Cover Songs

Peter Gabriel (Studio Version)- Sledgehammer                
Dave Matthews Band Live At Mile High- Sledgehammer

Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel and Dave Matthews version of Sledgehammer are the two audio files I will discuss. I like Dave’s version better because of the rock like style. It incorporates an electric guitar with more distortion than the Peter Gabriel’s version. The timbre of Dave’s voice is rougher than Peter Gabriel’s smooth, clear voice. I personally like the roughness and unpolished feel that Dave Matthew’s version offers. The speed or tempo is about the same in both versions. The lyrics and melody (voice line) is the same in Peter Gabriel’s song and Dave’s version. Both songs offer a strong exciting melody that is memorable. It is a catchy tune that I find myself singing throughout the day. The lyrics to the chorus are easy to remember that help with singing along too. It is a fun and rockin’ song.

 The organization of Dave Matthew’s version has a kick butt guitar solo in the middle of the song that really helps raise the intensity of the whole track. Instead of a guitar solo in Gabriel’s version it is a flute with a lot of reverb. I think this takes away from the “in your face” type of feel. The way that Sledgehammer was produced in Peter’s version is more 80’s like with a lot of reverb.

The horn section in Dave’s version is more evident than Peter’s. It seems like the horn section is in the background and doesn’t add to the intensity in Peter’s song. In Dave’s song the horn part is mixed well with the other instruments and really get the blood flowing when they chime in.

The rhythm in Gabriel’s song is bass driven. The instrument that drives in Dave’s version is the guitar and drums. I am a guitar player and my friend is a drummer so this may be the reason why I like Dave’s version because of my personal experience with guitar and close experience with a drummer.

My favorite part in the song is at the chorus when they both sing sledgehammer. Shortly after they sing that the instruments give a high-pitched note that emphasize the lyric sledgehammer. It’s like the instruments agree and back up what was just sang a beat before they go off.

In the outro of the song (Peter Gabriel song) there is a cool addition to a choir that adds to the intensity of that song. It helps provide more power and soul into it. In Dave’s song there is no choir, which makes the outro of Dave’s less exciting and unique. It would really add to the intensity of the outro and quench the thirst of any listener.

I like Dave Matthew’s version better because of the rock like sound and less use of reverb. It is a tighter sound and has more intensity than Peter’s song. The electric guitar enforces a strong driving beat that the drums can play behind. Peter Gabriel’s version is good and really set a fantastic baseline for some one as exciting as Dave is to remake.