Continuation of off-topic discussions...

[imrae]

Cover version that's better than the original? Easy ...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI

You're in good company on that one, but you're still wrong

(I do actually like both versions.)

[e-crooner]

I can't say whether or not those artists you listed are still innovative or good today. Some of them I have never heard of nor do I know any of the new stuff from those I have heard of. So I can't compare.
It's all white anglo music, not my world.
That also refers to Numan, Ultravox etc. They mean nothing in the genres I like.

Hollis was the head of Talk Talk, yes, but the characteristic keyboard sounds that many people loved Talk Talk for came from Tim Friese-Greene.
What their most successful songs were depends on the country. In much of Europe and in the US their most successful album was It's my Life.

I know the later albums as well, but they lack something in my view, synths. I have always liked the symbiosis of acoustic and electric instruments on the one hand and synths on the other. Hollis' aversion to synths was not very wise...

With me it is the other way round, music is like the wall I hang the pictures of my life on. I don't like the wall for itself.

[BONES]

The Colour of Spring is the only Talk Talk studio album that earned them a gold record. It's My Life only managed silver. And Life's What You Make charted in more territories than It's My Life (single). I'd suggest No Doubt's cover of It's My Life is probably better known than the original. And Tim Friese-Green didn't join until 1983 so all he seems to have done was learn how to play things the way Mark Hollis wanted them played.

[AnX]

I'd suggest No Doubt's cover of It's My Life is probably better known than the original.

but no....

[e-crooner]

The Colour of Spring is the only Talk Talk studio album that earned them a gold record. It's My Life only managed silver. And Life's What You Make charted in more territories than It's My Life (single). I'd suggest No Doubt's cover of It's My Life is probably better known than the original. And Tim Friese-Green didn't join until 1983 so all he seems to have done was learn how to play things the way Mark Hollis wanted them played.

You are only speaking for the UK, in Germany It's my Life did earn them a gold record, Color of Spring not, though.
It's my Life was more popular in some European countries and also in the US.

You are misjudging the role of Greene, who, while never an official member, was crucial for the band's sound, sophistication, and music as such. One can hear the big difference when comparing the first to the second album. The first was just mediocre at best.

[BONES]

Prove it. If you check their discography on Wikipedia, there is no mention of a gold record in Germany, only that the single got to no. 33 on the chart there. There is no chart position for the album in Germany but, on the back of the single's performance, I'd consider it unlikely the album earned gold. Although Such A Shame, which did much better as a single, might have helped.

I find it interesting how often a song that I would have thought didn't do as well as other songs by that artist turns out to have been a much bigger hit. Such A Shame is a really good example of that - it got to no. 2 in Germany, where It's My Life only managed no. 33.

but no....

Actually, the No Doubt version earned two gold records to the original's zero. Even in the UK, No Doubt got to no. 17, where Talk Talk's version only managed no. 46. It was even more pronounced here - 7 v 73.

[AnX]

all about timing and exposure

no doubt we're a much bigger band when they released that here, TT, we're very niche...but that doesn't make the cover better

if you look at the year of release, the amount of copies needed to hit a chart position are very different, much easier once digital downloads count (ie less copies needed)

[BONES]

I don't think that was true when No Doubt released their version. Maybe very slightly but not to the extent it is now.

[AnX]

also, the no doubt version got to 20 in the UK, the talk talk got to 13 when it was rereleased in 1990

talk talk got a silver disc in the UK, no doubt got nothing

[e-crooner]

Prove it. If you check their discography on Wikipedia, there is no mention of a gold record in Germany, only that the single got to no. 33 on the chart there. There is no chart position for the album in Germany but, on the back of the single's performance, I'd consider it unlikely the album earned gold. Although Such A Shame, which did much better as a single, might have helped.

I find it interesting how often a song that I would have thought didn't do as well as other songs by that artist turns out to have been a much bigger hit. Such A Shame is a really good example of that - it got to no. 2 in Germany, where It's My Life only managed no. 33.

but no....

Actually, the No Doubt version earned two gold records to the original's zero. Even in the UK, No Doubt got to no. 17, where Talk Talk's version only managed no. 46. It was even more pronounced here - 7 v 73.

On the German Wiki page on Talk Talk there are tables showing the data for 5 countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, as well as the UK and the US), you don't have to speak German to understand:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk_Talk

[vurt]

the only no doubt song i remember was dont speak.
then she went all hip hop/rnb hollerback girl...

didnt realise there was a middle bit.

[e-crooner]

the only no doubt song i remember was dont speak.
then she went all hip hop/rnb hollerback girl...

didnt realise there was a middle bit.

The No Doubt cover was pretty weak.
I never liked No Doubt, but I like my Rich Hollaback Girl
Yet another fake blonde...

[vurt]

she smells of lard up close.

[BONES]

On the German Wiki page on Talk Talk there are tables showing the data for 5 countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, as well as the UK and the US), you don't have to speak German to understand:

Shit, eh? I'd have assumed that Wikipedia gave the same info in every language. It's strange that it is very different info on the German and English sites, especially as the English site has a separate Discography page. You'd think the info from both sites would be combined over time. I'll tell what else, too, Edge does a great job of translating, it's almost perfect English. That's good because now I am going to have to check both sites for info on everything.

[jancivil]