Yahoo News Track of the Day: ‘Badd’ by Richard Cheese
This cover song submitted by reader Max not only jumps genres in a big way but transforms the song into satire:
Originally a raunchy fast-paced rap by the Ying Yang Twins, comedian Mark Jonathan Davis’ Richard Cheese recorded this largely as filler to a “greatest hits” album. But by swanking it up, slowing it down to Old Man River speed, the lyrics take on new—though no less vulgar or sexist—meaning. The narrators’ quest for a badd bitch (original title) is transformed from idle bragging to a deep yearning and appreciation (admittedly for the travails of exotic dancers). While I would never hold either as great art, Cheese is great satire, and occasionally he finds a deeper truth rather than just another dick joke.
For a much more earnest version of “Badd”—though more of a sampling than a cover—see Girl Talk’s “Minute by Minute”:
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Update from Max, whom I’ve hopefully converted to Girl Talk fandom:
Damn, that track is fun to take apart. The yacht rock is deep in the covers ... Aretha covers Doobies with Toto ... Ying Yang twins with a backing sample of Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin” at :50. Probably taken from Warren G’s “Regulate.” Keep it smooth.
The full list of 16 tracks sampled on “Minute by Minute” is here. I’ve previously gushed about Girl Talk with a reader here.
(Submit a song via hello@. Track of the Day archive here. Pre-Notes archive here.)
Read more from The Atlantic:
This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
