Cover the World: World Music Versions of Classic Pop Hits

Amazon.com
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

Cover the World: World Music Versions of Classic Pop Hits,Albert Pla,Mo'Horizons,Toure Kunda,Tukuleur,Ladysmith Black Mambazo,Chris Ardoi,Les Go,Angelique Kidjo,Fatal Mambo,Nenes Yannick,Putumayo World Music,Brazilian Pop,Int'l & World Music,Latin Pop,Pan-Global,Pop,V/a Compilations,World Beat Collections,World Music,Worldbeat,Zydeco

Average customer rating: Great collection of covers Eye-opening! Definitely worth the money The Best of Both Worlds Gets old PDQ! Fun--but not one of Putomayo's most stellar works....mm

Cover the World: World Music Versions of Classic Pop Hits Albert Pla , Mo'Horizons , Toure Kunda , Tukuleur , Ladysmith Black Mambazo , Chris Ardoi , Les Go , Angelique Kidjo , Fatal Mambo , and Nenes Yannick Manufacturer: Putumayo World Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Zydeco | Cajun & Zydeco | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Brazil | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Compilations | International | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music International | Putumayo World Music Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Latin Music | Putumayo World Music Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Global Soul Radio Latino Rumba Flamenco French Caribbean Islands ASIN: B000087DRG Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

1. El Lado Mas Bestia de la Vida (Walk on the Wild Side) - Albert Pia
2. Hit the Road Jack - Mo'Horizons
3. Nobel (In The Air Tonight) - Toure Kunda
4. Afrika - Tukuleur
5. People Get Ready - Ladysmith Black Mambazo w/ Phoebe Snow
6. Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher - Chris Ardoin and Double Clutchin'
7. I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) - Les Go
8. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Angelique Kidjo
9. Magot Tcheri (In The Summertime) - Fatal Mambo
10. Ces Soirees La - (December 1963 - Oh, What A Night) - Yannick
11. Ain't No Sunshine - Ladysmith Black Mambazo w/ Des'ree
12. No Woman, No Cry - Nenes

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

Great collection of covers.......2007-06-24

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.

Eye-opening! Definitely worth the money.......2007-01-31

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!

The Best of Both Worlds.......2006-11-14

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.

Gets old PDQ!.......2006-07-21

I used to work at a store in the mall, that often circulated several putumayo titles on our sound system which we also sold. We had Cuba, Samba Bossa Nova, Asian Groove, Arabic Groove, Zydeco, World Lounge, African Groove, Euro Lounge, Global Soul, just to name a few! I loved them all, even after listening to them every time I worked for almost a year...except one! Cover the world, drove me up the wall the first few times I heard it. Now, there are a few good songs on here ("Ain't no sunshine", is my fav) but overall, not for long term listening in my opinion. Hearing Asian women sing "No woman no cry" gets flat out annoying after awhile! Would recommend the titles I stated above, over this one.

Fun--but not one of Putomayo's most stellar works....mm.......2006-03-02

Most of the Putomayo I own are CDs I can play over and over. "Cover the World" was interesting the first time around, but I doubt I will be revisiting the collection as often as I do "Celtic Tides" or any of the others with more original works.

Standouts are Kidjo's "Voodoo Child," and the 2 selections by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

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10. Flamenco

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