# Songs that should NEVER be made acoustic **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2009, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189 "2009-07-16T03:14:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/41 "2009-07-16T21:02:22Z")
> [@Trick\_Rider](#): > > Actually…[http://www.myspace.com/thevillainscanada](http://www.myspace.com/thevillainscanada) > > I think it sounds pretty good. > > And if anyone does an acoustic cover of “Devil’s Haircut”, I will lose all faith in humanity. Well, there’s the seventh sign of the apocalypse… 🙂 You’re right, it _is_ pretty damn good. The singer’s raspy voice sells it. And there’s NO WAY to acoustically cover \*Devil’s Haircut. \* How on Earth can you replicate the sound of drums so awash in reverb without electronics? ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/42 "2009-07-16T22:50:08Z")
> [@3trew](#): > > Layla. As musically unfortunate as the unplugged version may be, it’s got me lots of action with my wife…so I completely forgive Clapton ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/43 "2009-07-17T00:05:34Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] Ace Of Spades. [/QUOTE] > [@Trick\_Rider](#): > > Actually…[http://www.myspace.com/thevillainscanada](http://www.myspace.com/thevillainscanada) > > I think it sounds pretty good. There’s also [the bluegrass version by Hayseed Dixie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xxh492o2aM). ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/44 "2009-07-17T00:27:20Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > NIN’s “Closer” I’d have suggested the same, but there are a variety of acoustic covers of this ([two](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjsUkExCcQ4) [examples](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6pJMOPJlMI)). Whether they should or shouldn’t have happened is up to the listener. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/45 "2009-07-17T00:40:32Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > There’s also [the bluegrass version by Hayseed Dixie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xxh492o2aM). Stop! Nothing can surpass the raw power of the original! I cast a spell of binding on your covers! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trick\_Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Trick\_Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trick_Rider)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/46 "2009-07-17T05:14:28Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Well, there’s the seventh sign of the apocalypse… > 🙂 > You’re right, it _is_ pretty damn good. The singer’s raspy voice sells it. > > And there’s NO WAY to acoustically cover \*Devil’s Haircut. > \* > How on Earth can you replicate the sound of drums so awash in reverb without electronics? Oh yeah, I love Chmilar’s voice. I hadn’t even thought of the drums, I was thinking of the guitar part. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/47 "2009-07-17T10:28:30Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > _Misirlou_ - Dick Dale Interestingly, that’s an adaptation of a traditional piece of music. For that matter, Black Betty is an adaptation of a acapella song. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/R044sleOW6I/hqdefault.jpg "Ram Jam - Black Betty 1977") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R044sleOW6I) (Ram Jam’s version) ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sYrK464nIeY/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/sYrK464nIeY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque (Leadbelly’s version, the original) Any song can be played acoustic… it’s just going to be very different. Besides, if Johnny Cash can make Hurt into one of the saddest country laments I’ve ever heard… well, I say it just takes talent. Anything can be done with music. ---
**Author:** ![ProfessorX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@ProfessorX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProfessorX)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/48 "2009-07-17T16:44:27Z")
Has there ever been an Enter Sandman acoustic? I have to think that would sound terrible and take much of the emotion from the song. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/49 "2009-07-17T16:49:11Z")
“Gimme Shelter.” And nobody link me to that Clark Brothers perversion. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/50 "2009-07-17T18:41:33Z")
> [@ProfessorX](#): > > Has there ever been an Enter Sandman acoustic? You’ve never heard it played on cello, then. It’s all arrangement. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XH78E_xstdI/hqdefault.jpg "Apocalyptica - Enter Sandman") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH78E_xstdI) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/51 "2009-07-17T20:08:30Z")
“Purple Haze” :eek: “Like a Rolling Stone” would be a perversion also - not just because it would sound bad, but because of its association with the move away from acoustic - ie “Judas!”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/52 "2009-07-17T22:24:12Z")
For a long time “I’m not in love” by 10CC was my example of a song that _should_ and \*could \*never be done acoustically. Then it was done acoustically. I stand by my original assertion. I agree about “Layla” -I think that was probably what originally inspired me to rail against the acoustic tendency. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/53 "2009-07-17T22:42:44Z")
And I’m not entirely convinced that an acoustic arrangement of _Autobahn_ would work. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/54 "2009-07-18T03:42:35Z")
Have some acoustic versions of Miserlou. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfe\_Qw9cYF4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfe_Qw9cYF4) Traditional arrangement, circle dance. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDFsTKpt2iw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDFsTKpt2iw) Traditional arrangement, single dance. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeGpPooGRTw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeGpPooGRTw) Different traditional arrangement, baritone uke. It’s a _very_ old song. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/i7G0CPmAqrY/hqdefault.jpg "Purple Haze - Jimi hendrix acoustic cover") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7G0CPmAqrY) Purple Haze, acoustic. Pretty good. I once saw Buddy Guy do ‘What’d I Say, Parts One And Two’ as an acoustic guitar duet. And it was fantastic. It’s really _all_ about arrangement and inspiration. ---
**Author:** ![Nation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@Nation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nation)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/55 "2009-07-18T04:22:16Z")
paradise city. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/56 "2009-07-18T04:27:43Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7G0CPmAqrY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7G0CPmAqrY) > Purple Haze, acoustic. Pretty good. See, I don’t think the OP has heard acoustic versions except pussified versions like those from Clapton and Cobain. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/57 "2009-07-18T04:59:20Z")
I’m going to agree with **E-Sabbath** that any great song can still be great when played acoustic. It’s all about the arrangement. By way of citation, I performed Jonathan Coulton’s soft rock cover of [Baby Got Back](http://www.jonathancoulton.com/songdetails/Baby%20Got%20Back) at karaoke tonight and it was _awesome_. Admittedly people were baffled, but mostly in a positive way. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/58 "2009-07-18T06:07:45Z")
> [@Nation](#): > > paradise city. It’s not that it shouldn’t, I think you cannot do it, physically impossible ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/59 "2009-07-18T06:31:05Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > It’s not that it shouldn’t, I think you cannot do it, physically impossible It might be for some people, but [not for Slash](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7lNHesFcZs). From the intro I think a full-length version would sound just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189/60 "2009-07-18T06:33:15Z")
I’m not sure whether [this should ever have been allowed to happen](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sN16fdzdMg). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-should-never-be-made-acoustic/503189.md?page=4)