Five on Friday

Friday again already?! Taking a short break from gifs this week to bring you my five favourite songs where the demo is better than the released version! Controversial maybe? I'm pretty sure we can all agree on some of these though!

1. Lana Del Rey - National Anthem

 I cannot even explain to you how upset I was when this song was butchered beyond any recognition. The version released is devoid of any of the personality of the demo, I doubt the distortion was on purpose but it really adds to the dreamy "summer" feel of the song, not to mention Lana has never sounded as good as this on record, her voice is so contrived to fit in with her look rather than in the demo where she just sounds actually excited, lisping between a baby voice and that power chorus. I just really, really love it! 

2. Blur - Far Out

Cutie Alex James' ode to space is one of the odder songs on Parklife (come on, not that a lot of songs aren't odd on it)! The demo is much more jangly, much longer and has some wicked harmonies! Although I do love the album version I just feel this is much more punchy and sounds more like a legitimate song! Well done Alex, at least you tried.

3. Stone Roses - The Sun Still Shines

The Sun Still Shines never made it onto an actual Stone Roses album, but it is so catchy that it should have been! That chorus is lovely and uplifting and the guitar is so bubbly (these are all technical terms) that I'm sad it never got the release it should of!

4. Biffy Clyro - Help Me Become Captain

This is actually featured as the b-side to The Captain which is a really nice touch by the band I think! This was the original version of The Captain and its just a lovely, messy, distorted piece of rock. They sound drunk, its rawer than what The Captain turned into and I'm not a huge fan of the high production on Biffy songs.

Otis Redding - Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

This might be new information to you, but this classic song is unfinished! This is actually the demo version. Otis died before he completed probably the song he is most remembered for, which is incredibly sad. The whistling at the end is where he still had lyrics to write, amazing! The decision to release this posthumous was a great one as this song has touched so many hearts. No other version could be better than this one!