Covers Revue, Vol. 31 – Bayside covers "Beautiful Girls" :: Originally by Sean Kingston

If you heard this week’s drinkcast, Master Drink Theater, you may remember our conversation about the past week’s Covers Revue. You also may remember that I referred to a cover from the “Pop Goes…” series by one of my favorite bands that I can’t stand. Well, I decided to talk about it in this week’s covers revue.

Don’t you hate it when an incredibly horrible song gets stuck in your head? Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls” was that song for me a couple years ago. I couldn’t stand that freakin’ song! I still can’t! But you know what, for the sake of the Revue, we’ll talk about it.

Kingston is Jamaican-American and carries those roots to the music scene with his reggae style. The track samples Ben E. King’s classic “Stand By Me” and we are introduced to Kingston’s thick accent. The melody in the chorus is so disgustingly catchy that if it doesn’t get stuck in your head at some point after hearing it, you can pretty much consider yourself dead. “Beautiful Girls” is a typical catchy pop track with lyrics that are easy to relate to, apparently. I mean, he so bluntly sings, “You’re way too beautiful, girl/That’s why it’ll never work/You have me suicidal, suicidal when they say it’s over.” Who can’t relate to that? I’m sorry if I seem negative and I shouldn’t be talking since I loved Ke$ha’s Animal so damn much, but I CAN’T FREAKIN’ STAND THIS SONG! This track is way too slow and over-produced. It seems like they’re threw a bunch of things into this big pot in the studio in the form of samples and sounds. And for some reason, it worked. The public absolutely loved it as was proved with the song’s chart performance.

Like we discussed on the drinkcast, we are fans of the “Punk Goes…” series. So of course when I found out one of my favorite bands, Bayside, was contributing  I was excited to hear what they had to offer.

I’m not sure if Bayside was assigned this song because of the suicidal nature in the lyrics and their tendency to write dark songs anyway, or if they actually chose to cover this song. But either way, I was beyond disappointed with their cover of “Beautiful Girls.”

I do have to say this: Bayside gave the song a twist of their own, but I think the lyrics are the downfall of this song. Lead Guitarist Jack O’Shea’s shredding is awesome as usual and Lead Singer Anthony Raneri’s voice draws me in as it normally does, but just the “You got me suicidal” line just … well … kills me.

Though Bayside give this song their own twist, it’s not enough to make me like it. I hate both versions of this song but I guess I have to lean on Bayside’s version since it’s definitely more rocking and doesn’t butcher a classic.