Tuesday 3 April 2012

C is for Cover Versions

A good cover version, by definition, is a song transformed. It's what happens when a band has the vision to see past the original, to take a song in a new direction and completely run away with it. I think it's pretty lame when bands can't manage to put their own spin on a song, when they don't have enough character or heart to give it a new personality - afterall, who wants a shitty, second-rate version of the original? No, they'll be none of that here. Come with me and I'll show you five bands who have the vision to make a song their own...


Here's my top five cover versions:


'Whiskey in the Jar' - Metallica
A traditional Irish drinking song taken on by Thin Lizzy back in the early '70s, but completely remolded by Metallica into a meaty beast of a track. And, it's got awesome riffage you can't help but sing along too.


'Hurt' - Johnny Cash
A truly haunting and thought-provoking number by Nine Inch Nails, some say about heroin addiction, some say about suicide. Latterly destroyed in an appalling cover version by Leona Lewis. However, while the original makes for heavy listening, Johnny Cash's take on the track is simply beautiful and he makes it into his own story of a man at the end of his life apologising for his mistakes. If you don't like this you have no heart.


'To Have and to Have Not' - Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards
It's got attitude, it's got swagger and soundwise, it comes with a lot more balls than the original by folk/punk singer Billy Bragg. That's not to say I don't love the original - as a leftie and political song writer, Bragg's lyrics always stand way above the music and always capture the world just how it is.

Check out these prophetic lyrics:

The factories are closing and the army's full,
I don't know what I'm going to do,
But I've come to see in the Land of the Free
There's only a future for a chosen few


'The District Sleeps Alone Tonight' - Frank Turner
The one man acoustic warrior is the maestro of cover versions, effortlessly turning Black Flag's 'Fix Me' and Bad Brain's 'Pay to Cum' from bile-ridden blasts of pure fury into songs that could easily pass for his own. Here, he takes The Postal Service's electronic number, removes the fluff and strips it back down to its bare and beautiful bones. Stunning.


'Immortal' - Clutch
There's making a song you're own, then there's totally re-writing it. Once upon a time, this dirty rock gem was a '70s classic rock, Free-sounding Leslie West (of Mountain) number titled 'Baby I'm Down'. Not only was West ok with it being rewritten both lyrically and musically by Clutch, he helped them do it.


This is part of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, find out more HERE.

12 comments:

  1. interesting stuff - am visiting from the A-Z challenge - http://britsintheus23.blogspot.com/

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    1. Hey David, thanks for stopping by. I'll be sure to head along to your blog soon.

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  2. Great blog! I'm also hopping around on the A to Z Challenge board. I thought for sure I was going to see Marilyn Manson's rendition of "Tainted Love." It's still one of my favorites. I like the ones you chose, too. :-)

    Nice job!

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    1. Ooh, I never thought of that one, but it's a good one! It was so difficult only choosing five, I could have gone on forever.

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  3. I think these are OK for the gym #adrenalinerush!

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  4. I like the first two, haven't heard yet heard the other three. But I'll give them a listen.

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    1. I'm glad you like them, thanks for stopping by!

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  5. why isn't my version of 'i need a wee(wee)' on here? lol I can proudly say I have heard one of these songs..'Hurt'..very sad :(

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    1. Thanks for the comment Mandeep. I'm afraid 'I need a wee (wee)' didn't make the cut as it was a blatant rip off of the original! Maybe if you'd gone metal with it I could have included it!

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  6. Love the first two - I'll have to discover the others! Haven't listened to Billy Bragg in ages...

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    1. Hey Deniz, thanks for visiting. Glad you like the choices! Billy is a legend, although I haven't got round to seeing him live yet and would love to. If you like Billy you should check out Frank Turner, I'll be posting on him for 'F', he's got a similar sound and thoughtful lyrics too.

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