Hurt- Nine Inch Nails

Songs
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TL:DR. It’s Nine Inch Nails vs ska :zany_face:

During Rocktober 2024, one of my friends asked me why people commonly do covers that are slower or more chilled versions of the original songs. I explained that often, especially in the Rocktober setting, it’s just one person and a guitar/ ukulele/keyboard so you are going to get a far more intimate feel to the song. With the best will in the world, I’m unlikely to create an EDM version of Hey Jude!!

So my friend challenged me to do it the other way round, and I asked her to choose a song. She said she would defy anyone to make Hurt by Nine Inch Nails sound happy… but I’ve given it a go!

I’m sure any NIN fans will be horrified, but I’ve attempted a ska version, surely there are no depressing ska songs?!!

2 Likes
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Terrific cover. Great ska feel and arrangement. Sounds very happy :slightly_smiling_face:

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in your able hands, nine inch nails become dancing dolls. excellent job with the ska arrangement.

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I don’t really know what Ska is and I’m not die if I’ve heard this song before, but your version is a purely bop for sure! What a fun challenge. How did your friend like it?

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Thank you, I almost had to forget the original song in order to get the happy vibe!

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Thanks Bill, I’m of a generation where ska was everywhere when I was a kid (The Specials, Madness etc) so I feel like there’s always been a ska song inside me just waiting for its moment.

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My friend loved it, she said I deserved an award for making one of the most depressing songs ever sound cheerful!

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i saw the specials in a small boutique in hollywood in 1979. there was only room for about 30 people inside, but nearly 100 packed in, with another couple hundred listening outside. then, in 1986, i opened for a ska band, bim skala bim, in a disco in cambridge ma. that is my limited history of ska,

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