MerrinDonahue.com

I’m kind of stubborn when it comes to the music I listen to. Now, I enjoy an extreme variety of musical styles: I’ve been known to listen to Bach and Eminem back to back. However, I usually resist with everything I have when someone goes and covers an already great song. You know how it is: The song you once loved is forever maimed by some talentless individual who happened to have the rights (for more examples, see American Idol. I rest my case.). This has happened twice recently, and I’m sorry to admit, I was loathe to give either one a chance.
The first song was Boys of Summer, my favorite song of all time, the finest song ever written, and not just ‘cuz it’s sung by the Don (aka, the man I was going to marry before Kevin came along). Now, some band called The Ataris has come along and done it over. Horror of horrors: I like it. I didn’t want to like it, but I do. It’s my little boost of adrenaline in the morning. I’m sorry, the Don. I still love you.
The second song is Walking in Memphis, originally done by Marc Cohn. I love this song. I sang it the whole way to Graceland. I sang it while we were in Graceland. I sang it all the way home from Graceland. Now, Lonestar has gone and covered it. Kevin and I were driving down the road the other day when we heard it on the Twister (good job, by the way, Mister Twister. Keep up the whole no commercials thing). We immediately changed the station because we were appalled that someone would have the audacity to cover that song. Then, I heard it two days ago. Then I heard it again. Then Kevin heard it last night. His first words to me when he got home (still singing the song), were “Damn, I like the re-make”. We’ve both finally admitted it. We’ve come clean. It seems we’re not as resistant to change as we once thought.
There. I feel better. I can now listen to both of these covers at top volume. If you need me, I’ll be singing.