Listening to your version of "Baby's On Fire" I kept on hearing another song in my head, and other than an overlap in singing style, I'm not quite sure why I made the connection, but it made me think of Pete Townshend's "Keep Me Turning" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwjuEmKD-kg
There are so many good covers by some of my favorites are by Christy Moore
Thanks, Nick. Interesting call on Pete's tune; I can kind of hear it. I so love that album. So many great songs. Time to listen to it on vinyl! Thanks for sharing the Christy Moore songs. I know some of his work but did not know these two songs. Cheers.
I think it is partially just the words "burning" / "turning" echoed each other a bit.
I remembered another example of a cover in which the band completely owns their version The Pogues "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKURhqmSLmM
Edit: I shouldn't say that they're "fairly different" -- the Pogues cover is quite faithful, but just significantly more forceful (and when the drum comes in it really adds power to the song.
The Pogues' cover works so well because Shane wholly "owns" the song's narrative with his world-weary vocal delivery and the band's perfect backing track. Speaking of The Pogues... Nick Cave's outstanding interpretation of Shane's "Rainy Night in Soho" (my favorite song by Shane) at his funeral was transcendent. https://youtu.be/zAsMLJ0lFN8?si=pM-vf4ki9UI-5xe9
Yes. He owns the song, and feels completely authentic. One of the challenges for protest songs is not reaching for pathos, but you completely believe the story.
Thanks for the Nick Cave video; an emotional performance.
Loved your version of “Baby’s on Fire.” And the Kozelak AC/DC album is one of my all-time faves. So many -- too many -- exceptional covers. I listen to Coverville when I do road trips (otherwise I just listen to my music in album form). So impressive the breadth of quality covers that exist. I do like the album covers, such as Angelique Kidjo as suggested by Anton. You mention Ryan Adams. He did a cover album of Springsteen’s Nebraska that is worth checking out.
Devo has always been a favorite for inspired covers -- Stones’ “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” “Secret Agent Man,” and “Working in a Coalmine.” XTC’s cover of “All Along the Watchtower” is brilliant.
So true, Steve. Too many covers to cover. Devo's covers are epic. I've heard some of Ryan's Nebraska album. Need to do a deeper dive. How about his wonderful acoustic version of Oasis' "Wonderwall?" I prefer The Band's version of Springsteen's "Atlantic City" over the original . Levon's vocal delivery is sublime.
I can't recall the last timeI heard a music critic say a good word about Grand Funk, whose Closer to Home is one of my all time favorite albums, so thank you for that. (I should add, to preserve my reputation, that I generally dislike almost everything else they did. Not quite everything.)
Hey Dusty Mark, thanks for an intriguing post, some excellent examples and some wonderful links, including to the COverville podcast. It is worth considering that until the Beatles, popular performers rarely wrote their own songs and so most of what we heard was already a "cover version." And so many of us don't know "original" versions of covers to begin with, we consider the one we first heard (especially if it was a hit) to be the original, and really that's how it should stay in our own minds. Most of us would agree that a cover should be done faithful to the performing artist's style (per Dusted Off, which has your stamp all over every song so it is a cohesive album) and that if someone wants to change/subtract/add something to the original, hopefully they succeed. For my own part, I have my side project Hudson Palace that released two Buzzcocks covers last year, including "Love You More" reinterpeted as a waltz ballad. Apparently, it worked. (I received no hate mail, and at least one Buzzcock let me know he loved it.) Then there are covers that are so close to the original you can't tell them apart: to this day I struggle with The Jam's versions of both "Disguises" and "So Sad About Us" on which they wore their influence so close to the sleeve they may as well not have bothered. "David Watts" on the other hand, they claimed, covered and owned. Cheers!
Excellent point, Tony. And in America we had the first wave of rockers like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly who were original artists, and who were often covered. And thanks for your kind words about my new album and sharing your most excellent music. I hope my readers explore both your writing and music.
Much prefer covers of Dylan songs rather than his own versions. Two examples: Tommy Castro's version of "Gotta Serve Somebody" and Eric Clapton's version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door".
Imho, the best cover songs are those (as you suggest) that add to, take away from, or completely rearrange the song; and they are most successful when the artist covering the song literally "makes it their own" in a way that is equal to or greater than the original songwriter. (In addition to All Along the Watchtower, think Me and Bobby Magee; there are people who don't even realize that Kris Kristofferson wrote and recorded it before Janis.) My single favorite cover in this regard is Manfred Mann's version of Springsteen's Blinded By the Light - talk about re-arranging and owning a cover! Another oft-forgotten but brilliant cover is Jose Feliciano's cover of The Doors' Light My Fire - a cover doesn't get much more original than that. Another favorite is Mavis Staples' super-funky cover of Talking Heads Slippery People. And yes, Bettye Lavette has done some of the finest covers ever.
Finally, I find it fascinating that covers of Prince's songs are almost always as good as or better than his own. The Bangles' Manic Monday (which he admittedly gave to them) is better than his own, Tom Jones' cover of Kiss is at least as good as the original, and, of course, Sinead O'Connor's singularly extraordinary cover of Nothing Compares 2U is...well...singular extraordinary. I am guessing there are more, but I cannot think of them.
That's a fun list of covers.
Listening to your version of "Baby's On Fire" I kept on hearing another song in my head, and other than an overlap in singing style, I'm not quite sure why I made the connection, but it made me think of Pete Townshend's "Keep Me Turning" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwjuEmKD-kg
There are so many good covers by some of my favorites are by Christy Moore
"Does This Train Stop on Merseyside" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiXnKAeSKK0
"January Man" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDCejNGfK7M
Thanks, Nick. Interesting call on Pete's tune; I can kind of hear it. I so love that album. So many great songs. Time to listen to it on vinyl! Thanks for sharing the Christy Moore songs. I know some of his work but did not know these two songs. Cheers.
I think it is partially just the words "burning" / "turning" echoed each other a bit.
I remembered another example of a cover in which the band completely owns their version The Pogues "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKURhqmSLmM
[Eric Bogle's original is fairly different: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajPSmnZ2PRY ]
Edit: I shouldn't say that they're "fairly different" -- the Pogues cover is quite faithful, but just significantly more forceful (and when the drum comes in it really adds power to the song.
The Pogues' cover works so well because Shane wholly "owns" the song's narrative with his world-weary vocal delivery and the band's perfect backing track. Speaking of The Pogues... Nick Cave's outstanding interpretation of Shane's "Rainy Night in Soho" (my favorite song by Shane) at his funeral was transcendent. https://youtu.be/zAsMLJ0lFN8?si=pM-vf4ki9UI-5xe9
Yes. He owns the song, and feels completely authentic. One of the challenges for protest songs is not reaching for pathos, but you completely believe the story.
Thanks for the Nick Cave video; an emotional performance.
Little black egg!! Inspired choice. As far as the best cover of all time, it’s got to be all along the watchtower.
Loved your version of “Baby’s on Fire.” And the Kozelak AC/DC album is one of my all-time faves. So many -- too many -- exceptional covers. I listen to Coverville when I do road trips (otherwise I just listen to my music in album form). So impressive the breadth of quality covers that exist. I do like the album covers, such as Angelique Kidjo as suggested by Anton. You mention Ryan Adams. He did a cover album of Springsteen’s Nebraska that is worth checking out.
Devo has always been a favorite for inspired covers -- Stones’ “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” “Secret Agent Man,” and “Working in a Coalmine.” XTC’s cover of “All Along the Watchtower” is brilliant.
So true, Steve. Too many covers to cover. Devo's covers are epic. I've heard some of Ryan's Nebraska album. Need to do a deeper dive. How about his wonderful acoustic version of Oasis' "Wonderwall?" I prefer The Band's version of Springsteen's "Atlantic City" over the original . Levon's vocal delivery is sublime.
https://open.spotify.com/album/4RWSXCDIk9HDCAjRFTPVcn?si=IeTVxUB6QXufCQitw25dgQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4RWSXCDIk9HDCAjRFTPVcn Kidjo, Remain in Light, entire album,
Angelique Kidjo. Also unforgettable, early 70's jazz-soul group Maxayn's cover of Gimme Shelter on their 1st album.
Listening now. Thanks for sharing, Anton. I also dig Merry Clayton's version of "Gimme Shelter" and, believe it or not, Grand Funk's cover.
I can't recall the last timeI heard a music critic say a good word about Grand Funk, whose Closer to Home is one of my all time favorite albums, so thank you for that. (I should add, to preserve my reputation, that I generally dislike almost everything else they did. Not quite everything.)
Doc filmmaker Michael Moore was a huge fan. Here' a fun read about them: https://www.loudersound.com/features/grand-funk-railroad-the-forgotten-story-of-a-true-american-band
Hey Dusty Mark, thanks for an intriguing post, some excellent examples and some wonderful links, including to the COverville podcast. It is worth considering that until the Beatles, popular performers rarely wrote their own songs and so most of what we heard was already a "cover version." And so many of us don't know "original" versions of covers to begin with, we consider the one we first heard (especially if it was a hit) to be the original, and really that's how it should stay in our own minds. Most of us would agree that a cover should be done faithful to the performing artist's style (per Dusted Off, which has your stamp all over every song so it is a cohesive album) and that if someone wants to change/subtract/add something to the original, hopefully they succeed. For my own part, I have my side project Hudson Palace that released two Buzzcocks covers last year, including "Love You More" reinterpeted as a waltz ballad. Apparently, it worked. (I received no hate mail, and at least one Buzzcock let me know he loved it.) Then there are covers that are so close to the original you can't tell them apart: to this day I struggle with The Jam's versions of both "Disguises" and "So Sad About Us" on which they wore their influence so close to the sleeve they may as well not have bothered. "David Watts" on the other hand, they claimed, covered and owned. Cheers!
Excellent point, Tony. And in America we had the first wave of rockers like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly who were original artists, and who were often covered. And thanks for your kind words about my new album and sharing your most excellent music. I hope my readers explore both your writing and music.
Really enjoyed your intensive discussion of the art of a good cover. Thanks for recommending the read.
A few of my current favorite covers include:
AnnenMayKantereit's cover of Toxic (Britney Spears)
Wintersleep's cover of The Twist (Frightened Rabbit)
Superchunk's cover of Say My Name (Destiny's Child)
Excellent covers. Much appreciate the reccomendations. What do you think of Ryan Adam's covering Taylor Swift's 1989 album?
Much prefer covers of Dylan songs rather than his own versions. Two examples: Tommy Castro's version of "Gotta Serve Somebody" and Eric Clapton's version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door".
Dylan is 2nd only to the Beatles in covers of their songs. Proof that great songs get covered.
Imho, the best cover songs are those (as you suggest) that add to, take away from, or completely rearrange the song; and they are most successful when the artist covering the song literally "makes it their own" in a way that is equal to or greater than the original songwriter. (In addition to All Along the Watchtower, think Me and Bobby Magee; there are people who don't even realize that Kris Kristofferson wrote and recorded it before Janis.) My single favorite cover in this regard is Manfred Mann's version of Springsteen's Blinded By the Light - talk about re-arranging and owning a cover! Another oft-forgotten but brilliant cover is Jose Feliciano's cover of The Doors' Light My Fire - a cover doesn't get much more original than that. Another favorite is Mavis Staples' super-funky cover of Talking Heads Slippery People. And yes, Bettye Lavette has done some of the finest covers ever.
Finally, I find it fascinating that covers of Prince's songs are almost always as good as or better than his own. The Bangles' Manic Monday (which he admittedly gave to them) is better than his own, Tom Jones' cover of Kiss is at least as good as the original, and, of course, Sinead O'Connor's singularly extraordinary cover of Nothing Compares 2U is...well...singular extraordinary. I am guessing there are more, but I cannot think of them.
I agree. Those are excellent examples. Thanks, Ian.