Advice / Music and Acting / Things to Make You Think

I Did a Cover

Elm101 Comments

Hey guys!

Throughout the day, I’ve been having no motivation to post, but about an hour ago I got in the mood for singing. The song, Can’t Help Falling in Love (originally by Elvis Presley) is a song that I adore, because it means a lot to me emotion-wise and all that.

You can find the cover here, but before you listen, I need to explain a few things.

Recently, I’ve started to really dislike my voice. I don’t know why: people tell me I’m a good singer, but I guess because self-hatred is a great companion of mine, I find reasons to disagree with them. I ALWAYS think I sound terrible. I know that I can’t sing high, because I sound like a chipmunk or just STUPID. But because I love this song so much, I thought, “Oh FUCK it! Why CAN’T I record it? I might as well.”

I’m not trying to get pity. When I was trying to record, I felt so frustrated because my high notes were – and ARE – weak, and it upset me a little because I thought that I couldn’t sing at all and that I just sounded strangled or not strong enough. I re-did it about 5 times because I’m a perfectionist.

Yes, it’s not perfect. I sound like I have grains of sand in my throat at one point, and I was using my phone plus a computer instead of a real microphone. I know all that, and though it pisses me off that it’s not PERFECT and parts of it aren’t good, I’ll just have to deal with it.

That’s what I want YOU to get out of this post. There are times when you’ll think that shit is pointless, and you can’t do it. That’s what happened with me and my singing today, because I got frustrated and angry that I just COULDN’T hit that note.

But try it. You might not think it’s necessarily GOOD, but you’re putting it out there. I put it up there to prove to myself I COULD. I love singing; it makes me happy. I can’t love it if I hate my own voice – and though I sometimes can’t help that, I can’t love singing EITHER if I never, ever show people what my voice is like. I can’t love it if I never take the chance to sing a song I like, and record it with WHATEVER crappy thing I have.

I did it and I’m happy. It’s not perfect, but I did it, and it’s ME.

I really hope you liked it, but not because of the symbolism. I hope you liked it because I HOPE it was good. Screw all my pretentious crap for a second; music is just music, no matter how much I had to record it or how frustrated I got.

Doing something you love shouldn’t come with a “Oh but I don’t like THIS aspect of it.” I’m doing it to show you, and myself, that we’re all human. Things aren’t perfect, but take pride in that. It’s important that you know your flaws, but with every flaw comes something amazing.

I won’t say it was “challenging” for me to put it out there. I’m confident enough that I can actually post a video without getting terrified. It was just the fact of proving to myself that I was able to actually SING that was a bit tricky. But I did it.

Take that step, to do something you WANT to do. Prove to yourself it’s okay, and no one else, cause you’re the only one you answer to right now.

From Elm 🙂

101 thoughts on “I Did a Cover”

  2. I love that song so incredibly much! Elvis was such an amazing singer, although I liked his lesser known songs more than the popular ones. Will go listen to your cover now, I’m sure it’s amaze!

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  9. Honestly Elm, wow. This song means A LOT to me and I listen to it when I’m feeling down or even just to relax me. I love the rawness of your voice and it was so soothing to listen to!

    Reply

  10. You’re so good at singing! Like how is this fair! You have the best accent in the whole world and you can sing!

    In retrospect to your previous blog posts this was so sad, I’m not lying when I say this I had tears okay…

    Tears…

    Common James get a grip sonny!

    (But yeah, get an album and I’m paying $3842.)

    Reply

    • Literally you’re my favourite ever person, don’t pay anything for my album because it won’t exist! Well, I wish it could. Seriously you make my day every time 🙂 how are you so nice? I always worry that my voice sounds terrible, but you’ve kind of convinced me it doesn’t

      Reply

  11. This song is me and my boyfriends song. When I saw that you made a cover for it I got really excited!!!
    I think you sound really good! You should do more covers! xxx 🙂

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    • Ahhh thank you so so much! 🙂 It actually makes me grin that you like it; also it’s an amazing song. You think I should? Because of how everyone responded, I think I will!

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  13. what the fricken heckkkk??? I’M LITERALLY NOT EVEN LYING, I HAD ACTUAL FRICKEN GOOSEBUMPS IN THE FIRST 10 SECONDS. Like i’m serious when i say this, this cover was absolutely beautiful. I could hear the emotion. I could hear the story behind it…And just aaahhhh. My feelings were all over the placeeee. I couldn’t help falling in love! (; xx

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  14. high notes are indeed hard, I feel stressed and frustrated whenever I hum my favorite video game OST (YES I ACTUALLY HUM PIANO HAHAHAHHAHA–)
    practice a lot, it actually helps.

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  15. BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD, ELM! Not good! Your voice sends these shivers down my spine and then I’m emotional and then I cry and then my mom finds me weird and then my brother laughs at me and then I feel bad! Your voice is toooooooooooooooooooooooo goooooddddd!!! I love it, sing more and post more, I love it! Keep up the good work! 🙂

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  17. Oh MY GOD……. YOUR TONE IS FRIGGIN INCREDIBLE!!!! I have heard many incredible singers over the last few years as auditions for Youth Music Theatre and in the Chamber Choir at my school, and honestly you’re up there with the top few!Don’t worry about doubting your voice, you had no reason to, but I do the whole time. I end up in tears whilst doing my practice if i don’t sound just how I want to! But you’ve inspired me to do the same, so watch out for a cover 🙂 AND JUST KEEP SINGING! Honestly its the best thing for your voice xxx

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    • OOHMYGODDDD OLIVE thank you!!! And yes PLEASE, please do a cover; I REALLY want to hear you sing! You’ve just made my day ahh

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  18. I just listened to your cover and your voice is nothing short of amazing Elm! I wish I could sing like that (or just sing at all xD). You should definitely do more covers in the future, as long as they make you happy! (: (I would definitely listen to them!)

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    • You would? AHHH Jess thank you so so much! You make me smile and that means a lot 🙂 I definitely will be doing more covers, when I feel up to it!

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  19. Ahh this is beautiful!!! Your voice is amazing and ahhh I love this song and your piano chords add such a nice touch! OH MY GOSH IM SERIOUS AS YOU GET FURTHER INTO THE SONG YOUR VOICE IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND YOUR COVER SENDS (good) CHILLS DOWN MY SPINE. Please do another cover sometime soon!!! I actually can’t your voice is so nice and so much better than mine oh my gosh.
    Apologies for not keeping up with your posts lately – hope you’re all good 😀

    Reply

    • EMILYYYYY! 🙂 Heya you! Thank you SO SO MUCH I’M SO GLAD YOU LIKED IT! Oh SHHHH I bet you’re a great singer; don’t doubt yourself!
      I DEFINITELY will do a cover at some point; just trying to pick the song. Eeeek thank you again! Yeah, I’m doing quite good – I’m just so tired. How have you been? Don’t worry about not keeping up with posts!

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      • Ahah you’re welcome and aw thanks Elm :))
        YAAAAAY I can’t wait to see it! And thanks good – I’ve been tired too from so many assessments this term but my holidays are coming up in less than 2 weeks so I’m excited (but still have assessments to do ughh :/ )

      • UGH assessments are horrible, but you’ll get through it! 🙂 Just keep as positive as possible. YAYYY for holidays!

  21. ELM ARE YOU FRIGGIN KIDDING MEH? Your voice is so incredible! You should post more covers! PLEASE? You just inspired me to post a cover, but yours is so good, I can’t go ANYWHERE near THAT. OHMYGOD.

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  24. I love this song so much! it brings me tears of joy a lot. I really appreciate the bravery you have to sing in public and not worry much, I wish I can do that someday 🙂 I’m not very confident with my voice. Anyways, no matter what insecurities you have while singing, please don’t stop! I seriously got chills listening to this. x

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    • You are such a brilliant person 🙂 Thank you SO SO much. I know what it’s like to not have confidence, but I bet on everything that you’re a fantastic singer. Go out there and PROVE to yourself you do have that confidence.

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  26. NO ELM. I’m NOT letting you hate your voice when the proof of the contrary in right IN FRONT OF YOU. DAMN. THAT. WAS. AMAZING. Your voice is angelic, it’s the most BEAUTIFUL thing in the world. THAT was my favourite cover of anything EVER. You’re just too tooo too amazing ahhh.

    Reply

  31. My jaw dropped after the literal 10 seconds… you have an amazing voice, Elm! No idea if this actually helps confidence-wise, but I really hope it does because you deserve to get recognition- not just from us, but, I don’t know, from some record label! Which should totally happen; I’m not just trying to be nice!

    Reply

  38. OMFG ELM! THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL! I love your voice, and you should be so so proud of your cover. It is so wonderful to listen to (I was playing it without earphones) and your tone and everything is just so wow! If you ever feel the urge to post another cover, I will always be here to say YES, because wow, it was amazing listening to you sing.

    Reply

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