The Cover song thing under the undercover thing

Bloggers Note: The topic of music on Chuck has always been interesting to me and I especially enjoy discussing with other fans in particular on twitter. Many of my Chuck music blog ideas have come from in-depth dialogue with fellow Chucksters, I want to thank three in particular (@jemjoven, @dren_lla and @BigKev67) with whom I have a regular habit discussed of discussing the finer intricacies of Chuck’s music

Don’t know if this idea was inspired or crazy (likely to be both) but I have been thinking about doing this blog entry for a while on cover songs that suit CHUCK.

Why, you may ask? ...Well a good cover song is a pretty awesome; I think it needs to pay homage to what has come before but I also think it needs to bring something new to the table as well!

Some of these songs are actually covers you can find around the place and others take place only in my imagination; but if they did happen it would be pretty freaking awesome!

I am aware the formatting is poor but just go with me, I need to post this before I go crazy I have been trying to get this done for nearly a month now...

Also there are some Adult themes discussed but no more than in a regular Chuck episode, so enjoy and please comment!

You’ve got to hide your love away

Ideally Covered by: Bon Iver

Originally by: The Beatles (Written by John Lennon)

My favourite Beatles song, great folk track from the band who could do it all as for why it would work on the show… are you kidding me? This song sums up much of the angst between Chuck and Sarah in the first two seasons where they have to play up the “Cover” relationship in public and “Hide their love away” in private for the greater good of the mission!

I think all fans of Chuck can agree what a great impact the music of Bon Iver has had on the show and I would love to see the band attempt a cover of this great song!

How could she say to me

Love will find a way…

Hey, you’ve got to hide your love away

Best suited for which Chuck Episode:

Chuck versus The Truth during Chuck’s questioning of Sarah’s real feelings towards him and then at the end of the episode where Sarah admits to Casey she has immunity to the truth serum! A folksy track full of angsty emotion perfectly suited to this season 1 episode which is one of the touchstones for the first two seasons of Chuck. Plus it gave me the cool idea for this post’s title!

Love will tear us apart

Covered by: Nouvelle Vague

Originally by: Joy Division

Melancholic song about how true love can go bad and hurt both parties in the relationship much like Chuck and Sarah during the start of season 3 especially when Shaw turned up like the turd in the proverbial punchbowl to make matters even worse.


As the desperation takes hold.

Just that something so good just can’t function no more




But love, love will tear us apart again

Love, love will tear us apart again

Best suited for which Chuck Episode:

Chuck versus The Fake Name (or as I call it Chuck versus the Gut Punch) during the painful ending where Chuck breaks up with Hannah and Sarah reciprocates the feelings of Daniel Shaw (YUCK!!) Love really did nearly tear them apart (and the Chuck Fandom as well).

Laid

Covered by: Ben Lee and Missy Higgins (Duet)

Originally by: James


This song just sums up a lot of the Chuck and Sarah relationship; there are so many reasons why they should not be to together but one really good reason they should, they are crazy about each other!!

I also love that the lyrics talk of messing around with gender roles, which is one the great things I love about Chuck with Bartowski being the emotional social butterfly and Walker being the protective physical problem solver! I won’t lie the first three lines of the song are pretty hot!!

I heard this version of the song when these two Aussie singers each performed in my hometown in 2004 as a special treat performed this in the encore!! It was amazing I haven’t seen it anywhere for sale or download but it was just brilliant so trust me on this. Having said that, the cover by Matt Nathinson is not bad either.






This bed is on fire with passionate love
The neighbours complain about the noises above…






I found you sleeping next to me I thought I was alone
You're driving me crazy when are you coming home



Best suited for which Chuck Episode:

Chuck versus The Role Models, at the end where Sarah says to Chuck that she is going over to start cleaning THEIR apartment! This is at a stage of the relationship where things are so passionate and intense and yet both are questioning if the relationship would still be strong when the intensity is gone? The answer is of course yes because of the depth of love and respect they have had for each other over a long time. But you know those crazy kids...so slow on the uptake!

There she goes

Covered by: The Wombats

Originally by: The La’s

An excellent cover by Liverpool’s own The Wombats of the original song by Liverpool’s own The La’s. There have been a lot of discussions about what the real meaning of this song is, for the purpose of this blog I think of it as being about Sarah and much in love with her Chuck is and the depths to which it affects him. The very sight of Sarah’s makes Chuck content and happy on so many levels.



There she goes, there she goes again

She calls my name, pulls my train

No-one else could heal my pain




Best suited for which Chuck Episode

Chuck versus The Fear of Death, When Sarah is walking through the Buy More to reunite with Chuck… you know one of those sequences with the wind machines and where it seems that time slows down! All of the tests & trials Chuck is having to endure to work out a way to reverse the suppression of the intersect has Chuck freaking out but when Sarah arrives a wave of emotion washes over him and in the moment of seeing Sarah she is all he can think about. In a world constantly turned upside down she’s often the only thing that he can count on!

Set You Free

Covered by: Frightened Rabbit

Originally by: N-Trance


Such an epic song, one of the VERY rare occasions a cover version totally outshines the original (by British dance outfit “N-Trance”) which honestly was not that special at all but the Frightened Rabbit version drenched in pure raw emotion, such an awesome love song!

Both Sarah and Chuck have found freedom in their love of the other; Chuck was trapped in a life as an under-achieving Nerd Herder then as an asset of the US government but the love and encouragement of Sarah has allowed him to transcend his perceived limitations. For Sarah the love of Chuck has given her a life and future away from spies, lies and death; which she otherwise may not have felt she deserved or could even have.











When I hold you baby

And your heart beats close to me

I wanna stay in you arms forever

Oh, your love can set you free



When I wake each morning

And the storm beats down on me

And I know we belong together

Oh, your love can set you free…



When we touch each other

In a state of ecstasy

I want this night to last forever

Oh, your love will set you free









Best suited for which Chuck Episode:

The Bartowski Wedding Episodes (Chuck versus The Ring I & Chuck versus The Cliffhanger) No offence to Blind Pilot (3 rounds & a sound) or Jonsi (sinking friendships) who both gave awesome wedding songs to the show but I think "Set you free" would be a brilliant choice for Sarah and Chuck to dance to at Devon & Ellie’s wedding and for it to be used again during the Charah wedding ceremony and procession to the wedding limo as it would provide an epic symmetry!

The topic of what other songs could have been used for Chuck and Sarah’s Wedding has been a constant issue of discussion especially between @jemjoven and I. So “Set you free” is my next (and perhaps best) suggestion for your consideration.

 

Beyond the Sea

Ideally Covered by: Zachary Levi

Originally by: Bobby Darrin

For starters it will give Zach Levi a chance to showcase his remarkable set of pipes on the show like he did in Tangled. The old school Bobby Darrin song is right in Levi’s wheelhouse and I think Zach has the passion, presence and voice to do justice to this great song!


I know beyond a doubt
my heart will lead me there soon
we’ll meet (I know we'll meet) beyond the shore
we’ll kiss just as before
Happy we'll be beyond the sea
and never again I'll go sailing'

Best suited for which Chuck Episode:

I would use this in an upcoming Season 5 episode (perhaps for their First Anniversary) where Chuck tries to serenade Sarah…it would be just the kind of nerdy yet romantic thing Chuck would do. I don’t care what anyone else says Sarah would absolutely love it!