Cover This
So, inspired by a post over at the cute HotelTuesday, I've decided to list 5 song covers that I feel rival, if not surpass, the original song. So many bands cover songs but for a cover to be truly GREAT, they either need to twist the song into their own style or they need to redo it in the original style flawlessly. Here are some of the contenders in my book. What are yours?
Dangerous Type - cover by Letters to Cleo, original by The Cars
I must admit that I heard the cover before the original so thats probably why I'm biased. I do love The Cars and the fact that Rick landed Paulina still amazes me but I'm going to give this one to LTC.
I Know Its Going To Happen Someday - cover by David Bowie, original by Morrissey
How often does a music legend cover another, slightly less known, music legend? Almost NEVER. As much as it pains me to say this since I'm such a Moz/Smiths fan but I like Bowie's version better.
She's Lost Control - cover by Girls Against Boys, original by Joy Division
I don't know how to compare these two because their versions are different but still similar. Joy Division has such a great minimal sound and they have, let's face it, Ian Curtis with all his mythology behind him and his music. GvsB does not have a minimal sound but its a near perfect rendition of the original. I'm going to say they are about equal to me. I'm sorry Ian! Please do yourself a favor and checkout any books/movies/docs about Ian Curtis and Joy Division.
White Lines - cover by Duran Duran, original by Grandmaster Flash
I just love Duran Duran and Simon's voice. I still want to be Nick Rhodes and play that electrical stick he puts on top of his keyboards.
Dangerous Type - cover by Letters to Cleo, original by The Cars
I must admit that I heard the cover before the original so thats probably why I'm biased. I do love The Cars and the fact that Rick landed Paulina still amazes me but I'm going to give this one to LTC.
I Know Its Going To Happen Someday - cover by David Bowie, original by Morrissey
How often does a music legend cover another, slightly less known, music legend? Almost NEVER. As much as it pains me to say this since I'm such a Moz/Smiths fan but I like Bowie's version better.
She's Lost Control - cover by Girls Against Boys, original by Joy Division
I don't know how to compare these two because their versions are different but still similar. Joy Division has such a great minimal sound and they have, let's face it, Ian Curtis with all his mythology behind him and his music. GvsB does not have a minimal sound but its a near perfect rendition of the original. I'm going to say they are about equal to me. I'm sorry Ian! Please do yourself a favor and checkout any books/movies/docs about Ian Curtis and Joy Division.
White Lines - cover by Duran Duran, original by Grandmaster Flash
I just love Duran Duran and Simon's voice. I still want to be Nick Rhodes and play that electrical stick he puts on top of his keyboards.
Landslide - cover by Smashing Pumpkins, original by Fleetwood Mac
I know lots of people will hate me for this but I actually like the SP version better. Stevie Nicks has a phenomenal voice but I can't say that I'm a big fan of Fleetwood Mac. The Smashing Pumpkins, however, I am a fan of of although I did stop buying them after Pisces Iscariot. Billy Corgan stayed faithful to the song for his version and belted hoarsely whispered his way through it.
anti: William Shatner covers
Labels: music covers
posted by GoKitty @ 3:50 PM
10 Comments:
I completely agree about Landslide, with the exception of Nicks having a phenomenal voice. She *had* an amazing voice at one point, but it is nothing like it was.
I do like the Fleetwood Mac version, but there is something about Corgan's voice that really works with the lyrics and feel of this song.
As for other covers, I'm not sure it counts, but I really like Tanya Donnelly's version of "Trust In Me". I also like The Bloodhoud Gang's version of "Along Came Mary" and Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal".
John!
Trust in Me is not ringing any bells in my head except for the song sung by Kaa in The Jungle Book. I'll have to look it up later.
I remember thinking Alien Ant Farm's version was cute but I think world's pain is still to raw over MJ's passing to include it on here. ha!
Some of my other contenders were
Nothing Compares 2 U - sinead
Hot in Here - Tiga
gin and juice - sissy bar
Nothing Compares To You was a great cover.
I can "arrange" for you to listen to Trust in Me. You have the correct song....
Really?? Kaa's song got covered? Thats cool. I'd like to hear that. I hope it wasnt too dorky or sugarcoated like when those alt bands covered a bunch of saturday morning cartoon theme songs. Oh Cartoon Day, how they bastardized you!
If Michelle would comment in the right post, this blog would actually seem busy.
Hmmm - yeah, that seems like something I would do. Oops.
I luv Moz's version of "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" a lot more then Bowie's version. I know I'm probably biased because I love Morrissey, but I still think his version is better.
Love Sinead's version of "Nothing Compares to You"! I was washing the dishes recently, and it came on, and I was like OMG it's so good. I agreee with all your choices practically. I'm not a big Smashing Pumpkins fan so that one I dunno about.
I enjoy Smoking Popes cover of "You'll Never Walk Alone". I guess maybe because it's kinda sorta Moz related in a tiny way. :-)
:O
Stevie Nicks is still amazing! She's not as amazing as her 1970s performances of "Rhiannon" that kill my soul with sheer amazingness, but she's still pretty good for her age!
But still, I like the SP cover of "Landslide." "Landslide" isn't really one of my favorite Stevie songs, so I can listen to covers objectively. If someone tried to cover "Rhiannon" or "Storms" I'd probably immediately dismiss them. haha.
And only slightly off topic, I know of a David Bowie cover by Michelle Branch! She covered "Life on Mars" and I actually like it. You should check it out.
Enrico! I dont think I've heard Rhiannon, or if I have, I had no idea thats what it was called. I just like to call Stevie "witchy woman" when I refer to her.
You luv female singers! We need to break you out of that. :)
WHAT?!?!
WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR_i0sKWKEA
And I like guys too. Like James Morrison, John Mayer, Kings of Leon, etc.
Okay, I know this song but I had no idea it was called Rhiannon. Stevie is in full witchy woman mode!
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