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Cover the World: World Music Versions of Classic Pop Hits
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List Price: $15.98
Our Price: $25.00
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: Putumayo World Music
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0790248020822
Label: Putumayo World Music
Manufacturer: Putumayo World Music
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Putumayo World Music
Release Date: 2003-02-25
Studio: Putumayo World Music
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Editorial Reviews:
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This album offers 12 enlightening cover versions of Western pop tunes, as performed by artists from places like France, Spain, South Africa, Germany, and Mali. It's always instructive to glimpse how one culture's music is perceived by another, whether through a funhouse mirror, from under a microscope, or even face-to-face. The performances gathered here range from misguided (Albert Pla's bizarre Spanish language take on Lou Reed's "Take A Walk On The Wild Side") to hilarious (Fatal Mambo's salsa interpretation of Mungo Jerry's "In The Summertime") to a delightful breath of fresh air (Malian girl group Les Go's version of Hall & Oates' "I Can¹t Go For That"). Nenes' earnest Japanese-language rendition of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" is laced with plangent plucked samisens and is somehow extremely touching. Other attempts are less effective, but at least none of them come across as cynical and all are worth a listen. --Christina Roden
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: You'll hate it... or love it
Comment: If you're the typical target audience of Putumayo and appreciate the label for bringing excellent lesser-known world musicians to the forefront, then you'll probably find these compilations offensive to the ear. Speaking as someone who adores Putumayo, I found this cd so bad that I felt I had to write a review to warn other Putumayo fans. That being said, if you're just interested in hearing some bizarre and quirky arrangements of popular songs, then you might like it. Do yourself a favor and if you think you might be interested in this album, go to Putumayo's website first and listen to the samples. You'll either love it or hate it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Putumayo's Novelty Album
Comment: This is one of the most annoying world music albums out there. Next to the Rough Guide to Yodel,it's custom-made to drive away unwanted guests,solicitors,and relatives overstaying their welcomes. Putumayo had an interesting concept:cover songs from around the world. As a concept album,it works in theory. In practice,it doesn't do so well. There are a few highlights-but they are few and far between. The album works as novelty,like the "Annoying Music Show" compilations,or the Leonard Nimoy/William Shatner album.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo's "Ain't no sunshine" and "People get ready" are wonderful,and sound like gospel songs. Les Go's cover of Hall&Oates is given an Afropop vibe. Toure Kunda shows the African roots of a Peter Gabriel song. Angelique Kidjo's Jimi Hendrix cover shows that even at the beginning of her career she was a diva. Her take on "Voodoo Child" is magical.
However,the misses outnumber the hits. Yannick's French take on "Oh what a night" is corny.Cornier than a car running on ethanol. Cornier than an Iowan chowing down on corn on the cob at the state fair. Fatal Mambo&Chris Ardoin do zydeco takes on "Your love keeps lifting me" and "In the summertime" that are gushier than okra in overcooked gumbo. The usually great Mo'Horizons has a weird trip-hop take on "Hit the road Jack" that doesn't really work. Albert Pla's flamenco version of Lou Reed's "Walk on the wild side" is a novelty song. When it comes to flamenco versions of hits,I prefer Rodrigo y Gabriela's flamenco covers of Metallica's "Orion" and Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." Finally,Bob Marley would be wailing if he heard the Nenes' screeching,shamisen-driven "No woman no cry." An Okinawan cover of the reggae hit works--in theory.
"Cover the World" as a concept album ends up working...as a concept.Angelique Kidjo's "Djin Djin",Rodrigo y Gabriela's self-titled album,and Senor Coconut's ultra-lounge salsa covers of Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra provide more fun,and in a sense,more faithful,cover versions.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great collection of covers
Comment: This is a must have for world music lovers, especially those who have American or British favorites they love to hear in new ways. This is one of my favorite world music CD's and probably the one I listen to the most.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Eye-opening! Definitely worth the money
Comment: This CD is unlike any other. One culture takes on another's idea of a popular hit, and reinterprets it through their own set of cultural lenses. The result is utterly fascinating. It is a fun listen...but also a study of people, of music, of psychology, of music, of intercultural interaction. Don't miss this one!
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Best of Both Worlds
Comment: I don't know, maybe it's just because I cut my teeth on world music three and a half years ago with this CD and Putumayo's "Global Soul", which came out at about the same time. I love both of them. "Cover the World" takes a very fresh look at some standards that you may already be familiar with.
As mentioned elsewhere, the two songs by Ladysmith Black Mambazo - "People Get Ready", with Phoebe Snow (originally done by The Impressions), and "Ain't No Sunshine" with Des'ree (originally by Bill Withers) - are alone worth the price of the CD. I played "People Get Ready" over and over when I first got the CD, and still haven't tired of it. Angelique Kidjo puts her own unique spin on the Jimi Hendrix standard "Voodoo Child", as do Les Go ("The Girls") on "I Can't Go For That", originally performed by Hall and Oates. Chris Ardoin and his group Double Clutchin' may give you a new appreciation for zydeco with their rendition of "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher" (originally done by Jackie Wilson), and may even motivate you to check out his brother, Sean Ardoin & Zydekool, as well. Finally, Tukuleur, two brothers from Senegal whose music I cannot locate in the United States with the exception of the one song on this CD, make the song "Afrika (Africa)" (originally by Toto, whom I don't remember) their very own. There are no bad songs on the CD, but those are the best of the lot.
"Cover the World" and "Global Soul" almost single-handedly provided me with the bridge I needed to the wonderful, amazing universe of world music, and they may just do the same for you.
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