Let Me Live That Fantasy

November 21, 2013 5:43 PM

A jazz cover of Lourde's "Royals" by Postmodern Jukebox, featuring guest vocalist "Puddles" - Trigger Warning: Real Life Angry Clown Giant Lounge Singer (who's really good, which makes it scarier) [SLYT]
posted by Slap*Happy (41 comments total)

And Royals returns, as it was ever meant to, to the home of bebop, Kansas City.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:46 PM on November 21, 2013

Yes I just wanted to make that Kansas City connection, this isn't really Jazz. It's more... "Yikes."
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:49 PM on November 21, 2013

I was just watching this yesterday and the description of puddles pity party as a 7ft tall clown with a voice like Tom Jones seemed apt. I liked the Blurred Lines cover too. Almost made me try to put together a post about cross-genre covers, but you beat me to the punch.
posted by BrotherCaine at 5:49 PM on November 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Does Lisa Gerard know that Brendan Perry is using Dead Can Dance down time to dress in a clown costume and front a cover band?
posted by jburka at 5:54 PM on November 21, 2013 [4 favorites]

I liked it, but it felt a bit too busy. Would have been better with just the drum kit or the bass, IMO.
posted by signal at 5:56 PM on November 21, 2013

I love this version. Here's another good version from an a cappella team at Florida State U.
posted by triggerfinger at 5:57 PM on November 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

I think it's supposed to be more of a 70's era pop anthem arrangement, like a Tom Jones sad clown thing.
posted by monkihed at 5:59 PM on November 21, 2013

It's more like "What if Bryan Ferry was about 39% Less Creepy."
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:01 PM on November 21, 2013 [9 favorites]

I usually end up liking the idea behind Postmodern Jukebox more than the execution ( sound more period, dammit, I scream into the ether) but this was perfect.
posted by The Whelk at 6:02 PM on November 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

Also, because I have wanted to bring this up in a safe space, I think everyone secretly adores this song and knows all the words, but publicly hates it. Why do people hate it so loudly? My bassist ex-husband swore me to secrecy, but definitely loves it. "Shhhhh," he said. "They can never know."
posted by monkihed at 6:03 PM on November 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

I love this song (even though I know it's controversial) and I love the execution, and I love Postmodern Jukebox. They keep adding singles on Bandcamp and I keep buying them.
posted by immlass at 6:05 PM on November 21, 2013

Anyone who hates on Royals is also the kind of person who hates on Macy Gray's "I Try" - which is to say they are David Spade and Chris Farley weeping while belting out "Eres Tu" in the car where no-one else can hear them.
posted by Slap*Happy at 6:07 PM on November 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

I obsessively watched this over and over about a week ago. Then I tried to get everyone I know interested and all I got was crickets. I guess it's not for everyone.
posted by Belle O'Cosity at 6:11 PM on November 21, 2013 [4 favorites]

Ok, but Slap*Happy, you actually know my ex-husband.
posted by monkihed at 6:11 PM on November 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

Wow. The first time I heard this song, I remember thinking "I hope a shitload of people with very particular and refined music ability will cover this song and post it on the internet."

As luck would have it, a shitload of people with very particular and refined music abilities are covering this song and posting it on the internet. I'm not sick of this fad, at all.

Shit, it's like we're going to have the Rule 34 for this song. I'll name several instruments, performers, or inanimate objects in various combinations, and there is a vid of those objects being used to perform this tune. I'll start:

1. Kazoo
2. Opera Singer
3. Trash can lid

Go!
posted by Bathtub Bobsled at 6:19 PM on November 21, 2013 [7 favorites]

the kind of person who hates on Macy Gray's "I Try"

Nutmeg Phantasy is the better Macy Grey track but ok.
posted by The Whelk at 6:20 PM on November 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Puddles, aka Big Mike Geier, is incredible live. We caught him as part of a Teatro Zinzani show here in Seattle a while back, and he really blew the doors off the place. He's a busy guy as well, Kingsized, Elvis Royale. Catch him if you can, he does not disappoint.
posted by calamari kid at 6:27 PM on November 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

Someone let me know when the Jimmy Fallon/Roots cover is online.
posted by cvp at 6:29 PM on November 21, 2013

At this point, it's more like who hasn't made a cover of Royals
posted by sideshow at 6:29 PM on November 21, 2013

Here's that clown winning extra points by suing FHM magazine and winning:

And here's that clown showing you what he can do when he doesn't hold back.
posted by MeanwhileBackAtTheRanch at 6:30 PM on November 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

The clown that sued FHM is NOT THE SAME CLOWN. Fyi.
posted by monkihed at 6:35 PM on November 21, 2013

Why do people hate it so loudly?

Who hates this song? Apart from, y'know, idiots?
posted by Sebmojo at 6:43 PM on November 21, 2013

Came in here for the Marian apparition. Disappointed.
posted by unliteral at 6:48 PM on November 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

I have officially heard this song enough times.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 6:55 PM on November 21, 2013

Isn't her name Lorde?
posted by Ideefixe at 7:21 PM on November 21, 2013

He pulls off that clown getup surprisingly well.

Huh.
posted by rue72 at 7:48 PM on November 21, 2013

They should put this guy on The Voice.
posted by empath at 7:53 PM on November 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

2. Opera Singer

Bonus points if the opera singer is the instrument and not the performer.
posted by Now there are two. There are two _______. at 8:05 PM on November 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Their cover of We Can't Stop is actually really good.
posted by NoRelationToLea at 8:07 PM on November 21, 2013

Jesus Christ...... why is the microphone for the backup singers also set to 'creepy clown' height?
posted by RolandOfEld at 8:25 PM on November 21, 2013

Heh. He substituted "I'm bigger" for "We're better than we ever dreamed".

Anyway, why is this song controversial?
posted by Joe in Australia at 8:30 PM on November 21, 2013

A stupid person thought it was racist? Otherwise I'm drawing a blank.
posted by Sebmojo at 9:10 PM on November 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

People hate Royals because it's so effing catchy it gets stuck in their heads and they run around screaming trying to make it stop but it won't, it won't, it won't. Sob
posted by johngumbo at 9:17 PM on November 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Why the song is controversial.
posted by amery at 9:33 PM on November 21, 2013

I'm sorry, but that was wall to wall awesome. There's nothing about that video that isn't awesome. I'm in love with every person in that video.
posted by Max Udargo at 10:03 PM on November 21, 2013 [7 favorites]

I first saw this when somebody linked to this on the old "lorde is hella racist because she's hating on bling" thread, which started a minor youtube detour of looking for more Postmodern Jukebox videos, but it turns out that without Puddles they're just another lame pretend swing band doing half hearted "thirties" covers of modern pop songs, with about a tenth of the talent of a Max Raabe for it.
posted by MartinWisse at 11:09 PM on November 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Their ragtime cover of Thrift Shop is fucking amazing.
posted by fshgrl at 12:26 AM on November 22, 2013 [2 favorites]

The best reaction I've seen to this video is a look of puzzlement and a 'why.... why is he a clown?'.
posted by Makwa at 10:11 AM on November 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

Why the song is controversial.

Like I said...
posted by Sebmojo at 5:53 PM on November 22, 2013

Can I just say... I also know a man 4'10" tall in HAWT-lanta, who's an even 5' wide, and has BLACKMAIL material on me... I'm thrall to a Tolkensien Dwarf, plz hope me... Everyone involved forgets where we're going with this, so, hey, Scorpion Bowls!
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:31 PM on November 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

A nice profile.
posted by Sebmojo at 1:52 PM on November 24, 2013