Cover versions unusual , unheard or unlistenable
Posted by: TWP on 10 April 2012
interested to know of cover versions that you know of that are unusual , not well known or completely unlistenable but not particulary in that order.
these could be covers that you wouldnt expect the artist to have done or ones that surpass the origional. Also the unlistenable , the covers that murder the origional . X factor and the like spring to mind.
i would suggest the ones below are worth listening to in case you havent already ,
Cud, Urban Spaceman, in my opinion better than the origional
Brakes, Jackson
Babes in Toyland, we are family, grunge meets disco
the wedding present , steppiing into christmas
Big Black , the model , Punk meets electronica , you wouldnt of thought it possible .
and the not so good
the cocteu twins , frosty the snowman ,
A couple of my favourite artists have done some great albums of cover versions.
Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation 'Dreamland' includes a superb version of 'Song to the Siren', but the whole album (except the Dylan song for me) is his best work since Led Zeppelin, and an album constantly in the CD player.
Mark Kozelek 'Waht's Next to the Monn', lovely acoustic versions of early AC/DC songs. Apparenty Brian Johnson really likes the way he sings Bon Scott's lyrics, so do I.
Kozelek again, as Sun Kil Moon 'Tiny Cities', again acoustic, but this time an album of Modest Mouse songs. I really like it, but I have seen one reviewer dislike his take on the music, each to their own.
Kozelek has covered Yes, Paul McCartney, Kiss, John Denver and a few others, mostly with very positive results, though a couple of poor ones.
As for negative covers, perhaps not the true nature of a cover, but I hate when some rap artists take the signature from a track and then add nothing to it all, and just trade on someone else's talent. Nothing against good rap, but just bad rap when it rips off something that should be left alone.
I do not recall the bands name (and don't care), but whoever sang/rapped 'What she going to do with a chimney on her head' over The Jacksons 'Can You Feel It' should just be shot. Puff Daddy (or whatever he calls himself this week) should be against that wall too for numerous tracks, and although not for the firing squad, some retribution should be taken against Janet Jackson for her besmirching of Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi'.
I also remember a DJ on BBC Radio1 once playing Mariah Carey's 'I can't live if living is without you', and taking it off after a minute saying 'No, no, no, this is how it should be done, and putting on the original by ?.
On the same subject, as an American sports fan, and someone who thinks the US have a wonderful national anthem (unlike Britain's dirge), some real atrocities against music are committed regularly by R&B warblers.
There is the occasional good though, Ray Charles singing 'America the Brave', I think at the baseball all star game after 9/11, both coaches were in tears, it was so moving, and James Earl Jones narrating the 'Start Spangled Banner' while a fifty piece choir gently sang it behind him at a 90's all star. or maybe world series game. I wish I had recordings of those two.
This is wonderful.
Music Thea Gilmore, Words Sandy Denny.
Stu.
One of the worst atrocities ever committed to any recording medium:
steve
Wlson Phillips doing 'Daniel' - oh dear!
The Sinead O'Connor track (Sacrifice) has haunting vocals though.
The George Michael version of 'Tonight' is good for me.
Probably the best album of covers I have ever heard, not that I'm a great fan of cover versions, but this is different, whereas I cannot understand Mr Brel's native text, I can enjoy the English versions of these songs by the extraordinary Scott W.
1. Mathilde
2. Amsterdam
3. Jackie
4. My Death
5. Next
6. The Girls And The Dogs
7. If You Go Away
8. Funeral Tango
9. Sons Of
Here you go if you'd like to singalongascott
The girls
Are as fast as a game
Are as bright as a flame
And you're always to blame
The girls
Are as pink as the light
And as dark as the night
And they're always right
The girls
Are as cold as the sphinx
Always dreaming of minks
They drive you to drink
The girls
Are as soft as a sigh
That whispers good-bye
And leaves you to cry
But the dogs
Well, they're only dogs
Just wagging their tails
As they watch it end
Oh, the dogs
Well, they're only dogs
And maybe that's why
They're man's best friend
The girls
Can make you feel cold
Can make you feel old
An antique to be sold
The girls
They play with your heart
They tear you apart
You're never too smart
The girls
They throw you from towers
They'll whip you with flowers
It depends on the hours
The girls
Will treat you like trash
Or let you be brash
It depends on your cash
But the dogs
Don't depend on a thing
They just lick your face
When they see it end
Oh, the dogs
Don't depend on a thing
And maybe that's why
They're man's best friend
The girls
You know that they are vain
They will poison your brain
They will drive you insane
The girls
Will laugh at your jokes
How they love the coax
But it is all a hoax
The girls
Are still making dates
they still making you wait
and they say you are late
The girls
Are yours for a throw
At least you think so
Ah but you will never know
The dogs
Well you know the dogs
They lift up a leg
As they see it end
The dogs
Well you know the dogs
And maybe that's why
They're man's best friend
The girls
They're not what they seem
They all have a scheme
They call it a dream
The girls
Are as hot as they please
And you're down on your knees
With the greatest of ease
The girls
Say you're on the right track
Then they take it all back
Tie it up in a sack
The girls
They will give it of course
But they give with such force
That it gives you remorse
But the dogs
They give nothing at all
They just lift a leg
As they watch it end
Oh, the dogs
They give nothing at all
And that's the reason why
They're man's best friend
And yet it's because of the girls
When they've knocked us about
And our tears want to shout
That we kick the dogs out
A bad cover that always stands out for me,
Is Barry Manilow's cover of the great Scott English 1971 single Brandy.
He even changed the name to Mandy.
Stu.