"Lord Can You Hear Me?" is one of my favorite songs off of
Let It Come Down, so I thought it would be interesting to go back and listen to the original Spacemen 3 version. The contrast in the overall sound of the two versions is extreme, with the Spiritualized version sounding richer and far more dense. However, the thing that stood out most for me was the change in the vocals. First, I must say that the vocals do little to affect the basic message of the song. In both versions, the speaker understands that the actual answer to his question is relatively unimportant. The opportunity for him to honestly and openly express his feelings of discontent, even if it all falls on deaf ears, is what truly facilitates his own personal healing. However, the difference in vocals does significantly alter the circumstances and mindset behind the message, as well as the general mood of the song. The Spacemen 3 "Lord Can You Hear Me?" is "prettier" and comes from a more realistic point of view. The singing style is quiet and reserved, showing just a small hint of resignation. Ultimately, these vocals serve only to reinforce the overriding sense of melancholy dictated by the song's sparse musical backdrop. They never extend beyond the limits established by the framework of the song, but in all fairness, it isn't at all necessary for them to. The newer Spiritualized version of "Lord Can You Here Me?" contains vocals with a greater sense of desperation and confusion. They also carry more weight in the mix, making them a greater focal point than before. Some critics have accused recent Spriritualized material of being too overblown and obvious. I can't argue favorably for the band in all cases, but for this particular song, I think the loss of subtletly in the vocals is outweighted by the increased sense of passion and sincerity. This version of the song is by far the more uplifting of the two.
Tangent:
I guess this kind of goes back to why I find lyrics to be an overrated component of songwriting. The lyrics remain completely unchanged in these two songs, but variations in the way in which they're sung, as well as differences in the surrounding musical context (which I didn't really discuss), play significant roles in establishing the underlying meaning of the song beyond that of just the plain literal interpretation of the words. For me, emotion is more effectively conveyed through the music than the lyrics.
