How Do You Like Your Covers? (1 Viewer)

[Dome Vongvises]

 

[John Kilduff]

I thought Bette Midler did a killer version of the Stones' "Beast Of Burden".

I also like several Disney covers, like Linda Ronstadt's version of "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" and Faith Hill's take on "Part Of Your World".

On the other hand, Britney Spears should be made to don sackcloth and ashes for covering "I Love Rock 'N' Roll". The only people who can cover that song with any credibility are Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

I know the idea of Spears in sackcloth and ashes will excite some people.

 

[Chris Farmer]

I like covers that make me look at the song in the new light. If you're just going to regurgitate the original, what's the point? Make sure that A, I know what band is covering, and if possible, keep enough of the original that I know who did it firts. My roommate my sophomore year did that with me, we'd download a cover off the internet, and the other one had to identify the original artist that did the song and the covering artist.

Some of my personal faves include
VH: You Really Got Me
Metallica: Turn the Page and Whiskey in the Jar
Guns 'N Roses: Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Iron Maiden" Communication Breakdown (not near the original of course, but it definitely has a life all its own)
Sonata Arctica: Die With Your Boots On (truly awesome rendition of an Iron Maiden song, arguably trumps the original, no small feat)

Along similar lines, are there any particular artists or songs whose style you think makes them particularly difficult to cover well?

Zeppelin comes to mind, the combination of Page, Plant, Bonham, and Jones makes theirs a rare set of talent to emulate. Bruce's vocals and Harris' distinctive bass makes Maiden tough, and Metallica has a sound all their own. Pink Floyd is of course, totally unique. I don't know that one of their songs could ever be satisfactorily covered.

 

[Yee-Ming]

Absolutely. One nice "cover", I thought, was Eagles' Hotel California -- the new acoustic version.

I also recently found out that If You Could Read My Mind by Stars on 54 (Ultra Nate, Amber & Jocelyn Enriquez for the Studio 54 soundtrack) was actually a cover of Gordon Lightfoot's original, which recently has been played regularly on the oldies station. Much to my surprise. I quite enjoyed the newer version, and had never heard the original. Viewed in that context, the cover is a very interesting update of the original.

On the other hand, I recently heard a cover of Spandau Ballet's classic True. I wanted to shoot the artiste doing the cover, for butchering said classic (it had hip-hop and rap in it; 'nuff said).

I wonder if opposition to a cover is because a listener is used to, and attached to, the older version, and a new radically different cover just rubs you the wrong way? Or maybe that cover of True really is just plain crap

 

[Timon Russo]

I hate covers. I seem to be the exception. It baffles me that someone could suggest (for example) that a cover of a Beatles song is better than the original. To review: original=right, cover=wrong. Except for All Along The Watchtower, of course. And I suppose I like the Beatles doing Twist and Shout, and others. Okay, but I hate everyone else doing covers.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Excellent Pink Floyd covers:

Dream Theater: Hey You
(as heard in a New Year's Eve fan club "acoustic" concert)

Les Claypool's Frog Brigade performing the entire Animals album live on their second album. Claypool's voice sounds weird with that material, but the band is spot-on.

I haven't heard their first album which has a version of Shine On You Crazy Diamond, but I'm sure it's excellent as well.


To deny or criticise the very existence of covers misses the point of musical performance and authorship. People playing each other's music is the norm, and only in the nonsensical world of rock is it a big deal to play one's own music. People criticise Norah Jones for having hits that she didn't write and praise Shakira for writing her own music, but I know who I'd rather listen to.