Pet Shop Boys Community

What can I say ..... here's the item from Billboard.com:


" Veteran singer/songwriter Paul Anka tackles the music of a younger generation on his new album, "Rock Swings." Due June 7 via Verve, the 14-track set features Anka's orchestra-backed interpretations of everything from Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" and Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger."

Released earlier this year internationally (even reaching No. 1 on the German album chart), the set also includes covers of Oasis' "Wonderwall," Van Halen's "Jump," the Pet Shop Boys' "It's a Sin," the Cure's "Lovecats," Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face," Lionel Ritchie's "Hello," Spandau Ballet's "True" and Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven."

Anka will be on tour in North America throughout the rest of the year, with a new round of dates set to begin May 29 at Harrah's in St. Louis. "


For those of you too young to know much about Paul Anka, he first hit the pop charts in the late 50s / early 60s at the age of 16 by writing & singing Diana, Put your head on my shoulder & Puppy Love . He then went on to write My way for Frank Sinatra, She's a lady for Tom Jones & the theme song for The Tonight Show. Fair enough.

But then came the 70s & (You're) having my baby -- a truly wretched song. So wretched it almost completely negates his prior accomplishments.

And now, at 64, he's covering It's a sin. ?!?!?!?!?
I think I need to go lie down ......

Old news, buddy. And whatta boring cover is this!

i love this version,

"Eyes without a face". Must be dedicated to his plastic surgeon.

mindboy wrote:Old news, buddy. And whatta boring cover is this!

It´s extremely boring and even destroys the original song. But at least there´s an artist who makes a little tribute by making this version.

I love his version.I wish neil were singing it.

anyways,anka routinely plays the casino I live near,but I am not sure this song is enough to make me want to go.

guarenteed this will be how they perform it from now on,

Was this mentioned here earlier or did I read it only on german forum?

stoo wrote:guarenteed this will be how they perform it from now on,

Please, no!

mindboy wrote:Old news, buddy. And whatta boring cover is this!

I guess I must have somehow missed this. Then again, I'm obviously not a big Paul Anka fan nor do I keep up with the German charts, so it was news to me.
Although I'm still stunned by this turn of events, what really upsets me is that I now have to decide whether I need to get this travesty for my collection. I'm not a completist but I do have most of the covers other people have done.
What a conundrum.

Naughty Zoot wrote:

mindboy wrote:Old news, buddy. And whatta boring cover is this!

I guess I must have somehow missed this. Then again, I'm obviously not a big Paul Anka fan nor do I keep up with the German charts, so it was news to me.
Although I'm still stunned by this turn of events, what really upsets me is that I now have to decide whether I need to get this travesty for my collection. I'm not a completist but I do have most of the covers other people have done.
What a conundrum.

Sure get it - I have it myself, just don't like it too much. I prefer another jazz cover of PSB song - Opportunities by Frank Bannet.

Here the cover of the album

andmaste wrote:Here the cover of the album

I decided not to buy it. I just listened it online. But the version is quite good.

I haven't even heard it, but I can tell you you're wrong.

I just heard him on NPR today talking about this Album. They played his version of "Jump". Interesting. I suppose if you were a Dean Martin/Rat Pack music fan you'd probably like this album. I downloaded his version of It's a sin today, very weird. I felt like I was missing a martini.