Every Rock and Roll artist got started doing covers. Cover versions of the songs that were popular during the artist’s formative years. Some of those bands ended up making it big but they never really stopped doing covers.
I love covers. Sorry, I have this weakness for artist interpretations and seeing where a great song can go. I have done a column or two on covers so today I am going to try something a little different.
I am going to go over some great covers of great covers. Sometime cover 2.0 is better than cover 1.0 and is completely different from the original. Sometimes there are twenty different covers of an original and they all may sound different. I will try to keep the numbers down and hopefully there will be a few covers you may want to reexamine.
As far as covers go, there are hundreds of thousands of great covers of original songs. I won’t include any rap or hip hop versions of any song. While some of them are pretty creative, as you know, thats not my thing. I’ll leave that to someone else.
This is going to be a small sampling but I believe that my readers will enjoy going back into there record pile and pulling out some of these songs.
The first song is “Glory”. I am not talking about the Laura Branigan version (totally different song) here, I am talking about The Them’s version written by Van Morrison. This song has been done by dozens of artists over the years and I am going to put the Shadows of Night version, which is very close to the original and Patti Smith’s 1975 version up as my selections. The Smith version is creepy and weird and it is only partially Van Morrison’s song and some bizarre poem that Smith wrote. I think it is great. Two other covers of a cover are The Doors version and U2’s version. Both excellent.
Next up is “I Heard it Through The Grapevine”. The was written by that Motown Hit Factory duo of Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield. Gladys Knight and the Pips recorded it and that version was the first version released and is still probably the best but Marvin Gaye did a cover of it and it matched the intensity of the original. Now here is the hard part, selecting the cover of the cover that matches the original and the improves (impossible, I know) it. Creedence’s version is not as soulful but it is a classic rendition and I think it does the song justice.
The Eddie Cochran classic “Summertime Blues” is another song that has been covered a thousand times and again, it is hard to pick the best covers but let’s start with the fuzzy psychedelic version by Blue Cheer. The idea was the same but they just ramped up the rock and roll on that song. Normally, for a list I wouldn’t include a live version but you can’t ignore The Who’s version from Live at Leeds. That is where I began my love of The Who, that song. It’s my list. I include it. One you should definitely listen to however is Brian Setzer’s version. It holds true to the original and the production is perfect.
This next one I have to admit, I am dialing it in a little. “Me and Bobby McGee”. Written by Kris Kristofferson was first recorded by Roger Miller (Excellent version by the way)and subsequently done by Kenny Rodgers and the Kristofferson did his version. The song was made famous by Janus Joplin and interestingly enough, Kristofferson didn’t know that Joplin had recorded the song until after her death. He was told that it was on Joplins album Pearl which was released a week after her passing. If I had to pick, I would go with the favorite here, Joplin’s song is just soo much better than anything that came before or after.
No column on covers would be complete without Leonard Cohen’s magnificent “Hallelujah”. Possibly one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It is also covered probably more than any other song in history. I think that the song was first covered by John Cale and that is worth a listen for sure but the true classic is the Jeff Buckley version. I think this version transcends pretty much anything like it. Buckley tragically drowned at the age of 30 in the Mississippi River while going for a swim at night. Somehow, that tragedy just makes this song so much more poignant, if that is even possible.
“Voodoo Child, Slight Return” by Jimi Hendrix has been covered by some truly great guitarists. Stevie Ray Vaughn did it in 1984 and it still stands up to the test of time for sure. Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush did it in 1987 on a bootleg live album and again released on a another live album in 2004. I don’t think they ever recorded this song in a studio and it is basically a 15 minute exploration of Hendrix’s style by one of the best guitarists out of Canada.
Here’s a twist for you. “Whisky in a Jar” by Thin Lizzy is actually a cover version of a drinking song from the pubs in Ireland. Metallica’s version is even better than Thin Lizzys’. If you have five minutes, watch the video, it’s hysterical.
Another layup is “Dedicated to the One I Love”. The Shirelles did the first cover of the “5” Royals version from 1957. Easily the Shirelles best song. The harmonies were beautiful and the mood of the song was somber. Loaded with love and longing, it’s a classic. Yet, The Mamas and Papas did an even better version. I am not sure there has ever been a group that had better harmonies than The Mamas and Papas.
My last song for this column is an odd one. “Walk On By” written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick is a true classic. Isaac Hayes version has a slightly different arrangement with more Hayes soul and Hayes stretches the song out to this long soul/funk masterpiece. Do not listen to the single version, it does not do justice to Haye’s interpretation. The cover of the cover I have chosen is The Stranglers version. It’s a much more upbeat (Musically) version of the this sad song. It’s an interesting version with guitar solos and organ solos. It may not be for everybody but thats why I included it.
Excellent Cover.....article.