Top 5 Radio and Performance Covers
Hello and welcome to the seventh edition of Soshified’s “The Best of the Best”, a monthly look into the best examples from categories of just about anything related to Girls’ Generation. This month’s “The Best of the Best” will be slightly different in that it will be me, bhost909, choosing the top five instead of JeremyJay22. Other than that, the “The Best of the Best” will be exactly the same! As decided by your votes last month, I listed my favorite Girls’ Generation radio and performance covers and the reasons why, and also included videos of the song covers after each pick to help you decide if you agree or if you think I’m just plain crazy. It can be tough to choose, but please be sure to let me know in the comments what would have been in your own top five! Finally, this feature is all about what you want to see, so don’t forget to vote in the poll to determine what category I’ll be tearing my hair out over for next month’s “The Best of the Best”. Now that all that’s done, here we go with this month’s Top Five.
5. Heaven - Jessica and Tiffany
Perhaps the most well-known duet by Girls’ Generation’s resident English speakers, Jessica and Tiffany’s “Heaven” begins the list of my favorite covers by Girls’ Generation. Originally sung by Bryan Adams in 1983, “Heaven” has since been covered by many popular artists, a list which Jessica and Tiffany joined in 2008. Appearing on Mnet’s “Madam B Salon”, the two performed their own touching version of the power ballad. While Jessica’s voice is higher-pitched, soft and sweet voice, Tiffany’s is low and husky, and the two meld together to make a unique combination. Jessica displayed a fantastic control over her vocals, while Tiffany was able to show off the strength of her voice. Though they have gone on to perform other amazing duets, such as “Genie in a Bottle” and “Talk To Me”, “Heaven” is still my favorite collaboration between Jessica and Tiffany.
4. Tell Me - Girls’ Generation
In a “Music Bank” special in August of 2008, Girls’ Generation and the Wonder Girls traded songs for a unique set of performance stages. The Wonder Girls covered Girls’ Generation’s “Kissing You”, while Girls’ Generation covered the Wonder Girls’ hit, “Tell Me”. With this performance, Girls’ Generation showed that they had the ability to adapt to nearly any concept, performing a song very different from the ones they had promoted thus far. They altered how lines in the song were distributed, changed the choreography to accommodate nine people instead of the usual five in the Wonder Girls, and gave Hyoyeon the song’s lengthy dance solo. Taeyeon and Jessica, who received the majority of the lines in the song, proved they could take on unfamiliar lyrics even while dancing an unfamiliar choreography, while Hyoyeon and Yuri split the song’s rap. Overall, the vocals of all the members combined with the choreography made “Tell Me” a successful and one of the best covers by Girls’ Generation.
3. I Want You and Resent You - Taeyeon and Jessica
Taeyeon and Jessica’s cover of As One’s “I Want You and Resent You” is next on the list of my favorite covers by Girls’ Generation. Performed just three weeks after their debut in August of 2007, the two demonstrated why they would later become known nationwide as two of Girls’ Generation’s strongest vocalists. Their voices shine both when harmonizing and on their own, as the song showcased Taeyeon’s powerful and soothing voice and Jessica’s amazing control. With “I Want You and Resent You”, Taeyeon and Jessica presented a beautiful cover that showed off their tremendous talents at only eighteen years old.
2. Because You Loved Me - Taeyeon and Seohyun
Girls’ Generation’s leader and maknae haven’t had many chances to sing duets, and with their cover of Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me”, I can’t help but wonder why. On Taeyeon’s Chin Chin Radio in July of 2009, Taeyeon and Seohyun took on a worldwide hit, and delivered a beautiful rendition that blended Taeyeon’s powerful vocals with Seohyun’s gentle voice and flawless harmonies. Their high notes were stunning and despite not singing in Korean, their accents are nearly perfect, showing that Jessica and Tiffany are not the only members who can perform a slow English ballad. Taeyeon and Seohyun’s rich voices both complement each other and fit with the song’s emotional lyrics, making the two a well-chosen pair for a very touching song.
1. Girls’ Generation - Girls’ Generation
It can be easy to forget that “Girls’ Generation”, the title track of Girls’ Generation’s self-titled debut album, is also a cover of a song by legendary vocalist Lee Seungchul. The song that gave one of Korea’s most famous girl groups its name, “Girls’ Generation” was originally released as part of Lee Seungchul’s “마지막 콘서트” album on December 10th, 1989, just five days after Yuri was born. Nearly eighteen years later in November of 2007, Girls’ Generation released their first full length album and made their first comeback performances on various music shows with a reinvented “Girls’ Generation”. What was originally a song as old as six members of Girls’ Generation and performed by a well-known male vocalist became a modernized pop track for nine young women just starting out in the entertainment world. Girls’ Generation transformed this song into their own, complete with a music video, performance outfits, and dance choreography, and would eventually perform “Girls’ Generation” in concerts all around the world. Until another song receives the same treatment, “Girls’ Generation” is Girls’ Generation’s very best cover.
5. Heaven - Jessica and Tiffany
Perhaps the most well-known duet by Girls’ Generation’s resident English speakers, Jessica and Tiffany’s “Heaven” begins the list of my favorite covers by Girls’ Generation. Originally sung by Bryan Adams in 1983, “Heaven” has since been covered by many popular artists, a list which Jessica and Tiffany joined in 2008. Appearing on Mnet’s “Madam B Salon”, the two performed their own touching version of the power ballad. While Jessica’s voice is higher-pitched, soft and sweet voice, Tiffany’s is low and husky, and the two meld together to make a unique combination. Jessica displayed a fantastic control over her vocals, while Tiffany was able to show off the strength of her voice. Though they have gone on to perform other amazing duets, such as “Genie in a Bottle” and “Talk To Me”, “Heaven” is still my favorite collaboration between Jessica and Tiffany.
4. Tell Me - Girls’ Generation
In a “Music Bank” special in August of 2008, Girls’ Generation and the Wonder Girls traded songs for a unique set of performance stages. The Wonder Girls covered Girls’ Generation’s “Kissing You”, while Girls’ Generation covered the Wonder Girls’ hit, “Tell Me”. With this performance, Girls’ Generation showed that they had the ability to adapt to nearly any concept, performing a song very different from the ones they had promoted thus far. They altered how lines in the song were distributed, changed the choreography to accommodate nine people instead of the usual five in the Wonder Girls, and gave Hyoyeon the song’s lengthy dance solo. Taeyeon and Jessica, who received the majority of the lines in the song, proved they could take on unfamiliar lyrics even while dancing an unfamiliar choreography, while Hyoyeon and Yuri split the song’s rap. Overall, the vocals of all the members combined with the choreography made “Tell Me” a successful and one of the best covers by Girls’ Generation.
3. I Want You and Resent You - Taeyeon and Jessica
Taeyeon and Jessica’s cover of As One’s “I Want You and Resent You” is next on the list of my favorite covers by Girls’ Generation. Performed just three weeks after their debut in August of 2007, the two demonstrated why they would later become known nationwide as two of Girls’ Generation’s strongest vocalists. Their voices shine both when harmonizing and on their own, as the song showcased Taeyeon’s powerful and soothing voice and Jessica’s amazing control. With “I Want You and Resent You”, Taeyeon and Jessica presented a beautiful cover that showed off their tremendous talents at only eighteen years old.
2. Because You Loved Me - Taeyeon and Seohyun
Girls’ Generation’s leader and maknae haven’t had many chances to sing duets, and with their cover of Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me”, I can’t help but wonder why. On Taeyeon’s Chin Chin Radio in July of 2009, Taeyeon and Seohyun took on a worldwide hit, and delivered a beautiful rendition that blended Taeyeon’s powerful vocals with Seohyun’s gentle voice and flawless harmonies. Their high notes were stunning and despite not singing in Korean, their accents are nearly perfect, showing that Jessica and Tiffany are not the only members who can perform a slow English ballad. Taeyeon and Seohyun’s rich voices both complement each other and fit with the song’s emotional lyrics, making the two a well-chosen pair for a very touching song.
1. Girls’ Generation - Girls’ Generation
It can be easy to forget that “Girls’ Generation”, the title track of Girls’ Generation’s self-titled debut album, is also a cover of a song by legendary vocalist Lee Seungchul. The song that gave one of Korea’s most famous girl groups its name, “Girls’ Generation” was originally released as part of Lee Seungchul’s “마지막 콘서트” album on December 10th, 1989, just five days after Yuri was born. Nearly eighteen years later in November of 2007, Girls’ Generation released their first full length album and made their first comeback performances on various music shows with a reinvented “Girls’ Generation”. What was originally a song as old as six members of Girls’ Generation and performed by a well-known male vocalist became a modernized pop track for nine young women just starting out in the entertainment world. Girls’ Generation transformed this song into their own, complete with a music video, performance outfits, and dance choreography, and would eventually perform “Girls’ Generation” in concerts all around the world. Until another song receives the same treatment, “Girls’ Generation” is Girls’ Generation’s very best cover.