Reaction to Tim Buckley VS This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren Song Battle! 

This Mortal Coil's rendition is hauntingly melancholic. Her voice almost comes across in waves of sound and depth.

This was Tim's song and has been covered by many other artists. His solo, unplugged rendition on the last episode of the Monkees Television show is by far the best version of this song. Really amazing. Tim wrote the music, played the guitar, and sang as well as probably anyone. One of the most under the radar great rock artists in history. And his son, Jeff, was just as talented.

Man. This Mortal Coil always sends the most intense chills under my skin 🖤

This Mortal Coil has my vote. Her voice is haunting.

My vote is razor-thin for This Mortal Coil's remake. Love, love, love them both. Buckley's writing makes it all happen.

We all won by listening to 2 great versions of a beautiful song.

Hearing Tim sing "Swim to me, swim to me, I am waiting to hold you" gave me the shivers, knowing that Jeff drowned 😪😪 edit to add, my vote is for Buckley Senior

Elizabeth Fraser and Tim Buckley.. my 2 fav singers ..but Tim's voice is pure and more talented ...for sure

I was the right age etc for This Mortal Coil. This was deep, deep underground indie music; the average teen in the street never heard it or knew of it. For me, the weird thing is that Liz Frasier sounds just like she’s the siren she is singing to!

The original is leagues apart from this mortal coil. The best version is is the acoustic version. In this version the backing vocals is actually Tim also.The pain you can hear and feel in his voice is heartbreaking. The song is about unrequited love and you feel that much more with Tim’s version

I love this song, brings back so many memories. Liz Fraser has the most haunting voice which is so totally unique. You have a new subscriber. Thanks for covering this song in your channel.

As much as I love Liz, TMC and Cocteau Twins, I've gotta go with the original by Tim Buckley. If not for him after all, there never would be the lovely version by TMC!! That dark folk style from the 60's and early 70's is a huge reason why that gothic sound existed later, even though I hate calling it goth. It's just interesting music. For the record though, TMC's version was my favorite prior to hearing the original. Maybe I could settle for a tie?

I have to give it to This Mortal Coil because I knew it when it came out and loved it. Tim I heard many years later and love it too but I have a deep emotional connection to TMC's version but only possible because of the art of Tim Buckley's writing.

As beautifully written as the song is, and as well as Tim Buckley did in building a foundation and a blue print. It's really Elizabeth Fraser's devastatingly haunting vocals that really breathes life into the song. It really does need a feminine touch to handle a song called Song To The Siren. Elizabeth has this exotic yet otherworldly quality to her voice that fits perfectly with the song.

How can you choose between Tim Buckley and Elizabeth Fraser? Both are absolutely great

This Mortal Coil did something special. Tim Buckley version I can take or leave.

Tim Buckley's version on the final episode of The Monkees is my favorite- just him and his guitar

Both these versions are good but I’ll go with TMC on this one. However, the best version of the song is Tim Buckley’s acoustic version of this off of a later compilation released posthumously. This version is more folk inspired and is actually his most played song on Spotify. And when it comes to Buckley as a whole, I highly recommend the album Happy Sad. Also, never realized til now the extent of how many famous artists have covered this song. Enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday!

I first heard the version by This Mortal Coil, Ivo made some some brilliant records with them. So then I searched out the original Tim Buckley version which I prefer, it's his song and he's really emotionally involved with it.

Check out Tim’s other version on RU-vid from the Monkees TV show. It’s superb. If it were between that and TMC, I’d go with Tim. But between his album version and TMC, I’d pick TMC. I love both artists though. Great match up!

Song of the Siren (A first-time listener handguide for the Cocteau Twins music) It's difficult to go from Tim Buckley's Hippy/Folk Music version, then into Elizabeth Fraser's, Goth-Hazy, Ethereal Atmospheric interpretation, so euphorically named the Cocteau Twins, they were never referred to as This Mortal Coil (that was Ivo's 4AD vanity project). Nevertheless, She had picked the song out for herself to sing and accompany it with Ivo Watts-Russell's, This Mortal Coil band project, but Elizabeth was an admirer of Buckley's music. Consequently, this lead her to form a deep friendship and eventually an affair with Jeff Buckley, because she couldn't handle Robin Guthrie's (the Cocteau Twins founder and husband of Elizabeth) constant infidelity and lack of loyalty to her all of which, at the time, was known to only a very few people). Shortly after beginning to record with Massive Attack, Elizabeth received a devastating telephone phone call, informing her that back in United States her "secret love", Jeff Buckley was found apparently drowned in the Memphis harbor, while wading water during a late night dip and his body was found four days later. Only recently has she openly discussed her relationship with Jeff in a small documentary, dedicated in his memory. Nevertheless, Elizabeth was devastated and wanted to shout her feelings, so sitting near a roaring fire, it's almost unmanageable to believe that somewhere, deep inside her soul, she found the will to write out "Teardrop ('s)" lyrics and with a simple chord progression in an outpouring of grief, loss, and heartbreak in a clear declaration of love. What's ironic is that Jeff Buckley's father, who wrote "Song of the Siren" is about mermaids, or otherwise known as the Siren. These sea-nymphs would lure innocent sea-goers by their astonishing beauty and the music they sang, only to grab men and pulling them down into the ocean depths ― Where they would drown. Strangely, Jeff Buckley himself was found drown; but, many have questioned why Jeff was found, fully dressed in his street clothes and supposedly swimming ? This is a very interesting turn of events. Yet, it was 4AD's director and father of Independent Music movement of the 80's, Ivo Watts-Russell who said: "Nobody, except Elizabeth, has sung 'Song of the Siren' with such absolute beauty, emotional depth, and haunting charm to where I've watched grown men burst into tears and cry, because it touched them so much. She is Universal and equally beautiful both inside and outside as well." As a side note: People have wondered why Elizabeth sounds so different....??? She suffers from Psychogenic Dysphonia, a very rare condition where she is unable to enunciate words properly. I'll hope you do more Cocteau Twins music in the future, because their discography is absolutely astonishing. Her vocal style earned her the nickname, "The Voice of God" and enough for Japan to rename their Treasure album, "The Woman Whom God Has Loved" (an extremely collectible album). It's like she said in an 80's magazine, "I dream of music ― I write it down and then I sing it ― It's for me to know what they're meaning is about. I'm only provide the 'hand-rails' and you do the rest. My hope it that you make each song your own".

I have this mortal coil on a 12 inch single , It makes me cry everytime , the Buckley version doesnt draw me in so much.

Always read that the Siren was the same as a sailors wife waiting for her husband to return… and to the sailor they were the same person.

You should take a listen to Tim Buckley’s “Song to the Siren - take 7”, his voice is calmer, deeper, more melancholic, more genuine. Haven’t heard this one, actually i didn’t even know that two Buckley versions of the same song existed. Between those two my vote goes to Liz Fraser’s version with This Mortal Coil.

Liz Fraser just owned this song. It's breathtaking to watch a true, preternaturally talented artist in complete control of her instrument like that.

This Mortal coil. Liz has a voice from another world. Sublime.

Tim Buckley beats all of them for me. I'm glad you have discovered his work.

I think Elizabeth Fraser’s vocal delivery improved a good song ten fold.

The guy in gray ,just got hypnotized by Liz ,welcome to Cocteau twins country

Man, when I heard the second album of This Mortal Coil it absolutely broke me. If they heard the acoustic version of Tim playing it would probably be a tie. This song hits harder when you listen to Tim's son Jeff Buckley signing with Elizabeth Fraser in "All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun". Them two were in love and she sang this song (Song to the siren) for Jeff's dad.

No battle, he wrote it, and made it real. Love Mortal Coil cover too.

She. This Mortal Coil. Deep, powerful....emotion....sorrow. Period.

It's better the original of Tim Buckley, Tim was wild and with passion, his voice remember the deep ocean, but other version is smooth, different style, good both interpretation

Such a beautiful song I love both, Tim's acoustic version is probably my fav. Did you know Pat Boone was first person to release a studio version of this song? best forgotten lol I can't believe Tim & Larry let him do it. At least Tim played it on TV before the Boone recording.

Elizabeth Fraser is "The Voice of God". Nobody beats that.

When I say there's no contest - that's because they are both brilliant.

in the original version that he did of this song which i personally like more , he sang it in a totally different key. in that version he sang - i'm as puzzled as an oyster but in this version he says - i'm as puzzled as a newborn child. i'm only pointing that out because you read the lyrics of the other version. i'll personally give this version to mortal coil BUT i'll give the original buckley version the all around win.

This Mortal Coil every time.

Her HEAVILY electrically enhanced voice automatically gives Tim the nod. Can't even hear her true voice. Tim needed no electronic aid as he had a voice of the gods...

Excellent ! Much better than the other versions. You can really feel the sea, the waves…

Ok, this is a Cocteau Twins song sorta like Hurt is a Johnny Cash song. There is a live version by Cocteau Twins that's less studio polished but crazy haunting kinda like Johnny Cash's version of Hurt. So glad you guys brought up 4AD releasing various artists with the This Mortal Coil band name ! Bigs thanks to Trent and Tim for writing a masterpiece. ELIZABETH FRAISER !

tim buckley's most famous track by far is - once i was. check it out, you'll love it. it's in many movies so you may have heard parts of it.

The first time i heard this song was This Mortal Coil. I love all their covers.

Both are great artist but moral coil has my vote because her voice is just made better for the song and her voice has a sound like someone from Indian and opera mix to it .

Tim Buckley sang this as good as it can be sung. But This Mortal Coil did an amazing cover, far better than just about anyone. I will say that Sinead Oconnor also did a helluva cover.

This will be played at my funeral Liz Fraser's version

There is a video floating around of Tim performing Song To The Siren on the Monkees TV show...just him and a guitar. It's worth a look. As for which version I prefer...I'd have to go with the original, but that's simply because I heard that one first . This Mortal Coil's version is very good, but I think it works better as part of the whole exceptional album (It'll All End In Tears),BTW Robert Plant (on VH1)described the lyrics as some of the most beautiful that he'd ever heard.

I heard this in 1984 in Belgium and my room mate turned it off to listen to fucking Madonna’s like a virgin. Another version of Tim Buckley though- so much better than your choice.

Tim Buckley preforming it live is way better

In my opinion they both are among the best vocalists of all time, but I like Liz Frasier's rendición a bit better. However, this studio version by Tim isn't his best one, he has a live version I prefer, which is even more popular. Great pick and awesome reaction!

To me the greatest version of this song is when Tim sang it solo, acoustic at the end of a Monkees episode. While the ethereal sounds of the This Mortal Coil version are something that would normally appeal to me, I find that the singer totally ruins Buckly's haunting, beautiful melody with to many embellishments & oversinging.

I'm not sure what you guys would think of the whole album from Tim Buckley. It's pretty weird, so naturally I love it lol.

Tim Buckley every time, the earlier studio recording and TV recording are even better

I only knew the Mortal Coil version before discovering this 'battle', had no Idea it was a cover! Still prefer the one I heard first but good to hear Tim Buckley and if I'd heard his first it may well have been my favourite. Close call though as you both said.

You should do a battle between Roy Harper’s Another Day and This Mortal Coil’s version. Both are amazing. And it’s also another Elizabeth Fraser vocal.

This Mortal Coil gets my vote!

This Mortal Coil. Close your eyes. Listen. Be transported to Nirvana. This is perhaps the most beautiful song that I have ever heard in my life. Or . . . perhaps this one is . . . depending on the day . . . ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xfgl57vINmw.html

I love Buckley so much but Elizabeth Fraser is amazing

There's a 3rd version I know, sung by Brendan Perry with great vocals and a 4th by Robert Plant

New subscriber here. Great reaction video. Tim Buckley's voice i've always found a little jarring for me so it would be TMC for me, plus it's the first version i heard. If you've yet to do Love Will Tear Us Apart can i suggest a comparison between Joy Division and Mary Coughlan whose cover left my jaw on the floor when i saw her perform it.

TMC is a surprise win for me on this one. I'm a Tim fan, but more for his earlier/folkier stuff.

please give rose bett’s version a listen

Tim >>>

Tim hands down as we hear a real voice with magnificent qualities. Whereas with Liz, her voice is so electronically enhanced we're not hearing her genuine voice. If it was her real voice I may have not lost interest so quickly.

Liz and Robin win the race.

I'm a bit biased, been listening to This Mortal Coil since the 80s, so got to vote for them.

This Mortal Coil. Hands down.

TMC version is good, but the original is better with Tim's voice.❤️

Tim buckley Rules!

TMC for the win

Liz Fraser won

Seems to be I'm repeating a refrain. Without the original lyrics there would be no song for Elizabeth, who's vocals pull my heart right out of my chest.

Sweet surrender or happy time by Tim

Tim z największą czułością, Liz najładniej

Fascinating, especially when you consider Jeff Buckley (Tim's son) died drowning in a river after his love-affair with Elizabeth Fraser on the same day she was recording "Teardrop" for Massive Attack... But there's another song which was covered on This Mortal Coil's "It'll End in Tears" (again by Elizabeth Fraser) which might be even more interesting to react to, except there's one more cover that deserves much attention: "Another Day" by Roy Harper which deals with the tragic end of a love-affair (beautiful lyrics!). On the original, you have the male perspective, on the TMC cover, it's the female perspective BUT at last but not least, both perspectives in a duet format between... Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush! Imperial isn't it? Could you please try to deal with that? Here you are: The original version by Roy Harper: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_o8g7w3eLEs.html The cover by Liz Fraser via This Mortal Coil: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JcNOaxrOYN0.html The Duet cover by P. Gabriel & K. Bush: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5e8QufvJuwQ.html

Great song battle. TMC for the win for me. Huge fan of theirs and that album is beautiful.

This version is bad then you hear the one that was on monkeys tv show watching that does better and next she does a better version she hits out of park

Im sure LF would defer to TB and so will I

This Tim Buckley version is screwed up. It sounds slow. Watch the version on the Monkeys.It’s so much easier to take a song already written and make an Indy hit.

Frankly the album version by Buckley is terrible - seek the cover he does on RU-vid (from THE MONKEES); MC so sells the ethereal poignancy in their cover and is amazingly interpreted; it always reduces me to tears - hauntingly beautiful

I have to say for me George Michael’s version is Beautiful. His voice is just so good that it’s the best for me!!❤️

Robert Plant's version is way better. This is such a great song but you definitely have to check his out.

Thanks guys ... OF course as a child of the 90's I knew the second one first ... But I DO enjoy Tim's original interpretation ... Again ; I haven't heard this version ... haha ( not important ) But I LOVE IT ... I can hear This mortal coil's cues for interpretation that I haven't heard before ; the ambient background wails The version on youtube is Tim performing on The Smother's brothers tv show with only accoustic guitar and voice ... It's actually LESS emotional than this studio version ...

I like many of Tim Buckley's songs and he had a great voice and expressive. He started in the folk music and I wish he had not been so influenced by the way many folk singers sang, although it gradually became less prominent, that style of singing has not age well (I think) and I, maybe more than many, can not overcome how corny it sounds (this peculiar folky way of dragging the notes for lack of better word and it is so exaggerated in Tim's singing) and therefore I can never fully enjoy his music. He is very good in concerts and his singing different (and more to my liking, less of what I have described) and there his vocal delivery often becomes wild and emotional as Jeff's and the likeness unbelievably strong. I like his famous TV live version of Song to the siren from 1968 much better for obvious reasons and something tells me you would also. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vMTEtDBHGY4.html .

Wow, first time hearing the studio version of the original. Did not care 1 bit for it. However that live TV performance, I used to listen to and replay 2+ times every time I watched. The dramatic tone he used in the studio sounds brittle and demo outtake-ish. Ps. You guys know more about the material than you pretend to... How to downplay the superior TMC version with a "good luck" because that original Buckley aint she. This MC version is perfection. They had good luck

Who wrote \ preformed it first is irrelevant. Who did it best is the only matter to decide and for me that is The Cocteau Twins.

I think Elizabeth has a beautiful voice but I personally don't enjoy the style in which she sings this song. Too much "warbling"? (Not sure that's the right word) but for example, instead of singing "I did all my best to smile" I feel she over does it by singing it as "I did all my best to smi-i-i-ile". With Tim's version it comes across as much more story telling and I can picture the imagery. I feel like I'm transported to another time long ago, much like reading a book of fairy tales and folk lore. Elizabeth's version makes me think of someone performing in a singing competition (honestly not trying to be disrespectful, that's just what comes to mind when I hear it). I guess it's the way she showcases her vocals, coupled with the 80s sound, that doesn't quite fit the context of the song. Just my take on it. Although, I have to say I much prefer this live version Tim did over his album version ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vMTEtDBHGY4.html

This Mortal Coil every time.