“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” was, for over a decade, Panic! at the Disco‘s biggest hit and arguably their signature song until it was eclipsed by “High Hopes.” The plucked cello and (what sounds like a) celesta in the verses made it sound like nothing else on the radio.
Australian R&B singer Boy Soda grew up singing along with “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” on the radio. And now, ahead of his debut album, he’s performed a cover for Australian radio institution Triple J’s long-running cover series “Like a Version.”
From the opening horns, bass and drums, it’s clear Boy Soda isn’t just paying strict homage. The first 45 seconds of the song are completely unrecognizable – it’s a sultry R&B jam, not emo. And that vibe continues throughout the song, though once Boy Soda starts singing it’s very clear what song he’s singing.
But the song is utterly transformed, with none the original arrangement present – even in the chorus, which remains funky and doesn’t hint at rock – and with a break to show off Boy Soda’s voice. Everything about the arrangement is pure R&B, from the instrumentation to the vocals, yet his singing still makes the song recognizable enough.
It’s a really great demonstration of what someone can do with a cover, keeping enough of the essence of the song to let fans of the original enjoy it while just completely reinventing the arrangement.
