An anatomy of Susan Boyle's 'Wild Horses' cover

In last night's finale performance on "America's Got Talent," Susan Boyle, the breakout star of the program's British analogue, wowed the three judges -- the hodgepodge council of Sharon Osbourne, David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan -- and the already cheering media with her version of the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses." In particular, Boyle's lifting of the chorus to a higher octave catches the ear, underscoring the desperation of the original and transforming it from resignation into one last aching plea.

But it turns out we've seen this particular hoofprint before. A quick tour of "Wild Horses" covers by lady musicians on YouTube shows that this soaring high read of the song's refrain has been rendered by no less than the Sundays' ethereal-voiced Harriet Wheeler, soulful songstress Alicia Keys in her duet with Adam Levine and populist cowgirl Sheryl Crow. Each has their own twist outside the octave change -- in the Keys/Levine version, Keys leads with fragments of Stevie Wonder's "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" and gives some of the lyrics a more wry, bluesy reading.

Covers are a delicate matter that can challenge any artist. How much DNA to keep of the original? How much of your own style can you stamp without obliterating the creator? In Boyle's case, did she simply imitate other covers of the original? It seems like Boyle sewed together a lovely quilt from what's already out there -- or a Frankenstein baby, albeit a cuddly one.

In a landscape where Keys is Clive Davis' mentee, and Boyle is Simon Cowell's, this may be a sure sign that we are in an Orwellian "American X-Factor's Got Talent So You Can Dance" entertainment universe where original artistic thinking is not encouraged. Instead, we get the replica of the replicas. Break on out, Ms. Boyle. You don't need Big Brothers or Big Sisters.

-- Ann Powers and Margaret Wappler

Photo: Trae Patton / NBC Universal

Comments

[Marilyn]

I think Susan's version is just beautiful! She is a beautiful person and the combination is why her fans love her. She's a real person who needs time to find out where she will be headed, then I'm sure she will break out. It's only been around 5 months since she came from a tiny village and then thrust into worldwide attention and a lot of it negative. I give her credit to get back up and keep going. This was her first time in the United States but she seemed to adjust really well. Give her a chance, she's just beginning.

[Shirley]

And if you will go to YouTube and find the video of the single of her debut CD, it is yet another rendition of "Wild Horses." That one is hauntingly beautiful and everyone who has heard it has been overwhelmed. It has spurred a lot of sales.

[Sue Martin]

Dear Susan,

I have heard and seen your most exciting voice. I wish you the best of fortune for your future and hope that you can remain the beautiful person you truly are.

You are an inspiration to so many around the world. You have been truly blessed with an amazing voice.

[hyphenate]

I think that Susan Boyle will continue to amaze people and critics in the future. This is her first album, folks, and let's remember--Susan was a lonely and unknown soul just 5 months ago. FIVE MONTHS, folks. I think we all need to have some patience for her with the new-found fame, and give her a chance to sort everything out. She is doing better than most people might who were catapulted to the spotlight on the basis of an internet video.

The thing to look at right now is not what she covers, but how well she is doing overall. She hasn't embarrassed herself with singing, and most of us can excuse her for those days between the semi-finals and the BGT tour, when, like it or not, she was over-extended with dealing with the ever-hungry media. She invited people into her home, and some paid it back with true viciousness.

She will be around for a long time, I hope, and as her confidence grows, we will likely hear some wonderful surprises from her.

[Joan Swift]

Thoroughly enjoyed your performance last night on Americas Talent. I don't normally watch that program but wanted to hear you sing. You style and voice remind me of a long ago singer from the 40's and 50's in America. I would love to hear you sing God Bless America, one of her outstanding hits. Maybe you could record it with some of her others, I would certainly want it and so would most of America, especially thesenior citizens.That singer was KATE SMITH

[Kathleen]

Harriet is not bad -- I wouldn't buy her music -- and Keys is boring. Susan Boyle is unique and special. I'm hooked on her voice and I can't get enough. She's the only singer I can recognize after the first few notes. The media keeps trying to compare her with someone else. She's incomparable.

[Kathleen]

That dress looks great on her too.

[carol]

Perhaps I am not hip enough but I don't see the problem some people have with covers. There are few really talented song writers out there, consequently their contributions are "covered" many times. So.............?
Personally, I had never even heard of the song, much less heard it performed, so the song itself was new to me and I think Susan's rendition is hauntingly beautiful. Those of us who have followed her amazing journey the last 5 months knew she was singing about her mother, which of course made it even more endearing to us. Susan has a rare combination of strength and vulnerability that has touched the hearts of millions and after last night, no doubt we can add a few more million to that. She is living proof a good singer doesn't have to yell or gyrate or add notes to an already well written song. She will continue to grow and "break out" if you will, and she began a career last night that will last for decades and I predict she will go down in music history as one of the great pop singers of this or any other century.

[Kurt]

Although I am not a performer, I have heard famous ones complain that audiences always want them to "sing the same old songs over and over again". Susan Boyle can now add to her demand list Wild Horses along with I Dreamed a Dream, Cry Me a River and Killing Me Softly. Sarah Brightman is not the only person who can sing Phantom well but we don't criticize others for singing it with different tonal qualities. Think what the world would be like if every singer were criticized for singing songs that were not original to them. I think that your critique is bizarre. For someone who proclaims to have advanced to the level of a critic, it seems strange indeed that you said nothing about Ms. Boyle's tenor, range, strength or the overall quality of her dilivery. Ann and Margaret, get thee to a secretarial pool.

[Love her !]

Susan, I am in an almost catatonic state of bliss when I hear your voice - it is the most serene, beautiful, wonderful - like an angel - I thank you for sharing your gift with the world. Talent is too mediocre a term for you - you are simply GENIUS AND SUPERBLY GIFTED !!! Thank you so very much, I can't wait to get your CD !!

[jan]

In response to this "Anatomy disection" on Susan's rendition of Wild Horses.... I think that this is a far more different, rather refreshing version of the old song.

It is close to the Sherryl Crowe version, yet it distanced the song from its sad sleepy pleading ballad rock "notes" (which is how the Rolling Stones sang it originally in 1976) to a strong affirmative and dignified ballad, hopefull and full of high notes. It's more of an open eyed sunny version, rather than the sleepy "downers" version that it has always been sang.

And to the writer of this column, I beg to disagree, that this is another hoofprint of the original.

[Elaine]

I tuned into America's Got Talent last night ONLY to hear Susan Boyle. I never watched this show and probably will never watch it again. Yes, I am part of 'the older generation' but I have been a musician and performer. There was an emptiness which left me sad at the lack of real talent in the 'professional singers' who, seemed to me, were trying to mask what little vocal depth and range they had by doing the usual gyrations and breathless vocals. I winced and kept reading my book. Finally, last ten minutes of the show: Susan comes out and, yes, they pitched her with the orchestra and background (which she graciously acknowledged at end of her song) BUT she was solid. Genuine. She has a voice to be heard. No she's not a 20-something starlet. Not a prom queen. My god, she's just a woman who loves to sing. She sings from her heart and her life's experience. I couldn't help but think of that video of her in a local club, singing when she was in her 20s. The ability, the promise, was there and, sadly, never got realized. Now, she may get her chance. How can we deny her? Why criticize her style and how she interprets a song? Good lord, she had the strongest performance onstage last night - it's refreshing to hear a song delivered like that. So many wannabes, so much non-talent getting promoted - too much smoke and mirrors. Let Susan sing!

[Tara Petrie]

I would agree. We are in that kind of environment, where "original" artistic thinking is not encouraged. I would primarily thank the "cultural" establishments for that factoid. I would also assume the same standard of judgment might be applied to the production of this critique.

They're right, however - Susan. Step on out there! You are amazing, and one of the top 5 most inspirational people I have ever seen! It is a privilege.

[leonina]

Music is something that you listen with your heart. Why don't you go and do an anatomy of all the others who did this song,and see who copy who? That will keep you bussy and we can go back at listening Susan sing.
Any way, I think that Susan's version of Wild Horses is directed to a complete new audience, most people never listened any other version of the people you are talking about and because Susan is so famous, she has stoped the world and make them listen to this beautiful song and that is a good thing for the Stones.

[Brian F Lund]

Your "anatomy" reads as dry as a post mortem. After hearing Lady Susan's studio version and the AGT performance, her individual take on the song "Wild Horses" is truly original, given a combination of qualities that include the tone of her voice, phrasing, and her own expression. I didn't hear a Frankenstein creation, but a beautifully individual interpretation. Perhaps the hoofprint in this case is your limited analysis.

[Julianne]

I found Susan's performance just a joy to watch. I was captivated by her honest singing from her depth of soul. She made me remember, all over again, why we all fell in love with her talent and strong spirit. I cannot wait to buy her first album in November!

[Elizabeth LaZella]

It goes to show Britain, whose faces showed such contempt and misunderstanding of human nature, that the roughest cut of a person is not the true layer. Susan Boyle walked out on stage a meek and unique woman, britain's crowd showed faces that were unbelievably rude, and when Susan sang the rough cut layer fell away like rain and it shows that we have learned to judge by the cover of a person without really knowing the person. Be careful or you may be judged also, Susan is wonderful, beautiful gift of voice and mild love for herself and her music. Smile and enjoy Susan it is your time, maybe a little later than you would wish but all in all your time.

[Jeff]

To: Ann Powers and Margaret Wappler from L.A. Times,

No wonder newspapers are going down the tube. Have an opinion people! Do some research.

I've listened to perhaps 9 covers of Wild Horses including the Stones. None of them compare to Boyle's version. She could probably pull off an acappella version if she wanted to. Keys would not stand a chance.

I've only heard Boyle sing two songs so far. Why had she never been discovered? Probably some local media reporters just trying to build an audience for themselves.

I'm just glad the Internet exists and we no longer need to accept major media reporters as honest.

[Michael (A-Lyric)]

I'm not sure what you expect of Susan Boyle. She has done an almost minimalist rendition in a classic chanteuse style. The fact that someone jumped an octave in a previous version is hardly the key factor here. It's the choice of the song and the sobriety with which she tackles it. Imagine how Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey would have done it, presumably with warbles at the end of every line.

What's also interesting is that I can guarantee that this version will instantly elevate the song to a new level of popularity. She is bringing a new audience to the song. So I have to ask: what harm is there in that?

[lee]

Susan you are great. Unfortunately there are so called "critics" who can't achieve anything personally and try to show what smart people they are, critisizing the real singer. I listened to Alicia, Sheryl, Harriet but I was not impressed at all.Listening to Susan's rendition brought tears to my eyes and I kept listening again and again. You touched my soul and I understood what is this song about. I am sure your own style is the best one as it touches a lot of people.

[Shawn M]

Fact is, up until this point, not much was made of it that Susan was doing a "cover" of the Rolling Stones Wild Horses, due to the fact that her performance was so stunningly commanding, musical, and beautiful.

[Mario]

I loved her performance and the lp version is hauntingly beautiful. I think she did a wonderful job of the song.

[Jay L]

I didn't like the Rolling Stones version--Jagger's voice does not lend itself to tender ballads. Sheryl Crowe's cover was just another Country-Western honky tonk song best heard after a few too many beers. The arrangement of this song for Susan Boyle is very different--the song becomes touching and real. "Frankenstein baby"? Hardly! I don't see exactly what the reviewers are getting at. Do they not like covers? Do they not like Simon Cowell? Are they delighting in pointing out that it's been sung by others, so we don't need to like it? Boyle's version of Wild Horses is brilliantly done and wonderfully sung. Check out the cut from the album on YouTube, which is a polished performance. Really, I don't see any imitation here.

[Angela]

Susan's performance was lovely and true. "Frankenstein baby" is perhaps a more apt description of this sad, false little attempt at music journalism.

[Teresa Parker]

Susan Boyle is magnificent! She touches millions of people in ways that cannot be fully expressed. She taught us all what we should have learned at 5 years old, "NOT to judge a book by its cover". The first time she took the stage she "appeared" laughable, but she sure did teach us that we are the laughable ones. Her voice is incredible! She doesnt have to get out on stage and look like a stripper at a bar, she just has to sing. She is beautiful! I cant wait to get her CD. I never heard Wild Horses before, I dont watch those talent shows, BUT I loved her on America's Got Talent and I have now looked at the youtubes with her past singing......... WOW!!! What a gift to the world she is!!