r/funny • u/Jezzaq94 • 1d ago
Is this the worst cover ever? (Puddle of Mudd covering Nirvana)
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u/HubrisOfApollo 1d ago
i unmuted thinking it couldn't be that bad...
it really was that bad
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u/cantmicro 1d ago
Nothing prepared me for that. There should have been some warning!
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u/TedTheGreek_Atheos 1d ago edited 1d ago
The face he makes and way the says "fit this shoe" and "have a clue" makes me laugh every time I see this. Freeeeeeeee fucking nerd lol
He thinks the trick to singing this song is singing badly but there's no emotion in it, just terrible singing and stupid faces.
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u/HubrisOfApollo 1d ago
it's definitely funnier on mute just watching his dumb expressions
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u/Dry-Translator406 1d ago
After the third watch I had tears in my eyes 🤣 I thought he was going to cough up a lung.
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u/Junkhead_88 1d ago
If he sang this with even half the emotion Kurt did it probably would have sounded okay. The whole essence of Kurt's sound was the emotional squealing that made his voice crack. This is what it sounds like when you try to fake it.
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u/F3n1x_ESP 1d ago
It still wouldn't sound good. Kurt at least could hit the notes he was supposed to hit. This is just a mess.
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u/hamfist_ofthenorth 1d ago edited 1d ago
this version is one of the funniest things my stoner brain has ever seen on the internet, where every time he hits a high note, it slows down exponentially and warps his face.
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u/EatMoreKale1 1d ago
Oh I'm fuckin dead, you were not kidding. I should not have opened this at work. I have tears in my eyes, that is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
My giggle box has imploded.
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u/lexm 1d ago
I am not particularly knowledgeable about PoM. Is the singer always tone deaf or is it just this tune?
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u/HubrisOfApollo 1d ago
he always had a strained sort of singing voice, similar to nickleback, but i think him trying to emulate Kurt really throws off any sort of pitch he thinks he has
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u/kooleynestoe 1d ago
He’s just ruined his voice by singing like that over the years. He can’t even do his own songs anymore. He used to sound good.
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u/Late_Recommendation9 1d ago
He was Nu Metal’s Kurt Cobain - as in Fred Durst, then the vice president of interscope records, lest we forget that bizarre moment in music history, thought Mr Mudd, or whatever the fuck his name is, was the new Kurt Cobain.
I don’t mean to do Fred Durst down as he’s aged into a decent guy, and he put out that incredible first Cold album, but yes… this…
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u/TheIndieArmy 1d ago
Honest question for the musicians out there, is it just the vocals that are bad?
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u/AmericanLich 1d ago
The singer, Wes, damaged his voice way back. If you watch some live performances of Blurry from the early 2000s he was able to sing to some extent.
When this was made he wasn’t able to sing in his own voice, let alone Kurt’s.
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u/_2_Scoops_ 1d ago
That definitely sounds like he's sick or lost his voice. I've had that happen before a show and it sucks that your body set you up to fail. I'm just glad it wasn't recorded and put online for people to shit on.
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u/hpdefaults 1d ago
I know it sounds like that but the dude is genuinely just a bad singer. He's been caught lip-syncing in live shows multiple times, the backlash was so bad that the band deleted their Facebook page at one point. The only reason he's famous at all is because he was "discovered" by Fred Durst, which should tell you all you need to know.
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u/Ambitious-Sound-6109 1d ago
I think most singers though after realizing “oh shit, this sucks” after the first high note, would’ve brought it down an octave or something.
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u/Red-Eat 1d ago
The way he's singing reminds me of Eric Cartman from an episode of South Park
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u/youafterthesilence 1d ago
I've seen Puddle of Mudd live so I think I had a pretty good idea how bad it could be 😂😬
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u/KGrizzle88 1d ago
Same, but I made it to worst cover ever, unmuted, gave that face from the meme of the guy removing the headphones, went back to finish the title, and realized this is a well established band that did this. Puddle of shite more like it.
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u/Spearfish90 1d ago
Didn’t know what I was expecting but damn it’s bad
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u/damaszek 1d ago
Don't they rehearse? Damn, haven't they thought about tuning down like two steps or something?
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u/smokeeater150 1d ago
To quote a music industry legend, “I’ve heard cats fuck with better harmony”
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u/Froggn_Bullfish 1d ago
No way, I refuse to believe there isn’t a more reasonable explanation - it sounds like he must have completely blown out his voice before the gig.
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u/Sir_Loin_Cloth 1d ago
I heard that was actually the case. This was an early performance in the day during a strenuous tour. Not a POM fan, nor do I know if it's true but I'll give him some grace. Not everyone is at their best all the time.
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u/baconbag90 1d ago
If you cover a song, play and sing in your own style. If you mimic the original style, that's just karaoke
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u/taintosaurus_rex 1d ago
That is what I have argued for years, I'm known for saying that I hate covers but I also enjoy re-imagined songs. People will show me a cover and say "they sound exactly like the original" and my argument is "then what's the point, the original still exists, I'll just go listen to it". But if you rewrite the song with a new sound and give it new life, then you're reminding people of the original, while giving people a reason to listen to both. My favorite covers are the ones you don't even realize are covers at first. Change the genre, tempo, key, emotion, or just the general vibe and possibly meaning (Johnny Cash- hurt), make it you song, even if it's not as good.
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u/PaticusGnome 1d ago
A song that can be covered well in many different ways is a testament to how well it was written. Good music has a way of transcending genres.
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u/taintosaurus_rex 1d ago
This is why I'm really a big fan of rock and metal. They can scream their lungs out, thrash some distorted guitars, and beat the shit out of drums and make great music. Then turn around sing the same song acoustically and it's still a great song, sometimes better. I'm not sure I've seen it tried but I don't know if you could do the opposite with many country songs. Same with songs by Halsey. I learned that I liked Halsey because I'd unknowingly hear a cover of her song and when I looked it up I'd learn she sang it first. This happened like 5 times and I was like "I guess I'll just add her to my Playlist". This is also why I loved the "x" goes "y" CDs from the 2000s, but YouTube has kind of beat that horse into a pulp, especially after it worked so well for I Prevail.
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u/johnnycoxxx 1d ago
“All along the watchtower” by Hendrix. “The man who sold the world” nirvana unplugged. “Across the universe” Fiona Apple. That’s what I think of when I think of good covers. They sound like they were written by the artists covering them. Cakes “I will survive” is another great example. Make it yours.
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u/thatsingingguy 1d ago
I have a whole playlist of covers I think are as good as or better than the originals:
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u/2drinkornot 1d ago
Yep. Like this Lose Yourself cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S70xek3x4ro&list=RDS70xek3x4ro&start_radio=1
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u/mk4_wagon 1d ago
This rules! And works surprisingly well in the country/bluegrass style.
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u/2drinkornot 1d ago
Hell yea! She does such a great job with it. So much passion and really makes you appreciate the lyrics even more.
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u/FredFredrickson 1d ago
This is exactly how I felt when Weezer covered Africa. Just a worse version of the original.
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u/bigtcm 1d ago
This is exactly my wife's sentiment.
And also why we walked down the aisle together to "I want to dance with somebody", covered by David Byrne.
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u/Syon1024 1d ago
My favorite cover like this has always been Mr. Sandman by SYML: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whn08lQQXVA
Turns the entire song around from a happy, poppy tune about finding your love, in to a dark, stalker-esque song.
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u/jamma_mamma 1d ago
Nine Inch Nails has a really good cover of Hurt.
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u/taintosaurus_rex 1d ago
I can't tell if you're joking, but if not NIN wrote Hurt, Jonny cash covered it.
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u/jamma_mamma 1d ago
Nope, I'm just apparently dumb as shit lol. Makes a lot of sense now that you mention it.
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u/taintosaurus_rex 1d ago
Lol all good. A lot of people assume the same because Johnny cash is more well known and older.
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u/Fidodo 1d ago
This is a different style. The Nirvana version was good. This one is horrible. See? Different style.
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u/davery67 1d ago
Exactly. If you're going to cover, you need to bring something to it to make it more than the bar band version.
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u/DemonOfTheFaIl 1d ago
Ya, that's crucial. Sturgil Simpson covered Nirvana's In Bloom and he fucking killed it. I don't even like country music.
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u/CaptainWolfgang 1d ago
https://youtu.be/QzEtsAsxcqg?is=0uXqbmLjayksJY0j
Like Jose Feliciano covering Sting (although this one was pretty bad too)
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u/styroxmiekkasankari 1d ago
Honestly Nirvana songs aren’t particularly great for covers either way. The songs were carried by Cobain’s talent and charm imo.
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u/TheTeddyGrimm 1d ago
It’s puddle of mudd, this is “their” style. He’s always tried to be Kurt without the talent, originality, or charisma
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u/nickfree 1d ago
It's less of a cover and more of a really terrible Kurt Cobain impression.
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u/Kind-Feeling2490 1d ago edited 8h ago
After the suicide.
Edit: Thanks for the awards lol. First comment I ever had that got any!
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u/dtwhitecp 1d ago
it sounds like he is extremely wasted, and also a shitty singer, and doing a Kurt Cobain impression
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u/mattogeewha 1d ago
One of my fav comments on this video was “this sounds like if Kurt survived the shotgun blast
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u/MasterTabion 1d ago
Yes
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u/Cuentacero 1d ago
Yes yes
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u/33253325 1d ago
If not full yes.... I need evedance of the not.
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u/Anonywest 1d ago
Is that when you dance right before something is about to happen?
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u/DefinitelyNotAliens 1d ago
I saw the title and thought, "no, the worst cover ever is Puddle of Mudd doing Nirvana" and then it was that cover so... yeah. They're right. Worst cover ever.
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u/Madarakita 1d ago
I mean, I possess a great dislike of The Exies' cover of "Once in a Lifetime", but at least the guy in that band doesn't sound like he's trying to push a coconut out his ass.
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u/ADeformedPoolboy 1d ago
Thanks. I chuckled very loudly in my plant meeting 🤣 everyone looked at me. They looked mad at me. Gonna put my phone away now.
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u/EIDuderino 1d ago
He's covering two Nirvana songs at once: "About a Girl", and "Aneurysm" apparently
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u/DrewVonFinntroll 1d ago
This performance always confused me. Puddle of Mudd arent exactly rock n roll hall of fame material, but they are a professional rock band. Obviously the key he is trying to do this in is out of his range, but he should know enough to know that. He should be perfectly capable of singing it within his range, and it would have been fine. What went wrong here?
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u/youafterthesilence 1d ago
If you look up their history... Professional may be technically correct but barely 😂 I've seen them live twice opening for other bands and once he was so drunk he barely got through- but we were lucky compared to how he's ended other shows. Even in the show where he was presumably sober and playing a pretty normal set it was... Not good. Even if his voice used to be better he hasn't done anything to try and maintain it that's for sure.
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u/PurpleTough5302 1d ago
I think I watched them and the Meat Puppets opened up for them. When Muddle of Pudd came out and played he was grinding his teeth so bad when he was singing he was clearly on a lot of coke or something. Not a good show
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u/KitchenFullOfCake 1d ago
As someone who really liked Puddle of Mudd back in the day, the answer is that the lead singer's brain is mostly alcohol.
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u/SuperPotatoThrow 1d ago
Definitely not my favorite band or anything, they are kinda ok. But here I think he just wanted to be Kurt Cobain really bad lol.
I seen the video when it came out, the other members reaction as you watch the entire video is priceless.
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u/bxmxc_vegas 22h ago
No. The worst cover of all time is Lil Uzi Vert covering chop suey.
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u/pryan37bb 1d ago
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u/outofbeta 1d ago
I prefer this version https://youtu.be/mVydNw-LMQM?si=nU_EBL26gY4wquEn
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u/__kitten_mittons__ 1d ago
Every time I'm having a kind of bummer day or maybe not feeling very good, I play this and tears immediately well in my eyes. Its the funniest damn video, and I love that I can't even try to explain it to people without wheezing. I'm so glad it exists.
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u/Successful_Mode_4023 1d ago
LAAAA NEE NEH
ISSA FREN!
IE DOW!
WADDA, HEKDOO LEN
IE DOW, MAKE IOU
FITHI SUE!!! 🗣️🔥🔥🔥
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u/openingdoom 1d ago
I used to wondering why Reddit automatically mutes videos now, and then I watched this and realized the algorithm was just trying to protect my remaining brain cells
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u/thewildbeej 1d ago
I still rather listen to this over Kid Rock ripping off Lynyrd Skynyrd
edit: Oh shit, I've apparently offended one of the four Kid Rock fans still left.
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u/Radiant_Waves 1d ago
Good thing most Kid Rock fans can’t read or you’d have even more downvotes.
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u/thewildbeej 1d ago
I think they're all at a Budweiser boycott probably drinking warm milk.
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u/TylerBlozak 1d ago
It was also a ripoff of Warren Zevon too
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u/thewildbeej 1d ago
the biggest sin of all to be honest. I like to forget he tied his name to Zevon's in this unholiest of incestuous unions.
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u/InevitabilityEngine 1d ago
There was someone nearby pushing a trash bin with a bad wheel and when the video ended I thought it was him still singing.
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u/Ok_Tiger_3329 20h ago
Sounds like a version Beavis would have done....and he probably would have done it better.
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u/fentown 1d ago
Yes it's bad.
At the same time, I wonder if he did this on purpose so people would stop asking him to cover Nirvana because they sounded similar.
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u/g_r_e_y 1d ago
i can't imagine any lead singer of a band performing this poorly on purpose, for reasons of hubris alone
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u/TheRealChesterSlick 1d ago
Why isn't this AI? Why did one of my fellow humans actually record themselves doing this?
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u/Sola-Nova 1d ago
A cover so bad that it gave everyone who listened to it at the time Covid. The dates line up.
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u/RandomUser72 1d ago
I present Avril Lavigne covering Chop Suey for consideration: https://youtu.be/rXofYXDwRK8?is=eWoUB6fjjZ5PwQbw
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u/mrbeavertonbeaverton 1d ago
The random person yelling “WHAT??” In the crowd just fucking sent me over the edge lmao
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u/Kythorian 1d ago
I’m pretty sure she didn’t even know half the words of the song, which is at least funny. The OP cover is just bad in a really boring way.
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u/MrSmilingDeath 1d ago
I prefer when artists sing in their own style when covering another artist's work. It usually just sounds strange when they try to emulate the original as close as they can.
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u/TheClassics 1d ago
This is what happens when you don’t learn enough about music to transpose the song into a key that’s comfortable for your vocal range.
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u/Commentator-X 1d ago
It's like he is trying to emulate Curt's voice but it comes off so bad it's like he's making fun of it.
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u/V3r1G3r1 7h ago
It's PoM... they have been terrible since day 1. I remember them winning a Battle of the Bands in KC to get a record deal. Couldn't believe they won and then somehow had a hit song.
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u/ForAte151623ForTeaTo 1d ago
It's funny, because Puddle of Mudd does remind me of Nirvana sometimes. But goddamn wtf is going on with him here?
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u/toorudez 1d ago
This cover is definitely missing some post production. Like muting his microphone.
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u/WillemDafoesHugeCock 1d ago edited 1d ago
You're laughing. The poor guy's Lovense is malfunctioning and you're laughing.
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u/1stcitizenTex 1d ago
Up until now I had no clue this existed. Life was blissful. Now the morning is Grey and cold. Why did you do this to me?
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u/ljanus245 23h ago
His face looks more like: "I really need to poo. I can't, and don't know what to do !"
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u/MetalSpider 2h ago
I thought he was taking the piss. This is how I sing when I'm trying to make people laugh.
Is... Is he singing this in earnest?
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u/Error_Loading_Name 1h ago
And they had some big songs in the late 90s / early 00s (looking at Blurry as one of my all-time favourites and She Hates Me as a fun song to go off) so I expected more.
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u/wigglex5plusyeah 1d ago
Why am I the first to post the reading rainbyeee version?
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u/MrMayhem3 1d ago
When I first heard this group long ago I thought he sounded a lot like Cobain. I was really really wrong.
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u/ChaseBank5 1d ago
The sound upset my cat and he doesn't ever react to any music.
So yeah, this is super bad. And I actually like Puddle of Muds original songs.
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u/Blikenave 1d ago
When you consider all the beginner guitarists that can barely hold a pick, who play untuned-guitars and learn Nirvana power chords as their first attempt to fumble around with music... then yes this is still the worst cover ever.
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u/fade2black244 1d ago edited 1d ago
The dude strained his voice, sounds like. He's done that cover many, many times. It's not like he can't hit the notes. Probably wanted notoriety. His band has been struggling for years.
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u/simadana 1d ago
I remember when PoM broke onto the scene, people were calling them the next Nirvana. That’s like a death sentence to someone’s career
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u/PunxsutawnyFil 1d ago
It's kind of surprising that it's so bad cus he sounds remarkably similar to Kurt in some of their songs and I dont remember him being bad when I saw them in concert almost 20 years ago
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u/benkenjiman 1d ago
I’ve gone back-and-forth between this one and MGK covering aerials for worst cover of all time. They’re both just so awful. At least Wes Scantlin has addressed this and knows it was awful too.
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u/50millionFreddy 1d ago
This was one of the things that cheered me up and made me laugh during COVID lockdowns. Cheers to them.
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u/joebojax 1d ago
if there is only one right answer its this for sure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXgXviYAgPg&list=RDpXgXviYAgPg&start_radio=1
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u/ProjectDv2 14h ago
The worst cover? I'm sorry, but I've seen Jose Feliciano covering Sing's "Every Breath You Take" whole watching Sing to through the five stages of grief in real time. But...yeah, don't do a Cobain impression when covering his songs. Just sing it your own way. This was just disrespectful.
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