cover songs. how very vaguely odd.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Listening to my radio.sonicnet station just now, I heard Tori Amos singing Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. It’s incredibly odd to hear that song sung as if it’s a pretty little ballad. The “hello hello hello hello hell-o” parts are the only recognizable parts – heck, I didn’t know that song HAD actual words when Kurt Cobain mumbled through it. It was incredibly, incredibly odd.

I also heard some altrock band’s remake of “Mrs Robinson”, which was extremely recognizable. I didn’t particularly care for it (I didn’t like the original), but at least it WAS the same song.

I still can’t get over that Nirvana cover.

2

Now you know how I feel when I’m forced to listen to the “unplugged” version of Layla. Gimme Derek and the Dominoes anytime.

3

At least the ones you mention attempt to do something new with the song. What irks me are cover versions that try to recreate the original note-for-note. None come to mind at the moment (the work radio is playing country and my mind is awash in whiney pabulum) but I’ll list some when I can get my brain back.

4

Any cover of “Purple Haze”.

You’d think someone would finally pronounce the line “'scuse me, while I kiss the sky” CORRECT! But no! Everyone makes it sound like he’s about to have a Gay Moment. (no offense, just wish they’d ennunciate right.)

5

Racinchikki,

I’m guessing that Mrs. Robinson was the Lemonheads.

6

Just to satisfy a burning curiosity, I listened to the Leann Rimes cover of “Purple Rain”. Bad, horrible. It was just so… WRONG.

I’ve heard that the Amos version of Smells Like Teen Spirit is actually pretty good. I can’t bring myself to listen to it though.

7

dropzone, Wish You Were Here by sparklehorse is an example.

what a waste of a yorke

8

The Tori Amos “Smells Like Teen Spirit” sucks, in my honest opinion, even if not compared to the Nirvana version.

9

I know what you mean- I D/Led the Tori Amos version of Smells like Teen Spirit at amazon.com last year, very odd.

Sweet Dreams- another example of a cover not even vaguely resembling its original.

Britney Spears doing (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction! Good lord, what induced her to do THAT? Her silicon breast implants?

The American Pie cover version…strange and kind of techno-weird.

All I can think of for now. I rather like the cover of Mrs. Robinson by the Lemon Heads: i like the original better though.

10

See, I’m just the opposite. The original was the best. Yours isn’t going to be better in any of the original fans eyes. The song was written the way its supposed to be, don’t fuck with it!
As for the worst… Sheryl Crow doing guns and roses “sweet child of mine” is just plain blasphemy.

11

Good cover:
Jimi Hendrix, All Along the Watchtower

12

On Napster I found a Soundgarden cover of the Spinal Tap classic Big Bottom. It is surprisingly good.

13

Good cover of Purple Haze: The Cure

Other good covers:
Build Me Up, Buttercup - The Goops
Take on Me - Reel Big Fish
Most of Garage Inc. - Metallica
How Soon is Now? - Love Spit Love (but death to the girl band who redid it recently)
Blue Monday - Orgy
Hazy Shade of Winter - Bangles
Sail Away - Eric Cartman
Everybody Knows - Concrete Blonde

And I like the Tori remake of Smells Like Teen Spirit. Then, I’d buy a CD of her gargling, as long as it had a picture of her on the cover.

14

Rusty Cage, as covered by Johnny Cash.

And by God, Tori Amos’ version of SLTS is one of the most bonechilling songs I’ve ever heard. Beautiful.

15

How could I leave that behind?

Just about the funniest lyrics in rock n roll.

16

Sting does a surprisingly good cover of “Purple Haze” in concert sometimes. I was impressed, anyway.

Stevie Ray Vaughan had a way with Hendrix tunes, too.

I notice a few years ago a handful of Dire Straits songs being covered by country/western singers. Most of the cover versions sucked.

U2 did a great cover of “Everlasting Love” on one of thier singles from “Rattle and Hum.” They made a disco song cool. That’s GOTTA be hard.

17

I saw Moby in 1996 backing up the Red Hot Chili Peppers. he was half way through his set (all played completely live, BTW, he was in his rock phase).

He steps up to the mike, and he says “I’m gonna play a song now, by a dead guy from Seattle”

He then launches into SLTS, and the crowd got right into it. After about 8 bars (the intro, for you non music types) he stops… and the crowd goes silent.

“Sorry,” he says, starting the intro to Purple Haze, “Wrong Dead guy”.
classic.
speaking of the Red hot Chili Peppers, they do really good covers of “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder, “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John (which is better than the Original) and “If you want Me to Stay” by Sly and the family Stone.

18

Didn’t we just have a cover song thread? I forgot to mention there one of my favorite covers, The Sundays’ version of Wild Horses.

19

Oooh, I couldn’t disagree more. In fact, as an example, I’d say nearly every single cover on both Please Please Me and With the Beatles is as good as if not better than the original recordings. Like, don’t get me wrong–I worship Smokey Robinson. The man is a god. But I still like the Beatles’ version of “You Really Got a Hold on Me” better.

20

I think that it depends on how the remake is done. I have heard some that are good, like Hole redoing Gold Dust Woman, and some that blew chunks (vomiting)like some of the others that I have suffered through. It just depends on ones taste (or lack of) in music.