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Watch (or not): Kelly Clarkson covers “Seven Nation Army”
By Alex Young on October 7th, 2009 in
We have nothing against Kelly Clarkson. But after the following video so abruptly ruined our morning of Mountain Goats’ performing, Kraftwerk’s planning, and Pavement’s curating, it’s tough not to poke fun or, at the very least, laugh out loud.
Yes, kids, that’s because the former American Idol winner thought it would be a good idea — who knows why — to cover The White Stripes’ song “Seven Nation Army” during a performance in Connecticut this past weekend (via Idolator). Unfortunately, the word good only extends that far, because once you click “play” and hear Clarkson’s vocals (which at times are nothing more than screams) and the overly blaring horns, it’s time to cringe. At least the guy playing guitar gets into it..
And if that wasn’t enough, Clarkson apparently also busted out the song at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom last night along with covers of The Black Keys’ “Lie” and Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody”. Here’s hoping those videos are a bit more watchable…
Update: Courtesy of Spin, we now have Clarkson’s covers of Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody” (w/ Alanis Morissette’s “That I Would Be Good”) and The Black Keys’ “Lie”. Get them below.
TAGGED AS: Jack White, Kelly Clarkson, The White Stripes
comments (32)
she has a huge butt!
I never liked the song, but at least Clarkson made it sound passable.
She is not screaming in that cover. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Just because it’s a female, she’s automatically screaming when she sings rock.
I went and found her cover of “Lies” on youtube before you updated your post with the vids, and all I can say is WOW! I liked the White Stripes cover but “Lies” was just as good, and so was her Alanis/ Kings of Leon cover. I had no idea this chick was this good. On one of the youtube videos of Seven Nation Army, someone posted audio they got from the NY show, and it sounds like a studio recording, and clear as a bell. After listening to the audio, if you still think all she does is scream, then you need to get your ears checked boy.Here is the sudio if anyone is interested:
critics……always having to make a choice
and they spell lose loosely.
Were you just trying to get more hits with that contrary review? You know, get people riled up. ‘Cause the way you talked about it, I thought my ears would bleed, so I HAD to listen to it. And you know what, it’s not half bad. In fact, I thought the spin she put on it was kinda cool. She can really sing, too. Kudos to the formula pop chick for singing something decent.
Wow, get off your high horse! Glamorizing?! Are you serious… I get that you revere White Stripes, and yeah, her style is more Pop-Rock than rock. But still, don’t sneer at Pop-Rock, there’s a long and respectable history in that genre, which includes the Beatles. Kelly did some damn decent covers. Good for her.
I think Kelly Clarkson is awesome. She is a true artist. She loves all kinds of music, and is creative with her covers. I have seen her in concert, and she is so amazing live. She does amazing covers of Patsy Cline, Patty Griffin, and Rod Stewart. I am seeing her in Atlantic City this Saturday night. I will let you know if I enjoy her new covers. I know I will love them because she is THAT good. She is an amazing artist no matter what you believe. Kelly rocks!
yeah so i have to agree with everyone else here. the performance wasn’t the white stripes but it was pretty good. you said you don’t have anything against kelly clarkson but clearly you do because you’re offended by the fact she covered this song but what’s the point of being in music if you can’t enjoy music outside of what made you famous and clearly she enjoys some white stripes along with myself and yes mick she has some big thighs but i would climb right between them.
Sounds like someone’s being a bit of a music snob….I’m not a Kelly Clarkson fan, but if I had gone to this concert for whatever reason, I’d have been like, “YEAH!” Come on, if we’re ever gonna build a decent music community we have to stop with all of this snobbery. I think it’s awesome that someone from the “other spectrum” of music likes the White Stripes. There’s the link that makes music lovers just that, people who love music, regardless of style preferences. Stop with the arrogance.
r u d e ! i LOVE the white stripes cover. the original is perfect but she gave a great version. i think your so off!
I thought I was missing something when I hit play after reading this! I’m in agreement with everyone else. Nothing outstanding, but not bad, either. Certainly not cringe-worthy.
Not once during that song are her vocals “at times are nothing more than screams.”
Haha, this is the first time I think I’ve ever seen so many people in agreement in response to a blog post.
“…it is over glamorized to the point where it loose all meaning and intensity.”
so putting her own spin on the song takes away meaning and intensity?
songs mean something different to everyone, no two people will ever agree 100% on what a certain song means to them. maybe it took it away for you because you might be more into the garage rock sound of the white stripes and the vines. whatever. it’s your opinion. but don’t write about it like it was terrible (which it wasn’t) when it simply didn’t fit your taste. if you want to put your opinion, by all means do it, but also add an objective part otherwise it takes away from the article.
review the song on its own merits separate from your taste. i actually liked this cover, and i usually recoil at white stripes covers (caused by the trauma of joss stone covering fell in love with a girl). it doesn’t take away meaning and intensity, it just creates a new one. It’s like saying A Perfect Circle’s version of John Lennon’s Imagine is terrible, when they simply adapted it to fit their style and made a great a song out of it. The way I see it, that makes you very creative. Anyone can cover a song just like it is. All you have to do is learn your part. It takes some creative thinking, though, to adapt it and successfully make it into your own version. Kudos to Kelly.
Seriously, what on Earth are you talking about? Sounds fine to me, especially since it’s probably a crummy camera or phone recording. Bet it sounded great live!
Ahhh… no. Im a pretty big White Stripes fan, and I think its good. It aint great, but its below standered for her.
Im not saying you’re wrong cuz everyone should have thier own opianian but… yeah
Holy Hell does she have some big thighs on her…
There’s no Use Somebody posted
Alex, I understand that your skepticism stems from the fact that she came from a more poppy background. But if you’re willing to put your prejudices aside, I encourage you to listen to her covers of Up to the Mountain, Lies, Piece of My Heart and Shelter. Kelly Clarkson is as authentic as they come. Trust me, I know an artist when I see/hear one, and I would even go as far as to say that Kelly Clarkson’s repertoire and songwriting talent are at par with the White Stripes. There I said it. Whew, it never felt better. Seriously, just go check out her catalog of songs such as Chivas, Maybe, Sober, Addicted, Irvine, Haunted, and Hear Me.
It’s honestly not bad, and that’s coming from someone who’s favorite band is The White Stripes.
that video clip has some weird echoing effect defect to it. It doesn’t sound right. If you go to youtube and watch the one from NYC, it sounds so much better.
I thought she did a great cover. She made it her own. She and her music director was creative enough to put their own touches to the song. She’s definitely has one of the strongest vocals in the music right now.
Haha, for the first few seconds I thought the guitar player was Trey Anastasio. I didn’t think it was THAT bad, though. The thought of Kelly Clarkson doing it is a little strange, but like Rhonda said, it’s a cover. So whatever. I think it sounds cool with the horns.
Why are you trashing this? It sounds pretty great. Kelly Clarkson is one of the few pop stars I have no trouble with.
Cringe-inducing? Wow. I get that Kelly Clarkson isn’t everyone’s thing, but the vitriol you direct her way seems oddly disproportionate with the quality of her performance. I thought she sounded fine; quite good, actually.
i thought it sounded great. keep in mind it is a cover song, so she put her own spin on the song. she apparently has great taste in music if she is covering the white stripes and the black keys.
Wow, that’s eerie. I was just going to post essentially the same thing. I guess good Carls think alike.
I thought Kelly Clarkson was one of those pop stars that hipsters loved to say they liked in order to prove that their tastes aren’t limited to indie rock. I could take her or leave her, but I don’t think this cover is that terrible.
Didn’t Alabama or Oak Ridge Boys cover this, too? Maybe one day we’ll have enough material for a country tribute to 7 Nation Army!
I think she sounded amazing!! Shut up stupid reviewer. Like Carl said “she rocked the hell out of that song” !!!!!
Sounds fine to me. I thought she rocked the hell out of that song. From the songs I’ve ever heard from her, I didn’t think she could wail like that. Now I have to go search youtube for the Black Keys song, because I can’t picture that either.
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