2mo ago

Does anyone else LOVE Alien Ant Farms' version more then the original?

I grew up on MJ.

54 comments

They are each great in their own way, and in their own context. I can't love one more than the other, but I love them differently.
- Thanks mom
  
  You're welcome. And by the way, your sister is my favorite

I didn't even need to click the link to know what you meant.
Fun fact: When the windmill arm finger touches the mailbox, it also lights up my heart.

I definitely listened to it more often than to the MJ version.

Damn I forgot about the truckload of energy that bass player brings in that video.

See also, Boys of Summer by the Ataris, and that one's a lot closer as Don Henley's original is nearly as good. Some might argue better, and I wouldn't disagree with them directly, but I prefer the cover.
Most cover songs, you don't know they're covers, they're that much better.
Despite being an 80s kid, my introduction to KISS was Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, with God Gave Rock n' Roll To Ya. Later found out it was a cover. In fact, Christian group Petra, which probably rivals Fleetwood Mac for number of past members (albeit for different reasons — Petra styles itself a missionary, not a band in the traditional sense, so their revolving door of members is to be expected), covered the song before KISS did. I don't even recall who did it first.
Of course, a lot of popular songs aren't even written by the performer. The Bangles' Manic Monday was written by Prince, but there wasn't a Prince version until later. Prince never released it in his lifetime, it was released after he passed. So that wasn't a cover. Prince literally wrote the song for them and they recorded it. He recorded it too, but didn't release it. Maybe they got to hear it, but it was not made public. Still not thought of as a cover.
- Prince did a lot of "ghost writing" for other artists back in the day, like way more than most people realize.
- See also, Boys of Summer by the Ataris, and that one’s a lot closer as Don Henley’s original is nearly as good. Some might argue better, and I wouldn’t disagree with them directly, but I prefer the cover.
  I can only comment on this part. I don't like Don Henley's music so the cover does nothing for me.
- I had that Petra cd lol. I was later on like wait who wrote this kiss or petra
  
  Neither! (Obviously. We both know that now.)
  I had Beyond Belief and Unseen Power. I'm not religious, per se — but they made some good music. Back then I fell in with some Christians and they were playing Beyond Belief, and I thought it sounded awesome. I had no idea who the band were, but I bought the disc, and then the one after.
  I would later (much later) come to find out that they had built an effective business of copying what was popular in secular rock to drive people to the Christian message. I felt a little cheated, but I still liked the music. I still do like the music. I don't believe as they do and I certainly don't appreciate that it's a commercial enterprise and I essentially paid for an hour of advertising... but I still like the music. And I still think the opening to Beyond Belief — the title track, I mean — is one of the coolest grooves in rock music. The band were always humble about their music — they'd tell you it's not about the craft of the music, but about praising God. But, they were all very talented musicians and they weren't churning out garbage. They made good music. So even if their intentions weren't pure, the music was good. Though, that's highly subjective.

Yes, it's just better. Or at least, more to my taste.

I always wondered, is it an ant farm for alien ants, or is it an ant farm owned by aliens?
- Ant farm owned by aliens where the ants are humans and the farm is Earth.
- What mean? Is just thing alien ant do. Alien Ant wake up. Alien ant eat breakfast. Alien ant farm. Alien ant go bed.
- I've always thought the first one

Both versions are good, but I'd have to say I prefer the AAF version. It's probably been a decade or more sine I've seen this music video, and I didn't realize just how many Michael Jackson references are in it.
- I love the hand chair wearing the sparkly glove

I love Alien Ant Farm. Every track on their first album is wonderful. After that it starts to dip but there are still good ones in their later works.

That whole album is good too, at least i remember listening to the CD a ton back in the CD binder days. My favorite song from that album is Flesh and bone. Their drummer and bass player are great
- The album is fucking great, as are the two following albums from them!

I grew up on MJ.
If you were a kid in the 90s MJ grew up on you too.... 😅.
- MJ was more the 80s.
- I was too old for him.

GenX here. This is one thing me and my little kids agree on, AAF's version is superior.

No. Nothing tops Michael (yeah, yeah, except a kid, I get it...).
- Man, sigh

The best version https://m.youtube.com/shorts/VKma0zlB5fw
- You owe me the time it took to watch that.
- i lol'd

Yes. Its just better to me.

Yes! And that's saying something, because the MJ version is good too.

Hell yes!

I mean, one is better than the other depending on mood for me. If I'm feeling metal, I'll prefer AAF, if not, MJ.

Yes!!

I definitely prefer the original, although the AAF version is right in the nostalgia sweet spot for me.

I remember seeing this music video on MTV . At 11 years old I bought their CD from the local record shop

Fo shizzle.
- My nizzle

First one then the other?

Absolutely.

it had been a minute but they do a pretty good job.. reeeeal early 2000s expressions on the face of the bass player there

look, Michael Jackson was a talented songwriter. I just don't like his voice.

My favorite is the white panda mashup with Baller, Shot Caller. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDripRFEajk&t=972

No, but they can both be good.

It isn't that bad but it is 100% the worst track on that album and probably one of their worst songs (although their newest album more recently was pretty Meh)
I skip it every single time I listen to the album.

I had no idea what you were talking about. Might have saved a click if you mentioned what they were covering and who MJ was.
Heard there version before. Had it on a compilation in 2003. It's catchy at first and then tiring, and unlike a lot of great covers I got bored with it fast.
- You also could have just skipped the post and not commented if you didn't know the details but here we are.
  
  Or you could actually put the subject into the post and not abbreviate. It would have helped.
  
  This is nonsensical. Title your posts properly please.
- If you'd had an opinion that was relevant to the question, you would have understood the question. This thread was not for you, and I see no advantage to make it more accessible to someone with nothing to contribute. It's fun to "get it" and if you don't get it, dumbing down the reference isn't going to make it fun for you, it's just going to make it less fun for others.
  
  Weird take on a low user public forum where usually this sort of thing is encouraged, but whatever. That isn't dumbing down anything.
  And I do have an opinion, I know both songs. I don't think being explicit about what you are asking is going to make anything less fun, lol.

54 comments