Video: Smells like phonetic pronunciation

posted at 11:33 pm on August 9, 2007 by Allahpundit

A faithful rendition both in letter and in spirit. If ever there was a song destined to be covered by people who find English unintelligible, this is that song.

Dedicated to Mumbles, who would have worked in an Abu Ghraib reference just to stick it to “the Man.”

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

Trackbacks/Pings

Trackback URL

Comments

Wow, that was… something…

But not bad for a guy who probably has no idea what the hell he’s saying.

Evilwhiteguy on August 9, 2007 at 11:47 PM

Can’t post this without following up with Weird Al.

And of course the originator of Phonetic Punctuation.

- The Cat

MirCat on August 9, 2007 at 11:48 PM

Well they’re no ABBA but then again who is?

Buzzy on August 9, 2007 at 11:53 PM

Well that Rendition was nicely b!st!rdized.

canopfor on August 9, 2007 at 11:55 PM

Well they’re no ABBA but then again who is?

Buzzy on August 9, 2007 at 11:53 PM

I loved ABBA’s sound. Once in a lifetime miracle. Ever heard Louise Tucker?

RushBaby on August 9, 2007 at 11:58 PM

Here we are now entertain us. Remember how angry grunge lyrics were? And that was the “happy” Clinton years.
Rallying cry for a generation of Kossaks.
Though I was a Nirvana fan.I know I wasn’t in their target group, but still.

PowWow on August 10, 2007 at 12:02 AM

Debka? HA is linking Debka? (see headlines)

Purple Fury on August 10, 2007 at 12:05 AM

that song has no choice but to rock, no matter what the performers do

tlynch001 on August 10, 2007 at 12:15 AM

You know, it’s weird, but I can actually understand him better than I ever could understand o” Kurt.

Weight of Glory on August 10, 2007 at 12:19 AM

Easier to understand than the original!

Kevin M on August 10, 2007 at 12:22 AM

Nirvana trivia – Kurt Cobain stole the chord progression for Smells Like Teen Spirit from Boston’s More Than a Feeling. Pretty good vid though, they pretty much had it down.

forged rite on August 10, 2007 at 12:26 AM

Barely connected (except that it involves a seminal ’90s hardcore band, and I found it just after I watched the above video), but here’s Helmet’s Page Hamilton looking very uncomfortable during an interview with a 9/11 truther:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjWdvQT1yGc&NR=1

jic on August 10, 2007 at 12:27 AM

It’s true what they say about rock musicians. A rock musician plays 3 chords in front of 1,000 people. A jazz musician plays 1,000 chords in front of 3 people.

Mojave Mark on August 10, 2007 at 12:29 AM

If a singer can’t hit those notes, they need to give it up. Lame!

nottakingsides on August 10, 2007 at 12:38 AM

I thought they did well. My “english” probably sucks as bad if not worse than his did if I were to scream out lyrics like that.

Guardian on August 10, 2007 at 12:41 AM

Debka? HA is linking Debka? (see headlines)

Purple Fury on August 10, 2007 at 12:05 AM

Has Debka ever accurately reported something newsworthy?

frankj on August 10, 2007 at 12:55 AM

Nirvana trivia – Kurt Cobain stole the chord progression for Smells Like Teen Spirit from Boston’s More Than a Feeling. Pretty good vid though, they pretty much had it down.

forged rite on August 10, 2007 at 12:26 AM

I don’t know about “stole.” Maybe “recycled.” It happens all the time in rock music. Pretty funny, anyway. I never noticed it before.

RightOFLeft on August 10, 2007 at 1:25 AM

I’ve heard a lot worse in China. I’ve also heard some amazing English singing by the Chinese, stuff that sounded as good as the original. These Korean fellows are par for the course in SE Asia.

I’ve also heard a lot worse here in St. Louis.

Mindcrime on August 10, 2007 at 1:28 AM

You want phonetic memorization?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UuFJoexdlU

TBinSTL on August 10, 2007 at 2:53 AM

If you look closely you can see this is not Nirvana. It’s some Japanese group doing a Nirvana song.

Halley on August 10, 2007 at 3:51 AM

It’s true what they say about rock musicians. A rock musician plays 3 chords in front of 1,000 people. A jazz musician plays 1,000 chords in front of 3 people.

Mojave Mark on August 10, 2007 at 12:29 AM

Oh man! I’m stealin’ samplng that and using it on every musician I know.

Great quote!

And here I thought I had “heard ‘em all”.

Thanks for the chuckle.

soundingboard on August 10, 2007 at 5:19 AM

That guy sucks worse than I do, and that is Bad!

I went in to bar in Taiwan to get a beer. A Taiwan brand beer no less.
There were 5 or six tables full of people and of course there was Karaoke going on.
As soon as I got there some one from each table was begging me to sing. I kept telling them that there was no way that I would sing and how better off they were that I did not..

But they just kept pleading. So after about the 4th or 5th 25oz beer I said alright , I’ll sing.
So I sang and before I was finished the song , every one had left the bar.
(That’s how bad I sing)

But, undeterred I just kept turning the page and sang song after song. I had more fun.
I kept going till the bar closed.

TheSitRep on August 10, 2007 at 7:06 AM

Debka? HA is linking Debka?

Don’t try that yourself. Leave it to the professionals.

JiangxiDad on August 10, 2007 at 7:26 AM

Herro, arleady.

bloggless on August 10, 2007 at 8:47 AM

Honestly, not too bad. They’re not exactly forced to live up to Elvis here. Cobain had about the same amount of control of the English language. Regardless, still a Nirvana fan. So the question is: When can we hear Lithium?

MadisonConservative on August 10, 2007 at 8:48 AM

The “best” cover of all time of this was by Weird Al.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixyTNd-Ln38

Love that lyric:

Now Im mumblin and Im screamin
And I dont know what Im singin
Crank the volume, ears are bleedin
I still dont know what Im singin
Were so loud and incoherent
Boy, this oughta bug your parents
Yeah

OBQuiet on August 10, 2007 at 9:16 AM

Man, Cheap Trick looks different these days.

the wolf on August 10, 2007 at 9:23 AM

Geesh. I had to go spin the real thing just to get the bad taste out of my ears. AP, stop this already.

GPE on August 10, 2007 at 9:29 AM

I’m going to see Weird Al tonight with hubby. Yeah!

Even when Nirvana was big I wasn’t a huge fan. In fact, when “Smells Like Teen Spirit” comes on the radio when hubby’s got his station on, I sing the Weird Al lyrics.

ScoopPC11 on August 10, 2007 at 9:33 AM

It’s easier to make out the words than w/ Nirvana’s original.

I can’t listen to the “alternative” station in town – just a bunch of twentysomethings whining about how crappy life is as they live a rock ‘n roll lifestyle with plenty of sex and drugs. One wonders how they would feel if they were actually working a real job.

Q. What has more brains than Kurt Cobain?

A. The wall in his bedroom.

rokemronnie on August 10, 2007 at 11:10 AM

loved ABBA’s sound. Once in a lifetime miracle. Ever heard Louise Tucker?

RushBaby on August 9, 2007 at 11:58 PM

Heard of her, but don’t think I’ve ever heard anything she’s done.

I always thought Ace of Base came pretty close to ABBA’s sound though.

Kowboy on August 10, 2007 at 11:25 AM