Original Versus Cover Tunes

Steve Raybine:


Blog #14:


Original Versus Cover Tunes



One of the primary reasons I went into music was to perform my own music. That's right--original music! I wanted to follow the musical legacy of composers such as Bach; Beethoven; Mozart; Strauss; Wagner; Schubert; Stravinsky; Ellington; Miller; Gershwin; Porter; Arlen; Carmichael; Rodgers; Davis; Coltrane; Shorter; Zawinul; Corea; Lennon/McCartney; Joel; John; Springsteen; King; Taylor; Simon; etc. The power of original music has always inspired and motivated me to compose and I'm certain that it always will.






There are many creative musicians that live to perform their own music and for that, I applaud them. Alternatively, there are many people within the music business that are equally motivated to do re-makes and/or to promote an alternate version of someone's original music--the infamous "cover tune." There is nothing inherently wrong with performing or recording a cover-tune version of a popular song--I've done it myself and have enjoyed the experience of rendering my interpretation of someone's music. However, when the music industry becomes overly preoccupied with promoting cover tunes, due in part to the songs' familiarity with audiences and the possibility of making more money from that product, then I take issue with this precedent. Regardless of how good anyone's new rendition of a song may be, I will always believe that cover tunes are less important than someone's original musical creation...period!






Just imagine the world without the phenomenal music of those composers that I previously mentioned--it's beyond comprehension. These individuals and other composers of similar, yet different talents throughout history, have graced this world with their abilities as composers. If great composers throughout history felt as though there were little or no opportunities to showcase their music (for one reason or another), we may have been deprived of their musical creations--this would have been a tragedy and a travesty of immense proportions. Hopefully, audiences; patrons; the music industry; etc., will continue to help support the artistic endeavors of our most talented composers, because their music brings joy, beauty and hope to our civilization.






In summation: Long live original music by talented composers--it is something to be cherished for all times.






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