Let’s settle in and talk about covers, all right?
“Conjunction Junction” or any song by Randy Newman?
“Conjunction Junction” or Three Dog Night‘s version of “Mama Told Me Not to Come”?
I’m now certain: As long as you live under my roof, you shall not listen to Cat Power‘s version of “Satisfaction”. It’s a disgrace! Is there a cover song you will not allow anyone living under your roof to spin?
Which great band, by almost any rock fans’ standards, does the worst covers? I’m gonna say The Who. Their covers are almost always terrible, and I think it’s because at least 2 of the band’s 3 musicians can’t play their instruments in a traditional rock ‘n roll manner. I’m not sure if Entwhistle can do anything but Entwhistle style either, but I don’t think he’s as much a contributing factor as Townshend and Moon. Did they ever make a cover “their own?” Is there a great band less capable of playing a great cover?
Which band’s recordings of covers do you prefer, The Beatles’ or The Stones’?
How about specifically as relates to their covers of Chuck Berry songs?
If you had a beta version of Strat-o-Matic Rock ‘n Roll, what would be more interesting, Chuck Berry covering The Stones or Buddy Holly covering The Beatles?
Along the same lines, what other major influence on an artist would you like to hear cover songs of the band they influenced?
A Hobson’s Choice: Cat Power’s “Satisfaction” or Cowboy Junkies’ “Sweet Jane”?
I look forward to your responses.
the who ca. ’82 did a REALLY lame cover of “twist and shout”, but i don’t think of them as being bad at covers.
this is one sphere in which i WILL slam the stones instead: what about their limp-assed version of “just my ‘magination?”, or their smacked out “aint to proud to beg?”
as for the who, their leeds era covers are blinders to me…practically a murderer’s row.
i’m sure there are many who find “summertime blues” a bit trying (of the three it’s my least favorite).
but “shakin’ all over” aint bad. and they gave it a sound of their own, no question.
however, their tour de force on “young man’s blues” is one of the greatest covers by a rock band i’ve ever heard (though i prefer the woodstock or isle of wight versions). and there’s no question they made that one their own.
the who were TEARING into the songs of their childhood with unprecedented heaviness.
meanwhile, at the very same moment, the beatles were at loose ends in their efforts to “get back” to their roots. and the movie shows quite a few moments where they limp through the oldies in what can only be described as sheer directionlessness.
Man, I totally forgot about the Live at Leeds covers!!! For me, they’re among the best tracks on that album. I was SO wrong in thinking they never made covers their own. So…throw those out and think of their early covers (eg, the James Brown tracks, the Motown efforts, etc), and then you’ll see what I had in mind. Thanks for that jolt of reality, Art.
Early Beatles covers and a good portion Stones’ covers, I hold, are pretty great. They each had a higher batting average than The Who’s Mendoza Line of a live album’s worth of covers.
I say, Rock Town Hall, don’t let me initial oversight discourage you from finding an even better example of a great band incapable of recording a great cover.
yeah, “Young Man Blues” was the first thing that popped into my head. and as much as I love Mose Allison (and I do), The Who totally make that song their own on the “Live at Leeds” album. dig.
Your cheap shots at Randy Newman, I think, actually point to one of his strengths: his ability to write a catchy melody and then slip in some truly subversive lyrics.
Why is it a “cheap shot” at Randy Newman to hold his music in as high regard as one of the greatest songs from my childhood?
Sorry. I misread your comments on Newman. I’m always a little edgy on Monday mornings before I teach class.
The Kinks’ version of Long Tall Sally is really embarassing.
To answer some of my own questions, “Conjunction Junction” is a great song, and it helps me to better appreciate Randy Newman. A title’s not coming to mind, because I still have much to learn about the guy, but I’m sure I like at least one Newman song better than my favorite Schoolhouse Rock tune.
As much as I like “Conjunction Junction”, Three Dog Night’s version of “Mama Told Me Not to Come” is another childhood favorite. Boy, tough call. I’ll let you decide.
I still think The Who’s the worst cover band among great rockers – at least if I can exclude Live at Leeds. The Kinks di a smokin’ “Milkcow Blues”, so they’re at least batting .500 in the 2 covers that spring to mind. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few others. “The Last of the Steam-Powered Trains” is practically a cover of “Smokestack Lightening”, and that’s a winner!
The Beatles’ covers, although more than adequate and occasionally great, do not as often surpass the originals as I find The Stones’ covers surpass the originals that they’re covering. Chuck Berry covers are the best case in point. The Beatles’ covers of Berry are “nice”; a few of the Stones’ versions are essential, or at least their cover of “Around and Around”.
It would have been great hearing Buddy Holly cover The Beatles, just as I would have loved to have heard Mott the Hoople cover the more dramatic Clash songs they inspired.
I don’t know if I could make that Hobson’s Choice. Maybe I’d have to go with Cowboy Junkies’ “Sweet Jane”. At least I could reflect on the interesting live recording ambience.
For me to like a cover, it must first meet some criteria-
1. It must NOT sound exactly like the original no matter how amazing that might be (Wallflowers, Heros)
2. The band covering MUST make it their own. It has to be undeniably recognized as their cover. (see Clash, I Fought the Law)
Bonus points for changing the meaning of the song simply by making it their own. (see Devo, Satisfaction)
I’ll defend one early Who cover, “Daddy Rolling Stone”. It’s got a great groove, and everyone shines on it. Plus a few bonus points for Who-ifying the two Rolling Stones covers “Under My Thumb” and “The Last Time,” which, while not stellar covers, are certainly fun enough to listen to.
Is “Daddy Rolling Stone” technically a Who song, or was it credited to The High Numbers? I’ll grant you the Stones covers have their merits, but they were not officially or widely released. I wish you wouldn’t try to cut into my half-baked premise. I think I need to throw these 3 out for now.
“Daddy Rolling Stone” was part of the Shel Talmy sessions. Definitely a Who tune.
Thanks for the clarification, Townsman Trolleyvox. This is putting a hurtin’ on my case:) How about we move onto the other questions regarding covers?
Judging by their interpretations of Oh Pretty Woman and You Really Got Me, Van Halen (a band validated as “great” by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)should not be allowed to do cover versions.
iggy’s covers are really bad
sea of love
time won’t let me
real wild child
crappy song choices, crappy executions.
I thought ‘pinups’, the bowie covers album was pretty sucky too!
and what bigsteve says is wrong.(generally)
van halen stuff is better than the kinks and orbison
i’m just fuckin around big steve.
Townsman Shawn, you may be onto something with Iggy’s covers, although I’ve always had a soft spot for both the original and crappy cover of “Time Won’t Let Me”.
I like Pin-ups enough. It’s shoddy production and execution have some charm. I wonder what Bowie could do with covers if he ever put his mind to them?
“I wonder if Bowie could do covers if he ever put his mind to them?”
Sure, but they’d always sound like musical theater versions of rock songs.
(Slight editing to make to make your quote match my original reading of it.)
His cover of The Pixies’ “Cactus” is pretty great.
1. Comjunction Junction – My son Seth’s classmate is the daughter of the person School House Rock was created for – to help her dad remember his school work
2. Mama Told Me Not to Come
3. I like some of The Who covers – “I Don’t Mind” is great. I’m not a big fan of the early Kinks covers
4. The Beatles – Even on the Chuck Berry stuff. My second choice would be Elvis Costello and Attractions
5. Buddy Holly covering The Beatles. The cooler thing to think about is what if Buddy Holly produced The Beatles?
Is there any song that has been covered more often, and badly, than “Dancin’ In The Streets”? Offhand, I can think of versions by the Grateful Dead, the Kinks, and Van Halen, and all three royally suck.
Mr. Mod, I categorically deny your “all Who covers sucked” assertion. The good ones include:
– I Don’t Mind
– Daddy Rolling Stone (GREAT cover)
– Summertime Blues
– Young Man Blues
– Heat Wave
– Lubie (Come Back Home)
– Man With Money
You WRONG, bwah!
Scott said:
Is there any song that has been covered more often, and badly, than “Dancin’ In The Streets”? Offhand, I can think of versions by the Grateful Dead, the Kinks, and Van Halen, and all three royally suck.
I say:
I notice you *didn’t* mention JaBo’s sizzling LiveAid interpretation!
“Heat Wave” and “I Don’t Mind” by the Who? Ugh, no thanks. I’ll give “I Don’t Mind” minor points for that cool Jimmy Page guitar solo, but Daltrey is no JB. And “Heat Wave” is just weak.
[One of the vexingly unattributed “white box” quotes – I didn’t search for the original post] says:
I wonder what Bowie could do with covers if he ever put his mind to them?
I actually like his “I Can’t Explain,” though I can see why some wouldn’t. The multitracked saxes are chunky, though.
Also, while I’ve never heard the original, I enjoy Bowie’s version of Tom Verlaine’s “Kingdom Come.”
Townsman Scott wrote:
RIGHT ON!!! Townsman, you’ve hit the nail on the head.
And I agree that The Who’s version of “Heat Wave” is piss poor, maybe worse than The Jam’s version. “Heat Wave” may be another great song (yes, I said “great” even though I don’t particularly like the song – THAT’S how big a man I am) that no one can cover well. “I Don’t Mind” is terrible! It’s a good thing the band wrote “Anyhow Anyway Anywhere” (or whatever the title is) to get that whole Mod cover stuff out of their system once and for all. Sometimes the best covers are ripoffs.
If memory serves, Oats, Bowie’s “Kingdom Come” is better than Verlaine’s version. Good call.
Bowie’s version of China Girl is definitely not as good as the original, but it’s respectable, and it probably made Iggy more money than anything else he’s ever done.