shades Apart - OKAY Manson - Not if your old enough to know the others and know better.
Please no more unless you too take the time to learn the notes, melody, timing, and lyrics. People should have more respect for songs they “drone” over.
Wow man, you’re entitled to your opinion and all but do you have to be so rude about it? That’s only cool when I say it. :P
BTW, the song is in a different time signature and key, the melody changed as a result. If I throw a dog a bone, I don’t want to know if it tastes good.
I’m angry! I was expecting to hear an exact duplicate of the original song and it wasn’t, and now I am mad as hell.
Sorry Shaun, I was rude.
I = jerk.
Carry on. Stay in tune.
Making music is fun.
Shaun, good stuff!
Very cool. I like it very much. You’ve made the song your own.
Jeff, I wouldn’t call a 3/4 feel over 6/8 a hemiola since 6/8 is 3/4. I think it would just be plain-ol’ syncopation.
Nice recording Shaun!
Ah acoustic sound nice, very mellow
Shaun..
First time here… I get here browsing @ CssZenGarden and I foun out a very fresh designed site (Awsome by the way).
I heard your cover, and I really liked your guitar parts… I have to say that your singing is not the best FOR ME and that’s how art works Is a question of taste.
Congratulations for your site and your Musical Skills… I hope sometime you sing something that I may like.
ScapeGoat
I’m #397! Very cool. Also, MT’s comment is hilarious.
i dig.
I think etiolated just became one of my favourite words…
Great cover!
Tony…
You’re right, 3/4 over 6/8 isn’t a hemiola, which is why I called it hemiola-type accents, rather than simply calling it a hemiola. It reminiscent of a hemiloa, but certainly isn’t one by strict definition.
It is syncopation, but a very orderly and neat type of syncopation — that in which you are dividing the 6 beats into three groups of two. Syncopation is not necessarily this neat — it could be, for example, accents on 1, 4, and 5. It’s the neatness of the 3/4 over 6/8 that makes it feel like another time signature being superimposed on top of the original (i.e. a hemiola)
In any case, my many years of music theory study tells me that 3/4 over 6/8 isn’t a hemiola — but it feels like one, and that’s why I said it the way I did.
Jeff, I do realize you said hemiola-type accents, and meant that it wasn’t exactly a hemiola, but my many years of music theory study and my vocation as an editor didn’t let me keep my big mouth shut. Besides, as an editor, it’s not every day that I get to utilize my (way too expensive) music degree. :)
Great stuff man. Mind if I podcast it?
(You knew that was coming…)
Sure man, have at it.
The 80s revival: The good synth pop: the likes of Talk Talk with hits like it’s a shame, Blue Nile with their ‘Tinseltown in the rain’, and Gary Numan with Cars. The singer of Soft Cell, Marc Almond has a great voice, other song from him I like Say Hello Say good Bye.
Tainted Love, I heard it too much.
Hey Shaun, When you get a chance you should post your cover of Dave Mathew’s cover of Watchtower. Always a favorite of mine.
Remake something so many times and it becomes new again.
cool! i like it
Hello mr. Inman, we should form a band or something ;) . You are talented.
I’ve played drums my whole life (that would be ca. 9 years - I’m 16) and I play in several bands, but our guitarplayer is not talented. Unfortunately I live in Denmark, but when I come to the U.S. we can make some music.
I’ve just entered the world of combining webstandards and design and I’m currently working on my own webpage. When I Iook at most webdesigners, I discover that most of them play music - is that cool or what?
Is there anything better in the world than Design and Music? I don’t think so.
Great site by the way - I’m a huge fan of you mr. Inman. You are the greatest!
Shaun, your sites and design work are all superb … maybe you should stick to what you do best?
Does that make you feel better Bruce? Like you’ve knocked me down a peg? That’s like dropping an elbow on a stranger on a crowded street just because you can.
Bad vocals? Timing off? Pfffft. Say what you want, but I thoroughly enjoyed that. You should release a CD man. I think you have a great voice personally. This coming from a person who loves industrial music…. I really liked that cover though. Pretty dark, but it being in acoustic just gives it this eerie vibe that I am totally jammin too, in a slow sort of way, but jamming none the less.
Your designs on the site have always been an inspiration, and I am diggin the music too. Great all around.
I like your music Shaun. Recently i did the ‘Duke of Edingborough’ expedition (4 days of 15miles a day walking, with backpacks and the like, was a good laugh), and i had a collection of your stuff on my mp3 player to listen too. Sure helped me get over some hills :P.
Good original music. I like guitar.