Exploration of Cover Songs

King Harvest in 1973 released, “Dancing In The Moonlight” and it was not obviously till Toploader in 1999 covered the song did I hear it. I used to listen the song on repeat on my mp3 player for hours. It was such a catchy song and had an amazingly catchy beat. It was not till my dad heard me listening to it that I knew it was a cover of an earlier version. My dad said he used to listen to a different version of “Dancing In The Moonlight” when he was younger by King Harvest. Both versions of the songs contain the same exact lyrics so there is no difference in that aspect of the song. However the melody of the music is quite different between the two.  Both songs each have uniqueness to their intros where the King Harvest version is being played softly by a piano with a maraca shaking in the background while the Toploader version is in a higher pitch played by a synthesizer. Both songs have a consistent tempo and speed that remains constant throughout the song. Both are played at the same tempo although is may seem as thought the Toploader version is moving faster. The rhythm is just more intense. There is more instrumentation in the Toplaoder version obviously because of the new developments in music by the 1990’s. In the King Harvest version the drum score is very simplistic while in the other version there is more of a complex drumming beat. Both songs are extremely engaging in the way hey are composed they are just unique in their own ways. The King Harvest version has a more classical feel whereas the other version is much more R&B contemporary. The Toploader version is definitely has a high intensity and more tonal timbre.  The King Harvest version is more laid back with more of a laid back, easy going feeling being felt. I find both songs equally entertaining but it I had to choose one over the other I would pick, “Dancing In The Moonlight” by Toploader. Being the first version of the song that I heard for me it feels like the “original” to me.  Comparing the two songs one after the other though, I found myself liking the groove of the Toploader version better. It is more of a current rendition and easier to relate to with this current generation. The drum score in most songs is the key component to my liking of a song and Toploader does a great job with theirs. I constantly find myself wanting to get up and dance and sing to the song every time I listen to it. King Harvest’s version is not bad by any means but when I listen to it I feel like relaxing. I just prefer the version that is more upbeat and a bit more engaging.