"I Can't Make You Love Me" - written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin and originally recorded by Bonnie Raitt is a pop ballad classic, some would say a masterpiece. Released on Raitt's 11th studio album, it is one of her most successful singles reaching the top twenty on Billboard's Hot 100. Rolling Stone Magazine has ranked the song number 339 on it's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The slow tempo ballad full of heartfelt bittersweet yrics and built on a beautiful piano arrangement by Bruce Hornsby has stood the test of time. Recorded by a multitude of artists, the song's emotionally engaging melodies touches generations of music lovers. Besides, Bonnie Raitt's brutally honest performance, I also love the versions by Nancy Wilson, Adelle, Boyz II Men, Kelly Clarkson and Bon Iver. Clarkson and Iver especially imbue the song with such a rich depth of passion that their performances can rip your heart out.
The latest take on this musical masterpiece is by Bollywood megastar Priyanka Chopra. Amazingly her and her production team decided to rip out the heart out of the original song and turn it into a electronic dance song. Why? Why? WHY?? This makes absolutely no sense to me. Why not pen an original song instead of crapping all over a classic. It makes me wonder what other covers her and her team might consider releasing in the future. Maybe an EDM version of Judy Garland's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" or maybe The Beatle's "Hey Bulldog" or quite possibly, the Pixies "Where is my Mind" or Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People" (?). Priyanka is stunningly beautiful and an amazing talent but changing up this classic ballad is just a horrible decision and, quite frankly, disrespectful to "I Can't Make You Love Me"'s formidable legacy.
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Robb Donker
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