Tom Petty or John Mayer?

People tend to think of artists who cover songs as being lazy or not creative. Believe me, I used to feel the same way. I always like the original version better but this cover changed my mind. I am, of course, a John Mayer fan but I can honestly say that its not so much his music I enjoy but the sound of his voice in all his songs. I do enjoy Tom Petty as well but when John Mayer covered Free Fallin’, my whole mind changed on artists who cover songs. Tom Petty’s, Free Fallin’ is definitely a classic and a great listen but John Mayer’s is definitely a beautiful cover and one of my favorites. Both versions have the same lyrics and share other similarities but are also very different. 

Tom Petty is an adult contemporary and classic rock artist, so his original fell under those categories. The rhythm of his version seems to be regular and consistent throughout the entire song. The constant source that drives the rhythm is the drums, which is the affinity throughout the entire song. The contrast in his version would be the drum riff that leads into the chorus and the guitar riff that is played during the bridge because they are different then the rest of the melody played throughout the song. The instrumentation includes drums, guitar, and a few other instruments, which differs from John Mayer’s cover. This version has a simple and crisp timbre and its organization is straightforward and classic as well. The tension in the song is definitely the chorus because that is what the verses lead up to. The release of the song would be the music and lyrics played right after the chorus because now the audience can relax and enjoy. The intensity is medium in some parts and than gets louder as the tension is approaching. The pitch of the instruments is low but the pitch of Petty’s voice is decently high. 

John Mayer is an acoustic rock artist who is known for his guitar skills and his version of Free Fallin’ completely displays how he plays his music. Similar to Petty’s version, Mayer’s rhythm is consistent all throughout the song. In Mayer’s version, the constant source that drives the rhythm is his guitar, which is also the affinity throughout the entire song.  The contrast in Mayer’s version is the guitar riff he plays during the chorus. Another difference between the two versions is Mayer’s choice of instrumentation, which includes just guitar and bass. This version also has a crisp and simple timbre with the instruments but contains a lot of layering of Mayer’s voice. The tension in the song is also the chorus especially in this version because Mayer changes the pitch and intensity of his voice during it. The release is still the music and lyrics played after the chorus because the audience can relax again. During the verses Mayer’s pitch is low and his intensity is soft but then during the chorus his pitch is very high and his intensity is loud. 

I didn’t think I would ever admit this but I enjoy John Mayer’s cover better than the original. Tom Petty’s, Free Fallin’ will always be a classic to me but I really enjoy the layering of voice that John Mayer put into his cover. I know both versions are the same song but I feel like I’m listening to two different songs. Tom Petty’s is very simple and classic while John Mayer’s is acoustic and the vocals are outstanding.