ben gibbard covers james mercer

[coolidgejosiah]

@roycesboy haha I don't even remember now. I like them all at this point! I just had to listen to the more I guess.

[coolidgejosiah]

One of only two songs by the shins that I don't like but James Mercer and Ben Gibbard are fantastic.

[roycesboy]

@coolidgejosiah whats the other one new slang?

[jimijimi1029]

If they collaborated, that would be the greatest thing, like... EVER. I seriously couldnt imagine anything better than my 2 favorite artists coming up with something, even just a single!

[masterselina]

I heard that Ben Gibbard covered Friday Im in Love and it was on a Clorox bleach commercial. Does anyone know where I could find that?

[heyyjules]

this is soo epic.

i feel like all my favorite artists are intertwined and listen to eachother's music.

like ben gibbard liking the shins!

[calijordan1987]

get your feet on the ground and stop FUCKING around.

best lyrics of all time?

[toothpastedinner]

can anyone actually explain why mercer and gibbard haven't started a band together?

[curry136]

Mercer and Gibbard have so many bands... Why don't they just make a band together?

[heyyjules]

@curry136 that's an amazing idea.

[rhcp500]

Ben Gibbard + James Mercer?! My head is going to explode. This is too much awesomeness to take in at once. I feel like I just divided by zero

[bociferousmimi]

Why are some of the best contemporary songwriters from the Pacific Northwest ?

[imjohnandyouare]

@bociferousmimi washington is a state for thinkers

[bearbv]

put the ring on the rail for the wheels to nullify. yeah...mercer does kick gibbard's ass. i used to be a die-hard death cab fan, but yeah, the lyrics have taken a hit since transatlanticism. just read this "gem": Your heart is a river that flows from your chest/Through every organ/Your brain is the dam/And I am the fish who can’t reach the core.

Like wtf...that is just uninspired...

[drnazar69]

@bearbv Haha, yeah, wtf? Mercer has a gift. There are such few artists who can write a flowing story into a song. I've always wanted to know if they write the music first or the story. Another singer who is amazing at this is John Keenan Maynard, though a polar opposite style, can write songs to read like a short story. Just amazing!

[VeryLargeRat]

@drnazar69 Way to derp his name, dude. Maynard James Keenan

[drnazar69]

@VeryLargeRat Hahahahaha!!!! I musta been high!

[konsfriend]

@bearbv wooow while i'll agree that was rather uninspired. that's literally (in my opinion) the worst line by gibbard in any song he's written. Meanwhile he's creating actual gems such as "Cath" which probably stands as lyrically one of the greatest songs ever written. Mercer is good too, don't get me wrong, its just that he's not as mainstream so eternal hipsters like yourself can't wait to masturbate to every Shins album that comes out. Clearly Mercer thinks enough of him to be his friend

[dnon75]

This is easily my favorite song off Chutes too Narrow but the special thing about the song is the vocal harmony which is not present here, so it just sounds kind of awkward without it.

[DaBomb3434]

mercer and gibbard are friends. i don't really see what the argument he was playing this to show respect for him and this argument is like they are enemies.

[NanerDude]

hahahaha

he changed the lyrics.

:D

[lucasboden]

I predict Ben will look like Matthew Sweet or Ann Wilson of Heart in 5 years.

[Deefinitelay]

I like both singers and their bands of course, but I prefer Mercer's version. Still, much respect to Gibbard for doing as well as he did.

[brysonisSXE]

sorry i think ben gibbard is slightly better than james mercer.

[sublime327]

might of been at one point, but sorry no.

[BonTonSwan]

I really like this cover.

And both of the artists! :)

[brisweet91]

It does not get better then this.

[SweepTheLegYo]

Mercer owns Gibbard so hard. :)

[docdoogie11]

you're definatley right. here is the difference. James is not there because his wife is having a baby and ben is filling in because his boyfriend can't have kids.

[DaBomb3434]

ben just married zooey deschanel, one of the most beautiful and talented actresses in hollywood so its pretty clear hes not gay

[SweepTheLegYo]

You can thumbs down me all you want -- Gibbard is a one track song writer. Mercer has greater depth, more verbal tricks, better melody, etc. Opinions are great but static truth exists too.

[HahjzulTheFool]

@SweepTheLegYo Those are just opinions. Once you fully recognize what one is, you'll then be able to realize that yours is subjective.

[mlr5102]

I have been a gibbard fan forever and it kills me to admit that you pose a good point here. You really can't discredit gibbard tho.. He has written a lot of witty lines in his history that could easily match Mercer. One track writer? I can count at least 5 great albums. Honestly its like comparing apples to oranges. They are both amazing in their own right. I would mix the two on a CD any day of the week. What you said WAS opinionative but its not worth arguing over

[SweepTheLegYo]

I just think it's embarassing that Gibbard writes quasi-high school notebook songs as a thirty something. I don't think he's come close to a Pink Bullets, Sphagnum Esplanade, Australia, Girl Inform Me, etc etc in his career. But to each his own. Cheers.

[joeg19]

For me, as much as I love Gibbard, his writing changed with Plans and on that and Narrow Stairs he seems to have lost the slightly ambiguous quality that once made him comparable to Mercer, and his lyrics seem almost disappointingly literal. Mercer will always be the man for me

[lightwolf345]

@SweepTheLegYo Call em highschool notebooks songs if you must, but the fact is that it appeals to a wide range of people, adults and adolescents. The upperhand Gibbard has over Mercer is that Gibbard knows how to make the words fit in the line, sometimes Mercers phrasing is terribly awkward to sing, and Gibbards flows perfectly.

[shopgirl157]

A-W-E-S-O-M-E!

[Pewpewharhar]

one of my greatest hero covering a song by my greatest hero. Thats pretty cool

[poipolegirl]

Thanks for posting this. I heart Ben and for those of you who don't know it wasn't a bad trade off after all I've heard James perform We will become Silhouettes. You can't compare Death Cab and The Shins they are both beautifully artistically lyrically and musically - its not fair

[rainmanpdx]

roseland theater, portland oregon!

[imoutofcontext]

ben gibbard, will you marry me?

[slackersnail]

He's marrying Zoey Deschanel.

[WetNoodle49]

One of my heroes covering another of my heroes.

Perfect.

[thehushkat]

I was trying to find the words of how I could describe this benison from God!

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[MEST12]

He reminds me of the canadians on southpark.

[Garytheuckingbunny]

DCFC + The Shins = Pretty Freakin' Awesome!!!

I love this!

[scrandi]

It's an homage. People shouldn't be so critical! I love it.

[thericnguyen]

James Mercer and Ben Gibbard are both excellent song writers and incredible live.

[FoolyFool]

nothing to add!

[slackersnail]

I don't like this. Gibbard's songs are way better than Mercer's.

[redsoccrbrit8642]

I've got to disagree with that

[redsoccrbrit8642]

I mean, I definately like Gibbard, but I would put him in Mercer on the same level, I personally favor Mercer.

[modest524]

one of those videos you would've never seen and would have faded in too a select fews memory

[rmzy717]

This is one of the most amazing videos I've ever seen.

[jpb6892]

It's just not the same without that slide guitar.

[sfmm4life]

"LETS CLAP!!!!"

hahahahahahah

amazing.

:]

[Leehoo1989]

i'm sorry but james mercer just sings it way better..

[jeangeenie]

it's a good cover, but i agree with you 100%.

[roban8]

Agreed. There is a 33 second clip on youtube of Mercer playing the same song solo, it's amazing.

[elsnazier2]

his high notes just don't have the same strength as mercer's the chorus just isn't as powerful

[joeg19]

What a legend

[TrustNo121000]

SO GREAT!!!! I love Ben Gibbard's covers! They're always the best!

[btiamletired]

ohhh man, how amazing

[4GuitaRGuY4]

WOW as if this has like no views, this is a godly find.

[dcabfc]

I just love Ben, and playing a shins song, couldn't get better!

[MajestySnowbird]

Good lord, where has this been hiding?! I've already extracted the audio and put it on my itunes. Two of my favorite musicians of all time.

[christo1231]

<3 ben he's so awesome!!

and playing shins couldn't get better

[Molly718]

ben gibbard playing my favorite shins song? top notch.

[lesserbirds]

What an awesome night that was!!!

[jonnycox001]

Fucking fantastic show! Loved the whole set!