With the recent release of the film adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic “Where the Wild Things Are,” I thought I’d pay a little tribute to the author in this week’s Covers Revue.
In 1975, there was a television special entitled “Really Rosie.” This musical was based on several of Sendak’s books and was composed/performed by Carole King. My favorite song is called “Pierre,” but it has nothing to do with King’s performance or the cartoon. I love the song because it is my favorite performance by the Dresden Dolls when they covered it on their dvd, “Paradise.”
Carole King’s version sounds very sweet. Her voice is soft and velvety for the most part, but every once in awhile there’s a little crack that is very unappealing. I’m not sure if it’s meant to be endearing or not, but I’m not a fan of it because it sounds like she can’t hit her high notes. This is a seasoned musician we’re talking about who has had several hit songs over the decades, so I’m not sure I believe that she’s having trouble hitting her notes. I’ve never seen “Really Rosie” so I’m not sure if it’s meant to be a flaw of the character, but it’s definitely a possibility. Especially considering the plot.
The song also features the character of Pierre repeating the phrase, “I don’t care.” The child’s voice is very unappealing as well but I’m sure that is intentional. The child doesn’t care about anything and is a nuisance for much of the song. The annoying voice matches the personality of the annoying child.
When the Dresden Dolls performed the song in Boston 30 years later, the moral was the same! Amanda Palmer’s voice isn’t as sweet and velvety as King’s; instead her deep voice gives her a more “real” sound. What really makes this performance is drummer Brian Viglione and you really must see the video of this particular live performance to get the full experience. Viglione plays the role of the child so well! It makes it that much better that he’s pounding on the drums as he sings, just as this little boy would probably be doing.
Palmer’s voice also cracks a bit here and there but being a fan of her work for many years, I’ve come to notice that it’s just her style. She goes back and forth from a strong delivery to a more submissive one.
Viglione definitely adds more to the character of Pierre with as much facial expression and body language his kit allows him to display. I love that the inflection of his voice changes in different situations, which King did not convey in her version. My favorite part of the song is when the lion is the one who says “I don’t care,” which Viglione practically roars into the mic.
Palmer and Viglione have lots of chemistry, as I’ve mentioned in a previous blog. This is very apparent if you notice the way they look at each other and play off each other throughout the entire performance. Another favorite part of mine is the way they harmonize at the end! They work so well together and it shows greatly in this performance!
If I hadn’t heard/seen the Dresden Dolls’ performance of “Pierre,” this song would mean nothing to me. Even though Carole King’s version is the original, it is very unimpressive. The Dresden Dolls pull off such a great performance of this cover though that it has become probably my favorite song by them. Brian Viglione definitely makes this song what it is!
“Pierre” – Carole King
“Pierre” – The Dresden Dolls [unfortunately the audio/visual is off, but you have to see the performance to appreciate the song!]
“Pierre” – The Dresden Dolls’ version matched with “Really Rosie”