I'd go the whole wide world...

Like pretty much everyone who saw Stranger Than Fiction, I fell in love with this old punk classic. It has been covered over the years by various musicians, and all these different versions got me thinking about how many ways there are of presenting/playing with a single idea.
The thing is, I like all of these, and I'm not the kind of purist who insists that the original is best and should be left alone. I think once you put something out there, a creation of whatever kind -- music, art, fiction -- what have you, then it becomes available for others to become inspired by and perhaps to expand on. No creation is static, and everything is open to interpretation.

Version 1: a melodic and wonderfully accented take by the Proclaimers



Version 2: German punk band Die Toten Hosen, doing it hardcore and in the spirit of Wreckless Eric's original (excuse the bit of rudeness in the beginning)



and Version 3: Will Ferrel's sweetly awkward rendition, one of my favorite moments on film.



Which is your favorite??

4 comments:

Stephanie Perkins said...

Eek! I love you!

Wreckless Eric's "Whole Wide World" is on, like, EVERY playlist I make, and it's all because of that scene in Stranger Than Fiction -- so romantic and sexy and sweet. I ADORE it!

Thank you so much for sharing these other versions. I honest-to-goodness love them all (but that German one is particularly wicked great).

Gahhhh, you are so cool.

lily green said...

Steph, the love is totally mutual!
I have seen tons of great movies and read several fab books thanks to your most excellent recommendations. (I just got a bunch of Mary Stewart + Katie Fforde from the library because of your comment at Laini's.)
If you haven't already, you should do a "best songs" blog post -- your playlists sound like they would rock!

Stephanie Perkins said...

Thank you SO MUCH for helping me with my blog today. Oh my goodness!! I feel such an incredible sense of relief and gratitude. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Endlessly.

I hope you enjoy the Mary Stewart and Katie Fforde. Katie is a leetle on the Romance Novel/sexy side, so please don't think less of me when you read her ;) I just can't resist an English romance.

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to be Maggie in that film. Perfection. And yes, these tunes did add to her perfection.

Post a Comment