I also like Richard Thompson's cover of "Oops, I Did It Again."
Sara K "Brick House".
Jerry Douglas "Don't Take Your Guns To Town".
Same song different artist. Which ones do you love? LP
I just love hearing songs by different artist, that I already love and the different renditions that they offer. To get this started here are a few of mine. Baby Blue by, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Badfinger(love the fact that the Breaking Bad series ended with this one). I Put A Spell On You by, Screaming Jay Hawkins, CCR, Annie Lennox, Van Morrison and Marilyn Manson. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by, The Animals, Elvis Costello Ronnie Spector. OK your turn.
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Dylan, Prine, McCartney, Lennon, Cash, and a few named herein are too easy. All were or are prolific and insanely artistic geniuses. Blues have always had an effect of a different kind on me and I admire those now well revered and respected pathfinders and brush cutters of the past. I’ve never heard a better version of Dylan’s ‘Just like a woman” than the way Joe cocker renders it on his ?”a Little help from My Friends’ and or his Anthology collection which is identical. At Woodstock in 2009 joe was just a wee bit too uh, passionate and the lyrics suffer egregiously. Ritchie havens also puts this cut in a different light with his verdict on the 30th Anneversary live album for Bob Dylan. Florence AL. native W.C. Handy often is credited with writing the first blues songs, Memphis Blues… later handy penned St. Louis Blues. Both have seen numerous artists cover each. Even Merle and Asleep at the Wheel cut it on a compilation album of various artists “Ride with Bob’ a tribute to Bob wills and His Texas Playboys. Handy gets the nod for being the original ‘blues man’ and his namesake is one of the more coveted annual Blues artists Award. Written in 1947 by Aaron Walker a.k.a. T-Bone Walker “call it Stormy Monday” has been covered by too many too count. From Bobby Bland, Allman Brothers most notably, Eva Cassidy, BB King, etc. I love ‘em all. I’d submit no one forget Ray Charles Robinson as a writer and musician and the contributions Ray left behind for us. Although not so much the author as the artist, Ray’s covers and arrangements of country, pop, soul and RB cuts changed the musical social and racial landscapes of this country dramatically of all the songs Ray rearranged, touched, or covered Mr. Robinson’s renditions of most covers remain my favorite versions . Two Texans, Roy Orbison and Buddy Holley hit the scene in the ‘60s with new ideals and themes on pop music. Albeit one was all too short lived, holley’s songs thrive amongst popular and contry music artists. Orbison’s remarkable vocals and Holley’s timeless songs keep their music breathing and resonating with culture after culture, decade after decade, such was their influence. Blue bayou Linda Ronstadt Chris Issac wicked game + only the lonely Oh, boy! Joe Ely, learning the Game, Waylon Jennings, true Love Ways, the mavericks, all amd more are on the tribute album to holley, “Rave on”. Another Red Dirt alumni, Dan Penn came along in the ‘60s wrote several tunes from his Muscle Shoals and Memphis environs that came to prominence as Pop hits on the Billboard RB charts, Cry Like a Baby”, “I’m Your Puppet”, Dark end Of the Street’, ‘Do Right Woman, do right Man”, ‘who left the Water Running?” and my favorite, “zero Willpower’. All were scooped up by Motown and new arrangements made for The Box tops, Lavelle White, Aretha Franklin Percy Sledge, WC Clarke, Marcia Ball, etc. these tunes continue to present being covered by artists across musical genres. My favs are those covered by the orig artist and Lavell White. ‘who left the water running’ in a duet with WC Clarke and Marcia Ball is stupendous. Delbert McClinton - Old Weakness (Coming on Strong) has seen a few artists cover it. From Glenn Campbell’s ex, Tanya tucker, to Etta James. Delbert gets the nod on this tune. Regardless, its on his ‘one of the Fortunate Few” album. It may be on a live disc too. As prolific musicians, song writers, as were Bob Zimmerman, and John Cash, yet another likewise spirit came to be in the name of Stevland Hardaway Judkins albeit in a slightly different musical vein. Aka Stevie Wonder has a lengthy list of serious hits that have been cross over hits, and even his covers of pop and RB tunes revitalized RB and Pop music classics. Wonder’s originality, innovative genius .and ground breaking string of hits hru the ‘70s set new records for Motown and Popular music. Regularly his songs have charted on RB, Pop, and Soul hit lists simultaneously. "My Cherie Amour," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Superstition," "Living in the City," "Boogie on Reggae Woman “That Girl" and "Part-Time Lover.", ""Higher Ground," "Sir Duke" (a Duke Ellington tribute)and "I Just Called to Say I Love You," "Ebony and Ivory" Wonder covered Dylan and sent two of Bob’s songs to the top of the RB charts with Blowing in the wind and ‘I was made to love her’. Wonder’s songs have illustrated underlined, or shaded the lives of those who lived the sixties and seventies. His continued works well into the ‘00s are sheer ‘profundity’ as David Crosby said. The people that have covered Wonders cuts are on par with Dylan’s, and in a word, expansive. Regardless, I still love the originals with so very few exceptions. Dolly’s Dylan cuts are very nice, and late coming alternate Doobie brothers Singer piano player Michael McDonald does more than fair justice to a few of Stevie’s tunes on his tribute to Motown album. John Cash does not get the value he so decidedly deserves much of the time. Cash’s style and those who influenced his works lay deeply into the ravines rivers, highways, rural routes, and winding streams that criss cross our country, and the music we find in bluegrass, blues, folk, and Americana. Everyone from all walks of the music industry were affected to some extent by these roots performers rail riders, and they echoed the times of their lives in honest earnest and always unique soulful hard biting summaries of America’s life, strife, loves, and its simple beauties with refreshing . Openness and candor. Cash like Dylan, used his platform to voice support for or against many unpopular social issues including racism and war. John Cash could communicate with anyone in person or thru his works. His songs spoke to people, beyond their minds and into their hearts. That unmitigated spiritual connection is always the sign of greatness. “Dressed In Black” and “Kindred Spirits”, are both Tribute albums to John Cash and his body of work compiled with various artists from several musical heritages. the Cover of big River by Hank Jr. is outstanding. Bruce springsteen covers John’s Give my Love to Rose as well and as big a tear jerker as any song I’ve ever heard. Travis Tritt’s cover of I Walk the line is an absolute must cut to audition. Flesh and Blood sung by Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Emmy lou Harris, and Sheryl Crow is fantastic. Little Richard gets it going with his version of Get Rhythm, very nice. Jackson, although written by June carter has been covered a lot. On a Tribute album for june, ‘Anchored in Love’, Ronnie dunn and Collen Carter produce a striking duet. Hear this one it will be your fav version. As for Bluegrass… I’ll say only…. Bill Monroe and the Carter Family. They were there when it all began. Or almost there. View the Netflix documentary ‘winding Streams’ to see more about the Carter Family and their contributions to the early days of American music. If you have more than half a dozen Bluegrass albums in yoru collection, chances are you have a Bill Monroe tune already. If not, you have one or more directly influenced by Monroe. |
tooblue, I beg to differ--this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C53QAuOoSgc and this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xEpIgFAPGQ are two totally different songs. Different melodies and different lyrics. Van Morrison's cover is the Dylan song. I don't think the Badfinger song existed yet at the time he covered it. |
Rickie Lee Jones cover of Jefferson Airplane's "Comin' Back to Me" Mathew Sweet & Susannah Hoffs cover of Bee Gees "Run to Me" Herbie Hancock feat. Corrine Bailey Rae's cover of Joni's "River" Amber Rubarth's cover of REM's "Losing My Religion" Yes's cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "America" Cheers, Spencer |
Here are a couple of covers that I really enjoy. Both are on the same album too..... From Brain Auger's Oblivion Express album - "Compared to What" and "Inner City Blues". "Compared to What" is a Les McCann song, first recorded by McCann and later by Roberta Flack. The Brian Auger version takes the original jazz version into Jazz/Rock fusion territory. Of course "Inner City Blues" is a Marvin Gaye song off of the incredible album "What's Going On". Auger takes the original R&B tune again in to Jazz/Rock fusion territory. I've had the Brain Auger record since sometime in the '70s and I still enjoy it regularly. |
I probably should have mentioned "You Got What it Takes (to Take What I Got)" by Joe Tex, later covered as a duet by Marti Jones and her husband, Don Dixon. My wife and I used the latter version as our first dance. The Feelies used to end their live shows with great cover songs - Everybody's Got Something to Hide but Me and My Monkey (Beatles), King's Lead Hat (Brian Eno), All Tomorrow's Parties (Velvet Underground). Etc. A few stealth covers from Cyndi Lauper - "Money Changes Everything", covering The Brains, and "All Through the Night" her cover of Jules Shear. Strange variation 1: "World Turning", Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie's re-work of Peter Green's "World Keep on Turnin". almost unrecognizable and uncredited to Green. Strange Variation 2 - "Battleship Chains" Georgia Satellites (Terry Anderson) covering The Woods (Terry Anderson's first band) and later covered by Hindu Love Gods (basically, REM plus Warren Zevon.) Special Mention: Kid Creole's irresistibly danceable yet hilarious cover version of Harry Belafonte's "If You Wanna Be Happy For the Rest of Your Life (Never Make a Pretty Woman Your Wife). |
For me, the song is IT. IMO, a lot of Pop music is made by musicians who just use the song as a platform from which to show their stuff. The song to me is the same as the script is to a movie---without it, you got nothin’. I could go on for pages, but here are some songs having multiple great versions that spring to mind, the writer(s) in parenthesis, followed by performers: - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted (William Weatherspoon/Paul Riser/James Dean): Jimmy Ruffin, Joan Osborne. - Shake, Rattle, & Roll (Jesse Stone): Big Joe Turner, Bill Haley & His Comets, NRBQ. - No Time To Cry (Iris DeMent): Iris DeMent, Merle Haggard. - That’s How I Got To Memphis (Tom T. Hall): Tom T. Hall, Buddy Miller. - Love Hurts (Boudleaux Bryant): The Everly Brothers, Gram Parsons. - A Song For You (Gram Parsons): Gram Parsons, The Continental Drifters. - Shake Your Hips (Slim Harpo): Slim Harpo, Lou Ann Barton, Joan Osborne. Yeah, The Stones did it too, but as usual not particularly well. - Get Rhythm (Johnny Cash): Johnny Cash, NRBQ. - (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care (Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller): Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Dwight Twilley, Phil Seymour. - Let Her Dance (Bobby Fuller): Bobby Fuller Four, Phil Seymour, Marshall Crenshaw. - Cadillac Walk (Moon Martin): Moon Martin, Mink DeVille. - Let It Be Me (Becaud/Curtis/Delanoe): The Everly Brothers, Bob Dylan, Dave Edmunds. - Singin’ The Blues (Melvin Ensley): Marty Robbins, Guy Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Dave Edmunds. - Rock ’n’ Roll Music (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry, Dave Edmunds, The Beach Boys. And now, a separate section just for the best cover artist Rock ’n’ Roll has produced, Dave Edmunds. All the following have been done by Dave, the writer and original recording artist listed here: - I Hear You Knocking (Dave Bartholomew): Smiley Lewis. - The Promised Land (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry. - Sweet Little Rock ’n’ Roller (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry. - Let It Rock (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry. - No Money Down (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry. - Dear Dad (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry. - Maybe (Richard Barrett): The Chantels. - I Ain’t Never (Mel Tillis/Webb Pierce): Webb Pierce. - Born To Be With You (Don Robertson): The Chordettes. - Get Out Of Denver (Bob Seger): Bob Seger. - Back To School Days (Graham Parker): Graham Parker & The Rumour. - Crawling From The Wreckage (Graham Parker): Graham Parker & The Rumour. - Almost Saturday Night (John Fogerty): John Fogerty. - I Want You Bad (Terry Adams/Phil Crandon): NRBQ. - Where Or When (Richard Rogers/Lorenz Hart): Dion & The Belmonts. You have not lived until you here Dave’s version of this incredible song! Here are two songs written by Bob Dylan, recorded by both he and The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man, and My Back Pages. The Byrds’ versions are almost unbelievably great. Marshall Crenshaw’s My Back Pages is also absolutely fantastic. And finally, the partnership to beat all partnerships, Bob Dylan and The Band. All songs below recorded by both he and they, and, as above, songwriting credit in parenthesis: - When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob Dylan). - I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan). - This Wheels On Fire (Bob Dylan/Rick Danko). - Tears Of Rage (Bob Dylan/Richard Manuel). |
There are so many great covers done over the years of Dylan songs, Leonard Cohen songs, etc. Too many to list. So, I'll give you a few less know covers that I really like. "No Diggity" - Chet Faker's soulful version of the Blackstreet R&B/Rap hit. "Drive All Night" - Glen Hansard's version of the Springsteen song from The River. "Down to Zero" - Bettye Lavette's version of the Joan Armatrading song. "Crying" - Adrian Belew's excellent acoustic version of the Roy Orbison hit. Enjoy, TIC |
Antje Duvekot's covers of "Mercedes Benz" & "Fat -Bottom Girls" (right up there w Martykl's nomination for most unlikely cover). +1 for Zevon's cover of "Knockin' on Heavens Door". How about the many covers of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower", "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" & "I Shall Be Released", John Prine's "Angel from Montgomery", John Fogerty's "Lodi", Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time". Another favorite cover of mine is Emmy Lou Harris singing Stephan Foster's "Hard Times Come Again No More". |
The first one that always comes to mind: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Dylan and the cover by Warren Zevon (done as he knew he was losing his battle with cancer). The latter is almost painfully poignant. I also have a weak spot for "Oops, I Did it Again" by Brittney Sears and the great (tho unlikely) cover version by Richard Thompson. |