Questions from Yesterday

[Etienne]

I recently watched Yesterday which answers a resounding "yes" to the question "can Richard Curtis films get any more self indulgently awful? ". The premise of the film is that a struggling musician has an accident and wakes up in a world which is basically the same except that the Beatles never existed. So he becomes successful by passing off their songs, to the best of his recollection, as his own.

So, my question is what artists do you know well enough to do that for in an equivalent situation. You can't listen to them ever again, there's no tabs or lyrics on the Internet. So you need to be able to remember unprompted not just the tune, but (at least) the vast majority of the lyrics in the right order.

I don't think I could do more than an EP for even my favourite artists.

[DCI Harry Batt]

George Michael, starting with Wham!. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

I mean, there are others, but his is probably the biggest catalgoe.

And the best.

[Sporting]

First of all I thought the film was good.

[DCI Harry Batt]

The thing about films is that people watch films they know will be bad and then they are bad and people seem to sort-of complain about their being bad. Which is fine, cos they're bad. But why watch them?

[Sporting]

But to give a boring starting answer: The Beatles.

[G-Man]

I liked the film, though the ending was a let-down.

Anyway, I could build a career as well on Beates songs. But seeing as Sporting has already nabbed their catalogue, I'd be able to a good debut album of Kris Kristofferson songs.

[Sporting]

I liked the film, though the ending was a let-down.

Yes, but I myself can't think of a better one. Anyone?

[Sits]

Putting aside the fact I can’t sing or play anything, I reckon I could do a cover album of ABC’s The Lexicon of Love. Verbatim. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the album I’ve played more than any other.

[Benjm]

They say, "Sits, maybe one day you'll find true love"

[DCI Harry Batt]

I probably could have a pretty good go at The Smiths, but I wouldn't want to these days. But then The Smiths without any knowledge of Morrissey might be ok again.

[Sits]

They say, "Sits, maybe one day you'll find true love"

I say “maybe, but there must be a solution to the one thing, the one thing” <paradiddle>

[DCI Harry Batt]

ABC

I always get them mixed up with Aztec Camera.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I'd be able to give INXS a go. And Queen. U2 a bit less so, as while I know all their songs, there are more than a few where I only have an approximate idea of what the little fella is actually singing.

[Benjm]

New Order up to 1993 or Kraftwerk would be my best bets, but unfortunately only the English versions for the latter.

I took my Shut Up, Morrissey tote bag to the shops yesterday but only remembered when I got home that it is in Ukraine colours.

[Etienne]

The thing about films is that people watch films they know will be bad and then they are bad and people seem to sort-of complain about their being bad. Which is fine, cos they're bad. But why watch them?

Well, in this instance it was because Mrs Etienne asked if I wanted to watch it, and we rarely watch anything together, and I have a reasonably high tolerance level for Curtis self indulgence (I enjoyed About Time) and the premise was an interesting one.

[Etienne]

I'm impressed at those who can manage whole albums. I've listened to Pulp regularly for 30 years and I thought I'd be fine, but when I actually tried, I reckon I could only do 4 or 5 songs. Perhaps I'm just not great at retaining lyrics. I think that switching from listening to albums to streaming hasn't helped.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Well, in this instance it was because Mrs Etienne asked if I wanted to watch it, and we rarely watch anything together, and I have a reasonably high tolerance level for Curtis self indulgence (I enjoyed About Time) and the premise was an interesting one.

This is, of course, all entirely reasonable. We don't watch very many fillums together, and those that we do tend to be more to my partner's immediate taste than mine. Though I do tend to enjoy them, mostly.

But I'm not going to get him to sit and watch "Strike" or owt.

[elguapo4]

You wouldn't need to know every word, just most of them. If no one had heard the songs,you could fill in any gaps.

Anyway, that film ripped off the same idea from the Nicholas Lyndhurst sitcom " Goodnight Sweetheart " .

Back to the point, another one for ABC, also Billy Bragg, Madness, Everything but the Girl. A moot point since I have an average voice and can't play an instrument.

[Various Artist]

Since the Beatles themselves look well spoken-for at this stage and Rogin's already channelling his inner Freddie Mercury in this brave new world, I reckon I'd probably have to plump for Depeche Mode. Certainly Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion, which I've likely listened to as much as any other albums ever. Again, the caveats of 'no musical talent or experience' apply.

On a slightly less broad level, I'd probably stand a decent chance of remaking John Grant's Queen of Denmark. Though I'd have to come up with a plausible cover story for why I was spinning all these narratives about a gay relationship gone disastrously wrong and growing up in small-town America.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Oh yeah the Mode, good shout. Earlier stuff, anyway - not listened to anything new for a hundred years.

I could do the Rice & Webber musicals, but again I'm not sure that's enough really.

[Various Artist]

Well if you could parlay that into a fraction of the success they've had in the West End and on Broadway then you'd be set pretty fair indeed.

[caja-dglh]

Anyway, that film ripped off the same idea from the Nicholas Lyndhurst sitcom " Goodnight Sweetheart " .

Which in turn ripped off a 3 minute joke in Back to the Future and tried to make a TV series out of it. Which is to say it isn't in any way a unique idea and needs a lot more stuff to carry the story.

I thought the movie was awful, but watched it on a plane having made the choice to go with it, wondering how bad it could be. I remembered some people liking a twist. Said twist was also awful.

[DCI Harry Batt]

also Billy Bragg

Oh blimey of course. Again, only earlier stuff. Much past the first few (four?) albums I'd be a bit lost.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Well if you could parlay that into a fraction of the success they've had in the West End and on Broadway then you'd be set pretty fair indeed.

But what profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?

[Various Artist]

Well, the whole world, for starters. And, you know, profit.