The Book of Love

is a cover song.

We (being melissa may and I) did this song for a project called It's Meaningless a few years back. Posting it is keeping me from trying to kill Pro Tools. The project has a lot of other wonderful covers of the same band and I would suggest getting them all. I will kill Pro Tools some day.

Also, we love this song. We actually walked what there was of an aisle to it, for what that's worth.

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by sleepy pete (17 comments total)

Favourited before listening on the strength of its pedigree
posted by Jofus at 12:45 AM on May 27 [1 favorite]

And favourited again (in my head) for awesomeness. Nice timpani!
posted by Jofus at 12:46 AM on May 27

I'm supposed to be on a break from Metafilter, but had to thank you for this - it's just wonderful. I love it just as much as another great cover of this song that's been making me and my 69 Love Songs-loving friend happy, here. I'll send her your cover too - I know she'll love it :)
posted by Ira.metafilter at 11:57 AM on May 27

This is really nice!
posted by danb at 12:48 PM on May 27

You are summoning people back from the dead today, I haven't posted much in a while, (like Ira.metafiter) but I couldn't let this pass. Great version.
posted by micayetoca at 1:06 PM on May 27

I didn't know immediately that this was on 69 Love Songs, but I thought of that album immediately. In fact, I wouldn't have minded some ukulele in here! Nice job.
posted by Corduroy at 3:50 PM on May 27

Great song, great cover. Really nice vocal performance, melissa may.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:04 PM on May 27

Thank you all for the kind words -- I really needed some. ira.metafilter, that cover version you linked to is just beautiful. I love the way those women sing together and their visible joy in it and in each other.

micayetoca, there are so many people I love in the Land of the Dead that I wish I could invite them over for a singalong and maybe a massive game of Scrabble. Don't stay a ghost for too long.
posted by melissa may at 2:04 AM on May 28

Expected the doo-wop version, got the Magfields! And much enjoyed, too. Thanks, you2.
posted by not_on_display at 1:31 PM on May 28

This is lovely, love your harmony and whatever that chorus organ is.

As a small critique to make this track even more beautiful, more a technical thing as you mentioned killing pro tools, I would suggest rolling up the low frequency cut-off on the pizzicato string's reverb. But only slightly, as that bass in the reverb aids to the tracks tranquility, but at the same time cutting off a few hertz would leave more room in the atmosphere for that beautiful vocalist. But of course, even if you left it as it the song as a whole is no less wonderful, well done.
posted by ageispolis at 12:22 AM on May 30

What a pretty song. Melissa your voice is warm and lovely.
posted by shelleycat at 8:17 PM on May 30

Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments. I meant to get back here earlier, but the week was a bit crazy. I do think Melissa's performance on this song is wonderful (and, to my ears, a bit bratty--yes, I believe that is the musical term) and when we decided to do it, she was the one that came up with the orchestral idea. So hooray for her.

ageispolis, thanks for that critique. Actually, me wanting to kill PT is an ongoing thing for the last few months that had nothing to do with this song (except that having problems figuring it out led me to listen to some older stuff we'd done), but helpful hints are always very, very welcome. We recorded this on Adobe Audition (or Cool Edit, one of the two) and for the life of me I can't remember what I used to create the strings. It wasn't VST, but something similar. I keep meaning to find that program and put it on the computer again. Maybe tonight. Anyway, the stuff on the chorus is, I believe, our little yamaha keytar that I bought at a thrift store years ago and probably a casio underneath. Crappy keyboards are fun and cheap!

Anyway, thanks again, everyone. We're glad you liked it.
posted by sleepy pete at 5:36 PM on May 31

Crap, also, ira.metafilter, that video is amazing. I really love that version of the song.
posted by sleepy pete at 9:40 PM on May 31 [1 favorite]

Yes indeedy, this was a very good cover of a very good song. Thanks for posting!
posted by Effigy2000 at 4:07 PM on June 1

[This is good.]
posted by Pronoiac at 2:40 PM on June 2

Beautiful. It's very easy to imagine the "walk"!
posted by snsranch at 7:23 PM on June 4

Beautiful. Posted on my birthday too!
posted by francesca too at 5:12 PM on June 5