WWYC of the Week

Welcome to World's Worst YouTube Cover of the Week. In this column, I scour the Internet and peek into all the darkest, most neglected corners of YouTube to bring you those videos which I deem the world's worst. The criteria are flexible. Sometimes it's the singing, sometimes it's a horribly out of tune guitar, and sometimes it's just too much eye contact. Whatever it is, it will make you cringe. It will make you think, "Boy, I sure am glad that I don't post videos of myself covering 'Hey Jude' on a melodica." Unless you do. Then you should send me the link. Consider it to be like those contestants on American Idol, the difference being that these people don't have the imaginary audience they so desire. Perhaps I bring it to them. Perhaps I am the hero after all. Remember just one thing- Whatever pain it brings you to watch this, I went through more to find it.

This inaugural week we have a cover of an old college favorite, "Let Her Cry," by Hootie and the Blowfish. It's an interesting dynamic here: a meta-cover. That is, it's in some senses a cover of a cover because the performer is covering the song in the style of a man. I can only infer upon watching that the man whom she is trying to imitate was either mute or Robert Goulet. What I like least about this cover is that its seems to be teetering on that line between the pathetic Youtube cover and a joke. This is not to suggest that the fact that our performer had comedic intent in any way absolves her of any blame. In fact, I would say that her lack of solemnity only amplifies her blame. If you are going to cover Darius Rucker's ballad, do it in a dark room, de-tune your guitar, and look straight into the camera. We all know you connect with this song, don't try to pretend like you think its funny.



Next up for this girl: Pretending she thinks its funny when a horse dies during a battle scene.