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From: nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: re: Kate Bush vs. Pat Benetar
Message-ID: <5232@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 6-Sep-85 05:12:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.5232
Posted: Fri Sep  6 05:12:01 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Sep-85 13:59:01 EDT
References: <322@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 57

> From: boyajian@akov68.DEC (JERRY BOYAJIAN)

>> From: mit-eddie!nessus (Doug Alan)

>> How do you explain the person I know who was a Pat Benetar fan, until
>> he heard the original "Wuthering Heights" on the radio, and then
>> threw out all his Pat Benetar albums?

> I can't explain that person, but so what? Personally, I'm not sure that I
> could take seriously as a reference anyone who'd throw out *all* of his
> Benetar albums just because he preferred Bush.

He didn't throw out his Benetar albums because he *prefered* Kate Bush,
but because after hearing the original, he felt that Pat Benetar had
butchered it.

> Wait a minute. First you claim that it isn't different enough to be
> interesting, then you detail all of the differences you see in it. Are
> you trying to have your cake and eat it, too?

I feel that Pat Benetar's version doesn't have any *interesting* changes.
All the changes are either inappropriate or make the song bland.  An
interesting cover version is This Mortal Coil's cover of Roy Harper's
"Another Day".  Faith Brown's parody of Kate's "Wuthering Heights" is
interesting too, though I'm not too fond of the idea of people parodying
Kate.

> I submit that Benetar's version *is* different. She's made it into a
> hopeful love song. *Maybe you don't agree with that interpretation,
> but that doesn't make it an invalid one*.

Well she should change the name then, since it doesn't have much to do
with the novel "Wuthering Heights" anymore!

> I understand your interpretation of Bush's version. So Benetar chose
> to bring a feeling of hope to the song rather than pain.  Why is that
> wrong?

It's not appropriate for the lyrics or for the story of Cathy and
Heathcliff?

Lyrics like "Ooh, let me have it, let me grab your soul away" aren't
words of hope, but of pain.

There are cover versions that I don't particularly like, but that I find
interesting.  I just don't think that Pat Benetar did anything
interesting, she just made it bland and inappropriate.

> And just to make your day, I thought I'd mention that in case you hadn't
> known, THE KICK INSIDE is available on CD. The Harvard Coop had it the
> last time I was there.

"Lionheart" is on CD too.  If you really want to make my day (year?
life?), find me "The Dreaming" on CD!

				-Doug Alan
				  nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (or ARPA)