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They've got it covered: odd choices for cover songsIn a recent interview, Joan Jett was asked how she felt about the Britney Spears cover of her iconic rock hit, "I Love Rock 'N Roll." "I've never even heard Britney's version," Jett said. "I mean, I've obviously heard about it, but I never understood that whole idea I mean, people usually cover a song that says something about them, but I doubt she loves rock 'n roll. Maybe she likes songs."
The woman has a point – sometimes musicians cover odd songs to be ironic (i.e. Alanis covering "My Humps"), but I'm thinking Britney (or her record company) thought the song would give her an edge (the songstress also covered the Rolling Stones "Satisfaction.") But Spears is definitely an easy target. There are tons of other artists who try their best to do a great rendition of someone else's song when it just sort of falls flat. Hilary Duff doing "My Generation" Duff doing The Who? Their '60s song was taken and poppified for a younger generation that doesn't appreciate what the lyrics mean whatsoever. Can't you see the tweens cooing, "Things they do look awful cold/Yeah, I hope I die before I get old." Madonna doing "American Pie" Sorry, Madge: I just didn't dig it. The song is a legendary folk tune and your voice doesn't do it justice. Maybe this is her revenge on artists who have covered her greatest hits. At any rate, she should stick with her originals (pre-1995, please.) Smash Mouth doing "I'm a Believer"
First of all, it's Smash Mouth. Second of all, Davy Jones is The Believer and was on The Brady Bunch. Dave Harwell, the band's singer, was on The Surreal Life. Davy for the win! Jessica Simpson doing "These Boots are Made for Walking" It seems to me that this cover came about simply based on what Jessica could wear for the video. Nancy Sinatra cannot be outdone by Simpson's collagen-lipped purrs or cowboy boots' spurs. No sir. (OK that's enough of that.) On the bright side, some covers rival the originals, and on that note, do yourself a favor and listen to Sonic Youth's cover of the Carpenters'"Superstar," Tori Amos doing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" or the Scissor Sisters' take on "Comfortably Numb." Submitted by on June 6, 2008 - 3:00pm. |
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Duff
Oh sweet lord...
I agree 100%- her covering the Who, one of the greatest and most innovative rock bands ever is like.... Ashlee Simpson covering Dusty Springfield (*shudder*) it can only go downhill.
I wonder what Pete Townshend was smoking when he gave her permission to slaughter one of his finest songs....
One (weird) cover that I absolutely adore is Lene Lovich's bizarre version of 'I Think We're Alone Now'- I think that she uncovers an uncomfortable, weird atmosphere that the cutesy original is missing. I also LOVE the Go-Go's amazing cover of the classic rock'n'roller 'Cool Jerk', on their 1982 album 'Vacation'
(*blistering guitar feedback*)
LOL!!! I totally agree. She should be tasered
Yvonne Doll
The Locals localsrock.com
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CD Release "Big Picture" June 14th, 2008
Mainstream music usually
Mainstream music usually destroys a song when they cover it,
but I do enjoy a good cover, especially a Cat Power one. :)
Urgh.
Jessica Simpson makes me die a little inside. Dukes of Hazzard is the only film that I've walked out of because it was so bad.
And I went to see Snakes on a Plane, for God's sake.
However, there was a good side to her cover... in the form of Pink's parody of it in the video to 'Stupid Girls'.
Odd cover songs...
Marilyn Manson " Tainted love' (Soft Cell) i guess. I mean it works..somewhat. He also did 'Personal Jesus', which I thought was AWWWEESOMMMME.
Tatu - How soon is Now (the Smiths) THAT was a WTF moment.
The Number 12 looks like you - My Sharona (the knack) Okay so they're kinda screamo/____core but i like it.
Alien Antfarm..Smooth Criminal. I liked it. But FOB and Beat It?F-U.
I'm sure there's more but I can't think right now.
And Sorry but I did NOT like Joss Stone's version of 'Fell in love with a girl'. ATALL.
I got a dick like a mule...with a big dick.
Manson
a little known band
called mr hudson and the library covered 'on the street where you live' from my fair lady, and even though it was more upbeat it still rocked.
also Guns N Roses covers are awesome, their versions of ain't it fun and sympathy for the devil are some of my fave choons!
but i agree, often new age artists ruin classic songs.
however if you're heard mark ronson's album, 'version' (btw he's samanthat ronson's sister before you ask'. then he does versions of more recent songs and got lilly allen and amy winehouse and others to sing and they sound awesome, a lot of them become more famous than the original.
AGREED!
I love Me First And The
I love Me First And The Gimme Gimmes! Some of the songs are actually really good. And I find it really briljant what Richard Cheese does!
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Yvonne Doll
The Locals localsrock.com
Rate our Tune on Q101FM, Help some chick rockers get a great gig!
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CD Release "Big Picture" June 14th, 2008
A great cover for an odd song
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson BUTCHERED the song "These Boots Are Made For Walking". Hard to watch and hard to listen too. No wonder her carreer is now only about who she is dating.
Tristen
LGBT ITEMS http://www.zazzle.com/tristen12
Yep.
not all covers r bad
As much as I love Melissa, I
Just like sinead o'connor -
Just like sinead o'connor - nothing compares 2u.
i love a good cover
some of my favorites include:
my generation (the who, obvs) - patti smith
between the bars (elliott smith) - madeleine peyroux
the littlest birds (the be good tanyas) - cold war kids
i'm on fire (bruce springsteen) - bat for lashes
crazy (gnarles barkley) - ray lamontange (shawn colvin does a excellent cover as well)
how deep is your love (the bee gees) - the bird and the bee
sexual healing (marvin gaye) - hot chip
i'm going to stop with those; i could go on forever.
As far as my generation goes
I Love Rock 'n' Roll
Joan Jett's I Love Rock 'n' Roll was itself a cover - first done in 1975 by the Arrows, a fairly popular UK group who even had a TV series that ran for a couple of years.
Having said that, I like the Arrows version, but Jett's remake is one of those fairly rare, but not unknown, instances where the cover trumps the original.
another horrible cover
Kidney Thieves - Crazy (Patsy Cline)
They coud have done so much with it but it was just lacking.
Covers I love:
Mindless Self Indulgence - Big Poppa (notorious BIG) Can't help but love that.
Wicked Games - HIM (Chris Isaak)
Every little thing (She does is Magic) - RA (Police)
Land of Confusion - Disturbed (Phil Collins/genesis) HOT!!
Evanescense did a live studio cover of Nirvana's 'Heart Shaped box." nice.
Also, Ordinary boys did a live cover of Tatu's 'all the things she said' which i liked
Always love "take on Me" - Reel Big Fish (Aha)
AND a guilty pleasure that i'm sure EVERYONE loves;
INOJ! Time after time, As We Lay, Let me Love You Down..So So Def Bass Allstars!!!
*bankhead bounce*
I got a dick like a mule...with a big dick.
Wicked Game
Giant Drag did an amazing cover of that song, too.
One of my favourite covers is a live PJ Harvey and Björk cover of the Stones' 'Satisfaction'. You can see it here - http://youtube.com/watch?v=HiRChOr9p4I
And how could I forget Nouvelle Vague?!
Nouvelle Vague
I love 'Teenage Kicks' and basically all their other songs.
My other favourite covers:
Ryan Adams - Wonderwall
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah... had no idea that it was a cover.
Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares To You
I thing Reel Big Fish just
I think any cover Tegan and
Bizarre Love Triangle
Original by New Order in the 80s, covered by Australian band Frente in the early 90s. I love both. I admit I was horrified when I heard that Frente had done a cover but now I just have to hear the first few chords of either and I'm suddenly right back where I was when I first heard each. And for me, that's the sign of a hit!
Compare and contrast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w77T0AncLKo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ1c9ErCn7w
Not Only But Also
Janis Joplin's cover of
Janis Joplin's cover of Piece of My Heart is awesome.
I don't like Erma Franklin's version much at all.
Melissa Etheridge's version is great too.
Bad covers ...
Are like nails on a chalkboard. Trish - I'm right there with you. Smashmouth? Ugh.
There are some really great covers ... Patti Smith comes to mind ... Tori Amos is the QUEEN of covers (no pun intended) ...
Also, Everclear just came out with a new album called The Las Vegas Years full of covers, which is surprisingly good! Highly recommended!
Speak what we feel not what we ought to say...
Madonna
I love her version of American Pie, i think its way better than the original, plus there are some great remixes too.
www.myspace.com/madonna3
The Jeff Buckley cover of
The Jeff Buckley cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' is possibly the greatest song ever (OK, maybe that is going too far, but it is awesome) and a prime example of a cover being better than the original.
However, bad covers are awful, and there are far too many of them! Girls Aloud covering 'I Think We're Alone Now' is an abomination! And what is the current trend of tweeners covering rockers?!?! Nooo!!
Hallelujah, Leonard still rocks
Kaytiana, I would agree with you except I just saw Leonard in concert and his original "Hallelujah" was just amazing. The performance ran 2 1/2 hours and at 73 he looked to be having the time of his life. He might win the prize for the singer/writer who has had the most songs covered by other artists.
Buckley's version is indeed wonderful, as is kd lang's.
Pencil or pistol? I just can't decide.
I know the comment about
I know the comment about "He might win the prize for the singer/writer who has had the most songs covered by other artists," wasn't scientific,
but if anyone is curious, the actual artist who has had the most songs ever covered by other artists is BOB DYLAN.
And I am a firm believer that no one can rival the great's originals!
:) I'm not disputing that
:) I'm not disputing that Cohen is awesome, I am a big fan and love the original Hallelujah, but Jeff Buckley's version does still blow every other version out of the water!
But I bet Cohen was awesome live, in fact, I'm kinda jealous you saw him!!
Leonard in the UK
Quick, Kaytiana, get your wallet out! Leonard is in Dublin next week, Manchester the week after that, Glastonbury at the end of the month and in Edinburgh and London mid-July.
Pencil or pistol? I just can't decide.
I'm going to Leonard's show
Johnny Cash!
Good Call!
Cover stories & picks
I think covers are either really good or really bad. Not too many fall into the middle area. And some are just plain wrong (see aforementioned Hillary Duff & Jessica Simpson covers). Or for example, this little story: I was listening to Joan Jet's version of "I Love Rock 'N Roll" with some friends in my car when someone chimed in "Isn't this Britney Spears?" I argued that such a comment was sacrilege to music lovers everywhere, but to no avail. A litte piece of me died that day.
Some other bad covers:
Drift Away (Dobie Gray) - Uncle Kracker
Behind Blue Eyes (The Who) - Limp Bizkit
And, some of my favorite covers of all time:
Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen) - Tegan and Sara
Hurt (Nine Inch Nails) - Johnny Cash
Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell) - Counting Crows
Jolene (Dolly Parton) - Mindy Smith
Tainted Love (Gloria Jones) - Soft Cell
Two of Us (The Beatles) - Aimee Mann & Michael Penn
Across the Universe ( The Beatles) - Rufus Wainwright
Me & Bobby McGee (Kris Kristofferson) - Janis Joplin
I actually don't hate Drift
I actually don't hate Drift Away by Uncle Kracker, although I do like the original better.
I agree completely with the Counting Crows, Johnny Cash, and Rufus Wainwright. Those covers are a few of my favorite covers ever. I also like Michael Johns version of Across the Universe from Idol this year.
One of the worst covers I've
I have such a love/hate with covers
But I will agree there are some awesome covers. Many of the one's I like were mentioned but here's a few I've been listening to lately:
ABBA's Super Trouper covered by Camera Obscura
Bee Gee's Inside and Out covered by Feist
The Pixies Where is My Mind covered by James Blunt
Dylan's Make you Feel My Love covered by Joan Osborne (this one's been covered many times but this is my favorite)
I don't know if she's released it but I love it when Pink does Janis Joplin's Me and Bobby McGee!
Does the Mary J. Blige and U2 version of One count as a cover? I LOVE it.
Not a cover so much as a mash up:
ABBA's Dancing Queen rediscovered by Storm Large and to the tune of In-a-gadda-da-vida . . . . seriously. And it's awesome. It's called Abba Gadda Davida. Seriously.
In your eyes
I LOVE the Jeffery Gaines cover of Peter Gabriel's version of "In Your Eyes". Its just magical...with the crowd singing along and everything. I get chills listening to it.
And Matthew Pond's cover of Oasis's "Champagne Supernova" is crazy good as well as Ryan Adam's cover of Oasis's "wonderwall". Oasis wrote some good ass songs and these artists just hit it with their covers.
OKMg MORE COVERS!!!!
TWO IMPORTANT COVERS I FORGOT THAT I LOOOOVE:
Tv on the Radio - Mr. Grieves (The Pixies) Oh.Em.Gee. It's so creepy and I freakin love it.
The Butchies - Your Love (Outfield) there;s sometihng so forbidden about that version. (other than the obvious) Hot.
I LOVE Mash-ups. The band Girl Talk does really awesome ones, like stuff I'd never expect to hear in a mash-up, i heard it. Check them out.I got a dick like a mule...with a big dick.
The greatest cover of all time
"I will always love you" originally by Dolly Parton, covered by Whitney Houston (before the crack took her brain and her voice)
It made both ladies A LOT of money!
*hits head*
How could i forget that?!? and Iwas just listening to the White Stripes' cover of Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' a few days ago.
A cover that rocks equally in original and cover buthave totally different sounds:
"Superstar' by the Carpenters or Luther Vandross. Big Lutha.
I got a dick like a mule...with a big dick.
I really liked David Cook's
I really liked David Cook's cover of Alway Be My Baby. thats actually my favorite cover right now.
Covers I liked:
Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Tiny Dancer (Elton John) - Tim McGraw (It sounds odd, but I loved it)
The Prayer (Celine Dion ft Andrea Bocelli) - Charlotte Church ft Josh Groban
Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland) - Israel Kamakawiwoʻol
Covers I didn't like:
Britney Spears (Bobbie Brown) - My Prerogative
Covers are fickle things
First of all, am I the only person on this planet that hates the Scissor Sisters' rendition of "Comfortably Numb"? It's too peppy and clubby, not the melancholy look into self alienation it is supposed to be.
Continuing on the Pink Floyd theme (they are my favorite band), I will mention that David Bowie also did an awful version of a Floyd song when he covered "See Emily Play". As well, I know to steer clear of anything that Out of Phase does to their songs.
Good renditions: one is Dar Williams. Sadly, I haven't heard all of her "Comfortably Numb" duet with Ani DiFranco, but what I have heard is beautiful. It annoys me that that CD is nowhere to be found in Arcata's music stores. An obscure band covering an obscure song, as well, is Livid, a female-fronted group, covering Syd Barrett's solo song "Love Song". It's especially nice to hear that they didn't change any pronouns ("I knew a girl and I like her still/She said she would love me and I her will"). I also like Architectural Metaphor covering Pink Floyd's legendary suite "Echoes".
Good covers by members of Floyd: the band performing "King Bee" in a highly bootlegged track; David Gilmour covering Bizet's "Je crois entendre encore", the song "Hushabye Mountain" and one of Shakespeare's sonnets in his DVD In Concert; and Roger Waters singing "Knocking on Heaven's Door" for The Dybbuk from the Holy Apple Field. Bad cover: Roger Waters doing a tribute to John Lennon and butchering "Across the Universe" in the process.
Ave Messer, 66, B24, GO SHASTA!!!
Girls Do The Boys
If I didn't already know I was gay, my enjoyment of these first several covers would clue me in.
(From one of my favorite mix CDs - Girls Do the Boys)
Joan Osborne - Brick House (Commodores)
Melissa Etheridge - Maggie Mae (Rod Stewart)
Chantal Kreviazuk - Always a Woman (Billy Joel)
Alanis Morissette - King of Pain (Sting)
Tori Amos - Angie (Rolling Stones)
Indigo Girls & Ani DiFranco - Ramblin' Round (Woody Guthrie)
Indigo Girls - Tangled Up in Blue (Bob Dylan)
kd lang - The Joker (Steve Miller Band)
Joan Osborne - Spooky (Classics IV)
Joan Osborne - Axis: Bold As Love (Jimi Hendrix)
Joan Osborne - Beast of Burden (Rolling Stones)
Chantal Kreviazuk - Wild Horses (Rolling Stones)
Sheryl Crow - D'yer Mak'er (Led Zeppelin)
Sheryl Crow - Squeeze Box (The Who)
Sarah McLachlan - Ol' '55 (Tom Waits)
Edie Brickell - A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall (Bob Dylan)
Cyndi Lauper & Heart - Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul McCartney)
Cyndi Lauper - Strawberry Fields Forever (Beatles)
Chantal Kreviazuk - In My Life (Beatles)
The Corrs - Ruby Tuesday (Rolling Stones)
The Corrs - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Neil Young)
Natalie Merchant - Space Oddity (David Bowie)
Sophie B. Hawkins - The Border Song (Elton John)
Sheryl Crow & Willie Nelson - Jackson/Orange Blossom Special (Johnny Cash)
Emmylou Harris, Mary Chapin Carpenter & Sheryl Crow - Flesh & Blood (Johnny Cash)
Melissa Etheridge - New York State of Mind (Billy Joel)
Annie Lennox - Train in Vain (Clash)
Celine Dion & Anastacia - You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)
Ani DiFranco & Aimee Mann - When Doves Cry (Prince)
Sarah McLachlan - Dear God (XTC)
Sheryl Crow - Sweet Child O'Mine (Guns'N'Roses)
P!nk - Janie's Got a Gun (Aerosmith)
Stevie Nicks - Free Fallin' (Tom Petty)
Some more great covers:
Neil Diamond & Dolly Parton - You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (Righteous Brothers)
Amy Grant - Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell)
Amy Grant - The Things We Do For Love (10cc) Ellen DeGeneres is in video
Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Lil Kim & Mya - Lady Marmalade (Patti Labelle)
Live at the Grammys ~ MTV Awards
Rufus Wainwright, Moby and Sean Lennon - Across the Universe (Beatles)
Ringo Starr, Tom Petty, Alanis Morissette & Steven Tyler - Drift Away (Dobie Gray)
The Cardigans & Tom Jones - Burning Down The House (Talking Heads)
Missy Higgins & Ben Lee - Had Me a Girl (Tom Waits)
10,000 Maniacs - Because the Night (Joni Mitchell)
And the two worst:
Dolly Parton - Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) (I love you Dolly, but what were you thinking?)
Wilson Phillips - Hotel California (Eagles)
~ Angie
~ Angie
The strangest cover I've
The strangest cover I've heard in a while is the one Scout Niblet's been doing on her recent tour. She generally sings a verse and chorus of TLC's 'No Scrubs.' It sounds bizarre but she really gives an angsty feel to the pop song, solo with electric guitar. There are a few recordings of it floating around on youtube.
Another cover i particularly enjoyed was KT Tunstall's take on 'I Want You Back' by the Jackson 5
covers i love....
deana carter - ruby tuesday
alicia keys & adam levine - wild horses
alex parks - mad world
celine dion - i drove all night
angela mccluskey - famous blue raincoat
ann peebles, tina arena - i want to know what love is
the ataris - boys of summer
band from tv (mmm bonnie sommerville) - you cant always get what you want
celine dion, jeffery gaines (not a duet, just 2 versions) - the first time ever i saw your face
nancy sinatra - bang bang
the cliks - cry me a river
magnet w/ gemma hayes - lay lady lay
toby lightman - real love
And remember that, in a world of ordinary mortals, you are a Wonder Woman!