Don't Give Up

[neilg@sfu.ca (Neil K. Guy)]

 Anyone else heard the Willie Nelson/Sine'ad O'Connor duet cover of
Peter Gabriel's _Don't Give Up_? Kind of interesting to hear someone
else's take on it, I guess.

 Willie Nelson sounds like, well, Willie Nelson. Like Leonard Cohen or
someone I'd sort of say he's got a lot of character and what range he
has is somewhat subtle. The O'Connor part I'm not so sure about,
though. I always thought that in the original Kate's part was meant to
sound tender and reassuring. O'Connor sings it at first as if she's
broken and defeated already, and then ends up a bit strident and
desperately commanding. ("Don't give up, because YOU HAVE
*FRIENDS*!!!!")

 I'm also not sure about the way the song was countrified to fit
Nelson's style. I don't think the song wants to be countrified, and it
doesn't quite work for me, but maybe I'm just used to the Gabriel
version and have certain prejudices. Really oughta keep an open mind,
eh? I also thought the video was a bit obvious and cheesy. Still, it's
curious to hear O'Connor covering Kate Bush, after a fashion.

 - Neil K. (n_k_guy@sfu.ca)