Author Topic: Great cover versions  (Read 204564 times)

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Great cover versions
« on: 30 January, 2010, 09:18:55 am »
I was putting together a little compilation cd for the car last night and found myself adding in several cover versions - i.e.  examples of an artist who normally composes his/her/their own material recording a song written or made famous by another artist.  In fact the cd ended up entirely made up of covers.

So, what are your 'best' covers? I'm thinking of versions that take the original to a new level rather than just being copies.  Here's a few that ended up on my CD.

Summer Breeze (Seals and Croft) by the Isley Brothers
This Flight Tonight (Joni MItchell) by Nazareth
Walk on By (Dionne Warwick) by Isaac Hayes
I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor) by Cake
God's Song (Randy Newman) by John Martyn

Yours?
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #1 on: 30 January, 2010, 09:22:41 am »
Leader of the Pack by Julian Clary
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #2 on: 30 January, 2010, 10:13:28 am »
"Born To Run" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood
"Live And Let Die" by Guns 'N' Roses
"I Will Survive" by Snuff
"Hazy Shade Of Winter" by Snuff
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Woofage

  • Tofu-eating Wokerati
  • Ain't no hooves on my bike.
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #3 on: 30 January, 2010, 10:21:39 am »
At risk of being accused of repeating myself:

"The Witch's Promise" by All About Eve

and

"Song to the Siren" by The Cocteau Twins

But the award for the best goes to:

"All Along the Watchtower" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
Pen Pusher

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #4 on: 30 January, 2010, 10:24:08 am »
Last Christmas - Cascada


(only kidding)

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #5 on: 30 January, 2010, 11:22:22 am »
I fought the law - The Clash

Wascally Weasel

  • Slayer of Dragons and killer of threads.
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #6 on: 30 January, 2010, 11:30:15 am »
Out of Time - Manic Street Preachers
Dead Flowers - Townes Van Zandt
Sea of Heartbreak - Johhny Cash

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #7 on: 30 January, 2010, 11:38:52 am »
But the award for the best goes to:

"All Along the Watchtower" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience

Without question. Reinvented a good song into a great iconic piece of our culture.

Whilst on Jimi, it's worth mentioning:

Gloria

The Star-Spangled Banner

Hey Joe

And, gloriously, the unscheduled cover of Sunshine of Your Love on the Lulu Show, to mark the break-up of Cream, when the Experience completely outplayed Cream's own version.
Getting there...

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #8 on: 30 January, 2010, 11:50:31 am »
An old hippy speaks.

This Flight Tonight (Joni MItchell) by Nazareth

Noooooo!!!!!!

Can't argue with the Watchtower.

But if we're talking about Joni covers then I would recommend Tina Turner doing "Edith and the Kingpin" off Herbie Hancock's "River: The Joni Letters".
Some other good versions on that album, but Corinne Bailey Rae massacres "River".
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Woofage

  • Tofu-eating Wokerati
  • Ain't no hooves on my bike.
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #9 on: 30 January, 2010, 12:25:24 pm »
And, gloriously, the unscheduled cover of Sunshine of Your Love on the Lulu Show, to mark the break-up of Cream, when the Experience completely outplayed Cream's own version.


I was watching this on Guitar Heroes at the Beeb only the other day (recorded on my Myth box). Never seen that clip before :).
Pen Pusher

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #10 on: 30 January, 2010, 12:26:29 pm »
"Song to the Siren" by This Mortal Coil?
It is simpler than it looks.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #11 on: 30 January, 2010, 12:27:20 pm »
And, gloriously, the unscheduled cover of Sunshine of Your Love on the Lulu Show, to mark the break-up of Cream, when the Experience completely outplayed Cream's own version.


I was watching this on Guitar Heroes at the Beeb only the other day (recorded on my Myth box). Never seen that clip before :).

The kerfuffle of the production staff is a delight (though I have been on the other side of that)
Getting there...

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #12 on: 30 January, 2010, 12:39:02 pm »
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall - Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music.
Quote from: Marbeaux
Have given this a great deal of thought and decided not to contribute to any further Threads for the time being.
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Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
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Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #13 on: 30 January, 2010, 02:12:34 pm »
"Wish You Were Here" - Wyclef Jean
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Woofage

  • Tofu-eating Wokerati
  • Ain't no hooves on my bike.
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #14 on: 30 January, 2010, 03:06:04 pm »
"Song to the Siren" by This Mortal Coil?

Technically, yes, but it was performed by the members of the Cocteau Twins.
Pen Pusher

Tourist Tony

  • Supermassive mobile flesh-toned black hole
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #15 on: 30 January, 2010, 03:45:32 pm »
Delilah--SAHB.
Next--SAHB

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #16 on: 30 January, 2010, 03:58:29 pm »
"Wish You Were Here" - Wyclef Jean

I have to disagree ! I wouldn't say its 'Great'

Just bought this months Mojo magazine which includes a cover CD of
Syd Barrett ' The Madcap Laughs ' album

including REM's cover of Dark Globe

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #17 on: 30 January, 2010, 04:22:18 pm »
Having just checked them both out, The Stranglers "Walk on by" comprehensively sees off Issac Hayes, methinks. Sock it to me, mama!

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #18 on: 30 January, 2010, 04:37:23 pm »
Jolene. White Stripes.

Stand by your man. Me First and The Gimmee Gimmees - in fact MOST of their stuff!
Let right or wrong alone decide
God was never on your side.

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #19 on: 30 January, 2010, 05:00:18 pm »
Dang! TT beat to the SAHB ones!  :P

Most of the cover versions in my music collection seem to be of the heavy rock flavour, but one I particularly like is the Boston-based band Damone's acoustic take on Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years".

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/76fv0e_IITk&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/76fv0e_IITk&rel=1</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cOVzXYEU3Bk&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/cOVzXYEU3Bk&rel=1</a>

Other covers that add a certain something (and in some cases, quite a lot!):

There's No Way Out Of Here - Monster Magnet
A Hazy Shade Of Winter - The Bangles
Mony Mony - Billy Idol
Denis - Blondie
Up Around The Bend - Hanoi Rocks   :o ;D
Say Hello Wave Goodbye - David Gray
Baker Street - Foo Fighters
Word Up - Gun  8)
Feelin' Good - Muse
The Green Manalishi - Judas Priest  :o :o
Johnny B. Goode - Judas Priest  :o
Sweets For My Sweet - Magnum
Back In The USA - MC5
Louie, Louie - Motorhead/Robert Plant/The Sonics
Morning Dew - Nazareth/Robert Plant
Higher Ground - Red Hot Chili Peppers
One More Cup Of Coffee - Robert Plant
Darkness, Darkness - Robert Plant
Hey Joe - Robert Plant (I've got two different versions, one on his "Dreamland" album, the other - a demo recorded with the Band Of Joy on his "66 To Timbuktu" compilation)
Song To The Siren - Robert Plant
Ride Like The Wind - Saxon
Jackie - Scott Walker
Take Me To The River - Talking Heads
You Really Got Me - Van Halen
I Don't Need No Doctor - W.A.S.P.  :o
Locomotive Breath - W.A.S.P.  :o :o (actually, I'm pleasantly surprised by this one!  :demon: )
I Thank You - ZZ Top/Bonnie Raitt
Mrs Robinson - The Lemonheads
I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night - Wayne County & The Electric Chairs
Who Do You Love? - George Thorogood & The Destroyers/Juicy Lucy
Mission Impossible Theme - Adam Clayton & LArry Mullen Jr.
Hounds Of Love - Futureheads
My Way - Shane MacGowan  :o ;D
Get It On - Power Station
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Whole Lotta Love - CCS
Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon - Urge Overkill
I'm Free - Soup Dragons

There are no prizes for filling in all of the original artists!  ;D
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #20 on: 30 January, 2010, 05:16:35 pm »
Delilah--SAHB.
Next--SAHB

SAHB's unique take on the Brel classic has been recently added to my local pub's digital jukebox, which along the addition of Budgie's "Breadfan" and Diamond Head's "Am I Evil?", almost makes up for the fact that £2 gets only 7 credits instead of the 10 available on the old CD jukebox.
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #21 on: 30 January, 2010, 11:37:28 pm »
Suicide is Painless - Maniac Street Preachers

Hotel California - Alabama 3
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #22 on: 31 January, 2010, 12:30:19 pm »
Autumn Leaves by Coldcut

Creep by Chrissy Hynde

Really Ancien

Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #23 on: 31 January, 2010, 01:05:51 pm »
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mIxZtmBdX2w&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/mIxZtmBdX2w&rel=1</a>

Damon.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Great cover versions
« Reply #24 on: 31 January, 2010, 01:08:51 pm »
To howls of derision:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ncgoQ1T9tGk&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ncgoQ1T9tGk&rel=1</a>

Loses points for the student-style dancing at the end.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.