Nat By visualstimuliphotog
http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualstimuli/

This is a shot of Natalie Merchant when 10,000 Maniacs were cool. They were on tour right after the release of In My Tribe. Most of my close friends, myself included, were completely obsessed with this record, and moreso The Wishing Chair. This concert took place at City Gardens in Trenton, NJ. At the show, Natalie announced that she needed money to do her laundry. She asked for someone to buy a sketch that she did. One of our posse bought the sketch for $5.

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I hate the way she says "Take me now".  Her voice cracks at one point.

 hallogallo wrote: 
Bloody well put!

 kaybee wrote: 

Exactly.  A bit like Rufus Wainwright's version of Hallelujah —- unneccessary.

I like 10k Maniacs just fine, but this is a degradation of the Patti Smith classic.  Patti makes it a testament, Natalie makes it like reading cue cards.

Not only is Natalie ≠ Patti, but Natalie < Patti.

I normally like Natalie's voice, but there is a distinct lack of passion here.
 

Bah!

Nice, I haven't heard this for mucho tiempo.

gorgeous!

most of the comments here disregard her voice. but I must confess that I somehow like her voice and this song. although I'm a huge patti fan. but I always had this thing with strange female voices.

Despite all the voice critics/car enthusiasts out there, this is a great cover and interpretation - a nice rock edge w/ violins and acoustics. Brings me back to blacklight high school parties!

 skdenfeld wrote: 
More like a Yugo. When you hear her voice yugo somewhere else.

 DeeCee1109 wrote: 
  However I must qualify that I think Natalie Merchant's attempt doesn't succeed as well as it could have because although pleasant (to me anyway) her voice, unlike that of Patti Smith or Springsteen, isn't quite passionate enough for this song.  I would love to hear Bruce's version.

 skdenfeld wrote: 
But then we recall the cover of her Motherland album, and all is quickly forgiven.

orrible song

Patti Smith wrote it with Bruce Springsteen, strangely enough.

 toterola wrote: 

She took a shot - that's what an artist should do - but she misses the mark with this one.  There is a mis-match bewixt the voice and the lyrics . . .

Although Pat Boone's covers of hard rock tunes was hilarious and fun.  This....not so much.

thewiseking wrote:

thewiseking wrote:
Only thing is, Patti's is an altered version of Springsteen's original song. So how does that shake out?

her cover is to Patti Smiths original what Pat Boones was to Little Richard's

A poor version..sounds like she's singing inside a phone booth too.

Her voice is a Ford Escort in a world of Bentleys. Blech.

Krispian wrote:

please!! I didn't like it when it came out, my feelings have not changed since then...

shmuelman wrote:

No kidding! Her voice has always made me feel icky... and I bet she's a real drag to hang out with, too.

bizon wrote:I'm with ya "bizon"

Muchas gracias, senor Bruce Springsteen!

Oh, the pain!!!

Natalie Merchant is about as passionless as I can imagine for a singer. She is haughty, cold and distant, and should stick to singing about child abuse.