Originally Posted by GunterJPN:
“I don't know why people blame it on X-Factor when historically there have been tons of male artists to make the change (a few listed in my previous post).
Would it help you to think that he was singing Al B. Sure!'s version, with a slightly modified backing track (as they often do on X-Factor)?
Perhaps it's just a simple matter of Jahmene being most moved by a female singer in the past. Like Whitney Houston, who he claims to have been one of his favorite singers. Or Lori Lieberman, the original singer. Or Roberta Flack, who made it famous. Or Lauryn Hill, who is probably the most famous CURRENT act. Or his mom. Or his NAN, for all I care. There is no point in the song where "boy", "he", or "his" is used for a rhyme. Changing the gender does nothing about changing the meaning of being moved by someone singing a song. The original was written about a man singing and being moved. That same emotion may have been brought out in Jahmene by a female singer, and singing about that experience made it more believable.
I'm surprised more people aren't offended by the show's attribution of the song to The Fugees, rather than Roberta or Lori. The version he sang seems more like Roberta's than The Fugees, IMO.”
“I don't know why people blame it on X-Factor when historically there have been tons of male artists to make the change (a few listed in my previous post).
Would it help you to think that he was singing Al B. Sure!'s version, with a slightly modified backing track (as they often do on X-Factor)?
Perhaps it's just a simple matter of Jahmene being most moved by a female singer in the past. Like Whitney Houston, who he claims to have been one of his favorite singers. Or Lori Lieberman, the original singer. Or Roberta Flack, who made it famous. Or Lauryn Hill, who is probably the most famous CURRENT act. Or his mom. Or his NAN, for all I care. There is no point in the song where "boy", "he", or "his" is used for a rhyme. Changing the gender does nothing about changing the meaning of being moved by someone singing a song. The original was written about a man singing and being moved. That same emotion may have been brought out in Jahmene by a female singer, and singing about that experience made it more believable.
I'm surprised more people aren't offended by the show's attribution of the song to The Fugees, rather than Roberta or Lori. The version he sang seems more like Roberta's than The Fugees, IMO.”
The point is that the gender change is unnecessary and irrelevant and ruins the way the lyrics scan.
As someone else said - you don't change the gender of Candle in the Wind. Others who have covered this song have ruined it in a similar manner.
