Alright, I swear this is getting harder and harder every time. Songs keep getting more and more iconic, and doing them justice is not an easy task. Last time, I replaced one of my favorite songs of all time in one of my favorite films ever: Gimme Shelter in Goodfellas. I like to challenge myself, and having to emulate The Rolling Stones was definitely as tiring as it was challenging. This time around, I found another gem of past century on the list. One of the psychedelia anthems by a legendary band forgotten by many, Jefferson Airplane. I'm talking about one of their most recognizable songs, Somebody To Love, and the moment I saw it on the list I couldn't help but feel enticed by it.
Now, this is definitely one of those cases where a single song is bigger and more recognizable than the band that is responsible for its making. Jefferson Airplane is definitely not our "top ten best rock bands in history" kind of band, but, to date, Somebody To Love has made over 25 appearances in movies, T.V. shows and videogames altogether since its release in 1967. It's a song very flexible song that can be put in several different environments, for various specific feelings, and it achieves them all with such grace, it's just beautiful. A few incredible examples are: the infamous film by Terri Gilliam, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998); The Cable Guy (1996), by Ben Stiller; and very recently, the acclaimed video game Mafia III (2016), by Hangar 13. When a song like this stays alive in the entertainment industry for over forty years, you know it's a big deal.
For the movie selection, this one was pretty easy as well. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas just had to be my choice for this one, not only because I love Johnny Depp with a passion, but because it has one of the coolest "under the influence" scenes I've ever seen (and I have to admit, for the most part, it's because of Somebody To Love is playing in the background). You don't need much context to be able to enjoy this masterpiece of the seventh art to its fullest; it's just someone on hardcore drugs. Hunter is not having a good time (like you would assume by his mere appearance), so he needs the soothing and embracing hug of narcotics. It's pretty self explanatory, so I'll leave it here for you:
So this one was close to my heart, and it definitely represented a challenge that was actually more difficult that I'd like to admit. So, after last time's Gimme Shelter, I decided to take on this one from a whole different angle. Emulating the analog sound, the minimalist style and the melodic complexity of the era these songs were made was way too much hassle this time. That doesn't mean I didn't pour my heart out into this one, it's just a different approach. I said to myself why not make some "new psychedelia shit", you know, take the trip thing seriously and take the sound as high as the clouds. That's exactly what I did. Blues is my home, so I kept a slight variation of the blues scale, made it as simple as I could but with a deep, layered sound, and used a whole lot of reverb, chorus and tremolo (you know, kinda like what you hear when you're actually on drugs). Trust me, you're in for a trip:
I think it works wonders, if I say so myself. It definitely keeps the spirit of the original, while adding some "21st, century vibes" to it. It allows you to immerse into the visual world of the film and the slow motion sequence makes it flow smoothly and beautifully. I'm glad I did it this way, because I saved myself a lot of time not having to send myself back to the 60s, while still being able to make a song that fits into the film.
Did you like my take on "Somebody To Love" for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Did you absolutely hate it? Let me know in comment section down below, or in any of my social media. Until next time, folks, and remember: choose life, choose a real career.
Comments