It’s All a Cover-Up
Cover songs that may, in fact, be better than the original.
Music
Cover songs that may, in fact, be better than the original.
Not that anyone asked for it, I felt it was time for another one of my wildly subjective Mix-Tape Playlists!
Keeping the general rules of the mix-tape, according to Rob Gordon: “You gotta start with a killer and then take it up a notch” — two sides @ +/- 45 minutes each side.
As a general rule, I don’t much like cover songs. Even at their best, I’m pretty ambivalent about them. While I appreciate the talent and artistry of a different interpretation, I often feel the original is better.
But not always.
Van Halen covered “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks on their eponymous first album and completely opened the song up. Truth be told, the first time I heard The Kinks version, I ran to my brother and told him some shitty band was covering Van Halen: “No, you idiot, that’s the band that did it originally.”
I wasn’t an idiot, I was 11; older brothers come with a default factory setting of asshole.
Some will take umbrage with what’s included, but here again, it’s subjective. And there may be more crankiness about what’s left off — see previous subjective comments.
For example, I left off the aforementioned Van Halen cover of “You Really Got Me” — great tune, but we’ve all heard it enough.
Buckle-up and put your helmet on folks, off we go!
SIDE ONE
“It’s Going To Take Some Time” — Dishwalla
Even at the height of their success The Carpenters were kind of a punch line. I don’t think people took the time to actually listen to just how good the songs were. Then in 1994, just as pop culture was reaching “peak alternative,” producer Matt Wallace wrangled an A-list of alternative acts including Sonic Youth, The Cranberries, Sheryl Crow, Matthew Sweet, etc. to pay homage to Richard and Karen Carpenter.
For me the stand-out here was always the Dishwalla song. Their interpretation of “It’s Gonna Take Some Time” captures the anger and exhaustion of a collapsed relationship.
“Like the young trees in the winter time
I’ll learn how to bend.
After all the tears we’ve spent,
How could we make amends?
So, it’s one more round for experience
And I’m on the road again,
And it’s going to take some time this time!”
(Thoughts Paul Combs?)
“I Fought the Law” — The Clash
If there was going to be one band that would out shine Bobby Fuller on this track, it would be The Clash. To be fair, if The Clash did a cover of the “Mahna Mahna” song, it would have been better than the original …and nothing can top that. Luckily, they didn’t try.
You’re welcome!
“I Love Rock ‘N Roll” — Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Originally done by The Arrows in 1975, Joan Jett used the song to runaway from The Runaways. Jett’s version is a faithful cover but reversed gendered and better produced. Turns out that was all it took to make it a hit — Jett’s version spent seven weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1982.
Jett first recorded a version of the song with the Sex Pistols’ Paul Cook and Steve Jones in 1979.
[Fun Fact: Joan Jett’s self-titled solo debut was was rejected by 23 major labels here in the United States. So Jett and her manager, producer, Kenny Laguna formed Blackheart Records and released it independently. To date, the album has sold in excess of 10 million copies.]
“Whiskey in the Jar” — Metallica
It seems almost blasphemous to say this version is better than Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott …but it is. At least Metallica knew better than to attempt “The Boys Are Back in Town,” amiright?
“Mrs. Robinson” — The Lemonheads
Allegedly recorded on the first take, Evan Dando’s generation defining slacker vocal does what Paul Simon couldn’t — make the song hip and cool.
“Hazy Shade of Winter” — The Bangles
This can be found on the soundtrack to the monstrosity that was the movie Less Than Zero. It’s also another Paul Simon song done by modern artists that obliterates the original. It’s produced by Rick Rubin, who was just beginning to find his producer’s voice.
“Sweet Jane” — Cowboy Junkies
The Canadians here gave us a more plaintive version than everyone’s beloved Velvet Underground. As a result, it spins the song entirely differently …and for the better. This is just a great interpretation. It should be noted that nothing, and I mean nothing, can top the version on Lou Reed’s Rock N’ Roll Animal.
“The Man Who Sold the World” — Nirvana
The other day I was commenting on a piece about the path Kurt Cobain may have taken had he lived. In my head, it would’ve been more acoustic. For me, it might’ve sounded like Nirvana’s Unplugged album. There are so many great songs on that record, but for my money they just crush the sentiment and feeling on this David Bowie classic.
“Take Me to the River” — Talking Heads
If you have never seen the movie Stop Making Sense, you really should. When you do, this song, and its inclusion here, will make sense.
“Ring of Fire” — Social Distortion
I loved, LOVED, this Johnny Cash song as a kid. Hell if I knew what it meant, but my mom and I did love to sing it. Fast forward, and a bunch of SoCal tattooed punk rockers cover it and I love it even MORE! (thanks to Kevin Alexander and Terry Barr for the reminders.)
“Me and Bobby McGee” — Janis Joplin
Big ups to Kris Kristofferson for writing this brilliant song, but Janis OWNS this one outright. Many have tried, but none come close to Joplin’s version.
“Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose”
SIDE TWO
“Love Hurts” —Nazareth
A song that has had quite a history. Written by Bryant Boudleaux, who along with his wife, Felice Bryant wrote The Everly Brothers biggest hits, “All I Have to Do Is Dream” (credited solely to Boudleaux), “Bye Bye Love” and “Wake Up Little Susie.” First recorded by Roy Orbison and then released posthumously by Graham Parsons — the guy who injected rock with some country flair and introduced the world to Emmylou Harris. “Love Hurts” was even covered by Traffic co-founder Jim Capaldi and then Cher.
However, it was the lads from Scotland who had the biggest hit, to date, with “Love Hurts.”
The truth found in the simplicity of a song is something that can last forever — unlike love.
“Everybody Knows” — Concrete Blonde
While I’ve never been a big fan of Leonard Cohen, this song knocks it out of the park lyrically:
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That’s how it goes
Everybody knows
This Concrete Blonde cover is from a shitty early-90s Christian Slater movie, Pump Up the Volume — crappy movie, amazing soundtrack.
Concrete Blonde’s lead singer, Johnette Napolitano, has one of the best voices in rock. Her deliciously dark tone takes an already cynical song and makes it more cynical. (This one is for Noah Levy)
[Fun Fact: When Concrete Blonde signed with I.R.S. Records in 1986, their label-mate Michael Stipe (of R.E.M.) suggested the name Concrete Blonde, describing the contrast between their hard rock music and introspective lyrics.]
“Kids in America” — The Muffs
A cover of Kim Wilde’s song. Pretty true to the original, but much dirtier.
“Another Girl, Another Planet” — The Replacements
I warned you: every mix, one Replacements song.
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” — Yolo
Bold song to tackle, and it would take someone with extraordinary talent, and chutzpah, to attempt. Yolo has both.
“Blue Suede Shoes” — Elvis Presley
No caption needed.
“Killing Me Softly With His Song” — The Fugees
This is just such an original take on a classic song. It’s here not because it’s necessarily better; it’s just so radically different that it transcends the original and becomes its own thing.
“Preghero” (“Stand By Me”) — Adriano Celentano
In any language, a classic.
“Suicide is Painless” (Theme from M*A*S*H) — Manic Street Preachers
I bet you didn’t realize the theme to the television show was an actual song with words. Not very pleasant words, but words. It wasn’t just the theme song to the show, but also to the show’s precursor, director Robert Altman’s movie M*A*S*H.
[Fun fact: The lyrics for “Suicide is Painless” were written by director Altman’s then fourteen year-old son, Michael.]
* Advance apologies to Reuben Salsa — I know your feelings on MSP.
“My Sharona” — Destruction
Now you’d think a German trash-metal band would destroy the song. But that’s the genius of a well written song, you can’t really trash it …unless Pat Boone covers it.
(This one goes out to fellow Riffers S.W. Lauden and Rob Janicke. One loves power pop and one loves punk — both great writers …and people.)
“Rainy Night in Georgia” — Conway Twitty & Sam Moore
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Conway Twitty:
If you’re a music lover, be sure to check out all of the writers on The Riff
Spotify is being a dick right now and not letting me place the playlist here, so here’s a link: