Of The Pretenders and Cover Versions.

Was going through a collection of classic rock when I came across The Pretenders. Memories of those days where I used to idolize people like Chrissy Hynde came flooding back. She was like the epitome of a female rocker; not the exhibitionist type but you know that she's a rocker at heart.

There was one song that shows that even classic rock are capable of coming up with one of the most romantic love songs which makes you go "awww..." and have those heart wrenching moments like what you get after watching Allie and Noah in The Notebook. I'll Stand by You was one of those songs that you can't deny that immense feeling of despair and heart-ache when you listen to it. The best part is that you don't have to psychoanalyse the lyrics to get it.

It's sad to know that they just don't make songs like they used to anymore. All this bubblegum pop and songs of fake angst are just plain annoying. It gets pretty frustrating after a while when you get thrown into this heap of thrash one too many times. Case in point? An all-girl group, Girls Aloud, who did a cover version of this song and what do you end up with? A bunch of squeeky, rodent-like mannequins who look like they are more interested in selling their looks and bodies than to deliver the message of the song. I don't have anything against them, but can't they just stick to whatever songs they're into and lay off the classics? Dammit! Just thinking about their video is seriously pissing me off! I mean, you're laughing around with your tight-knit of friends and playing with each others hair while singing about how you'll stand by your partner no matter what. WTF?!! Maybe I'm being a tad too sensitive, but whatever. It still looks like an effing disgrace to the original version.

What happened to those days where music used to be an expressive outlet of something real? You might argue that these days, songs like that don't pay the bills no more. Mind you that I'm very much aware of that as well, that's why it's a sad case. It kind of puts music lovers into a temporary despair mode of some kind.

I'm actually still listening to that song while typing, and yeah it's actually putting me into a very depressed mood. Dammit!