A Change is Gonna Come

Gavin Degraw's "Chariot Stripped" album is quite amazing. If you haven't heard of the Stripped series, please check it out. Basically, they take CD's which have already been produced, and bring the artist in to do a live, acoustic, in-studio recording. Now, I have Gavin DeGraw Chariot, and Gavin DeGraw Chariot Stripped and oh the difference!

Chariot has some good songwriting but it's a little too poppy for me. But Chariot Stripped is fantastic- I really suggest checking it out. So not only are the songs better but there's a bonus track. Gavin DeGraw covers Sam Cooke's A Change is Gonna Come and it's beautiful. I've gone back and fourth with my mother, who is my elder about who has a better version.

My mother, of course, likes Cooke's version the best because it is undoubtedly more personal and it's the original. However, I tend to favor DeGraw's simply because it seems to have more emotion and passion. The fragility of his voice is so incredibly moving. I know everyone is going to abandon me on the following point but- I think Cooke's version is more music for music sake, whereas DeGraw's is music as an emotional release, which for me is always more moving. Of course I am biased, but who isnt? Here, is a comparison of the two:

Sam Cooke


Gavin DeGraw