Ah yes. The cover version. The world loves a cover version.
As much fun as they are, it is a rare occasion when the cover is superior to the original. One example of that rarity is Deep Purple's cover of Joe South's "Hush."
What I am interested in is not necessarily a cover version that is superior to the original, though you are all welcome to suggest your favorites. I am looking for examples of a fresh take on an old song. Frank Lee Sprague's mash-up of Bad Company and James & Bobby Purify, which is featured over at Burning Wood, is knocking me out. It's brilliant. It isn't faithful. It's exciting. And most important, it isn't some phoned-in, acoustic, shoe-gazing, ironic twist of a song.
The first time I heard John Wesley Harding's acoustic reading of Madonna's mega dance hit, "Like A Prayer," I was gobsmacked. That practice got old very quickly, as it seemed everyone was slowing down and sweetening hard rock and heavy metal tunes. Big whoop!
I want something clever.
First thing that popped into mind was the Scissor Sisters brilliant cover of "Comfortably Numb"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzocaedGNZI
The better the original, the greater the achievement of a brilliant cover. The first two that popped into my mind are both oldies. Del Shannon took what might be my favorite track of one of my favorite sixties bands, the Zombies, and totally Shannonized it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibply9slELU
ReplyDeleteAnd as if upbraiding Sam Cooke for losing his gospel roots, Aretha Franklin's cover of "You Send Me" gets me every time, even before she opens her mouth. Aretha on piano is almost as good as Aretha singing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQXiksYsnOE
First thing that popped into my mind (other than I really should eat breakfast) is Joey Ramone's "What a Wonderful World" not only is it a fresh take on a classic, it's also all the more poignant because as we know he recorded it as he was dying.
ReplyDeleteMy second choice is another entirely different take on a classic, Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life." I still remember being in the car with my mother when it came on. She, a Sinatra fan, was horrified, but, I argued, "It's not a dirge, it's a shout of joy." I've since come to appreciate Sinatra, and I love Louis, but in both these cases, to me, anyway, the reimagined covers are superior.
Oh Man ... this is a game we play for ever!
ReplyDeleteSal, you and I have traded praise for Al Greene's To Sir With Love.
For a completely new take on a great song what about The Gourds' cover of Snoop Dogg's Gin and Juice?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4hGSR5njZE&feature=related
A good cover can be better insight into an artist's process than their original work, because it provides comparison to something familiar.
ReplyDeleteI saw a band I thought was only okay until they pulled out Lou Reed's "I Wanna Boogie With You". Not one of Lou's best, but a song I knew, and they killed it by slowing it down and turning it into a heavy dirge. Note perfect copies don't thrill like a version that somehow retains the essence of the original, but also adds to it. Your example of "Hush" is a good one.
Bryan Ferry pioneered covers albums in the '70's, interpreting everything from Leslie Gore's "It's My Party" to Herman Hupfeld's "As Time Goes By". Apparently he's still doing it. Back in the day I really liked Bowie's "Pin-Ups", although except for "Sorrow" and "Where Have all The Good Times Gone", I prefer the originals. I think Reggae has provided some truly inspired versions of unlikely choices.
You once included Toots and the Maytals version of "Take Me Home Country Roads" in a weekend mix. That's what I'm talking about.
I'm rambling, but the Posies take on the Germs "Richie Dagger's Crime" as done by the Fab Four is one of the best covers I know, and while I'm at it, I'm quite fond of Big Daddy's Buddy Holly take on The Beatles "A Day In The Life". And who can forget the Spooky Tooth version of "I Am The Walrus"? The list goes on: The New York Dolls version of "Stranded In The Jungle" is almost note perfect, but takes it to another level of camp, while Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreaker's ragged rendition of the Contours "Do You Love Me?" is pure adrenalin (probably fueled by something other than that).
I almost forgot to mention Nick Cave's "Long Black Veil". Johnny Cash's "Rusty Cage", and George Thorogood's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, And One Beer". I even like the Sex Pistols "medley" of "Johnny Be Goode/Roadrunner".
Thanks for listening.
the repurposed pop hit was the sweet spot for The English Beat - "Tears of a Clown" and "Can't Get Used to Losing You" (RIP Andy Williams).
ReplyDeleteall time fave so-different-it-was-almost-unrecognizable was Stu Daye's hard rock version of "The Boxer."
was the ironic cover invented by punk and new wave? my earliest memories are of 7 Seconds' "99 Red Balloons," Urge Overkill's "Wichita Lineman" (long before they hit paydirt with their Neil Diamond cover), Camper Von Beethoven's "Photograph" and (yes, the acoustic version of a metal tune) Aztec Camera's "Jump." Less ironic, probably the most powerful (at least in concert), was Husker Du's "Eight Miles High."
my most played cover of the last year is a Bowie song from Labyrinth, Girl in a Coma's As the World Falls Down. Really, their whole Adventures in Coverland album is excellent.
The first thing that came to my mind was Johnny Cash redoing "Hurt" and now owning it. Have to get some sleep before I try to think of others. Great thought provoking subject.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Cash's version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus". I love them both, but for me even more than he does with NIN's "Hurt", he transforms the song into his own story, he takes it by throat and says, "I'll make you a believer!"
ReplyDelete@Dave I do love Re's version of "You Send Me" partially because it seems she is actually singing it to the one and only Sam, it's touching, she adored him so much and yes she does transform it. I never feel Sam can be topped, to each his own of course, but I wanted to comment because you are so right about her on the piano.
I can't help sharing this ramshackle version of Sam Cooke's "Twistin The Night Away" by Rod Stewart. Ron Wood's sloppy, offhand solo is one of my favorites, and one of the reasons I took up guitar.
ReplyDeletehttp://alanwalkerart.com/audio/twistin_the_night_away.mp3
Trying to avoid the obvious (Joe Cocker: With a Little Help, Jimi H: All Along the Watchtower, etc) how about a couple from Sandy Denny from her undervalued "Old Fashioned Waltz" ...
ReplyDeleteWhispering Grass (Inkspots) -- heartbreakingly gorgeous
and ... Until the Real thing Comes Along -- showing she could rock out (or at least, swing out) with the best of them
A couple of covers I've always liked from a quick eyeballing of my iTunes (which has tons of covers in it...)
ReplyDelete"So It Goes" by The Bigger Lovers. It's a very straight cover with an unexpected opening of Reelin' In the Years that I still find unexpectedly exciting when they make the transition -- it just fits perfect in the pocket and when I first heard that, I couldn't believe I didn't think of that first.
"Twist and Shout" by The Orchestra -- one of those "they slow this way down" covers, but then it picks up to the expected tempo, then it goes way off tangent, and it's great because of that. 6 minutes of it, too!
"Brand New Cadillac" by the Brian Setzer Orchestra -- worked a lot better for me with the horns than the original. Heresy, I know!
"Ticket To Ride" by the Carpenters. The arrangement changes give me the chills.
"Satisfaction" by Devo. Nuff Said!
"This Magic Moment" -- I've always loved the Jay & The Americans version better than the original (gasp!)
"Dedicated To The One I Love" -- Mama's & Papas version is the go-to version of this song.
"Thin Line Between Love and Hate" -- Pretenders version is better because of Chrissie Hynde!
"When You Were Mine" -- Mitch Ryder >> Prince -- at least here!
"Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine" -- 5th Dimension is a definitive take on those songs.
Another vote for "Hurt", though. Completely reinvented that song for me... Oh and lots of Linda Rondstadt songs are tops for me (You're No Good, Party Girl, Justine, etc...)
I'm sure (like others) there are many others I'm blanking on, but these jumped out.
Oddly, very few Beatles covers stand out...
I realize I went off the spirit of Sal's request for "clever". I think my first 5 choices would fall into the "clever" category and then it veered off into "cover versions I like better than the original" and were -- at the time -- all fresh takes on old chestnuts.
Delete:"Ticket To Ride" is so gut-punchingly somber, it's beyond clever.
Steeleye Span's Cover of Buddy Holly's Rave On is the one that popped into my mind first. In a similar vein, Buddy Holly's Learning The Game by Mark Knopfler and Waylon Jennings is very touching, especially given Waylons history with Buddy. I have always like CSNY's version of Tbe Beatles Blackbird. Especially the one at the Fillmore East when they slow it way down.
ReplyDeleteKathy McCarty's "Dead Dog's Eyeball" is a fantastic album of Daniel Johnston covers. I recommend it highly.
ReplyDeleteThe Beatles are hard to "improve" on, but here are three excellent covers you probably haven't heard:
Click on 'em
Shiina Ringo's "Yer Blues"
http://alanwalkerart.com/audio/yer_blues.mp3
Tempest (featuring Ollie Halsall) "Paperback Writer"
http://alanwalkerart.com/audio/paperback_writer.mp3
Randy California as Kaptain Kopter and the Fabulous Twirlybirds
Day Tripper
http://alanwalkerart.com/audio/day_tripper.mp3
@Robin. We're in sync. Sam Cooke is my favorite male vocalist. That's why it was so unusual for me to love Aretha's version as much as Sam's. The only time I can think of a comparable situation when two singers in my pantheon, Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye, each had hits with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine": two superb records.
ReplyDeleteHere's a really random list:
ReplyDeleteThe Devlins: Love Is Blindness
Rod Stewart: (I Know I'm) Losing You
After the Fire: Der Kommisar (Much better than Falco, which couldn't have been more than a year old)
Dion: Book of Dreams (Springsteen cover)
Jeff Buckley: Corpus Christi Carol
Quiet Riot: Cum On Feel The Noize
Cheap Trick: Ain't That A Shame
Blind Boys of Alabama: Amazing Grace
The Bangles: Hazy Shade of Winter (guilty pleasure!)
Bruce Springsteen: Dream Baby Dream
Two covers that aren't necessarily better than the original, but took an extremely fresh take on them, are Cat Power with Satisfaction and Van Halen with You Really Got Me.
The ultimate cover for me will always be “Without You” by Harry Nilsson. Nothing wrong with the Badfinger version, but Nilsson, and Richard Perry, took that song and turned it into the template for dozens of 70s ballads to follow. (I credit this song, “Maybe I’m Amazed” and the Carpenters’ “Goodbye to Love” with creating the 70s ballad, for better and worse.)
ReplyDeleteRe: Lou Reed “I Wanna Boogie with You.” I always thought that was a pretty good song to begin with, although listening to The Bells again, the song that really grabbed me was “All through the Night.” Cowboy Junkies did a nice job of revamping “Sweet Jane” – as good as the Mott the Hoople cover version that was a minor hit.
New York Dolls: their version of “Showdown” took what was a pretty so-so soul track and re-cast it as a raunchy rock song that I assumed was their original until I learned more about Shadow Morton. Before I moved to New York in the mid-80s, that song was New York to me. (And now it’s a New York that no longer exists!)
Gourds “Gin and Juice” is a great example of a band totally inhabiting a song and making it their own, which I vastly prefer to an artist mimicking or paying too much tribute to the original. They used to take great relish in doing covers live, mixing wildly, like a medley of Echo & the Bunnymen’s “Bring on the Dancing Horses” with Don Williams’ “Lord, I Hope This Day is Good.” But now they’ll just do a 20-minute jam at the end of each show, extending one of their better known tracks to incorporate any number of covers. I’m partial to their take on the Stones “Miss You.”
There are so many great covers, and I’m sure a lot of us collect them. My iTunes playlist for these has over 1,700 tracks, sub-divided by decade of the original song, but admittedly, some are pretty average.
And Elena Skye was way out in front of John Wesley Harding with this Madonna cover from back in the 90s (I do like JWH's cover of Bruce's "Wreck on the Highway"):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHAFUKc5AhM
One Johnny Cash cover that comes to mind was his version of Tom Petty's "Southern Accents". Mr. Cash transformed what was a sub-par Petty composition into something moving and anthemic.
ReplyDeleteRichard Thompson doing "Oops, I Did it Again" from his "1000 Years of Popular Music". A couple of other good covers on that record, but "Oops" is a real surprise.
ReplyDeleteTwo early mind-blowers for me: Vanilla Fudge - You Keep Me Hanging On...they took this fantastic
ReplyDeleteMotown hit by The Supremes and totally made it their own. And IT was a huge hit too. The other song
is Neil Young's - Oh, Lonesome Me...a Don Gibson song that was a big hit for him in 1958 and was covered by a number of artists but NOTHING like the way Neil did it. It still kills me to this day.
This might have been posted on Burning Wood (before my time) but, just in case, have y'all heard Howard Tate's version of Dylan's Girl From the North Country?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_A--54k73E
A few more great ones:
ReplyDelete(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding - Elvis Costello
Young Man Blues - The Who
The Man Who Sold the World- Nirvana
Downbound Train- Kurt Vile (not sure it's better, but a fresh take on an underrated song)
There are a lot of great covers. My favorites are where the artist feels free to change it and make it their own, and is a bit irreverent - doesn't try to "embody the original artist". Dylan covers seem to be special magnets for people who can't break free from his spell, and sing each word reverentially, as if it's a church sermon. Yuck.
ReplyDeleteMy current favorite cover song is a soulful take on the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back." I think the "let's slow down a fast song - or speed up a slow song" method of covering is way overplayed; but this one does it right.
And man, what a dish the lead singer is. Trust me, you will want to see her sing - and hear her sing, too!
Lake Street Dive
performs:
"I Want You Back"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EPwRdVg5Ug
- A walk in the woods
thass nice.
DeleteThe Continental Drifters "A Song For You". Holsapple can't sing anywhere near as well as Parsons, but he dives in anyway. The rocked up arrangement is a nice contrast with the melancholy lyrics. Much like "All Along The Watchtower", I only hear want to hear the song in this fashion.
ReplyDeleteFunny, I was just looking at this when the Replacements' "Heartbeat--It's a Lovebeat" came on my itunes. Adds a ragged, punky sense of yearning to the song without sacrificing the power-pop pleasure of the original, while, of course, not sounding anything like it.
ReplyDeleteBruce H
Judas Priest's version of Joan Baez's "Diamonds and Rust".
ReplyDeleteWhaaaa? Seriously? I must get that.
DeleteI think some of the more interesting choices here are of covers of more popular songs, rather than an artist covering a relatively obscure song and then subsequently "owning it"....so I'll start off with Bad Religion's "It's All Over Now Baby Blue"...additionally in no particular order(hey I should copyright that phrase!) Jason Falkner's Both Sides Now, Rundgren's MASSIVE While My Guitar Gently Weeps,Sinead O'Connor's Nothing Compares 2 U(I believe she also did Elton's Sacrifice pretty great too), The Beatles' Money, and I just LOVE Bryan Ferry's uber-authentic take on These Foolish Things...so so many to list but here's one more: Pep in the Cat's C'mon Marianne(had to !!)....
ReplyDeleteJust occurred to me that the greatest examples of this, see EC and Peace, Love and Understanding, may be those where the cover becomes the best (and sometimes only) known version of the song. The best example of that might be Aretha's "Respect". The story goes that when Otis Redding heard her recording, he said "That little girl done stole my song". He was right.
ReplyDeleteTo that list add songs like Patsy Cline's version of Willie Nelson's Crazy and James Carr's take on Dan Penn's Dark end of the Street.
DeleteI wonder if the "such a good cover you can't recall the original" is different from the "that cover is so cool and so different that it stands apart and beside the original."
I just heard Dave Alvin on a podcast talking about when Buckwheat Zydeco had a version of his song Marie Marie; talking to someone about the song he said "I wrote Marie Marie" to which his friend said "no you didn't"
A couple that come to mind:
ReplyDeleteAin't That a Shame by Cheap Trick
With God on Our Side by Buddy Miller
Get Rhythm by NRBQ
Across 110th Street by Los Lobos
Bad Time by the Jayhawks
Frank Zappa and The Mothers destroy the original of "WPLJ" with their version.
ReplyDeletehere 'tis
http://alanwalkerart.com/audio/wplj.mp3
From "Burnt Weeny Sandwich"
I would like to add The Staple Singers' version of Burning Down The House by the Talking Heads.
ReplyDeletenot to mention their version of The Weight.
DeleteIf the criteria is indeed "clever" ... then I would nominate "Nights in White Satin" by the Dickies. That one was wickedly clever!
ReplyDeleteDean Schlabowske of the Waco Brothers, doing business as Dollar Store, covers Cher's "Believe." Stripped of Auto-Tune, with instrumentation that evokes a barroom rather than a disco, the song sounds like something that might actually have some connection to human feeling.
ReplyDeleteSome others: Buddy Miles, "Down by the River"/The Holmes Brothers, "I Want You to Want Me" (or just about any cover by The Holmes Brothers)/Coal Porters, "Hot Child in the City"/The Persuasions, "Black Muddy River"
J. Loslo
"Good Rockin' Tonight" - Montrose
ReplyDelete"You've Really Got a Hold on Me" - Beatles (honorable mention goes to Eddie Money)
"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" - Dave Mason
"Tuesday Afternoon" - Doughboys
"America" - Yes
Clever? Maybe, but I think these covers are just good examples of the artists putting their stamp on a song and giving it new life. I was glad to see that someone earlier mentioned Richard Thompson's cover of "Ooops.....I Did it Again." That's clever!
I just posted the mix on Burning Wood with many of the suggestions posted here and I cannot BELIEVE I didn't think of the Holmes Brothers take on Cheap Trick, which I know I've posted on its own at least 3 times before.
ReplyDeleteHmmph...
Late to the party, but great topic. Can't wait to track down some of these suggestions. There are many great covers I could mention, but I'll build on Anonymous' mention of the Dickies' "Nights in White Satin" to talk about other great punk covers. My hands down favorite for pure energy and a clever take on the original is "River Deep, Mountain High" by the Saints. Other standouts include:
ReplyDeleteStraight Edge - NOFX (Minor Threat)
Man with Money - the Crybabies (Everly Bros.)
"River Deep Mountain High" by the Saints. "America" by Yes. Right On!
ReplyDeleteHow could I forget The Staple Singers take on "For What It's Worth"?
http://alanwalkerart.com/audio/for_what_its_worth.mp3
The EasyBeats version of River Deep Mountain High
ReplyDeleteand I second the Staples For What It's Worth
Oh and It All Went Down The Drain Boz Scaggs cover of an Earl King song