18. Wild Flowers vs. You

[stip]

I can't find the Xmas single version, but here is the Wild Flowers cover live

[stip]

I REALLY like the simple cover of Wild Flowers on the Xmas single. I listen to it all the time. Such a lovely, vulnerable performance that manages to be almost reverent while not losing its campfire accessibility. Just a great performance


You is worse then Hitchhiker. Quit possibly their worst song in the catalog for me. I genuinely don't like it, and would never play it. A great example of a song trying to sound casual that just feels like it smacks of effort. They do a much better job playing in the space a few albums later. It sucks.

[The Town]

U

And it's easily a middle of the pack, good song.

[PHATJ]

U

And it's easily a middle of the pack, good song.

Also, stip, why do you have this listed as “You” instead of “U”?

[mkay0]

They played U at Wrigley in 2018, and I vividly remember thinking it was a really solid pop song. Underrated by the band and fans - solidly in the middel.

Wildflowers is a decent cover of a hall of fame song. Barely rates for me.

[digster]

So I go back and forth on when I'd choose a cover over an original, but I think part of it needs to be that the band (or Eddie) needs to be adding something to it to justify its own existence. Sometimes that's apparent, like them turning Again Today from a folk song into a punk song, but even something like Someday at Xmas, when the arrangement's pretty similar to the original, the band's approach just turns into something of their own.

The problem with Wild Flowers is that, while it's a good listen, everything I like about it is due to the song and the few things I don't like about it are because of Eddie. It just seems strange to vote for it when the song is doing all the heavy lifting, even if I like the song more than U. And U is a fun song, lightweight and carefree; both it and Leatherman have a bit of the lightness to them that comes when a band knows it's cutting a B-side as opposed to an album centerpiece and can relax.

[epilogue]

U

And it's easily a middle of the pack, good song.

Also, stip, why do you have this listed as “You” instead of “U”?

Technically, two different songs. Or different versions of the same song but with critical lyrical changes.

Actually, U and You should both have been in this.

[epilogue]

Wildflowers is one of my favorite songs of all time. I don't have any special affection for Ed's cover of it. But the song itself is perfect. I'm going to vote for it here but understand I'm voting for the song itself and not Ed's version specifically.

Also, U is amazing. If U was the opponent instead of You, I would be voting the other way.

[The Town]

What is You on and what is U on?

I see on Discogs that Lost Dogs has You on the back of the CD but U on the CD itself.
https://www.discogs.com/release/546755-Lost-Dogs/images

The Wishlist single has U
https://www.discogs.com/release/378650-Wishlist/images

I think I'm only familiar with Lost Dogs and always thought of it as U

[podunk]

Wild flowers is a nice enough Eddie cover that doesn’t really distinguish itself from all the other nice enough Eddie solo covers. Would like to hear his covers album someday if he makes one. I guess I could make up my own from all the various recordings out there.

You or U is a song I really like. For years I thought it was a neat little love song, but lately I’ve been thinking that it is a bit of a diss at a selfish partner:

You with you, with you it’s always you...

2000 tour has some good versions.

[epilogue]

U is the original Wishlist single version.

You is the altered version on Lost Dogs with different lyrics and vocals. And maybe other slight differences, too.?

[The Town]

U is the original Wishlist single version.

You is the altered version on Lost Dogs with different lyrics and vocals. And maybe other slight differences, too.?

I've tracked down the Wishlist single version and yeah they sound difference.
Very similar but you can immediately tell them apart.

After a cursory listen I wouldn't treat them as two separate songs for this tournament though.

[epilogue]

U is the original Wishlist single version.

You is the altered version on Lost Dogs with different lyrics and vocals. And maybe other slight differences, too.?

I've tracked down the Wishlist single version and yeah they sound difference.
Very similar but you can immediately tell them apart.

After a cursory listen I wouldn't treat them as two separate songs for this tournament though.

Nah, I wouldn't really do that either. I was being silly about that. Mostly because we've had long debates about the two versions in the past. Just good fun.

[VinylGuy]

i loooooove You. Works great as a b side, and that jam at the end is fucking great.

[epilogue]

i loooooove You. Works great as a b side, and that jam at the end is fucking great.

Totally. It's a great song.

[Jaeti]

U.

I've always liked it.

[Stardog Champion]

U/You

Either way, it's just fun. WF is a fine Petty song. I just don't really need an EV version of it.

[Bammer]

Never heard of “You”

Not on the PJ Stat Tracker app

Doesn’t count

Come on stip. U

[stip]

U

And it's easily a middle of the pack, good song.

Also, stip, why do you have this listed as “You” instead of “U”?

you is the lost dogs spelling, isn’t it?

[stip]

So I go back and forth on when I'd choose a cover over an original, but I think part of it needs to be that the band (or Eddie) needs to be adding something to it to justify its own existence. Sometimes that's apparent, like them turning Again Today from a folk song into a punk song, but even something like Someday at Xmas, when the arrangement's pretty similar to the original, the band's approach just turns into something of their own.

The problem with Wild Flowers is that, while it's a good listen, everything I like about it is due to the song and the few things I don't like about it are because of Eddie. It just seems strange to vote for it when the song is doing all the heavy lifting, even if I like the song more than U. And U is a fun song, lightweight and carefree; both it and Leatherman have a bit of the lightness to them that comes when a band knows it's cutting a B-side as opposed to an album centerpiece and can relax.

good observation regarding voting for covers.