Feedback on COVER VERSION of "Happy Together"

[irthlingz]

Would love to get feedback both on quality/performance and whether it is on-target for the listing.

https://sharmuse.com/happy.html

Hard to Classify/Specialty/Novelty
COVER VERSIONS of SPECIFIC SONGS with Male or Female Vocals are needed by a super well-connected Publisher for Targeted Advertising Placements!

They are eagerly searching for COVER VERSIONS of the following Songs:

"Somebody's Watching Me" (originally performed by Rockwell)

"I Just Want To Celebrate" (originally performed by Rare Earth)

"Afternoon Delight" (originally performed by Starland Vocal Band)

"Summertime" (originally performed by George & Ira Gershwin)

"Happy Together" (originally performed by The Turtles)

"Here Comes The Sun" (originally performed by The Beatles)

“Cruel Summer" (originally performed by Bananarama)

"Listen to the Music" (originally performed by The Doobie Brothers)

"Whatta Man" (originally performed by EnVogue feat. Salt n' Pepa)

"True Colors" (originally performed by Cyndi Lauper)

"Free Your Mind" (originally performed by En Vogue)

"Reunited" (originally performed by Peaches and Herb)

IMPORTANT NOTE: The client is willing to consider Cover Versions in the style of the original, as well as re-imagined renditions. Please ONLY send Cover Versions of the Songs mentioned above. Sorry to say, but submitting Covers of Songs that are not referenced will result in your submissions being returned.

For Covers in the style of the original:
Please submit well-performed, sonically appropriate Cover Versions that stay true to the original melodies, lyrics, and arrangements of the Songs selected.

For Re-imagined Covers:
Please submit Cover Songs with a unique, inventive, and re-imagined approach. Your submissions should be one of a kind, with distinctive instrumentation and innovative arrangements. Be sure to still stick to the original melodies and lyrics of the Songs so they are still familiar to listeners!

Your productions can range from simple, stripped-down versions (guitar/vocals, piano/vocals, or ukulele/vocals) to fuller productions with more instrumentation. Whichever genre or sub-genre you’re pitching, the music should have genre-appropriate instrumentation and productions. Be sure to have compelling vocals from start to finish.

Broadcast Quality is needed.

This company offers an EXCLUSIVE, 50/50 deal with a 3-year reversion. If they don’t get your music used during that term, you can get your rights back. Since this company offers an EXCLUSIVE deal, please be sure the material you submit for this pitch is NOT already signed to other Libraries or Catalogs. You must own or control your Master recordings.

Please submit as many Songs as you’d like, online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by a TAXI Screener. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PDT) on Thursday, June 25th, 2020. TAXI # S200625CV

TAXI # S200625CV

[cosmicdolphin]

I don't think the male / female lead vocal doubling works...it's a little jarring and makes it sound kinda dated ( male singer has an older sounding voice ) and in places it sounds like someone is flat or maybe the other is sharp...there a numerous vocal tuning issues throughout which I think need addressing. Personally I would stick with just one lead singer..probably the female vocal and if you want more texture double it with the same singer not a different one. If you wanted it as a duet you would normally sing alternate parts and possibly come together in the chorus.

Also it says " Please submit Cover Songs with a unique, inventive, and re-imagined approach. Your submissions should be one of a kind, with distinctive instrumentation and innovative arrangements"

I wouldn't say it really ticks that box as it's a fairly straight guitar / vocal ?

[irthlingz]

Mark: Thank you! Will definitely take a look at all the points you have made.

[irthlingz]

Okay, a somewhat altered version is up at the same link:
* Various tune-ups and timing adjustments
* Higher (falsetto) male vocal at :46 and 1:18 -- blends better with the female vocal
* Re-recorded female "ahs" at 2:10 -- better timing and tuning

Have kept male/female combo on verses for now. Curious if others find this jarring. Am considering making a second version with only female on the verses.

Also, since "The client is willing to consider Cover Versions in the style of the original, as well as re-imagined renditions" does that provide a wide latitude for style, or does this still not fit for some reason?

Thanks!

[AlanHall]

Hi Sharon,
I'm working on this one too, I have always liked that song - that confession dates me
I like the guitars, sounds full without being bombastic. That said, I get the 'willies' listening to the duo in the verses. I think what I'm hearing is the difference in the vibrato - it's not synchronized or stylistically complementary, and lends to the out-of-tune-ness sensation between the voices. They're basically competing for the listener's attention. I think if you drop one voice, or back it way off, they might sit better together. Just my thought.
Have fun with this one, it's really a very silly tune!

[AlanHall]

Also, since "The client is willing to consider Cover Versions in the style of the original, as well as re-imagined renditions" does that provide a wide latitude for style, or does this still not fit for some reason?

I am certainly no expert, but I'm thinking there's a wide latitude, but with a huge gap in the middle where a song may not be close enough, and also not far enough away. Either the cover is indistinguishable from the original recording, or it is clever or funny or amazing in the way it's been treated (re-imagined). You may need to add some of that secret (clever or funny or amazing) spice to make it stand out as a "new" thing. Time will tell if I took the re-imagining thing too far

[irthlingz]

Thank you, Alan! Took the male vocal way down in the final version, and redid some of the female. Hopefully makes for a better blend.

[AlanHall]

Good Luck, Sharon! I definitely think the straight-ahead version is more in line with what singer-songwriter is all about in today's market.
I tried to keep what I'd heard from the Taxi TV episode with the Highfields in mind as I worked... I don't think I was successful. In the end, there's the mark of someone who doesn't know when to stop!

If you're curious about my version, you can follow my Taxi link below. Don't get your expectations up, though!

[TrevFury]

There are some really neat harmony ideas in your version of this song.
I'm also new to Taxi, so I'm also trying to decipher the lingo in the listings. But it seems that this performance of Happy Together is appropriate for what is called for in the listing. It's 'just a vocal and guitar', but the harmonies are creative and interesting.

The issue that stands out to me is the mix. The levels on the vocals jump around a fair amount and it kind of takes the attention away from the creative harmony ideas that you put in there. Did you use compression when mixing? Did you master it? Just those things make a huge difference.

I'm guessing that you used a DAW and interface for recording, since that is how nearly everyone does it nowadays. Every DAW out there should come with a compressor plugin included. But my favorite compressor plugin out there is called Gain Reduction, from Joey Sturgis. That is the closest thing I know of to a one-click vocal polish solution.

For mastering, there's a lot of AI mastering sites out there nowadays. I'm using eMastered, and I'm really impressed with the level and clarity boost it provides. You upload a reference track, which would be a hit song in the same sort of genre, then you upload your track and it uses AI to match the EQ, level and overall compression.

I know the listing expired last night at midnight, I just had a moment to check out your track, and these are the things that I think would make a world of difference in letting the screeners (and the rest of the listening world) hear the performance of the song as it's intended. It might be possible to adjust the mix/mastering of the track and re-upload before the screeners actually begin listening. But either way that would be helpful for future submissions.

Hopefully this helps! Best of luck out there. Again, great job on composing those harmonies.

[cosmicdolphin]

If you're curious about my version, you can follow my Taxi link below. Don't get your expectations up, though!

Interesting arrangement , at least you did something a little different. Vocally it sounds like it's the wrong key for you though.