Who sings this song?
May 17, 2007 10:15 PM Subscribe
Song filter help - "I'm Big in Japan" -Tom Waits - Who covers this song?
On my recent Australian trip I heard this song on the radio. Unfortunately I never heard who the artist was. Google helped me figure out that Tom Waits wrote the song and it was on the Mule Variation album. I love Tom Waits but whoever this artist was, male by the way, his rendition of the song was 180 degrees away from Tom's...but I liked it a lot and now would like to figure out who it was. Ideas?
On my recent Australian trip I heard this song on the radio. Unfortunately I never heard who the artist was. Google helped me figure out that Tom Waits wrote the song and it was on the Mule Variation album. I love Tom Waits but whoever this artist was, male by the way, his rendition of the song was 180 degrees away from Tom's...but I liked it a lot and now would like to figure out who it was. Ideas?
(I know the exact song you're talking about, by the way...it has been played a lot recently on ABC Local Radio in Australia, and the fact that the ABC Shop is selling the album, makes me think it's the one.)
posted by Jimbob at 10:30 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by Jimbob at 10:30 PM on May 17, 2007
All Music Guide is good for this, and looks like it has samples of every version.
posted by coolhappysteve at 10:50 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by coolhappysteve at 10:50 PM on May 17, 2007
Best answer: Jeff Lang performs the Alphaville song "Big In Japan." AMG
Could it be Shane Nicholson? He's an Aussie artist who put out an album last year called Faith & Science that features a cover of Waits' "Big In Japan."
posted by carsonb at 2:26 AM on May 18, 2007
Could it be Shane Nicholson? He's an Aussie artist who put out an album last year called Faith & Science that features a cover of Waits' "Big In Japan."
posted by carsonb at 2:26 AM on May 18, 2007
Oops. AMG...only returns recordings of the Brennan/Waits composition performed by Tom Waits.
posted by carsonb at 2:27 AM on May 18, 2007
posted by carsonb at 2:27 AM on May 18, 2007
Here's it easy:
Recognize his voice? Here's his MySpace Profile. Doesn't feature Big In Japan, though.
Amazon has it at the import price.
posted by carsonb at 2:49 AM on May 18, 2007
Recognize his voice? Here's his MySpace Profile. Doesn't feature Big In Japan, though.
Amazon has it at the import price.
posted by carsonb at 2:49 AM on May 18, 2007
Guano Apes?
They have a song by that name. I'm not too familiar with Tom Waits.
posted by sian at 5:25 AM on May 18, 2007
They have a song by that name. I'm not too familiar with Tom Waits.
posted by sian at 5:25 AM on May 18, 2007
John Hammond did a cover album of Waits tunes...Im in too much of a rush to check right now, but it might be something to take a look at...
posted by nevercalm at 7:14 AM on May 18, 2007
posted by nevercalm at 7:14 AM on May 18, 2007
It's not Hammond. I was listening to Wicked Grin this morning.
There used to be a Tom Waits covers archive, but it seems to be down. Due to ScarJo recording a covers album of her own, any mirrors have been google-blasted out of my reach.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:56 AM on May 18, 2007
There used to be a Tom Waits covers archive, but it seems to be down. Due to ScarJo recording a covers album of her own, any mirrors have been google-blasted out of my reach.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:56 AM on May 18, 2007
I'm almost certain it isn't who you heard, but C.R. Avery's been known to do a pretty astounding beatbox+harmonica version.
posted by poweredbybeard at 9:15 AM on May 18, 2007
posted by poweredbybeard at 9:15 AM on May 18, 2007
The Covers Project is usually a good site for this sort of question, but they only list Alphaville, as GaelFC replied.
posted by Lionel d'Lion at 1:12 PM on May 18, 2007
posted by Lionel d'Lion at 1:12 PM on May 18, 2007
Response by poster: Okay. Thanks everyone. I checked out all mentioned and I think the only candidate is Shane Nicholson and I can't be sure about that. The only way I will know for sure is to hear the song again but I doubt I will buy his album because I don't like the songs I heard on his my space page. Oh well........
posted by snowjoe at 6:54 AM on May 23, 2007
posted by snowjoe at 6:54 AM on May 23, 2007
Best answer: Here's Shane Nicholson singing 'Big in Japan' from AMG.
posted by coolhappysteve at 7:13 AM on May 23, 2007
posted by coolhappysteve at 7:13 AM on May 23, 2007
Response by poster: Amazing. At least to me it is. Such an obscure, bizaar question and you guys solved it. Thanks. Now someone tell me why I like the song. This guy's performance is 180 degrees away from Tom's and it seem's like I wouldn't, or shouldn't like it but I do. Oh well life is so strange sometimes....and other times not.
posted by snowjoe at 5:33 PM on May 26, 2007
posted by snowjoe at 5:33 PM on May 26, 2007
I can't answer your sub-question, but I can correct your spelling... =o)
bizarre -> weird
bazaar -> open market
Bazaar -> Harper's magazine
posted by carsonb at 8:08 PM on May 29, 2007
bizarre -> weird
bazaar -> open market
Bazaar -> Harper's magazine
posted by carsonb at 8:08 PM on May 29, 2007
Shane Nicholson's Faith and Science was released in the US this past Tuesday (6/26/07). You should be able to pick it up at any well-stocked music store.
posted by carsonb at 9:25 AM on June 28, 2007
posted by carsonb at 9:25 AM on June 28, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by GaelFC at 10:26 PM on May 17, 2007