From “Mirotic” to “Dreams Come True,” from “Hot Summer” to “Next Level,” SM Entertainment has built a reputation for reworking songs from outside Korea and turning them into K-pop staples. But where’s the line between a cover, a sample, a demo… and plagiarism?In this episode, Chris and Chantel break down the legal and creative differences between covers, master vs. publishing rights, sampling, interpolation, and demo recordings - and why those distinctions matter more than most fans realize.We dive into SM’s history of licensed remakes, Western songwriting collaborations, and the company’s unique ability to transform existing material into something distinctly “SM.” Are these just copied songs… or carefully negotiated reinventions?
References:
- Dolly Parton - "I Will Always Love You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0bEZH6ZqG4
- Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU
- Big Mama Thornton - "Hound Dog" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHDrzw-RPg
- Elvis Presley - "Hound Dog" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNYWl13IWhY
- BTS - "As I Told You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inNYQUC6dFs
- BLACKPINK - "So Hot" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skIfzl96Gc0
- TWICE - "End of Time" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxQKaEGrQ38
- 4Minute - "Milkshake" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrGQBMkXa30
- MEOVV - “Abracadabra” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jlLUl8hKGY&pp=ygURbWVvdnYgYWJyYWNhZGFicmE%3D
- Dara - “Mr. Rover” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcWlLGDvmEE&pp=ygUOZGFyYSBtci4gcm92ZXI%3D
- KAI - “Rover” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlTIextYnyQ&pp=ygUOZGFyYSBtci4gcm92ZXI%3D
- Medium.com "The Art of Clearing a Sample" article https://medium.com/the-courtroom/the-art-of-clearing-a-sample-deciding-if-its-worth-it-and-how-to-actually-do-e26fa56ad090
- Busta Rhymes - "Pass The Courvoisier Part II" feat. P. Diddy & Pharrell Williams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ZUaxyPoZ8
- NCT U - "90's Love" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5H8zBb3iao
- Ke$ha - "Run Devil Run" (Demo) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBjETYX1awQ
- Girls' Generation - "Run Devil Run" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_gfD3nvh-8
- 6ix9ine - "Nobody (Closer)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2AN35GVh3U&ab_channel=FunnyYoutubeEdits
- Winner - "Island" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRj4toENrnA
- Sarah Connor - "Under My Skin" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33FwMpiWsaA
- TVXQ! - "MIROTIC" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtJS32n6LNQ
- A20 MAY - "UNDER MY SKIN" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GioJ0KPZADg&list=RDGioJ0KPZADg&start_radio=1&pp=ygUPYTIwIG1heSBtaXJvdGljoAcB
- Triple 8 - "Knockout" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czg3-Uw2dfM
- Super Junior - "Twins (Knock Out)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrazFGFRnhM
- Nylon Beat - "Like A Fool" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHwRoRB6u_0
- S.E.S. - "Dreams Come True" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uiR4SrDGZk
- aespa - "Dreams Come True" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H69tJmsgd9I
- Monrose - "Hot Summer" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikgpaT5_XXY
- f(x) - "Hot Summer" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-rftpZ7kCY
- Phrased Differently - "Red Light" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tnDNr3gZcU
- f(x) - "Red Light" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv-8-EgPEY0
- Nathalie Makoma - "I Just Wanna Dance" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJGaOefn7nM
- Girls' Generation - "Tell Me Your Wish (Genie)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SwiSpudKWI
- AWA - "Like I Do" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DIa-MolAUQ
- BoA - "Better" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOxl2OIOVII
- A$ton Wyld - "Next Level" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTKm0mnZgp8
- aespa - "Next Level" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TWR90KJl84
- Duffy - "Mercy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ZEVA5dy-Y
- Girls' Generation - "Dancing Queen" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXZxc8GSXnI
00:00:00 --> 00:00:22 You're so neurotic. It's so mysterious. Got you under my skin. This is CCTV, the nonstop pop show where we provide our unfiltered, honest opinions on global pop music. But today is more like a lesson. Yes.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:50 Pop 101, if you will. Because today, we are talking about SM Entertainment and their long, long history of remaking, reworking, and reimagining songs from outside of Korea. Yes, because when it comes to SM, it's not just about copying or covering existing music. It's about transforming that music, taking songs from different markets, genres, and eras, and turning them into something that feels distinctively SM. Ooh, yes. Yes. Yes.
00:00:50 --> 00:01:06 Alright, but first we're gonna get into what makes a remake a remake. And music remakes slash covers slash samples in the music industry are commonplace. In simpler terms, a cover is a new performance or recording by an artist.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:33 other than the original performer or composer of the song. The reworking, updating, or interpolation of older songs could sometimes be for the sake of tribute and or introducing the artist to new audiences, but it could also be an artist's way of exploring their creativity and inspirations by giving a song a new life. Yes, and some of the most notable covers or remakes just in the world of music includes I Will Always Love You,
00:01:33 --> 00:02:01 originally done by Dolly Parton, and then remade by Whitney Houston for the Bodyguard soundtrack. And of course, Hound Dog, done originally by Big Mama Thornton, then remade by Elvis Presley. So both songs have become absolute staples for both artists involved. And the covers are more well-known than the originals. Almost. Almost. Could be argued. Right. Yeah. And I will always
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 You ain't not
00:02:19 --> 00:02:48 And that being said, the whole cover situation has come with some controversy throughout pop history. Yes. So let's narrow it down to K-pop, of course, right? Because many idol groups perform covers during year-end specials or on music programs or on their own tours. And these covers are often given a modern production twist and are seen as a way of showing tribute to past artists or just kind of showing a different side to themselves that they can't show through their own music as well. That's right.
00:02:48 --> 00:03:15 Typically, when the remake is performed, most of idols cover a legacy artist like a Korean idol of yesteryear. Like Kim Sung Jae's So To Say, or As I Told You. Y'all know the one. Y'all know. It's been covered by BTS or even Blackpink covering So Hot by the Wonder Girls. Oh my gosh. And Meow. I'm joking. Meow covered abracadabra. So you guys have all heard it.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:43 Or they may perform the latest track by their peers. And now on occasion, idols also cover Western artists, right? Like Twice covered Beyonce for a KCON performance years ago.
00:03:48 --> 00:04:05 But very rarely does these types of covers or remakes make an album. They're usually just for special performances, one-off occasions, or just a fun tour situation. Right. So let's bring it back to SM Entertainment, one of the biggest K-pop agencies that...
00:04:05 --> 00:04:23 And the iconic company has come to be known to take risks with its sound, mixing genres, wacky concepts, and everything in between. But before we dive deeper into the company, let's discuss what a remake actually is.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:43 Yes. So both of us have worked in music, record labels, publishing companies. We've been in the studio. Right. So there's a lot of words that get thrown around that people get confused by. So let's let's let's have our lesson now. Right. Because it can get a little messy. Settle the score now. Yeah. So let's start simple. Okay.
00:04:43 --> 00:05:12 A cover is exactly what it sounds like. It's when an artist records a song that was already released by someone else. Same song, new performer. So going back to I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston's is a cover of Dolly Parton's song. But Whitney didn't use any elements from Dolly's recording. Everything was recorded brand new. So that distinction is extremely important, especially legally. Especially legally, yeah.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:41 And every song has two separate copyrights. The master, which is the actual recording that you hear, and the publishing, which is the melody, lyrics, and composition. Yes, and if you re-record a song from scratch, you're only dealing with publishing. But if you use the actual audio from the original recording, and that means anything from the original recording, the beat, the vocals, any of the instrumentation, then you're actually dealing with the master as well.
00:05:42 --> 00:06:07 Yes, and that's where sampling comes in. And a sample is when an artist takes a piece of existing recording and builds a new song around it, looping it, chopping it, or layering new production on top. And that usually requires permission from both the master owner and the songwriters. Yes, and that's where a lot of lawsuits happen if they don't get that permission. So get your permission on Spotify.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:35 Yes, so then there's interpolation, and this is where things can get very confusing for everyone. Yeah. Because an interpolation is when an artist recreates a recognizable melody or lyric from another song instead of directly sampling the original recording. So you're not lifting the audio, you're re-performing or rewriting it, but this still requires publishing approval, but not necessarily the master. Yeah.
00:06:35 --> 00:07:02 So when you hear a familiar line or melody and think, wait, I know that, but it sounds brand new and newly recorded, that's likely an interpolation. Right. Like the thong song. He says, living the vita loca, no sample, but an interpolation and therefore owed the songwriter. So then those songwriters are now included in the credits of that song as well. Yes. The thong song is no longer Cisco's. Alone. Alone. Alone.
00:07:03 --> 00:07:26 So now let's talk about demos because this is where a lot of misinformation lives. A demo is a rough recording made for the purpose of shopping a song to labels or artists. And the person singing the demo is not automatically the owner of the song. And the demo is not considered an official release. A great example is Girls' Generation's Run Devil Run. Yes.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:45 Kesha sang the demo, but she never released the song herself. The song was pitched, SM acquired it, and then SNSD became the first artist to officially release it. And that's what makes Run Devil Run an original Girls' Generation release and not a cover.
00:07:55 --> 00:08:21 Yes. And finally, let's briefly touch on plagiarism. Because plagiarism happens when a song uses protected elements of another song without the proper licensing or credit. And as we've been saying with all the legal stuff, these cases do exist. But they're the exception, not the rule. Especially at a company like SM where licensing and songwriting credits are usually very heavily managed.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:45 Yes. So hopefully this little crash course was helpful, but that's why it's important not to lump demos and covers and remakes and samples and plagiarism all into the same bucket because creatively and legally, they are all very different things. Right. Oh, my gosh. I don't think I realize how many conversations have been had about it's plagiarism. This person took this person's song. No, baby. No, no. People paid. There's money involved.
00:08:45 --> 00:09:10 Yeah, and you know if there hasn't been. It's usually very public when they have these situations. So let's get into it, and let's start with one of the most iconic remakes in SM's history. And that is Sarah Connor's Under My Skin versus TVXQ's Murotic. Versus? I love you.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:47 Alright, so Sarah Connor's Under My Skin was composed by the Danish producers Remy, Lucas Saekon, and Thomas Trollsen. And it's a song by Sarah Connor from her sixth studio album, Sexy As Hell, released in 2008. And the track managed to reach the top 20 in Austria and on the European Hot 100 singles chart, as well as number four in Germany. So it's safe to say that the track fared pretty well before SM then obtained the rights to the track.
00:09:47 --> 00:10:08 Right. And the song that came to be was Mirootic and it was rearranged by Yoo Young Jin and its K-pop group TBXQ's title track from their fourth album of the same name. And this song has become a K-pop staple and has been listed as one of the best boy group songs of all time by Rolling Stone. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:37 And most recently, Li Ximun bought the song back again with his Chinese pop girl group A2O Mei. And they released a song under the original title, Under My Skin. But it still uses the words merotic in it. Ooh, because not only was this just a creative choice for him, he was also sending a message that he's back.
00:10:38 --> 00:11:02 It was a shade. There's a shadiness to this choice. I feel like it's really shady. Yeah. And I love it. Messy. Right. Yes. So what do you think of these three versions of this song that we have? Ooh, okay. So with Sarah Connors, it's very hot. It's very smexy, right? And I think she did a really good job. But of course, when you give it to a boy group, it's like, how can we make it a little bit more like manly? And they added a rap. So it's just like...
00:11:02 --> 00:11:31 But also you have Jang Min's high note. Like, hello. I think that's what makes the song just completely... It's the Whitney now. It's the Whitney of the covers. I mean, of the remakes. I mean, TVXQ are amazing singers, all five of them. So they definitely keep the song to another level. For sure. Yeah. How many groups have done a cover of it? I mean, I'm sure many have tried.
00:11:32 --> 00:11:49 Dun, dun, dun. Is that Shay Twitter group? You know, hit dog hollers. I don't know. But yeah, and then I saw a 2-0 May perform it back at Jingle Ball, the AXIS tour, the AXIS show. And it's interesting to hear them sing it completely in English.
00:11:49 --> 00:12:10 And then, like, some of the lyrics were, like, still kind of weird. It was like, you're so neurotic. You're so mystoric. And I'm like, I don't know if that was, like, the right way to go. Because there's an original track with lyrics that are also still kind of, like, I'm into you. Yeah. And they changed it to Under My Skin. I mean, obviously it makes sense. But I was like, oh, I don't know. I don't know. And they never really changed it.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:27 the production really. Yeah. That's my biggest thing with the A2Omei version is they didn't do much to modernize it and do much to really turn it into a song of their own. It was very much kind of a straight up cover. They even changed the key.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:49 It's not really, you know. Yeah. And I feel like, I mean, yes, like some of them, they're fine in the lower voice. But I feel like if they made it a bit higher for these younger women, they could have done a bit more just texturally, vocally. More Britney, more. Yeah. More boa, more something. Yeah. Yeah. So a little more sleeker. So I'm not loving the new version. I prefer the other two.
00:12:49 --> 00:13:11 But I will say these girls could sing Taemin's part, Chushiong Oh honey love her Okay She sings down honey Nice Another example from early SM days We have Triple Eight's Knockout Versus Super Junior's Twins Hmm
00:13:13 --> 00:13:22 Now some of you may not even know this song.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:45 I didn't know until we did this. So actually. Really? Yeah. When we first did this, I did not know that this song was like a cover. I thought Twins was just like their debut. But let's get into it. Triple Eight were a five-piece boy band promoted as a British equivalent of NSYNC. And Knockout is their debut single released on April 1st.
00:13:45 --> 00:14:05 21st, 2003 in the United Kingdom. So this single reached a peak position of number eight. So it got pretty high on the chart, which is amazing. So these songs are duds, right? Yo, this is a great song. Triple Eight were so good. They came out at the wrong time. When pop was changing, they deserved so much more.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:33 So I'm glad at least this song got another life, I guess. Right? Right. Yeah. If I were them, I would totally be like, y'all, this K-pop group did our song. But, you know, it is what it is. So Super Junior released Twins, Knockout. And it is the debut single by Suju when they were still known as Super Junior 05. Oh, yeah. Which was released online as a digital single on November 8th, 2005. And later on the group's first studio album, Twins, on December 5th, 2005.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:59 Super Junior 05's cover kept the version of original song where it's like kind of hip hop, the influence is still there, but it incorporated heavier bass elements, a faster rap, and it formed the song into like a rap rock kind of like visual K-moment. The promotional title of the song was Twins, and it added to the song's title to mark the change in lyrics from the original song. So it's like, it's the same song, but a slightly different song.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:15 Yes, and those Korean lyrics, which were written by Yoo Young-jin, they speak of inconclusive feelings regarding love and following one's destiny. So they made it much deeper. Yeah, they're like, yes, I don't know how you feel about me, but I'm going to, you know, I don't think they...
00:15:16 --> 00:15:42 I'm going to be honest. I think I'm just biased. But I do prefer Triple Eight's version. It's giving Five the, like, escalated a little bit. Because, you know, it's a bit later after Five. Yeah. And obviously, that's my most nostalgic era of pop music. That's them. You know? I get the changes that they made for Suju. Mm-hmm. But I didn't need the rap frock. Ooh. You know...
00:15:43 --> 00:16:04 I don't dislike the rap rock. I think because it has so many members, they're like, how can we take it from just singing and add a little flair to it? But there's already rapping in the 888 one. They just took it to a level I don't think they needed to for the Super 3 Ripple 5. That's so funny. You know what? All I can think about with this song is the hair.
00:16:05 --> 00:16:33 And help make their, like, he too looked like a visual K, like, singer. He was great. Like, the hair was up, honey. It was, he had an updo. I loved it. I think that's, like, the most iconic thing. But I can't say this is, like, their big song, obviously. Like, I don't even think a lot of, like, K-pop fans even think about this when they think of Super Junior. We all think, sorry, sorry. Sorry. You know? Like, but yeah, I get what you mean. Like, Triple H, I think Triple H.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:54 Triple Eight, hearing their version, I don't know. I think maybe I like it more, but I don't know. I know Suju's first, so the results are inconclusive. Okay, so another example is Like a Fool by Nylon Beat and SES's Dreams Come True.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:31 Yes. So Nylon Beat was a Finnish girl group consisting of Jonah Kosinen and Aaron Koivisto. And their main period of popularity was during the late 1990s into the early 2000s, a.k.a. one of the best eras of pop music. Yes, I concur. Yeah. And so their debut single, which was produced by Finnish producer Risto Asikainen, was Like a Fool. And the song picked at number eight on the Finnish charts back in 1996.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:59 And in 1998, with further composition by Yoo Young Jin and group member Bada, SES would release Dreams Come True. And this version remained identical to the original, aside from a newly arranged rap part and production flourishes here and there. And then the song was covered again by Aesva in 2021, with Boa participating in the new production and a new verse included.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:10 Okay, so now... I did not know that this was a cover of a cover.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:37 The Espo one? Yeah. Oh. Like, I knew dreams come true, right? But then it didn't occur to me that it was a cover originally. So it was kind of funny because I just thought the SES was, like, the original. Because they had, like, the whole fairy thing going on that came out. Yeah. You know? And it was like, you know, sing it like this. Sing it like this. You know, it was very, like, you know, space girly moment. And then there's, like, this weird rap.
00:18:37 --> 00:19:02 Yeah. That's... I can't say that they beat Nylon Beat with this one. The rap part, I don't love. It's new. It's funky. I would say vocally, I prefer the SES one. Yeah. I don't love the vocal in the original Finnish one, to be very honest. It wasn't strong. It wasn't the strongest. SES gave it just a little bit more flavor. Yeah, because it had butter. Yeah.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:25 Um, the Espe version I actually think was pretty well done. Like, production-wise, they really modernized it, and there's some cool, like, parts in the instrumental of it. No, you're right. It sounded bright. It didn't sound too, like, dated. Mm-hmm. It did sound kind of, like, silly. You want to make me too? Do you want to upside down? Like, certain lyrics like that, I'm like, that could have been... Um...
00:19:25 --> 00:19:37 And I think they swapped out like the voices for the rap, which I appreciate. But the rap is still a little charring. Can't lie. Can't lie there. It is. Yeah, but you remember it. Hmm. Okay. Okay.
00:19:38 --> 00:20:07 Up next is a forgotten group. I'm totally... Listen, I didn't forget about them, but K-pop history has. Rum Pum Pum was recently brought back. Okay, this is... Someone randomly covered it at some point. Okay, you're right, you're right. Maybe like a couple years ago. But yes, speaking of Rum Pum Pum Pum Pum Pum Pum Pum Pum Pum, the group that made that song was FX. And we all know FX's song Hot Summer, but did you know it was created first by Munros? And their song was also called Hot Summer.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:47 And Hot Summer was released by the German group in 2007. It was written and produced by Danish musician Remy Sigvart and Thomas Cholson, the same team for Undermy Skins. You're seeing a pattern here. You're seeing, right? And the song debuted at number two on the German chart before becoming number one, which would be the second number one for Monroes. And the lyrics depict all the hot things that the girls like, especially a hot guy.
00:20:50 --> 00:21:19 They were like, we're not talking about boys here. And they released it in 2011 as the single from the repackaged Pinocchio album, Hot Summer, by FX. It's more tame. And it's a literal approach to a hot summer. Like, fully equipped with lyrics about sweaty foreigners and a how-to guide on how to enjoy the summer. And the single debuted and peaked at number two for the group. I remember the sweaty foreigner one. So funny.
00:21:20 --> 00:21:46 This one's quite a pure cover. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I would say... So I actually knew the FX one first. I did not know the Monroe's one. Same. So I think that made me a little bit biased. But it's... I think lyrically, I prefer the Monroe's one. Yeah. But when I think of the song, I do think of FX and the little foot-topping dance. Is this what? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:21:46 --> 00:22:08 But I'm gonna be honest, not my favorite FX song either. Honey, they got better songs. I mean, okay, let me think about the hot summer. I think vocally FX sounds a little bit better than Monroe's as well. I mean, they got Luna. Yeah, she's no joke. Yeah. Oh my God. But yeah, I think FX got this one for sure.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:22 All right, and our last example of kind of a purer cover is Kai's Rover and Dara's Mr. Rover.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:42 Mr. Rover. Yes so Mr. Rover was released in 2022 by Bulgarian artist Adara with the dance hall and marimba influences and those lyrics are about smexy time with a Mr. Rover.
00:22:44 --> 00:23:05 And then not too long after, in 2023, Kai released a cover of the song. But this time, the Korean rewritten lyrics are just about being confident and clapping back at the haters. Right. He said, don't play by name. Though his dance was still very spexy. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so I like both versions. Yeah.
00:23:07 --> 00:23:19 Okay, like both versions, right? But I do believe that a year later or whatever the time span it was between getting the track and then reworking it a little bit, there are a little bit more
00:23:20 --> 00:23:50 interesting tones and extra production added to the Kai version, but I prefer. And I do like her. I like Dara's like cheeky kind of like Mr. Rover. I'm coming. I like that. Cause it reminds me of Mr. Taxi, Mr. Taxi that you're so sexy, sexy, sexy. So it's the same kind of vibe where it's just like, I'm trying to drive you crazy, but like, I'm not biased. Cause I feel like his, his like, come around with me. You know, y'all know what I'm talking about.
00:23:50 --> 00:24:15 Oh, yeah. And the crop shirts and stuff. I feel like, oh. I mean, Kai killed this. Yes. And yes, I completely agree that just production-wise, it made it more lush at certain moments. Just takes you more on a ride. Hers is more just, it kind of stays on the same level, but I appreciate it. It's still fun to dance to. Yeah.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:42 Yeah, yeah. I think, again, with him, kind of similar to Hot Summer, because the performance and the visuals and everything are now ingrained in the song with me. And I also saw Kai do it live as well. Oh, right. Right, and he killed it. Yeah. So, yeah, Kai wins this one, unfortunately. That was so articulate. Listen, if you don't subscribe for anything else at this point, subscribe for Chris, because he articulated everything I was thinking. I was just like, ooh, yeah, mm-hmm, yeah. I'm sure we're feeling that, too. Mm-hmm.
00:24:44 --> 00:25:13 Okay, let's move on to demos now. Yes. Yes, because a lot have leaked over the years. True. And people have been very confused using all the words that we've been explaining about. But these are demos. Yes. Yes. Okay. So let's start with Run Devil Run, which we referenced earlier. Mm-hmm. Recorded originally. Yes. The demo. Yes. By Kesha. Yes.
00:25:14 --> 00:25:17 but officially released by Girls' Generation.
00:25:27 --> 00:25:50 No thievery here. No stealing. Yes. So, Run Double Run was written by Alex James, Busby, and Carl Engstrom. And in 2008, Kesha, the American singer, provided the vocals for the demo of the song, which now has leaked online. Yeah. And the song was pitched to SM Entertainment for Girls' Generation, or they just found it in like a...
00:25:51 --> 00:26:02 library or something. And so they decided to buy the song and SNSD then released this K-pop classic. Yes. I don't think anyone's ever covered Run Devil Run. Not well.
00:26:08 --> 00:26:30 Okay, good. That's actually really funny. Now I want to look for a cover. But yeah, I feel like Run Devil Run was like their what? Their edgy moment. Yes. And it was so iconic because like they were known for being like princessy. And this was like their little skinny jean crop top. Like get out my life boy moment. And I love that for them. Like seriously. I love when a girl group can have like a little like...
00:26:30 --> 00:26:59 feisty moment. Like, um, Perfect World by Twice. They have, like, a very feisty song, but it's only Japanese. They don't do feisty here in Korea. They don't do feisty in Korea. We're in New York. Yes. I mean, so Kesha has a very, you know, clear vocal style. You know? So it's almost iconic the second it starts, just because her style is just so noticeable. But then the S&S D one,
00:26:59 --> 00:27:22 so clean yes the vocal is so clean yeah and there's just enough sass you know yeah no it makes sense because it's like sometimes the person doing the demo is just the person that can hit the note or just what they want the song to sound like so if she's in the room writing and we're having a conversation about it or maybe she wanted to keep the song who knows but it's like can you sing it
00:27:22 --> 00:27:48 sing it go off girl you know because i don't think she has any writing credits on this one um so like if she sounds she can hit these notes and then you can hear it on someone else like tae-yeon singing that i love that part it's so sassy um of course you have a little bit of rap in there oh yeah love that oh my god i really do enjoy that song it's so good oh my god the performances but yeah i think this is like one of their songs where people didn't
00:27:48 --> 00:28:10 know how to separate demo from. Frack is the- Even now it's still referenced as a Kesha cover, but it's not. She never released it. Get together. Another demo turned track is the iconic Red Light by FX. And this one was done by Megan Clotone, who was working with Frase differently at the time.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:46 And Red Light is dynamic. It's an electro house song with lyrics reflecting on what's important in life. Also, it's a message using a red light to symbolize a warning. Now, granted, the demo lyrics, which you didn't really get a chance to talk about for Run Devil Run, are different. Yeah. Like, they're talking about butterflies and, like, meta stuff with FX. But Megan was like, I'm warning you, don't mess with me. Right?
00:28:46 --> 00:29:16 And so like I said, Megan Katone of Phrase Differently wrote this song along with Daniel Ullman, Brian Jarrett, Alison Kaplan, and Sherry St. Germain. And the original lyrics were like a back off to a thirsty dude at a club who was getting touchy. So that's like, it is what it is, you know? But after Kenzie wrote the Korean lyrics of Red Light, it was released in 2014. And although it had mixed reviews, the song... Excuse me, the song is brilliant.
00:29:16 --> 00:29:37 I know. K-pop fans sometimes were very confusing with FX. But the song did debut at number one. Hello. Shout out to Mews. On eight Korean music charts and attracted over 250 downloads in its first week. And the song peaked at number two on the Circle Weekly digital chart, becoming the group's ninth song on the chart within the top ten.
00:29:37 --> 00:30:06 So the song was good. Okay. And the song also won a total of five. I'll say five weekly music show awards and was nominated for the 2014 K-pop Golden Disc Award in the record category. So best record. Record of the year. Yeah. Deserved. This song is amazing. It was unfortunately tainted at the time because that's when, you know, one of the members clearly was not happy. And they were right in the middle of the promotional period. It was all a bit awkward. However, this song. Yeah.
00:30:06 --> 00:30:31 I still listen to it. Yeah. It's such a good song. The harmonies in it, the vocal stacking, the layering in it. And then there's so much energy in the backing track as well. Mm-hmm. Such a good K-pop song. You know, I was being very passionate. I was like, yeah, this song. But I could understand, like, the weirdness about it. They're talking about caterpillars. It's a little strange. Mm-hmm.
00:30:32 --> 00:30:49 A little strange. And also, I think the way it comes in is that the chorus is almost like an anti-drop of sorts. Remember when it... Na, na, na, na, na. It doesn't feel like a strong chorus. I could understand people being a little like...
00:30:49 --> 00:31:07 off-put by it and being like I don't know if this is actually good but I think it's one of those songs where like you put the whole picture together and like you watch the performance and like the odd eye the thing that they were doing with the makeup really heavy on one eye and then like bare face on the other side loved it and I think
00:31:07 --> 00:31:36 It's very rare to see a group like cover this, like dance K-pop girl cover groups. But this Not Shy Dance Crew did it recently. And like they've been a lot of views. So like people like this song. So 2014, you need better taste. Well, the fans clearly didn't know it was good. It's just who are these critics that give in the crappy reviews? They don't understand. They don't. Good pop music. And Luna's Red Bob. No, that wasn't Luna. That was Amber's Red Bob. Luna had a blue bob. Mm-hmm. The hair colors, honey.
00:31:37 --> 00:31:57 Alright, so let's move on to remakes and interpolations with the SM sound, right? Because the bass slides, the R&B breakdowns, all the things that make up that SMP, the SM production that we have come to know. So as time has passed, this sound has developed, and when they do source outside production,
00:31:57 --> 00:32:21 Honestly, by the time the song is released, there are so many additions and changes to the productions that really give the song a unique sound, right? Because the ones we were just talking about, while they did, of course, yes, they did add a few little elements here or there, like the extra rap and stuff. For the most part, they did stay true to that original version. Yes, completely. I get what you mean. Yeah. These next levels is where they really leveled up.
00:32:21 --> 00:32:31 Oh yes, yes, pun extremely intended. All right, and first up is Boa's Better and Awas Like I Do.
00:32:41 --> 00:33:07 So in November 2019, an understated self-love anthem called Like I Do by Awa, the past winner of X Factor Sweden, was released. And the song's production features dirty bass lines and a minimal flourish and a simple piano melody. A year later, a version penned by Yoo Young-jen will be released for Boa's 10th studio album. And the pre-hook chorus melodies would differ from the original featuring Swerve.
00:33:07 --> 00:33:33 pulling strings and a two-part bridge with a more funkier approach. Man, I remember when I heard Like I Do, when it came out, and I was like, I love this song. This is making me feel good about myself. Like, it's so silly, but yeah. I heard it first. When I heard Better, I sat there like, oh, my God, wait. Did they clear this? Like, I went in, like, publisher mode, and I thought, oh, my God. Is this cleared? They steal this? Like, no.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:54 Yeah, and it sounds like actually it was a full collaboration, right? Like Boa's team really reached out to Awa's team, and they ended up basically recreating this new version together. Yes. And yeah, they really did elevate it. I really love all the elements that came in. Yes, some of the melodies changed and stuff, but I think honestly for the better.
00:33:54 --> 00:34:20 yeah i feel like i like boa's version yes a lot like it's it's so good that song is in the meaning of the song is really good too i just think it's it fits boa's like tomboy but like still trying to be feminine and kind of maintain that balance it's a very balanced song i've heard being like sweet and soft but also being confident you know it wasn't like you know like that song was like not my fave but then i heard this one and i was like
00:34:20 --> 00:34:39 this is where we need to go. This is the direction we like this. Yeah, this is a really cool way to elevate the song. And it's interesting how that came about. Like, did they hear Awa's song? And then it was like, yes, but we could do more. You know, it's like, it's very interesting how this all happened. You know what? I had a friend that got randomly found on Spotify. Why like a,
00:34:39 --> 00:35:08 like an A&R for a K-pop company, and that's what they found her. I mean, sometimes you can actually reach out to the publishing companies that are in Korea. Record labels not so much because obviously they go to publishers, to find songwriters, etc, etc. But yeah, it's not as hard as people would think. Here in America, it is definitely hard. Good luck. But, you know... Mm-hmm. You gotta have an in over here. Yeah. So another example is Aespa's Next Level and Ashton Wilde's song of the same name.
00:35:08 --> 00:35:34 I'm on the next level, yeah. I know you heard about it. I'm on the next level, yeah. So it was written and produced by Sophie Curtis, Mario Marchetti, and Adam McGuinness. And it was originally featured on the Fast and Furious Hobbs and Shaw soundtrack. And it is an edgy pop song with a simple but effective structure. But when S-Bud came along... Why? Why?
00:35:35 --> 00:35:59 The electronic coolness gets morphed into different genres throughout the entire song. And unlike the original, the group's lyrics, again written by Yu Young-jin, takes a very literal approach to the next level. And it's a direct continuation of the group's story from their debut single, Black Mamba, telling their journey into the fictional Kuang-ya universe which no longer exists, R.I.P.,
00:36:01 --> 00:36:27 Sorry, I'm laughing. Where they were, you know, searching for a villain. Oh my god, yeah. Black Mamba! Yeah, they were... Everyone just pretends Kwon-ya doesn't exist anymore. I loved Kwon-ya. No, you didn't. Yes, I did. We used to make fun of it all the time. If you watched any of our episodes, I was like, I hate Kwon-ya. I was saying it the same way every time. They try to rope Exo into it. Even shiny. They try. They did.
00:36:29 --> 00:36:52 I had a like unspoken beef with Kwan-ya. But you know, I appreciate the concept because I was, I think I was talking to you about like how K-pop now, it doesn't feel like it has like music geared toward too much of a concept. As opposed to like, we're trying to sound cool and chic and make us on high fashion and go viral. Where this is a huge risky song. I don't know.
00:36:54 --> 00:37:22 I don't know many people who go, the greatest song of all time. I mean, Next Level is just very structurally strange. Yeah. The little jazzy moment is in a different key. Yeah. But it's not bad. It just didn't fit the song. It was really confusing. I don't actually grew to like the song a lot. I just think that shoving the concept down the throat was like the complete, like...
00:37:23 --> 00:37:53 It's going too far, you know? Like, I don't mind a concept, but it was like pushing it down the listener's throat. And it's just like, now we're down. Oh. You know how you go down to a different level in Mario and it's like a different song? Yeah. That's what they were trying to do. I'm just real. If you think about when you go down to like the nasty in the pipe. Or up. Or up. Yes. There we go. I understand all of it now. And suddenly Kwanga and I are like this. Oh. Like this. Well, too late. Okay.
00:37:55 --> 00:38:20 Yeah, I, um, this is when K-pop started, you know, becoming so visual. Yes, that I cannot listen to this song, but I would happily watch a performance. Oh, that's okay. That's okay. Yeah. All right. Yeah. Yeah. I would have a little too much for me. I wonder how the girls feel about this song. They probably hate everything to do with Kwangya as well. Mm. Mm-hmm.
00:38:20 --> 00:38:48 And naivis, they don't have to deal with anymore, at least, right? Oh, novice. Novice calling. Up next is a deep cut that maybe some people know, maybe you don't, depending on if you have taste or not. And it's Red Velvet's Kingdom Come and Tenen's I Deserve More. I deserve more Only for me
00:38:51 --> 00:39:17 So now a lot of people probably know Kingdom Come. Yeah. Right. I know I knew Kingdom Come first. But in November 2011, the original version of Kingdom Come titled I Deserve More was released by a New Jersey native named Tenen. The old school hip hop inspired soul track tells the story of a young woman losing love but gaining self-respect. It's passionate and has an empowering message.
00:39:17 --> 00:39:36 Six years later, Red Velvet would release Kingdom Come and their version featured the same production. But the arrangement of the melodies and the harmonies would be what was changed and completely different. And the lyrics speak of an everlasting love. And it's featured on one of my favorite Red Velvet albums. Oh, my God.
00:39:36 --> 00:39:55 You got Peekaboo, Kingdom Come. I know we're talking about Kingdom Come already, but I love Kingdom Come. But yeah. Both versions. Yes. Are great, actually. It really shows what you can do with the song when given to two different artists. Mm-hmm. You know? Mm-hmm. I agree. I think it's tough because like,
00:39:56 --> 00:40:17 2011, I could hear that the song, the style made sense for the time period. And then you, you know, with Red Velvet, it's like it's a five-member group. They do R&B. It does make sense, but I feel like because of all the other harmonies here and there and the melody, even the intro, check it, check, check. I was like, ugh.
00:40:17 --> 00:40:39 I think I just prefer the Red Velvet version. Both songs are good, but I think both are kind of like examples of when they were made and who was writing it. And I also feel like because the song maybe didn't do as well for Tenon, the producer may have just been like, here, I have a beat. I don't know. I don't know.
00:40:40 --> 00:41:03 But, you know, how'd that happen? I don't know. So the final example we have for this episode is Girls' Generation's Dancing Queen and Duffy's Mercy.
00:41:05 --> 00:41:29 So Duffy released Mercy in 2008, and of course it was a huge hit worldwide. It was even nominated for a Grammy Award. And the song has been covered by a multitude of artists, including on Glee, the hit TV show. So while Duffy's version had darker lyrics about having unwanted feelings towards someone, Girls' Generations was redone to be much sweeter with a much poppier production.
00:41:29 --> 00:41:56 Oh, yeah. They were wearing... It kind of was like not even an anniversary moment, but it was like they were dressed up like how they were in G with the jeans and the heels and the white tops. So it felt like classic Girls' Generation. Yeah. I'm not going to lie. Like, I know Mercy is like that song. Everyone loves that, like, vibe. It wasn't my favorite song. And then Dancing Queen, when I heard it, I was like, okay, you know. Yeah. A cover of my not-favorite song. Yeah.
00:41:57 --> 00:42:24 So it kind of sucks because now when I think of Duffy, I think of that crazy situation that she got into where she was like abducted. Oh, no. Which she hasn't since been rescued from. Oh, okay. Yes. Yeah. But there is something about her voice that does sound very lived. Oh, yeah. You know, she's really, you know, she's feeling what she's singing. Emotive. Yeah. Yeah. And then Girls' Generations is just like...
00:42:24 --> 00:42:50 Yeah, yeah, yeah. As opposed to, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, no soul. Oh. We got in trouble for saying that, but this is what we mean by tambour. The tambour is not there in terms of, you know, grit, huskiness. There's just no, like, true emotion in it. Yeah. It's just brighter. It's just bright. Yeah. It's just, they're talking about dance. It's like, yay. We're dancing here. Yeah.
00:42:51 --> 00:43:00 It's so funny. Yeah. So I must prefer Duffy's. I get why you don't love it. But yeah. Out of these two though. Duffy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:43:01 --> 00:43:28 So guys, let us all know what you think of SM and its use of samples. Its method of covers and remakes. Because again, it's a lot more detailed and pretty simple, actually. It's not that complicated to understand. All right. And let us know in the comments and tell us what other artists or albums you would want us to review next. Give a shout out to our CCTV crew on Patreon. That's Lily, Emily, George, Julianne, Jonathan, Janelle, Jasmine, Darius, Ren, Julie...
00:43:28 --> 00:43:52 Ren, Jessie, Hillary, Ellie, Luke, and Phoenix. We couldn't have done this without you. You can follow us everywhere at CCTV Pops. And if you're watching on a YouTube channel, subscribe. Turn on your notifications. Hello. And if you're listening on a podcast app, follow and a five-star rating. Until next time, that's Chris. That's Chantel. And we're CCTV, the nonstop pop show.