Warren Zevon also covered Back in the High Life Again on his album Life’ll Kill Ya
Favorite cover?
As a (minor) film buff, I almost invariably prefer originals. But when it comes to audio, I have found more than a few covers that I prefer to the originals. So, to kick things off, and with all due respect to Boz Scaggs, I absolutely LOVE this live Incognito version of Lowdown:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH%E2%80%A6
What's on the top of your lists?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH%E2%80%A6
What's on the top of your lists?
94 responses Add your response
I dislike Jimmy Eat World on a massive scale but their cover of The Prodigy’s Firestarter is straight amazing. https://youtu.be/qyR27LnGC0s |
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When I was composing my post in the ongoing "One Hit Wonder" thread I was reminded of the cover of "Harlem Nocturne" by The Viscounts, which was released in both 1959 and 1966. A totally unique and IMO fantastic cover of an old jazz standard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfAv8yAaHps (I suspect that the speaking which follows the recording is from the soundtrack of the 1983 film "Christine," which used The Viscounts’ recording in its soundtrack). Regards, -- Al |
One of my favs and dare I say better than the original https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgFQ6WmxdMs Mumford n Sons The Boxer & I'm on Fire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAl-vZsswb4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU6p7nsk9lo |
Neil Young and Crazy Horse doing the Beatles "I Saw Her Standing There". I saw this on a Paul McCartney Tribute night and it brought the house down. Dirty old Town by the Pogues Lots of covers of Dylans songs were better than his versions imho - "All along the Watchtower" and "A hard rains gonna fall" as just 2 examples off the top of my head |
mitchagain6 I agree, that album re-energized my interest in Leonard's writing. Her version of 'Joan of Arc' is incredible. Making love to the fire, holy smoke. |
david_ten3
Without a doubt, sound only for initial discovery and repeated listening of any song, both the sounds, and especially the meaning of the words. Each individual gets their own mental interpretation of a Bob Dylan song, or, in this case, Van's Tupelo Honey. You might discover after several listenings that it is the 'Taste of Freedom' that is Sweet. When MTV was new, I was horrified to hear one of my son's friends ask him: "Pete, did you SEE that song yet?" Any Music Video takes away the possibility of individual interpretations, locks the song to that singular presentation for initial experience. ............................................... Now, after being fully familiar with both Cassandra and her cover, this studio video, the type showing the real musicians actually playing, is terrific, a treat to see who makes such wonderful sounds. If it was your initial introduction, it is wonderful, but, ....................... |
While admitting I’ve never heard Grant Green’s version of "Moon River", I can’t imagine a version better than that of Henry Mancini. Regarding Dylan’s take on "The House Of The Rising Son", the reason The Animals’ pianist Alan Price is in Don’t Look Back is because Bob loved version their of the song, and invited Alan to join him on the road. |
Here are a few I thought of: I HEARD I THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE (Gladys Knight ....). Marvin Gaye, Creedence ... PEOPLEGET READY (The Impressions). Chambers Brothers Live CALIFORNIA DREAMIN (Mommas ...). Jose Feliciano GOING OUT OF MY HEAD (Little Anthony ....) Wes Montgomery TEQUILA (The Champs). Wes Montgomery |
Where to start...oh yes, Aaron Neville's "Everyone Plays the Fool", "It Feels Like Rain", well, the entire "Warm Your Heart" album is a sonic treasure trove! Another surprise for me was the "Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles" from about '93. A Who's Who of country stars of the time do a bang-up job on a selection of Eagles toons. Clint Black on "Desperado" stands out as does Vince Gills take on "I Can't Tell You Why". All quite well executed both creatively and technically. |
+1 for elliotbnewcombjr's pick of "Famous Blue Raincoat" by Jennifer Warnes. I don't think Jennifer or that album got enough credit for reviving interest in Leonard Cohen's music. While there are a lot of great Leonard Cohen covers out there, my two favorites are Lloyd Cole's versions of "Chelsea Hotel" (from the "I'm Your Fan" tribute CD) and "Famous Blue Raincoat" (from the "Rare On Air - Volume 2" CD). |
Cassandra Wilson, Van Morrison's Tubelo Honey studio version from her amazing 'Blue Light til Dawn' album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJuKHy64inE music video version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py0LYQEAs4k terrific musicians, and recording on that album. Also, her version of 'Strange Fruit'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKJ3MU6tx6Y Billie Holiday original https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Web007rzSOI |
again, great thread! Richie Haven's cover of Dylan's 'License to Kill'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JltNLkh03ME |
frothy11 Credits at end of movie 'Cadillac Records' say that Willie Dixon sued Led Zep and was awarded $1 million. Didn't say what song they didn't pay for. It's a darn good movie. |
Bob Dylan’s House of the Rising Sun. Funny story from Dave Van Runk, ”Then, one evening in 1962, I was sitting at my usual table in the back of the Kettle of Fish, and Dylan came slouching in. He had been up at the Columbia studios with John Hammond, doing his first album. He was being very mysterioso about the whole thing, and nobody I knew had been to any of the sessions except Suze, his lady. I pumped him for information, but he was vague. Everything was going fine and, "Hey, would it be okay for me to record your arrangement of 'House of the Rising Sun?'" Oh, shit. "Jeez, Bobby, I'm going into the studio to do that myself in a few weeks. Can't it wait until your next album?" A long pause. "Uh-oh". I did not like the sound of that. "What exactly do you mean, 'Uh-oh'?" "Well", he said sheepishly, "I've already recorded it".[13]” |
+1 on picks by bdp24 & gasnsteering. I forgot how good the Guess Who & Frigid Pink covers were. ++1 on repeluso's pick of Baby It's You by Smith. That song should have been a huge hit. I always found it interesting that the Beatles stopped doing cover songs shortly after this came out. That was probably because their songwriting was getting too good to be doing covers anymore. But, the fact remains that the Beatles wimpy cover of Baby It's You is embarrassing when compared to the Joplinesque @** kicking version by Smith. If you're in the mood to get your heart broken, check out Kim Richey's cover of "Mexico" (CAKE) on YouTube. |
