The Love of Covers or The Love of Lists

I have returned of my vacation somewhat refreshed and relaxed. It was a good time. It was strange traveling to Mexico and encountering more people that spoke English than the neighborhood in which I work in. I heard many Spanish versions on famous songs in English. It was fun recognizing the melody and figuring out the song and trying to sing along the English words in my head. The song themselves weren’t so great. Fairly faithful to the original in an unimaginative way with a crass bent toward broad poppiness. Not good. They made me miss good covers.

I have always loved covers. They are great because you have a point of reference that you don’t have a with an original piece. It can be a joy to see what some else can do with a song. I never really understood faithful recreations of songs especially great songs. They are great already you are not going to improve upon them normal just doing it straight. I like the differences it is like getting to see a block of marble before it is carved into a statue.

All that down time on the beach I got to thinking of covers and rediscovered my love of list so here is a list of some of my favorite covers in no particular order. I am sure I am forgetting songs I love and will try not to violate the spirit of what a cover song is to much. I don’t think standards, traditional, or folk music applies nor remixes.

Hallelujah-Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley’s beautiful rendition of the haunting Leonard Cohen ballad. Absolute moving and majestic. Rufus Wainwright also has a great version but I prefer Buckley’s.

(Can’t Get No) Satisfaction-Devo

It hard to cover great bands like the Stones but Devo managed by throwing out the original rock groove for a disjointed rhythm and synth weirdness that fit with the song lyrics and sentiment but for a fresh take that worked. I just can’t help but twitch along.

All Along The Watchtower-Jimi Hendrix

Dylan is such a cult figure now that it is sometimes forgotten that there were a lot or Dylan covers because he was rather rough for radio of the day. So, there were numerous attempt to make more polished commercial versions(think Pat Boone) of his great songs in an attempt. I don’t care for them but I don’t think his is one of them. Jimi is a little more restrained than on some other tracks and is virtuosity does not over shadow the song but still is vintage Jimi.

Me and Julio Down By The School Yard-Me First & The Gimmie Gimmies

Ok, All the Me First & The Gimmie Gimmies do is covers. I like many of them but if I had to pick one it would be Me & Julio. I just can’t hold still listening to it.

Hurt

Two of my favorite artists Johny Cash recording NIN’s Hurt makes for one the more unlikely covers even amongst my favorite artist. The video is absolutely heart breaking.

Red Red Wine-UB40

Niel Diamond can write a song that gets stuck in your head. But the cover has even more staying power than the original.

Voodoo Child (slight return)-Stevie Ray Vaughn

One Guitar god covering another guitar god. Can’t beat that.

Twist And Shout-The Bealtes

So many have covered The Beatles but of course the Beatles did some covers earlier on and this was their best.

Revoultion-fIREHOSE

fIREHOSE may be and old SST band but Mike Watt & Company were anything but typical West Coast hardcore. fIREHOSE and there origins in The Minutemen are difficult to pigeon hole into any genre so their covers of another strange group should not be a surprise. Allong with this Butthole Surfers song they are covers of Blue Oyster Cult Red and Black, Superchunk’s Slack Mother Fucker, Public Enemy Sophisticated Bitch, and Wire’s Mannequin all quite good.

(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding?-Elvis Costello

Brinsley Schwarz version is almost forgotten but this version is hard to forget.

Sweet Leaf

The Japanese power trio Shoen Knife all together may not way as much as the modern flabby Ozzy. But the live cover of of Black Sabbath’s Sweet Leaf is anything but flabby it rocks in Enrish.

If You Want Me to Stay-Red Hot Chilli Peppers

The Peppers are more famous for there cover oft Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground. But I always liked this Sly & the Family Stone cover the best. It is a bittersweet chunk of funk.

Oops, I Did It Again-Richard Thompson

The temptation might be overwhelming to be ironic here but he does honest which what makes it interesting a worth a listen here.

Just Like Heaven-Dinoisaur Jr.

Robert Smith said he liked this version better than The Cure’s. I do myself. I have seen it live a few times at it is even better in person. Masic’s sea of noise is even more strangely wonderful live.

(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me-Naked Eyes

Sandie Shaw’s version was dull. The first version from Lou Johnson was OK but this was pure 80’s pop gold.

La Bamba

This is a folk song which bends the rule but it was covered into a rock song. Making a traditional Mariachi song into a 50’s rock ‘n’ roller was a a novel idea at the time. Everyone knows this one.

Get Into Groove(y)

Under the name Ciccone Youth Indie royalty Sonic Youth and Mike Watt produced this trippy cover of the Madonna hit.

My Humps-Alanis Morissette

OK, irony could not be resisted here. Something so mellow and melancholy should not be able to be that funny.

People Are Strange-Echo and the Bunnymen

I never really liked the Doors. The lyrics always seemed like bad teenage rhyming poetry but I have always liked this strong somewhat but the Echo and Bunny man version is awesome. When the best last line of any movie is spoken, “One thing I never could stomach about living in Santa Clara. All the damn vampires,” I must watch the credits to hear this song in its entirety.

New Day Fades-Moby, Billy Corgan, John Frusciante, New order

This semi breaks the rules by using original member of the Joy Division but the 3 other famous blokes makes up for it. This version is pregnant with a sense of foreboding and menace.

That’s When I Reach of My Revolver

Sometimes I just want Moby to eat a big juicy steak and shut up. But I rather like this tidy rocking version of Mission to Burma’s post punk classic.

Cocaine-Eric Clapton

I like JJ Cales version but Clapton shines through. As good as its is still only the 3rd best song about the white powder after Cash’s Cocaine Blues and Melle Mel & Grand Master Flash’s White Lines.

Come On Feel The Noize-Quiet Riot

It is fairly close to Slade’s original but it got more a attitude and the arrange is better with that rocking drum intro that even makes the white dude in spandex groove. If you want to blame 80’s hair bands on something blame this song. It what started it all. When it broke A&R men desened on the Sunset Strip and signed every band that over indulged in hair care products.

Black Magic Woman-Sanata

This is one of those songs that many forget or don’t know was a cover but is far superior to the original Fleetwood Mack version.

Last Kiss-Pearl Jam

Though I appreciate his work I was never a fan of the Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound.” I am not a big Pearl Jam fan either. I curse them for the plague of “Ten” that created “modern” or “alternate rock” as decade long genre of mostly poor copies of that album’s style and sound. But the sparser cover of this 50’s gem I do love.

I Will Survive-Cake

I always liked Cake. It think it is there great guitar sound and the fact the have a sense of humor while still being serious without being outright funny or jokey.

I Fought the Law-The Clash.

This cover just fits the Clash like a glove.

Skulls

Evan Dando of Lemonheads fame is know for being one of more laid back artist ever. He seems perpetual stone all the time to my ears. So, this acoustical version of the the Misfits’ gory Skulls is a surprise. Its like a sing along camp fire folk song with the lyrics, “Hack the heads off little girls and put them on my walls.”

Oh, My Lover-Redd Kross

A rockin’ version of the PJ Harvey track. Even cooler than the Redd Blood Cells Album.

Little Honda-Yo lo Tengo

This laid back track with a wall of fuzzy guitars one of the best covers of 60’s pop. Maybe not what Brain Wilson had in mind but catchier than the original.

Where Is My Mind-mr. hopkinson’s computer

This trippy electronic cover of my favorite song is very different but even with the robot voice produce similar emotion impact as the original.

Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White-Minor Threat

Minor Threat were know for brash hardcore high tempo more punk than thou and screaming lyrics. This cover of garage pioneers The Standells song is more like a a edgy working man country song from the 60’s the invites you to sing along.

Teeange Kicks-Razorlight

This Undertones classic and John Peel’s favorite song is cover with some great energy. The best cover of this often coverd song.

Bohemian Rhapsody-The Flaming Lips

This gets on here because The Lips do a lot of covers and are thee crowd participation band. Those songs that everyone loves and know the words to are great live.

Money For Nothing-Royal Trux

This hectic version of Dire Strait big hit is all over the place in a good way.

Asshole-Tom Petty

This a slow and mellow version of the Beck tune. I can’t help but sing along.

Billy Jean-Chris Cornell

An impressive acoustical cover of Jacko’s meg a hit.

Easy-Faith No More

OK, this is a pretty faithful version(no pun intended) but that what it interesting for me. Who would guess that the band famous for Epic and rocking cover of War Pigs would tackle Lionel Richie like this.

Bizarre Love Triangle-Frente!

A simple version of the New Order Hit.

Louie Louie-The Kingsmen

OK, everyone has covered this. But it has been covered so many times because of The Kingsman’s cover of Rick Berry’s 1957 original.

A Few Rarites

I would like to close with a few that no one might be able to track down and be able to hear again that I was one of lucky few that got to hear. The bass player in a local Irish pub The Clare Voyants did a solo rendition of Pink’s Just Like a Pill accompanying himself on mandolin. Simple wonderful. The defunct band Kepone played a scroaching version of Killer Queen I got to hear in the mid-90’s. And a local band Beats the Hell Out of Me did a get cover of By the Time I Get to Arizona by Public Enemy around the same time. I like these because the are something rare and somewhat exclusive to me and a few others.

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