Sunday, February 23, 2014

Three great versions of "Sweet Child o' Mine" (and one terrible one)

1. Zoe Thomson

This went viral last year, shortly after Thomson's group, the Mini Band, earned Metallica's attention for their version of "Enter Sandman." Striking out on her own, Thomson doesn't let anything like being barely big enough to hold a guitar stop her from kicking out the jams. Holding this to the same standards that I hold Slash to, I think Thomson nails it.



2. Michelle Kwan

No, not that Michelle Kwan. I couldn't have told you what a guzheng was until I saw this, but the way she adapts the song here is beautiful, tackling the guitar, bass and vocal melodies in one mind-blowing arrangement.



3. Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox with Miche Braden

Proof that "Sweet Child o' Mine" might be the most universal hard rock song ever, a band that does old school jazz versions of contemporary hits topped themselves covering a song that was neither jazz nor contemporary. Guest singer Miche Braden owns it here, giving it a New Orleans-style makeover that both honors and reinvents the original. 


 
And one terrible one, courtesy of the Step Brothers cast:



Yes, it's supposed to be bad, but that doesn't make it any less painful. Still, better than the version Fergie sang at the Super Bowl.

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