Harry’s Original Version Sounds Better With Jon Bon Jovi’s Cover Of “Watermelon Sugar”

Live shows are slowly returning now that the world is opening up again, and music fans everywhere should expect artists to be just as excited as entertainment-starved audiences about this growth. Jon Bon Jovi wasn’t the first name that came to mind when I was thinking of artists I wanted to see a return to the stage, but as Stereogum points out, his benefit show at Clubhouse, a new venue in East Hampton, New York, featured a fairly high-profile pop cover.

Apparently, during the set, Job indulged in a classic Beatles cover of “Here Comes The Sun,” which could have just gotten him in the mood to play a more recent British pop song, Harry Styles’ beloved ode to touching, “Watermelon Sugar.” Now, it may just be that we haven’t heard people perform live in a while, or it may be a testament to how excellent Harry’s voice truly is, but Jon’s version of “Watermelon Sugar” was I don’t think it’s bad, and I’m sure it was just a spur-of-the-moment cover concept, but it lacks the joy and exuberance of Harry’s original and attempts to reduce it to a simple acoustic guitar strum. Still, what a co-sign from an artist who 1D fans might not expect would share their passion!