Speaking of the ’80s, can someone punch Clay Aiken in the throat for what he’s done to our favorite Mr. Mister song? Listen to “Broken Wings” here (Win Media), along with really atrocious versions of other rock ballads.
Think Bryan Adams’s “Everything I Do” is cheesy? Wait ’til you hear Clay’s cover. Via MySpace:
If any song made Aiken nervous, it was Adams’s Everything I Do (I Do It For You). That gravelly voice is so well-known, says Aiken about Adamss iconic rasp, I didnt know if I could do the song justice. With a lovely, restrained vocaland an arrangement with a lilting Celtic feel. Aikens’ version is an undeniable highpoint of the new disc; its one of the most romantic songs the singer has ever sung.
A Thousand Different Ways Tracklist:
1. “Right Here Waiting,” originally recorded by Richard Marx
2. “When I See You Smile,” originally recorded by Bad English
3. “Without You,” originally recorded by Badfinger
4. “Lonely No More”
5. “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word,” originally recorded by Elton John
6. “Everytime You Go Away,” originally recorded by Paul Young
7. “Everything I Do (I Do It For You),” originally recorded by Bryan Adams
8. “I Want to Know What Love Is,” featuring Suzie McNeil; originally recorded by Foreigner
9. “These Open Arms”
10. “Because You Loved Me,” originally recorded by Celine Dion
11. “Here You Come Again,” originally recorded by Dolly Parton
12. “Everything I Have,” featuring William Joseph
13. “A Thousand Days”
14. “Broken Wings,” originally recorded by Mr. Mister
Why is he so popular? He didn’t even win American Idol!
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can we punch him in the throat no matter what song he does? or for just being clay? can i kick his kneecaps, snip his achilles heel with scissors, give him the cherokee nose job?
atrocious
So I went to the Toronto Virgin Festival on Saturday where I was charmed by The Hidden Cameras, disappointed by The Dears, knocked fucking out by Muse, and felt sympathetic to Gnarls Barkley trying to warm up a mostly dead crowd. (Don’t get me started on the fucked up curfew truncating The Flaming Lips’ set. Don’t.)
Then I went home and listened to the Clay Aiken stream.
Then I went back out on Sunday for the second day of the festival where The Strokes were good and The Raconteurs were great.
My point? I’ve moved on from musical snobbery to outright musical arrogance. I don’t give a flying fuck who’s flavour of the day. Other people’s opinions count if they point me to new stuff I love. (Thanks, Scott, for the mp3s. My hard drive is now full to bursting.) But if someone else hates something I like? I shrug.
This CD is a mixed bag. I expected it to really suck because I liked very few of the covers in their original form. Most of the production is pretty predictable and lame. But while there are there are tracks I really hate (that duet on I Want To Know What Love Is is just painful), I’m finding that I’m playing a few songs over and over, like Everything I Have and (a shock to me) Here You Come Again, which isn’t the cheesefest I expected.
So there’s one answer to the question of why this guy is so popular. If you don’t like him, it’s no skin off my teeth. And I’ll keep coming here to find great mp3s, videos and links.
Great post Mary. I like the way you think. I’m with you…not a Clay Aiken fan by any means, but I could tolerate some of this. And, like you said, who cares…it’s Clay Aiken, it’s not like his music is targeted towards the average Stereogum reader.
I cannot bring myself to listen to this, because I am 100% sure he will fuck up what is definitely my favorite Elton John song.
That cover of “without you” might be the worst thing i’ve ever heard. The new My Chemical Romance song might surpass it, though.
i’m “in the closet” about my love for clay. lol.
in all seriousness, he’s just a guilty pleasure, a pure innocuous no frills singer without a gimmick, without an agenda. he’s got a fabulous voice, one which is not made for anything but broadway or contemporary adult rock (is that what its called?). he’s like neil diamond or sting.
i can take him or leave him, but having been living in north carolina at the time he was on AI, i did vote for him (but just because the announcer at the Durham bulls game gave us the phone number to call during the 7th inning stretch).
I had been hearing so much about it, that I decided to listen to a few songs.. Who knew, guy has a great voice. I was actually impressed
“Our favorite Mr. Mister song!” This site is a goddamn riot …
“can we punch him in the throat no matter what song he does? or for just being clay? can i kick his kneecaps, snip his achilles heel with scissors, give him the cherokee nose job?”
This I don’t get — when I don’t like someone’s music I feel no need to become violent. But that’s just me.
Anyway. Hmmm. I listened. I was nervous about the Elton song too, especially because I prefer Joe Cocker’s cover to the original. It wasn’t too bad. I actually liked Broken Wings except for the woman who pipes in periodically to say something (and I don’t mean the CC sneak preview lady). I really liked the Dolly Parton cover; it’s completely different from the original.
The other songs are a bit bombastic and sound too much the same, but then I didn’t care for them in the 80s either.
He does have a beautiful voice, and at least he can actually sing unlike such atrocities du jour as Paris Hilton.
Let me get this straight. You’re worried about Clay Aiken ruining the integrity of Mr. Mister and Bryan Adams songs? Mmmkay.
So you think Clay sucks? But you’re d/l’ing all his stuff?????
I smell a Claymate here – LOL.
Here’s a thought – if you dislike Him that much, why even bother listening? Clay knows he’s not cool. His fans know he’s not cool. He just sells zillions of CD’s.
Without you
Lokking at the tracklist, I’m kind of shocked not to see “I’ll Never Let You Go” by Steelhart or “Fly with the Angels” by Slaughter.
Hey Nate – don’t be afraid. Give Sorry a listen. It’s a damn good arrangement and vocally really interesting. You might surprise yourself – or not.
Hey Nate – don’t be afraid. Give Sorry a listen. It’s a damn good arrangement and vocally really interesting. You might surprise yourself – or not.
So…you want to punch Aiken in the throat? Interesting take. Like Diane said above, if I don’t like someone, I don’t want to physically harm them, I just don’t listen to their stuff.
Oh, you were talking in metaphors? How cool. Wish I could be as cool as you.
Although Aiken’s music is not my choice of music, there’s no denying that the dude can sing his ass off. I think I’ll have to give his album a listen. Thanks for the recommendation.
Everytime You Go Away was originally recorded by Hall & Oates (on “Voices”) and not Paul Young. But I’d say i prefer the Paul Young version.
I’m impressed he can sing some of the worst songs of the 1980s completely without irony. Hopefully he’ll get to “Sussudio” and “Hello” on the next album.
He’s the muscial equivalent of Thomas Kincaid.
Continues to amaze me that this guy “deserves” such antipathy and causes such angst within the music community. Madonna hanging on a cross is just too cool & JT’s Sexy immediate 8th wonder… I didn’t like some of the tracks but the remaining ones are wonderful and have me liking songs I didn’t like the first time around. Guess I’m just not cool – gratefully I’m out of high school, college is a distant memory and I no longer care about that – wish I’d learned the relative importance of cool earlier in life.
Heard most of Clay’s new CD, “A Thousand Different Ways” already in sneak prevues. I can’t wait to get my copy on 9/19. Every song is magnificent. “The Voice” just gets better and better. Clay can belt out the fabulous glory notes just at the right time, but never oversings any song–and he has the innate ability to do them just right and better than originals. So you bashers go ahead–this is going to be a huge hit. The music world is paying attention and Clay is now admired by people like David Foster. So keep up your snide remarks, all of you whose opinion is of consequence to no one. You have no taste in music. Go listen to Brittany Spears.
Thanks for the links. Broken Wings was an awesome song when Mr. Mister did it, but I like what Clay has done with it. The words of the poem entertwined with it really add something if you soak in the words. And Nate, I felt the same way about Clay covering Elton’s song Sorry, but was very surprised at just how good it turned out.
I have NEVER liked Broken Wings all that much so for me, Aiken’s version is just fine. Give me Kyrie anyday. He makes the best he can of a sucky track list. Another surprise for me is how much I like Everything I Do. Again, another boring Bryan Adams’ song so I’m loving the celtic change up. Interestingly, his fans are also loving Everything I Am. Ack! Ack! and Boring. I kept waiting for it to get better. Total snoozefest. Vocally, he has never sounded better.
First of all, Lori Gilpin, I don’t like how you capitalized the word “Him.” *shudders*
I listened to “Everything I Do,” and it wasn’t bbad. I at first dismissed the music as being too boring, but I guess the arrangement on that one’s… soothing? I don’t know.
I’m listening to “Here You Come Again,” and I guess it’s more of the same. Maybe it’s just the right time of day or something, but I’m actually kind of getting into it. Damn, you, Stereogum! I’ll listen to anything you post!
When I saw “Here You Come Again,” I first thought of “Here I Go Again,” by Whitesnake. I was kinda disappointed when i realized the truth.
I happen to like “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister but I don’t like anything else they have ever done. Aiken’s version is HORRIBLE. His version of “Everytime You Go Away” was somewhat tolerable…but not really.
I am so–not cool! I listened to Aiken’s music because there was so much buzz about it. I have to say I enjoyed it- Some more than others naturally and when I was finished I had no inclination to smash Aiken’s throat or nose or any other part of his physique for ” doing what he did to OUR favorite Mr. Mister song”(OUR? Are you speaking for me Scott?) or for his ” atrocious rocker ballads”. There’s a nice word to slam around -Atrocious! No one forced me to listen and hopefully no one forced you! Get a life man.There is enough violence in the world today that we don’t need to encourage more particularly over a few songs we don’t like. You know, there is lots of redeeming qualities to this cd and anyone who can’t find ONE, just ONE good feature, even if it is the orchestration of the music,and condemns the whole thing, is not looking for decent music, they are really looking to spew hate and in this case for Aiken,the singer and hopefully drag others over to their opinion. Scott-Crawl back under the rock where you came from before someone punches your throat.I won’t do it because you are not worth it!
Thank you “uncool” Ed! I have begun to think that there are a few over-the-top Claymates, and a few crawl-out-from-under-a-rock Aiken haters – the rest of us just listen to all sorts of music – like some – don’t like some. I liked your comments very much. Lord do we need some middle of the road folks these days.
Not my kind of music, but gave a few songs a listen, he can sing there is no question. Great voice, good range, a perfect pitch.
Still not as shitty or cheesy as Hinder songs. So can we punch those guys in the throat instead?
Damn that guy can sing! I don’t go for the mellow stuff usually but I liked some of them. Broken Wings is a completely new take. I can’t decide if I like it or hate it. I might have to give it another go.
Gayken is so late. Rick Springfield just redid “Broken Wings,” featuring original Mr. Mr. guy Richard Page. It’s sad enough when your body of work is consisting of covers at this stage, it’s really bad when you’re the second guy to remake and release it in 14 months.
And Rick Springfield’s a douche for doing it, too.
Speaking of Richard Page, he was recently quoted by a colleague as having LOVED Aiken’s version of the song. In fact, he said that he’s heard 100s of covers of it, apparently has even worked on a few of them, & Aiken’s version is his favorite of all by far.
Well, you can’t win ‘em all, Stereogum!
Dude, normally I’d agree with ya, but I gotta say I’m diggin’ the Celtic flavor of both “Everything I Do” and “Broken Wings” here. My musical tastes are all over the place, so your mileage may vary. But ya can’t deny the guy can blow. Sometimes ya just gotta lay back, be the bigger man and admit when you’re wrong. Next time maybe the Clayster will drop a Monsters Of Metal CD and we can all get back to the hatin’.
Clay can sing, but I don’t like what he did with “Broken Wings” because it’s not the same song anymore. I really liked the original arrangement, and that lady who kept popping in and trying to say the lyrics all poetic-like was annoying.
My favourite cover of “Broken Wings” was done by a college a cappella group (yeah, sad, I know) but the point is that the lead guy had the same “Broadway” type voice as Clay. Thus I think the Mr. Mister arrangement would have fit Clay better.
LOL at the suggestion of a Monsters of Metal CD.
Ok confession time: my young sister dragged me to a clay aiken concert last summer – she was freaking out cause mom wouldnt let her go alone and mom had to work. they both like him and as long as they don’t play him when im around its ok. i felt sorry for her so i said id go but i took my ipod in case i got bored hehehe. it started out with 1950s rocknroll which i sorta like so that was ok. it proceeded thru each decade with sorta lame pop hits but the singers were good so i didnt mind so much. lil sis was rockin it and here comes the confession: by the end of the show i actually enjoyed it. i told sis if you tell anyone ill deny and then kill you hehehe. so i listened to this stream cause she wanted me to and i said no but its here so i did. not really my style but its not so bad either. there are way worse vocalists making mucho $$$$$$$$$ out there and my mom and sis like him so who cares? i hate the friggin rap industry which has destroyed true american rock so there are a lot of those posers id rather see you dropkick.
YOU ALL ARE FUNKING DUMB ASSES YOU ALL CAN GO TO HELL!! YOU ALL SUCK I KNOW HE IS THE HOTTEST AND THE BEST SINGER IN THE ENTIRE WOLD YOU ALL ARE IDOTS!!!!! GO TO HELL ALL OF YOU HE IS THE MAN AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT BUY BITCHES
YOU ALL ARE FUNKING DUMB ASSES YOU ALL CAN GO TO HELL!! YOU ALL SUCK I KNOW HE IS THE HOTTEST AND THE BEST SINGER IN THE ENTIRE WOLD YOU ALL ARE IDOTS!!!!! GO TO HELL ALL OF YOU HE IS THE MAN AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT BUY BITCHES
Just bought the CD today out of curiosity. His voice is so pure. Never heard anything like it. It’s remarkable.
As far as the album, only 3 songs stand out for me. I think Without You, I Wanna Know What Love Is and Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Words are great enough to carry the whole album. Even if he sang the phone book, his fans will make sure it goes platinum though. lol
I love the cd!!! My disappointment comes not with Clay’s talent as a singer but with what seems to me a waste of his talent. After three years couldn’t we have more new and fresh original songs with maybe one or two cover songs thrown in the mix. I love Clay but worry that if he doesn’t make his own mark and create his own “classics” for others to one day remake, that his impact in music will amount to nothing.
The guy hasn’t been around for decades yet. Give him time to amass a catalogue. He’s barely out of short pants right? What is he, about mid twenties?
The voice is the voice is the voice. Clay has a remarkable voice that has certainly improved since we first saw him on American Idol. He is polishing his own style. I love the covers on this CD and also love the 4 new songs. Bottom line is I like everything clay sings.
ummm why is he basically only recreating old songs…?…is he not creative enough to make up his own?
Clay will do great no matter what people say. His fans love him and will make sure of that! By the way if anyone gets the chance, listen to Lover all alone. Its the bonus tract on Itunes. Clay co-wrote this one and it is without a doubt going to be a huge hit for him.
Clay Aiken is quite possibly the best artist from American Idol, however; I believe the following reasons why the CD ?A Thousand Different Ways? is NOT selling:
1 – He waited 3 years to put out a sophmore album. When he was on AI, it was early 2003. It is fall of 2006. Some of the fans have assumed he would be a ?one-hit-wonder? and kind of moved on.
2 – An album of covers. He has more covers than original songs. That is never a good idea. Also, the covers are very boring and not upbeat. They don?t showcase his potential at all and make him seem rather ?karaoke?.
3 – This album is not even close to being as upbeat as ?Measure of a Man? and Clay promised many people that he would put out a more upbeat album next time. He put out the opposite.
4 – Obsessed fans of other artists are immature and fear threatened by Clay, so they call in different stores and ask to hold CDs. They, then, go into stores and hide the CDs and some people even resort to the lowest of the low and breaking them. (Apparently this was caught on tape)
5 – This scandal, the rumors, etc are not having a good impact on some of the type of women Clay attracts. Most don?t believe the story, but there are people that do and have seperated the man from the music and chose to believe the lies and shut Clay out, regardless of how good he sings.
6. Promotion. Airplay. etc. I have never heard any new songs from Clay?s new album at all on the radio. He does talk shows, but there many that don?t watch those shows or follow Clay religiously to know he is on those shows.
Clay has so much more potential, than what he is currently delivering. However; he became famous and gained a record deal through a reality show. Even though he is no longer on the contract of American Idol, he is still a “puppet” and a strategy. He only has limited decision making in anything he does. This is what happens when you get a record deal through a television show. It seems too good to be true and it is (as there are many plusses), but there are minuses too.
First off, I AM a Clay fan (but NOT a Claymate!), and I wasn’t quite sure before I bought his album what I was going to think of it because it was a bit odd to be doing covers, but I bought it because you can’t deny (whether you liked the CD or not) that Clay has a truly amazing voice. And I’d just like to say that I was amazed by how much I loved the CD. I’ve listened to every song on it at least 30 times eachs since it came out. I’ll admit that I’m not all that fond of “Broken Wings” (the speaking part reminded me unpleasantly of Hilary Duff), but the CD is easy listening music and the songs are catchy, and I personally feel that the emotion and depth that Clay s able to bring to the song makes me wish that I were in love, and I think that’s what makes an album with love songs worth listening to.
i think that clay did an amazing job on this cd. the poem in broken wings is amazing. absolutly gorgeous. clay has an amazing voice and he turned the songs into his own. he deserves respect.
and if you don’t like him. don’t listen to him. honeslty it’s not that hard.
clay is my favorite singer and has been for a long time. people should give his music a chance. the lyrics have depth and his voice brings them to life. he sings with passion. thats hard to find now a days.
Unfortunately, as clay revealed earlier this year on a couple of talk shows, Clive Davis mandated he do a covers album, although Clive the turd Davis knew Clay already had a bunch of original songs in the can that he had been working on over the last year.
Clay had to do what he was told and he did it well! The CD is very good and really showcases his amazing voice, and there are at least four original songs on the CD and another original song, “Lover All Alone” that can be downloaded from iTunes.
Hopefully he will be allowed to use the original songs he had been working on for his next CD.
Still, ATDW is a very good album and has sold over $500,000, so not bad.
It matters not what you think about the mans personal life. Like he said, people are going to believe what they want. I dont care about his sex life whatsoever. The man has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. His range is amazing. He did a wonderful version of ‘If you dont know me by now’, and his own song, Lover All Alone, should be played on radio. It is an amazingly haunting song.