Project Alpha 28

We’re done with remixes for the moment. Now we’re back to mashups! But first, an interlude regarding what, exactly, a mashup is. My friend Dan shared “Don’t Stop the Sandman” with me–it’s a combination of “Enter Sandman” and “Don’t Stop Believin’“, performed by a ridiculous band, Rock Sugar. Dan wondered whether this arrangement was, technically, a mashup–might it instead be a medley? Dan said that he thought of a mashup as “a strictly post-production creation whereas a medley is a single performance combining multiple songs.” By that logic, “Don’t Stop the Sandman” would be a medley. I respect that argument, but I believe it is wrong. I think a medley is multiple songs performed/recorded consecutively, while a mashup comprises multiple songs edited/played so that parts of each play concurrently. So because the vocals of “Don’t Stop Believin’” overlay the instrumental portion of “Enter Sandman”, “Don’t Stop the Sandman” would be, in my view, a mashup–albeit one performed rather than edited.

This brings us to today’s song. Smash-Up Derby is a bay-area band that does nothing but perform live mashups. I think the live mashup is an interesting idea, because in some ways it’s easier to pull off (you can tweak the original songs so they complement each other better), but in some ways it’s much harder (your performance has to at least approach the quality of the songs you’re adapting). Smash-Up Derby does a good jobThey have quite a few songs available to download at their website, but I think my favorite is their mashup of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” and the Dandy Warhols’ “Bohemian Like You“: Tainted Like You – Smash-Up Derby. Unlike a lot of mash-ups, you get lyrics from both songs (although the “Bohemian Like You” lyrics are relegated to the background for most of the song), and the melodies really go together seamlessly. It is missing the end of “Tainted Love” (the Supremes shoutout), unfortunately, but I think it’s still a fun listen. Hope you like it.