As recorded by Canadian belter Celine Dion, “My Heart Will Go On,” the Oscar-winning love theme from James Cameron’s Titanic, became so ubiquitous in the late ’90s that it drove many to the point of madness. The song’s lugubrious arrangement and sluggish tempo made it difficult to endure on a continual basis when the single was in heavy rotation. In 2012, Titanic star Kate Winslet revealed her true opinion of the song: “I feel like throwing up when I hear it.” Maybe what Winslet needs, and maybe what the whole world needs, is a more upbeat approach to “My Heart Will Go On.” Luckily, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, a musical ensemble specializing in retro remakes of contemporary songs (“Today’s hits. Yesterday.”), have released their own version of the James Horner-composed ballad, and it’s a real keeper. With chanteuse Aubrey Logan singing lead vocals, this becomes a highly danceable, doo-wop-tinged number. The official Postmodern Jukebox website declares that this version of the song was inspired by the music of Jackie Wilson. Keen-eared listeners might also hear echoes of “Walk Like A Man” by The Four Seasons. And, yes, there is a direct citation of Titanic before the video ends.
Surprisingly, this is not the first retro-styled remake of “My Heart Will Go On.” Los Angeles combo Big Daddy released its twisted take on the tune back in 2000. Its version is a little more rockabilly in nature, but it still sounds like the kind of thing that could have played at a sock hop during the Eisenhower years. Like Postmodern Jukebox, the lovable loonies of Big Daddy could not resist referencing the hugely popular Cameron film. Appropriately, then, their version contains some added lyrics: “Pitter patter, drip drip / Going down on a sinking ship.”
[via Mashable]