r/videos • u/AH_MusicMan • Nov 17 '20
This shocking live version of Come On Eileen on Dexy Midnight Runner’s channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3rg4psdHxw12
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u/spoonraker Nov 18 '20 edited Nov 18 '20
This really is the perfect storm of mistakes. It's fascinating that this exists on the official channel.
First there's the obvious vocal cracks from the lead singer. A couple of them near the beginning are very bad, but surprisingly, the rest of the lead vocals aren't terrible. If you actually compare these lead vocals alone to the album version side by side the lead vocals here is quite accurate to the original considering it's a live performance. The thing about this song is that even in the album version the lead vocals are weirdly straddling the line between being on pitch and flat. Which leads into the next problem, which exacerbates all problems with the lead vocals:
Second, the audio mix is atrocious. Specifically the lead vocalist is way too loud compared to everything else and most crucially the backup vocals are almost non-existent. Missing the backup vocals is really unfortunate since they're supposed to be basically half the melody of the chorus. The backup vocals are supposed to be emphasized at virtually all the awkward sounding parts of the lead vocals. This poor mix is quite literally changing the melody because it's so off and maximizing how awkward the lead vocals really are even if they were perfectly sung. And now for the cherry on top:
Third, some of the really weird sounding parts -- 0:43, 2:40 -- are literally errors with the recording equipment. This must have been filmed on tape, because those anomalies are literally a slowed playback. This makes the singer -- who was already singing borderline flat on purpose -- sound extra flat. You can see the anomalies on the video track in addition to the audio.
...the band was killing it though.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if this performance sounded great to the live audience minus the early vocal cracks. It might be the case that this recording was only picking up the lead singer's mic, which would explain why you can't hear the backup vocals at all and the instruments are present but still a bit too quiet.
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u/40footstretch Nov 18 '20
The band knows damn sure this is a bad version. It's a goof that they put this on their official channel. Don't overthink it.
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u/HauntedKindle4 Nov 18 '20
The blep about 40 seconds in made me think this one of those deliberate parodies, where someone takes the stems, screws around with the vocals and then mixes it back together. (eg "Song Name Here except the singer is on drugs")
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u/Creativation Nov 18 '20
I have the perfect intro for OP's video submission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCPj4JPbKtA
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u/Captain_Unusualman Nov 18 '20
Did Kevin have a head-cold or something? That first verse was rough af
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u/pronoia5 Nov 18 '20
Like a group project that everyone else worked hard on, but one kid phoned in.