Cover, n., also cover version, a recording of a song by a singer, instrumentalist, or group other than the original performer or composer.
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Here's what serves as a Christmas Card from TOP this year. As usual, we'll be off for the next several days—see you back here on the 27th or so. To tide you over, here's my take on ten great cover songs.
1. Jimi Hendrix, "All Along the Watchtower." Written and first performed by Bob Dylan. Dylan has always been covered extensively (as a joke, I once put together a mixed CD of the entirety of "Blood on the Tracks," all in cover versions)—but never more effectively than here. Hendrix boldly transforms the original, making it violent, caustic, and dark—and, oddly perhaps, more tuneful than Dylan's flatter, plainer, folkier version. As with all the songs on this list, the cover definitely takes on a life of its own, eclipsing and surpassing the original.
2. John Coltrane, "My Favorite Things." A show tune written in 1959 by Richard Rodgers of Rodgers and Hammerstein for their musical The Sound of Music, it was first performed by Mary Martin on Broadway, although most people nowadays are more familiar with Julie Andrews' version from the movie. Early on, it received this towering cover by the then-35-year-old Coltrane during his transition from bebop to free jazz. The scintillating soprano sax of this thirteen-minute-plus jazz opus, delicate yet dazzling, captivated audiences from the start, and the album of the same name, then and now, is one of Coltrane's most popular.
3. Billie Holiday, "Strange Fruit." A great if deeply disturbing song and one to which the sweetly mournful, ever-blue chanteuse was always fiercely loyal, making various sacrifices throughout her career on its behalf. It was written by a Jewish schoolteacher and prolific songwriter named Abel Meeropol (writing as Lewis Allan), who with his wife later adopted the sons of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg after their executions. It was originally published as a poem. There's been lingering confusion over the claim in Holiday's autobiography that she helped write the music, but the autobiography was ghostwritten (when asked about it, Billie said "I ain't never read that book"), and the song had already gained notoriety around New York City when she first recorded it in 1939. To get us briefly back on topic, the song was most probably inspired by a photograph, taken by Lawrence Beitler.
4. The Beatles (John Lennon), "Twist and Shout." First recorded by an obscure band called the Top Notes, Bert Berns' song had already been covered, and charted, by the Isley Brothers (guided by Berns, who didn't care for what the Top Notes had done to it) when it appeared on the Beatles' First album, Please Please Me. Covered innumerable times since, and made into a concert staple by the Who (not to mention being lip-synched and danced to by a cast of hundreds in the comedy classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off), no one's ever matched the wholehearted ebullience of Lennon's superb rock and roll vocal—done in a single take when he had a bad cold, no less. Lennon said later it took his voice weeks to recover.
John Coltrane at about the time he recorded "My Favorite Things"
fifty years or so ago. (That's no soprano sax, though.)
5. Frank Sinatra, "New York, New York." The closer you live to New York City, the more you will have heard this one. It was written by John Kander (music) and Fred Ebb (lyrics), and first performed for the 1977 Martin Scorcese film of the same name by Liza Minelli. Sinatra performed it a year later and recorded it a year after that, and, well, owned it—and has owned it ever since. A bit of trivia: The Yankees used to play Sinatra's version after a win and Minelli's after a loss, until Minelli issued the team an ultimatum: they had to play her recording after wins sometimes, too, or she wouldn't allow them to play it at all. As a consequence, the Yankees now use Sinatra's version exclusively, win or lose.
6. Johnny Cash, "Hurt," the Nine Inch Nails song written by Trent Reznor. A stripped, emotionally raw intergenerational swan song recorded by the artistically courageous country veteran only shortly before his death. This was the unlikeliest of covers; it's not only that nobody (including Reznor) expected it to work, it's that nobody expected it at all. The original doesn't seem like a song that's begging for a cover by any means. But Cash's radically different perspective on the song and his simple declamatory delivery of the lyrics transforms its meaning and makes it into an elegy of the heart's longing, reminding us all too poignantly that death is a deep loss for the departed as well. The video is especially touching.
7. Sinéad O'Connor, "Nothing Compares 2 U." Some songs seem written just to await their cosmically designated cover artist. The original, written by the prolific artist known at that time as Prince for a now-obscure band he produced called The Family, never made much of a splash. But in the hands of the mercurial, conflicted, and talented Irish singer it became an international sensation at the end of the '80s, vaulting to Number One in multiple countries across the world. (I have to be honest and admit that along with the rest of the world, I was, um, influenced by that incredible music video—they were a big thing at the time. She really sells the emotions, and Sinéad was one good-looking human being 21 years and four kids ago. A must-see if you never have. Song needs a better ending, though.)
8. Stevie Ray Vaughan, "Little Wing." First recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on Axis: Bold as Love. Normally I'm not much on flashy white blues guitarists, especially since Jimi gave them all the idea that they don't need vocalists even though they can't sing themselves (appropriate in Jimi's case, but a really woeful concept when it came to, say, Roy Buchanan). But good art convinces, and Stevie Ray's incredible version of "Little Wing" from his posthumous 1991 album The Sky is Crying is like a Beethoven piano sonata of the electric guitar. You can hear the tube amp humming away as Vaughan sweeps us all along on the virtuoso electric guitar performance to end all virtuoso electric guitar performances.
9. Janis Joplin, "Me and Bobby McGee," written and first performed by Kris Kristofferson. Greatest of the white rhythm-and-blues singers, the doomed and tragic Joplin was not much of an original writer but could sing to virtually any mood. She seemed to inhabit the songs she sang. In Kristofferson's beautiful road anthem she seems both optimistic and resigned, satisfied and regretful. Sad Janis left too little behind, once she'd flamed out on her own last trip.
Johnny Cash, from the "Hurt" video.
10. Tricky, "Black Steel." Sometimes things that just shouldn't work, do—like this '90s English trip-hop cover of Public Enemy's rap "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos." Tricky (Adrian Thaws) made his inexperienced girlfriend Martina Topley-Bird virtually improvise her singing cold. Mid-song, she surreally intones, "I am a black man and I could never be a veteran." Ohhh-kay. Co-producer Mark Saunders said the floor of the studio was littered with vinyl to sample; it took the irate label (Island) months to identify all the sources and clear all the rights. "Black Steel" should be played to the point of distortion in the car on a city commute to fully bond with the hallucinatory vocals floating atop the crashing, chaotic beat.
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And as an honorable mention, an instant comedy classic: Jimmy Fallon, doing his impersonation of Neil Young, joined onstage mid-song to dramatic effect by the Boss, cover the teenybopper hit "Whip My Hair," which (I had to go look this up) is a highly produced bubblegum-hop video by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett's 10-year-old child Willow. When grizzled old Springsteen in the fake beard growls "whip your hair" in the call-and-respond break, I thought I was gonna lose it. Very funny.
Your turn....
Mike
ADDENDUM: I probably shouldn't have written this today. Ever since I finished I've been listening to more covers, checking out comments' suggestions, thinking of things I didn't think of when I was coming up with the list.
Here's one you really should check out: M. Ward's cover of Daniel Johnston's "The Story of an Artist" from The Late Great Daniel Johnston / Discovered Covered, a compilation of Daniel Johnston covers by various currently well known groups and individual artists. I couldn't find it on iTunes, but it's on eMusic. You probably need to know about the severely mentally ill singer/songwriter (who, again, is no relation, except possibly ancestrally) to fully appreciate the cover, but if you don't know about him you'll be fascinated finding out. The documentary film The Devil and Daniel Johnston is on iTunes—and from Netflix, but not "on demand" (i.e., streaming). But, man, if there was ever a theme song for the lives of most artists, this is it.
Special mention, too, to a performance Oren Grad turned me on to a few years ago, and that I've mentioned before on the site—the a cappella group Transit doing a not quite a cappella rendition of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek" (arranged by Joseph Bates). It's on iTunes, but it's hard to find—it only appears on an a cappella compilation called "Sing Three: Mélange à Trois." I've since learned that "Hide and Seek" is something of a holy grail for a cappella groups, and for good reason—it seems like it was tailor-made for them. If you haven't heard Transit's performance already, seek it out.
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Featured Comment by Jez: "Nice list, and as a bit of a cover-song afficionado, allow me to add my top ten...
1) Otis Redding, Satisfaction. According to them, the version the Stones do live these days is, basically, a cover of the Otis version.
2) Wild Billy Childish And The Buff Medways, Fire. Curmudgeonly old Brit garage-punks tear through the Hendrix classic.
3) The Ramones, I Don't Wanna Grow Up. Not many people realise this is a Tom Waits tune.
4) Tom Waits, The Return Of Jackie And Judy. Where Tom Waits returns the favour and covers The Ramones.
5) The Dirtbombs, No Expectations. For the uninitiated, The Dirtbombs do covers. A lot. Like a whole album—Ultraglide In Black—of rockin' soul covers. But this one—a Stones cover—mixes it up a bit with Sympathy For The Devil's 'woo-woos' and Hey Jude's 'nananananas' added at the end. Shouldn't work, but does.
6) Thane Russal & Three, Security. Obscure '60s uptempo mod version of an Otis Redding track.
7) The 101'ers, Gloria. Joe Strummer's pre-Clash outfit give the Them song the live once-over.
8) Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer, Redemption Song. They've both covered this separately as well as a duo. This version can bring a tear if the time is right. RIP, Johnny and Joe.
9) Solomon Burke, Diamond In Your Mind. Another Tom Waits cover that the late, great Burke makes his own.
10) Merry Clayton, Gimme Shelter. Clayton did the backing vox on the original and quite possibly gives it more on her own version.
Featured Comment by Mani Sitaraman: "I used to strongly feel that Siouxsie and the Banshees' cover of the Beatles' 'Dear Prudence' was sheer genius, but 25 odd years later I'm not so sure. The original holds up really well now.
"Many covers are unique and are easily 'co-equal' to the originals but few definitely surpass the originals. After all, their intrinsic superiority is why the originals do get covered.
"In that sense, Joe Cocker's many covers all measure up to the originals, but even his most famous covers, 'With a Little Help From My Friends' or Traffic's 'Feelin' Alright,' original interpretations and strong performances though they are, don't really eclipse Ringo's version or Dave Mason's—they stand side-by-side with the originals.
"I do think there is a limited parallel to celebrity portraiture here. The originals are the celebrities, and the covers are the portraits, and in both photography and music the familiarity of the original boosts the impact of the portrait or cover so inextricably that it's really hard to judge the cover against the original.
"There are exceptions of course, IMHO, and Mike's list is a very well considered list compared to many of our humble suggestions. Sinéad O'Connor is phenomenal in her cover of Prince's 'Nothing Compare 2 U,' and the song stands on its own even if you have never heard the original.
"I don't think I feel the same way about the Rolling Stones' Chuck Berry covers (though their live versions on 'Get Yer Ya Ya's Out' are very good indeed). You still need the original somewhere in the back of your head to make them stand out."
Mike replies: I like your idea about good covers being "co-equal" to the originals...I have to say I've felt that way about some of the covers people have been mentioning in the comments and to me privately.
It's curious how our current conceptions of songs differ so radically from the early days of recording. I've just been reading about this in Elijah Wald's How the Beatles Destroyed Rock and Roll. He says that in the early days of records, recordings of songs weren't exclusive to one label or artist—a newly popular song might be recorded by several labels and several bands or singers at once. The structure of commerce at that point had been in the sale of sheet music, which people used in order to play the songs themselves, and this was still an important source of revenue. So the last thing record producers wanted to encourage was the idea that a particular recording or a particular singer was in any way distinctive—the important thing was the song, not the performance or the performers. The money was made when the sheet music was purchased. If people came to the store to buy a record of a newly popular song, and the store was out of one label's record, the customer would simply buy another label's record of the same song. They were considered interchangeable. It took a little while for the idea to take hold that one recording might be better than another—or that "art" rather than just documentary might be contained in the recording.
And leave off the 'Queen of Covers' * go at Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner's ** "Fields of Gold" on the album "Live at Blues Alley" ?
* Eva Cassidy
** Sting
Posted by: Steve Weeks | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 07:50 PM
I would suggest the Cowboy Junkies' cover of Sweet Jane. Simply fantastic.
Posted by: Doug | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 08:03 PM
"Crossroads" by Cream, from Robert Johnson.
"With a Little Help From My Friends" by Joe Cocker, from the Beatles.
Posted by: Jeff | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 08:21 PM
Sid Vicious, "My Way" --- not your parents' Sinatra. It runs during the closing credits of "Goodfellas."
Posted by: Chuck Albertson | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 08:21 PM
I must admit that I never heard of the 'Hurt' cover before now - a quick jaunt to YouTube and now I sit here slightly stunned...
Cash was a genius. Period.
Posted by: Jim in Denver | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 08:28 PM
A personal favorite.... Stevie Ray Vaughn covering Jimi's "Little Wing". Distilled a weaker Jimi sound down to a true southern blues-rock number, eschewing the vocals to focus on the guitar. I wish my fingers were so inclined.
Thanks for the list, Mike. Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Jayson Merryfield | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 09:20 PM
I have something of a fascination with unexpectedly great covers. Here are some of my favorites:
Jeff Buckley's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"
Roy Buchanan's cover of Neil Young's "Down by the River"
Bonnie "Prince" Billie's cover of Elton John's "Daniel"
Gil Scott Heron's cover of Bill Callahan, nee (Smog)'s "I'm New Here"
My Morning Jacket's cover of Erykah Badu's "Tyrone"
Bill Callahan's cover of Kath Bloom's "The Breeze/My Baby Cries"
Chan Marshal's cover of The Rolling Stones' "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"
Posted by: Philip Morgan | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 09:21 PM
Baby Blue- The Animals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUmmSIMGm-E
Can't Get Next To You- Savoy Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svA22TuemB0
Posted by: Stan B. | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 09:35 PM
I agree about the Hendrix 'All along the Watchtower' in comparison to Dylan's first recording, but the version Dylan did in the critically panned 1979 'Bob Dylan at Budokan' rips - Dylan was reportedly very angry at the situation in both Japan and his career at that point, and it shows.
Posted by: Steve Greenwood | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 09:58 PM
Mike,
Very good list of top ten covers. 3 out of 10 I agree with you, 6 out of 10 I understand your reasoning, two songs I didn't know and all of them great. Have a good Christmas
Peter Lenz
Posted by: Peter Lenz | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 09:59 PM
"Time After Time" has been covered by many artists from Willie Nelson to Miles Davis. Several are interesting, but I'm particularly fond of Anne Hampton Callaway's rendition.
For comedic value, I'm fond of the Brentwood Bach Society's varied renditions of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, available from iTunes. Try the steel drum version for full effect.
Posted by: John D | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 10:28 PM
Kindly disregard if already mentioned- the ultimate cover song:
My Way- Sid Vicious
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIp_N6bjj64&feature=related
Posted by: Stan B. | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 10:35 PM
Hallelujah - K.D. Lang. Rufus Wainwright did a nice cover of it too.
Posted by: Dkpond | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 10:46 PM
Elvis Costello, "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" written by Nick Lowe. Comparable to the O'Connor Prince cover on your list in that it's inescapably clear the song was simply meant to be recorded by Costello. Lowe thought of it as a kind of parody of pretentious pop singers, but Costello turned it into an almost ferocious anthem and absolutely made it his own. Classic of the era.
Posted by: Paul De Zan | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 10:59 PM
Janice could as well as anyone, maybe better sing with the most raspy, dirty screaming voice then turn it so sweet she'd melt you. A true one of a kind talent that will never be matched in my book.
Isn't it strange that Jimmy, Janice and Jim were all peaking around the same time and all died too young in the same basic time period? Maybe it was my age or maybe "the" age but I've never felt as moved as I did by the music of that era. They don't make em like they use to.
Posted by: MJFerron | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 11:05 PM
Jayson,
Rats, I wish I'd remembered that. I would have put it into the #8 slot ("Respect" is sort of a rote choice). I've probably listened to that thing 110 times....
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Thursday, 23 December 2010 at 11:09 PM
Nina Simone's cover of The Beatles "Here Comes The Sun". Sometimes the ridiculously good can be even better. Whenever I hear it, much like Cash's "Hurt", I am reminded that music can have a sort of truth that trancends.
Posted by: Mike Tomkins | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:02 AM
Mike, you never cease to amaze me. This post demonstrates to me an understanding of music accross different genres that few people have. It makes me want to sit down and talk with you about all sorts of stuff. The covers you mentioned by Lennon, Joplin, and cash are especially significant to me. Cash's "Hurt" haunts me at times.
Ed
Posted by: Edward Taylor | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:14 AM
Earth Wind and Fire, Got To Get You In To My Life
John Mayer, Axis Bold As Love
Darlene Love, Marvelous by Walter Hawkins (I'm prejudiced, I'm her bandleader)
Posted by: Seth Glassman | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:22 AM
Hmm. Not sure these are in any particular order.
1) Cat Power "Still In Love" Great cover of a Hank Williams song
2) Primitives "I'll Be Your Mirror" I actually like it more than the Velvet Underground original.
3) The Pogues "Maggie Mae". Rod Stewart just didn't sound like his heart had been ripped out. Shane MacGowan does.
4) Camper Van Beethoven "Pictures of Matchstick Men". Sorry, Status Quo, this one was taken away.
5)Joan Jett "Love Is All Around". Sure, it was the theme from the Mary Tyler Moore Show. But Joan Jett noticed that there was actually a good song there and did something with it.
6) John Cale - "Hallelujah". Leonard Cohen wrote a fantastic song, but I think Cale really brings it into its own.
Both of these just floored me the first time I heard them:
7) Devo "Satisfaction"
8) B-52's "Downtown"
9) Breeders "So Sad About Us" A nice, tight cover of a less-remembered song by The Who
10) Dinosaur, Jr's version of "Show Me the Way". I'll admit that I like this one for all the wrong reasons - I've always hated the Peter Frampton original. The song had it coming.
Posted by: Paul C | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:22 AM
Husker Du covered the theme song to the Mary Tyler Moore show. just a couple of minutes long but really amazing.
Cake covered I Will Survive on an early album--more unexpectedly good stuff...
Posted by: Mark | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:35 AM
Mike, Great list! I have long maintained that Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" should be in the top five greatest rock songs ever, and definitely holds the top cover spot in my book.
I have to throw in one of my personal favorite covers: it's an obscure version of "Message In A Bottle" by a punk band called Co-ed, and the only recording I know of it is on a compilation album called "Punk Rock Strike." The rest of the 3 disk set is great too, and contains a fantastic version of "Redemption Song." Any punk fans out there would definitely have fun with this set (plus it is only $8 on Amazon!!).
Posted by: David | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:45 AM
I'd vote for Placebo's cover of "la ballade de Melody Nelson", written and originally performed with great success by Serge Gainsbourg.
In a more specialized genre, "Stripped" by Depeche Mode has been covered by Rammstein, and then remixed by Charlie Clouser of NIN. The track is named "Heavy Mental mix" - there have been over remixes by Günter Schulze (see http://www.guenterschulz.com/ for his photography work) of KMFDM (FKK mix) or Johan Edlund (Psilonaut mix).
Posted by: Nicolas | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:49 AM
Hey Mike one more from me. Here it is. One of the all time great rock songs Jumpin' Jack Flash covered by one of the all time great and under appreciated rock/blues lead guitarists Johnny Winter. He makes the Stones sound like a garage band in comparison. (Scuse the video quality here and do hang out long enough to hear Johnny play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggn43jWGT_c
Posted by: MJFerron | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:09 AM
Kia-ora!
Co-incidentally, my friend just sent me this link the day before, relating directly to # 2.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw4Hy6MtBLE
Peace & stuff,
Dean (who doesn’t really know anything about jazz, but recently with the help the internet and his local Tsutaya [CD / DVD rental chain] is learning)
Posted by: Dean Johnston | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:20 AM
Joe Cocker's version of Leonard Cohen's 'Bird on a Wire'...from Mad Dogs and Englismen.
Posted by: Dennis Huteson | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:27 AM
Johny Winter's live tribute version of Dylan's 'Highway 61'.
Posted by: Dennis Huteson | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:29 AM
May be getting to this a little late, but Ellen McIlwaine's cover of Steve Winwood's – "Can't Find My Way Home" gives me goosebumps every time I hear her sing it.
Posted by: Marty Knapp | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:31 AM
Jennifer Warnes' covers of Famous Blue Raincoat or Joan of Arc both by Leonard Cohen.
It's like hearing all four seasons emerge from an autumnal leaf.
Posted by: Alistair Williamson | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:32 AM
Coincidence
In memorian - Jean-Pierre Leloir (1931/2010)
http://www.lemonde.fr/carnet/article/2010/12/21/deces-du-photographe-jean-pierre-leloir_1456401_3382.html
His site :
http://www.photo-leloir.net/photographies(pl.html
French humanism in jazz photography, and not just jazz
C'est la vie.
Posted by: jean-louis salvignol | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:39 AM
Metallica's cover of Bob Seger's "Turn the Page."
Willie Nelson, "Georgia on My Mind."
Cross Canadian Ragweed's cover of Ray Wylie Hubbard's "Wanna Rock and Roll"
Lucinda Williams' cover of AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top"
Nouvelle Vague's cover of Bill Idol's "Dancing With Myself."
And if you really, really need to get your mind blown,
Bryan McKnight's cover of "Me and Bobby McGee."
Posted by: John Camp | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 02:35 AM
Spooky Tooth's version of the Beatle's "I am a Walrus" is much better; the slower tempo and the voice give "Semolina Pilchards Climbing up the Eiffel Tower" so much more meaning.
Posted by: m3photo | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 03:18 AM
I think my favourite cover is "Oh Carol" by the Rolling Stones. It appeared on their first LP back in the Sixties and what they did was take a gentle number and turn it into a rollicking rock and roll song.
Far out dudes!
Posted by: Andy | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 03:48 AM
To my ear many covers are pale versions of the originals (Madonna doing American Pie anyone?). This is particularly true for songs by very well known artists and groups. You really need to do something special with the song, put your own interpretation into it, such as not to be compared to the original (in a bad light).
Can't remember the first time I heard that cover of Hurt but it really opened up my eyes to Cash. Simply awesome and penetrating.
As for All along the watchtower I recall a quote by Dylan basically stating that Jimi had made the song his own and that the cover was better. Had a quick look around the web but couldn't find it.
One I'd consider adding is the rock cover of Girl you'll be a woman soon by urge overkill (can be found on the pulp fiction soundtrack).
Posted by: marek | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 03:49 AM
I like Patti Smith's cover of Springsteen's "Because The Night."
James Taylor pretty much owns Carole King's "You've Got A Friend."
Check out Monte Montgomery's version of the Hall & Oates classic "Sara Smile":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnZ6ZIj4vo
Posted by: Player | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 04:57 AM
Little Feat's version of Allen Toussaint's "On Your Way Down." Koko Taylor's many renditions of "Wang Dang Doodle."
Manfred Mann's cover of "Blinded By The Light," and Patti Smith's taking "Because The Night" to a higher level.
Lucinda Williams' "It's A Long Way To The Top."
-Z-
Posted by: Zalman Stern | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 05:25 AM
Good list and many good suggetions in comments. I would like to have Beth Orton - Sisters of mercy by Cohan on my list.
Posted by: Eirik Frøystein | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 05:30 AM
Say you want to listen to covers of Led Zeppelin and Elvis Presley songs, but you want them done to a reggae beat and by an Elvis impersonator - well you're in luck! Dread Zeppelin is the band for you!
Posted by: Simon | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 05:53 AM
Last week I heard a group of 20-somethings do the complete Blood on the Tracks as a benefit for MS here in Somerville MA. Small venue, young crowd, just fantastic. Cambridge/Somerville is folksinger ground zero, but still, this was such a treat. Individual interps of all the songs, capped off with a slow, minor keyed, mandolin-accompanied Waits-voiced, Brechtian "Buckets of Rain." My faith in song (and young people) renewed once again. Thanks for great, great web log....
Posted by: Chris Y. | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 06:09 AM
One I've just stumbled across is Patti Smith's cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. Complete change of tone from the original, and utterly captivating.
But no love for the Stranglers Walk On By? ;-)
Posted by: Jean-Yves Mead | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 06:32 AM
OK, I'm guessing you didn't include this one because you've never heard it. Try Petra Haden's "The Who Sell Out". Not just a cover of a song, but the whole album redone, but totally a cappella (by a single person). Petra is the daughter of Charlie (yes, that Charlie Haden). It is uneven at times (how could it not be), but it is weird and wonderful. While you're at it, pick up Charlie Haden's "Rambling Boy", which is mostly covers of old country songs and mostly great. For those not in the know, Charlie Haden is a very famous and talented jazz bassist.
Posted by: dkreithen | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 06:32 AM
Rhythm and blues artists have done wondrous things with the Beatles catalog.
George Benson's take on the Beatles "Here Comes the Sun" is a favorite, along with Aretha Franklin's "Eleanor Rigby" and Earth, Wind and Fire's "Got to Get You Into My Life."
Lakeside's "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" was great for "belly rubbin'" at high school dances.
And while it's never been released as a single, Prince guitar solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 is a jaw-dropper (you can find it on YouTube).
Posted by: Terry Manning | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 06:59 AM
My personal favourite: Motorhead's cover of Stand By Your Man.
Posted by: Paul Ewins | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 07:07 AM
Johnny Cash's Hurt was the best piece of recorded music in 10 years. I can't think of any song since that grabbed me on the first listen like Hurt.
Posted by: Kevin Mayo | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 07:08 AM
A wonderful list Mike, and let me take this opportunity to wish you, and all the TOP regulars, a Merry Christmas!
I don't have much to add to your list - maybe Taj Mahal's version of Six Days On The Road. But certainly the Roxy Music version of John Lennon's Jealous Guy. And I would like to point out that there is an entire double album of Tom Waits material by Holly Cole - Temptation.
If I recall my music lore correctly, Bob Dylan changed the way he did All Along The Watchtower to be more like Jimi Hendrix's version. And the Beatles version of Twist And Shout was a cover/copy of the Isley's version.
Posted by: Paul Van | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 07:42 AM
"Nothing Compares 2 U" is simply fantastic.
I'd add David Bowie's cover of "White Light/White Heat" to the list. Also, Scott Walker's Jacques Brel cover album is great.
Posted by: Andrew | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 08:11 AM
Annie Lennox "Train in Vain (The Clash) audio only:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK9VcynNnEc&feature=related
Devo "Satisfaction" Mick Jagger said this was his favorite version of the song.
http://videosift.com/video/Devo-Satisfaction-live-on-SNL-in-1978
Loan Jett "Love is all around"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWQHhKrdtSA
Luther Wight and the Wrongs "Comfortably Numb" Sounds like a parody but it isnt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEvznepdGDI
Posted by: Kevin Bourque | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 08:46 AM
Richie Haven's covers of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" and Dylan's "Just like a Women" are on my list.
Give Nina Simone's haunting "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" a listen. Stunning.
This is a great OT.
Album cover art next?
Posted by: John MacKechnie | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 08:55 AM
IMO, nobody can cover "Redemption Song." Bob Marley owns that song. RIP, Bob.
Posted by: Bill Rogers | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 08:59 AM
Janis Joplin's cover of Summertime.
Jeff Beck & Tal Wilkenfeld cover of Day in a Life.
Posted by: David Howard | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:02 AM
Let's add a couple more Tom Waits songs to the list. Ol' 55 covered by the Eagles, Jersey Girl covered by Sprindsteen. Perhaps with the Tom Waits covers people should go listen to the original versions as they are the least known.
Posted by: Richard Hinton | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:03 AM
Patty Smith Group's cover of "Gloria" outranks any other.
Joan Baez' "Tears of Rage" sung a cappella.
Cyndi Lauper's "Money Changes Everything", live in Paris 1985. Look it up on Youtube.
Posted by: Tom Brenholts | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:07 AM
The Indigo Girls do a really tight cover of "Tangled up in Blue" on their double live album 1200 Curfews.
Cincinnati band Over the Rhine does a nifty cover of the Beatles "Blackbird" and a great cover of "Paper Moon".
My favorite cover moment was a night at Bogarts in Cincinnati when me and 20 or thirty close friends saw the Rembrandts play. This was before they did the Friends soundtrack, so only dedicated college rock listeners had even heard of them. And they finished by getting the entire audience onstage to sing "Ruby Tuesday" with them.
PS. OTR does a great Ruby Tuesday as well.
Posted by: Lou Doench | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:12 AM
I would like to mention the Judas Priest cover of Joan Baez's "Diamonds and Rust" and The Be Good Tanya's cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry" classics by each artist.
Posted by: Alan Schrank | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:22 AM
Jeff Buckley also has a great, great version of "strange fruit".
And while we are with Buckley, his Hallelujah is for me the best cover ever. I mean, Leonard Cohen's original is already one of the best songs ever written. How good do you have to be to dare cover that song and totally own it?
Brazilian singer Marisa Monte's "Bem que se quis" is a gorgeous and sexy version of Pino Daniele's original "E po' che fa'"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqPLePz9DjI&feature=related
Posted by: nacho | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:03 AM
Andrea Marcovicci has her way with a collection of covers on her album 'Here, There and Everywhere'. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marcovicci4
Posted by: Louis Sinoff | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:15 AM
Led Zeppelin's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You", after Joan Baez.
Aretha's "Bridge Over Troubled Water", by Simon and Garfunkel.
Posted by: Ben Rosengart | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:21 AM
I like your picks."Because the night" wasn't really a cover or was it? I just heard it on the newly released album "The Promise" The Ramones were so good at doing covers that I can't pick one...I wonder what your pick would be for the worst cover of all time...
Posted by: Matt Weber | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:32 AM
"IMO, nobody can cover 'Redemption Song.' Bob Marley owns that song. RIP, Bob."
Bill,
I agree. The thing about covers is that lots and lots of them might be well done, and might add something interesting to the song or offer a different perspective. But if they don't transcend the original decisively, then I'm not much interested unless I've just heard the original too much and it's grooved in my brain and I need the variety.
(Funny comment...a friend once said that he had nothing against symphony orchestras except "they're all cover bands.")
Another interesting category for a list might be songs that just can't be covered...i.e., that are so perfect the way they are that nobody can touch them. For example, Linda Ronstadt covered "Tumbling Dice" but that's a song that just doesn't need covering--the Stones' version is unimprovable. On the other hand the Stones tried to cover "Just My Imagination" by the Temptations, and that's another song IMO that can't be improved by anyone else.
Fun stuff....
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:37 AM
The Gourds, Snoop Dog's "Gin and Juice"...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCAM3C3dpIA
Posted by: Tom Brenholts | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:38 AM
Who would've thunk... TOP, a Tricky fan!
Posted by: Ken Rahaim | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:45 AM
I like Steve Ray Vaughn's version of "Voodo Chile". Even better than Jimi's I think. Coming in second Elvis Costello's version of "Don't let me be misunderstood"
Posted by: david lee | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:48 AM
Angelique Kidjo does a wonderful version of George Gershwin's Summertime. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7cNtjQW4Mc
Posted by: Greg Nuspel | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:53 AM
Jimi Hendrix of course!
Anyway, Merry Christmas Mike and all TOP readers.
Paul
Posted by: Paul | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:10 PM
Just for texture, the Clash did a nice cover of "I Fought the Law." The Bobby Fuller original was our class song in first-year law school---we sang along at all the Friday night beer bashes.
Posted by: Chuck Albertson | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:10 PM
The White Stripes cover of Son House's "Death Letter Blues"
Posted by: Gary Wood | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:17 PM
I demoted "Respect" (Aretha Franklin's cover of the Otis Redding tune) in order to make room for "Little Wing" which I forgot about until I was reminded of it by Jayson Merryfield in the Comments. "Respect" gets a lot of respect...maybe too much, but why not? It just seemed a little bit too much of a rote choice for my list...it's not a personal favorite, and it makes *everybody's* list of great cover songs.
Anyway, in case anybody cares, here's the original entry from the post:
>>>
8. Aretha Franklin, "Respect." A breakout song both of the movement for black civil rights and for feminists, and a helluva great dance number, "Respect" has a nice twist to it. It was originally recorded (successfully enough, by Otis Redding, in 1965) as a song sung by a man to his woman or wife, asking for "a little respect when I come home." By switching the genders around, Aretha's funkier, lustier version seems to say, in effect, "YOU want respect?! You men need to respect us!" I always think of this song along with Martha and the Vandellas' 1964 hit "Dancing in the Streets," and, like that one, it makes me picture the same sort of riotous block party. Granted, the "sock it to me" chorus seems a bit dated now (as does the lyric "TCB," which meant "takin' care of business"), and there's nobody left on Earth who hasn't heard it a few times too many, but the old song still soars.
<<<
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 12:53 PM
Please record one vote for Toots and the Maytals' version of John Denver's "Country Roads", on the Funky Kingston album, I think.
Also, 25 years ago or more I heard Bruce Springsteen bring down the house with a version of the Animals "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."
Merry Christmas everyone!
Posted by: Larry Wilkins | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:06 PM
I really enjoy Gary Jules' haunting rendition of "Mad World," originally done by Tears for Fears.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7lV8Q79Yqk&feature=fvst
Posted by: Andre | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:12 PM
Perhaps not exactly cover versions in the strictest sense, but (as it's Christmas!) Sufjan Stevens' takes on Away in a Manger & Joy To The World are excellent.
Posted by: Jonathan | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:22 PM
In the spirit of the great Whip Your Hair cover, here's Craig Ferguson doing a sort of cover of the Doctor Who theme song. Normally that's an instrumental, but he wrote his own lyrics did a dance number for it. This was supposed to be an opener for his show a little while back, but at the last minute the network pulled it because they hadn't secured the music rights. Thanks to the glory of the intertubes, you can watch it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9P4SxtphJ4&feature=player_embedded
Backstory: http://www.tvworthwatching.com/blog/2010/12/-in-previous-recent-posts.shtml
Posted by: Adam Richardson | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:23 PM
This would be a good time to mention the greatness of the Coverville podcast at http://www.Coverville.com. Brian has been doing cover song podcasts for years now, and has an amazing back catalog of shows. The annual Top 40 Cover songs podcast is must-listening, and is running right now. Brian pays his licensing fees every year to legally broadcast the music, so it's all good.
Meanwhile, I'll nominate a rare Weird Al Yankovic cover: the polka version of "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Posted by: Augie De Blieck Jr. | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:41 PM
Great list. "Hurt" by Cash raises above all others. The song was incredible and the music video directed by Mark Romanek was probably one of the best music videos of all time. I remember playing it for my father, who is close to Cash's age and not a fan of country music and he sat there stunned at the end saying that was the most powerful video he had ever seen.
Posted by: Kurt | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 01:42 PM
I'll add in another "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Cover, done by Tori Amos.
Posted by: Derek | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 02:09 PM
Just for tonight!! "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" written by rock & roll songwriter Leon René -- it was a 1948 R&B hit for Mabel Scott, but I love the Patti Page version (1950!) - a great singer pulling out all the stops- man, who has that much fun these days??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdQFuYDeK1o
Posted by: Chris Y. | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 02:18 PM
This is fun.
I have to add one of my favorites--The Talking Heads' version of Al Green's "Take Me to the River."
Al Green, by the way, did a beautiful, slow version of the Doors' "Light My Fire."
And another one of Salomon Burke's terrific covers is his version of "The Judgement" by Elvis Costello--it's a micro-opera.
Posted by: Robin Dreyer | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 02:19 PM
The Animals covered everyone better than the originals; House of the Rising Sun, We gotta get out of this place, Get back to Memphis, etc. etc.
Posted by: Ken | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 02:26 PM
'Wild Thing' by The Goodies. For years this was the heaviest version anyone had ever recorded.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zN2wWGbGyM
This 30 odd year old video isn't very sharp, but it's still well worth watching.
Season's greetings to you Mike, and to all the rest of you snappers out there, whatever you call this time of year. Even if you just call it "too cold"
Posted by: Roger Bradbury | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 02:27 PM
Lynyrd Skynyrd cover of Jimmy Rodgers "T for Texas" performed live in England in 1976. Kick butt rock and roll. In my opinion LS was the best band around in 1977. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY63KTMrkTM. Check out other clips of the England concert while at youtube.
Posted by: Phil | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 03:01 PM
Percy's song, written by Bob Dylan, covered by Fairport Convention.
Posted by: swr | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 03:12 PM
Hearty agreement on Cash's hurt. I've been a Cash fan ever since I read his autobiography (the newer of the two...). That's a great read for all you Kindle folks out there.
Posted by: Stephen | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 03:39 PM
Sinead O'Connor's version of House of the Rising Sun gives me goosebumps everytime. Haunting.
Posted by: John Willard | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 04:06 PM
Dear Mike,
3) Anything that Patti Smith or James Taylor cover.
2) Jennifer Warnes blood-chilling cover of "First We Take Manhattan"
and #1 with a huge bullet:
1) The Boss' cover of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town!" My all-time favorite Xmas song.
pax / Ctein
Posted by: ctein | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 05:03 PM
Eastern Sierra Community College's cover of Handel's Messiah.
Posted by: Andrew Kirk | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 06:18 PM
Social Distortion doing "Ring of Fire" has always been a favorite, as well as Richard Cheese's "Gin and Juice." I'm not necessarily a rap fan, but when he loungifies it and you can understand the lyrics, it's hilarious.
Posted by: Jeff | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 07:20 PM
Springsteen's "Racing in the Street" covered by Serena Ryder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvjGxcZSMz4
I'm kinda partial to Bobo Stenson, Anders Jormin & Paul Motian's cover of Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns" (which is track 1 on the ECM album "Goodbye").
Posted by: Dave Elden | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 07:23 PM
R.E.M.'s cover of The Clique song "Superman."
Posted by: Paul | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 07:39 PM
One of my favorite covers of all time is Eric Burdon and The Animals version of "Paint It Black". The Stones version was great but The Animals cover is awesome. Google it and see for yourself!
Posted by: John Sartin | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 08:57 PM
Mike Bloomfield,Al Kooper, Steven Stills cover of Donovans "Season of the Witch".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWkMMXgQohc&feature=player_embedded
There are two mixes one of which has horns added.
Jim
Posted by: Jim B | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 09:11 PM
Wow. The comments here will keep me busy for months. . .
Greg's suggestion of Angelique Kidjo covering Gershwin reminded me of Herbie Hancock's "Gershwin's World," which is an amazing album. I am not really sure if it is a cover of Gershwin's work or a new entity into itself, but it is an amazing album (and VERY well recorded).
Posted by: David | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:19 PM
One of the best jazz bands working today - the Bad Plus - known and loved for approaching the songbook of recent decades.
Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9hOSZGMXlI
They also have a version of "Smells like Teen Spirit" worth checking out. (and of course a large catalog of originals)
Posted by: Wayne | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:27 PM
Some covers that come to my mind:
Aretha Franklin's "Respect". Originally by Marvin Gaye as I recall.
Ike and Tina Turner's "Proud Mary". Originally by CCR.
Elton John's "Pinball Wizard". Originally by The Who.
Aerosmith's "Come Together". I know it was recorded by the Beatles, but did they cover it as well or was it originally theirs?
Eric Clapton's "I Shot the Sheriff". Originally Bob Marley's.
Jeff Healey's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Originally by George Harrison.
Finally, perhaps not a true "cover" per se, but Ray Charles' duet with Elton John of "Sorry is the Hardest Word". It is from his Genius Loves Company album before he passed away. As I understand it, this was either the last song he recorded before he died, or the last song recorded for the album. It has become the definitive version of the song to me. Plus, Ray Charles covered many songs in diverse genres throughout his career as well, putting his own stamp on them.
When you look at the covers that we consider having met or "surpassed" the original, it is not surprising to see established artists covering other artists' songs. They usually have a deep interest and appreciation for their art. Yet, their style has become so ingrained into them that when they approach a cover, it ceases to be a copy and becomes a new entity all of it's own. It is one of the ways that I find the performing arts to be conceptually different from the visual arts like photography. The life of a performance art is in the performance itself, and that can't be copied even in a cover ... haven't we all heard "bad" covers?
Posted by: Craig Lee | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:30 PM
Oh, and Elvis' "Hound Dog" was also a cover.
Posted by: Craig Lee | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 10:39 PM
Jayson, Mike, thanks for the intro to Stevie Ray Vaughn; his Little Wing, whew. Jack White, White Stripes, and Dylan's "One more Cup of Coffee"from Dylan's great "Desire" album, featuring as a backup singer, a then somewhat unknown, Emmy Lou Harris. Wow. Great stuff.
Mike, keep up this off topic stuff; as Edward Taylor says, and I paraphrase, you have your MOJO on! Ben and Sweets, and now this; I bet the economy took a huge jump after this.
I have SRV's "Little Wing" running on repeat, for about the last hour; it's how I listen. I don't know how I missed him.
Posted by: Bron Janulis | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:25 PM
"Wow. The comments here will keep me busy for months. . ."
Maybe not exactly months, but same here...lots of fun to have so much new-to-me stuff to check out.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Friday, 24 December 2010 at 11:57 PM
I gotta recommend The Bad Plus, specifically their cover of the Aphex Twin song, "Flim"
for reference, here's Aphex Twin's version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhHkUg-QCwk
and here's The Bad Plus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX_Iij8Eyts
Posted by: Steven | Saturday, 25 December 2010 at 12:19 AM
"Because The Night" wasn't really a cover or was it?"
Matt, Springsteen wrote the original version for his "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" album but he was unsatisfied with it. The tape was given to Smith and she "recast" it. You make a good point because in the strictest sense it might not be considered a cover song since Patti Smith essentially co-wrote it, but then again if The Boss never originally created it the song never would have reached Smith. What I'm saying is 'I don't know.' :)
Posted by: Player | Saturday, 25 December 2010 at 02:55 AM
Natacha Atlas, "I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Sheryl Crow, "The First Cut Is the Deepest" by Cat Stevens
Steve Earle, "Colorado Girl" by Townes van Zandt
The Lovemongers (Ann and Nancy Wilson), "Battle of Evermore" by Led Zeppelin
Lastly, Pink Martini's cover of Doris Day's signature song, "Que Sera Sera."
Posted by: Jon Erickson | Saturday, 25 December 2010 at 04:03 AM
The Rod Stewart cover of "Have I told you lately".
Merry Christmas to you, Mike. Thanks for a wonderful year of great writing and thoughtful discussion stimulus.
Posted by: Craig Norris | Saturday, 25 December 2010 at 07:17 AM
I used to strongly feel that Siouxsie and the Banshees' cover of the Beatles "Dear Prudence" was sheer genius, but 25 odd years later I'm not so sure. The original holds up really well now.
Many covers are unique and are easily 'co-equal' to the originals but few definitely surpass the originals. After all, their intrinsic superiority is why the originals do get covered.
In that sense, Joe Cocker's many covers all measure up to the originals, but even his most famous covers, "With a Little Help From My Friends" or Traffic's "Feelin' Alright", original interpretations and strong performances though they are, don't really eclipse Ringo's version or Dave Mason's-they stand side-by-side with the originals.
I do think there is a limited parallel to celebrity portraiture here. The originals are the celebrities, and the covers are the portraits, and in both photography and music the familiarity of the original boosts the impact of the portrait or cover so inextricably that it's really hard to judge the cover against the original.
There are exceptions of course, IMHO, and Mike Johnston's list is a very well considered list compared to many of our humble suggestions. Sinead O' Connor is phenomenal in her cover of Prince's "Nothing Compare 2 U", and the song stands on its own even if you have never heard the original.
I don't think I feel the same way about the Rolling Stones' Chuck Berry covers (though their live versions on 'Get Yer Ya Ya's Out' are very good indeed). You still need the original somewhere in the back of your head to make them stand out.
Posted by: Mani Sitaraman | Saturday, 25 December 2010 at 09:01 AM