The internet radio station I'm listening to today is doing an all-covers broadcast. I'm not against the idea of covering another group's songs - whether out of honest respect or sarcasm - unless that's the only thing your band does. And even then, frat parties need music too. It's rare (like, decent Van Damme movie rare) to have a cover that actually surpasses the original, though. The new version can't just be a rehash; it has to add some new vocal or musical dimension that makes you sit up and take notice, or at least cock your head like a dog and blink a few times.
In the interest of a boring Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving, here are a few of the cover songs in that vein I've enjoyed over the years (the orignal artist is in parentheses). This is in no way comprehensive, so feel free to add your own favorites as the spirit moves you. Or point and laugh.
And I'll get "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan) by Jimi Hendrix out of the way right off the bat, as it's sort of the quintessential example of what I'm talking about.
"99 Red Balloons" (Nena) - 7 Seconds
"Alone Again Or" (Love) - The Damned
"Back in the High Life Again" (Steve Winwood) - Warren Zevon
"Cortez the Killer" (Neil Young) - Slobberbone
"Easy" (The Commodores) - Faith No More
"Everybody Knows" (Leonard Cohen) - Concrete Blonde
"Gin and Juice" (Snoop Doggy Dogg) - The Gourds
"Head On" (The Jesus and Mary Chain) - Pixies
"Hurt" (NIN) - Johnny Cash
"I Fought The Law" (Bobby Fuller Four) - The Clash
"In the Ghetto" (Elvis Presley) - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
"No Depression" (The Carter Family) - Uncle Tupelo
"Piece of Crap" (Neil Young) - Slobberbone
"Rusty Cage" (Soundgarden) - Johnny Cash
"Stepping Stone" (The Monkees) - Minor Threat
"Take On Me" (a-ha) - Reel Big Fish
"The Metro" (Berlin) - System of a Down
"Tomorrow, Wendy" (Andy Prieboy) - Concrete Blonde
"Viva Las Vegas" (Elvis Presley) - Dead Kennedys
And, of course, "Mr. Tamborine Man" (The Byrds) by William Shatner.
It's also rare for a cover to be so bad that you just wince at the mention of it. I'm thinking of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's cover of "Born to Run" - "This town rips the bones from your back, it's a death trap, yeah a suicide rap" doesn't exactly conjure up images of Holly Johnson in his topcoat and gloves. Most cover versions are like the Ataris' version of "Boys of Summer" - which is possibly the most unironic do over of a song desperately screaming for a little levity.
Ah well, that's "emo" for you. I defy anyone to find me a Black Flag sticker on a Cadillac...that was put there by the car's owner, that is.
I would add:
"Enjoy the Silence" (Depeche Mode) - Failure
How about "Wild Horses" (Rolling Stones), female singer whose name escapes me at the moment, from the "Fear" soundtrack?
First of all, Universal Soldier was a damn good Van Damn movie. At least, it was at the time when it came out.
Secondly, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see a Black Flag Sticker on a Cadillac... assuming of course the Cadillac was over 15 years old and won in a poker game.
The Oak Ridge Boys doing "Carry On" makes a certain sense, but I simply must hear that Don Ho cover.
Brandon, you're probably thinking of the Sundays' cover of "Wild Horses."
"Universal Soldier" may have been a good Van Damme movie. This simply means it ranks somewhere in the top 75 all-time worst movies rather then the top 20.
I'd further like to add:
"Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen) - Jeff Buckley
Don's a bit more comprehensible than Jackie Chan, but he's no Johnny Cash.
hummmmmmmm .. let's see
Everclear - American Girl
Foo Fighters - Stairway to Heaven
NoFX - Stand by Me
MXPX - Brown Eyed Girl
Pennywise - Mrs. Robinson
Social Distortion - Pretty in Pink
There are a lot more that I like, but I'm lazy and can't think of who does them .. my all time favorite punk coer is I think I love you .. but I can't remember who did the cover :P
For hideous Covers That Should Not Be, check out Rhino's 4-volume "Golden Throats" series.
NOTHING can prepare you for these, as they make Shatner's lovely "The Transformed Man" album seem sublime.
Sammy Davis Jr sings "Shaft" and "In the Ghetto"
Muhammad Ali sings "Stand By Me"
Phyllis Diller sings "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
Leonard Nimoy and Telly Sevalas sing "I Walk the Line"
Bing Crosby sings "Hey Jude"
George Burns sings "With a Little Help from My Friends"
Isn't Golden Throats out of print?
Speaking of punk covers, I really enjoy the Circle Jerks' "Jerks on 45" medley on their Golden Shower of Hits album. Especially "Afternoon Delight."
And I completely forgot Blood Sport. Classic Van Damme, to this day.
I consider "Bloodsport" a Bolo Yeung movie. Anybody who fought Bruce Lee trumps Van Damme.
touche
Tori Amos making a ballad of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" surely deserves mention.
Speaking of horrifically bad covers, Ani DiFranco did a tipsy wedding singer rendition of Bob Dylan's "Hurricaine" (although I'm not too familiar with her work, so maybe that's just her style.)
...but at least she can presumably spell "Hurricane" correctly.
I'll go away now.
One to check out: I forget the name of the artist, but a truly wonderful and quite different cover of Tears for Fears "Mad World" appears in the film Donnie Darko. Although the rendition is best appreciated within the context of the film, I think.
Excellent call, tsiroth. I'd forgotten that one.
It's by Gary Jules, incidentally.
Uncle Tupelo: "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Neil Young)
Throwing Muses: "Cry Baby Cry" (Beatles)
Pete and Jim have been talking about cover tunes again. It's never too early, too late, or too soon for......
| --Posted to Perverse Access Memory on Dec 9, 2003 11:21 AM:. |
Cover songs can be fun, which is probably why everyone has been writing about them lately. Three kinds of covers stand out for me: Covers that re-make. Gifted musicians can take a song with a good basic structure and translate......
| --Posted to ...the trailing edge. on Dec 12, 2003 6:21 AM:. |
Scattered thoughts on cover tunes, good, bad, and ugly....
| --Posted to Blogcritics on Dec 12, 2003 10:16 PM:. |
I can recommend "When Pigs Fly" a CD with some memorable covers. Not always brilliant, but all of them give that blink, blink effect.
http://www.pigsflycd.com/ but it was in stock at Soundwaves last week.
Highlights:
Unforgettable by Jackie Chan and Annie Difranco
Ohio by Devo
Shock the Monkey by Don Ho
These Boots Are Made for Walkin by The Fixx
Carry On My Wayward Son by The Oak Ridge Boys
White Wedding by Herman's Hermits
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap by Lesley Gore
What A Wonderful World by Roy Clark
I'm not sure cover oddness can get better than Shock The Monkey by Don Ho, although The Judys version of La Bamba comes close.