# Cover songs. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 5, 2000, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870 "2000-10-05T23:49:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/21 "2000-10-06T07:05:30Z")
Knights in White Satin- the Dickies Can’t Find My Way Home- the Swans Mr. Pharmacist- the Fall Telegram Sam- Bauhaus Gloria- Patti Smith > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HalberMensch242 \* > \*\*NIN- physical(pig…who also covered it…so it’s a cover of a cover) > \*\* Thanks. Reminds me to say: Physical (the Olivia Newton John song in this case)- the Revolting Cocks (Halber Mensch, I somehow had a feeling you were a Neubauten fan.) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/22 "2000-10-06T07:35:50Z")
Bauhaus also did an excellent cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust.” ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/23 "2000-10-06T07:39:26Z")
Alana Davis, _32 Flavors_ (Ani DiFranco) The Lemonheads, _Mrs. Robinson_ (Simon & Garfunkel) Susan Tedeschi, _Angel From Montgomery_ (John Prine) Sarah McLachlan, _Dear God_ (XTC) Fugees, _No Woman, No Cry_ (V. Ford) Tito Larriva and the MDH Band, _Anarchy in the USA_ (Sex Pistols) Elvis Costello, _Tears of a Clown_ (Stevie Wonder) ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/24 "2000-10-06T07:59:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Snooooopy \* > \*\*Bauhaus also did an excellent cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust.” \*\* True. And of Brian Eno’s Third Uncle. Speaking of Bowie, I always got a kick out of his “Let’s Spend the Night Together”. (“They said we were too young. Our kind of love was no fun. But our love comes from above…”) ---
**Author:** ![Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trout_Mask_Replica)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/25 "2000-10-06T14:23:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Azargoth \* > **Cars by Fear Factory (damn forgot who did it originally)** That would be Gary Numan. Train Kept a-Rollin’ – Motorhead Ring of Fire – Social Distortion You Spin Me Round – Dope Steppin’ Stone – Sex Pistols ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/26 "2000-10-06T15:22:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SwimmingRiddles \* > \*\* > > Letters to Cleo, I Want You to Want Me (some early 60s song). Love it, love it, love it. > > \*\* If I’m not mistaken, this was actually a cover of a Cheap Trick song off their '77 release titled In Color. Great song at the time, great cover now. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/27 "2000-10-06T16:02:54Z")
I suppose I ought to look at my list from the last time we had a favorite covers thread, but here’s my current off-the-top-of-my-head list: [ul] [li]“Days”, **Kirsty MacColl** (original by the **Kinks** )[/li][li]“You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby”, **Kirsty MacColl** (original by the **Smiths** )[/li][li]“A New England”, **Kirsty MacColl** (original by **Billy Bragg** )[/li][li]“B-A-B-Y”, **Rachel Sweet** (original by **Carla Thomas** , written by **Isaac Hayes** and **David Porter** )[/li][li]“Till the End of the Day”, **Alex Chilton/Big Star** (original by the **Kinks** )[/li][li]_dig…?_, an entire album of **Simon and Garfunkel** covers (plus **Paul Anka’s** “Having My Baby”) by **The Coolies** ; as good as it is, though, their rock opera concept album follow-up, _Doug_, is better, with spot-on parodies of **The Who** , **R.E.M.** , **The Replacements** , and several others.[/li][li]“Bertha Lou”, **Tav Falco and Panther Burns** (original, so far as I know, by **Clint Miller** )[/li][li]"Istanbul (not Constantinople), **They Might Be Giants** (original by **The Four Lads** )[/li][li]“In My Own Time”, **The Three O’Clock** (original by **The Bee Gees** )[/li][li]“Jump”, **Aztec Camera** (original by **Van Halen** )[/li][li]_Rainy Day_, **Rainy Day**. Rainy Day was a one-off collaboration including members of the Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, Bangles, and other LA Paisley Underground bands, covering songs by Alex Chilton, the Beach Boys, the Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, etc. Great vocal performance by the Bangles’ Susannah Hoffs on Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Keep It With Mine”.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/28 "2000-10-06T17:04:28Z")
The Bobs do some brilliant a cappella covers. The recorded versions of _Ring of Fire_ (Johnny Cash) and _Particle Man_ (They Might Be Giants) are great. But they used to do _White Room_ by Cream in their live show and it was amazing. There are some bands that can bring down a house, but Janie Bob’s voice could lay waste to entire villages. Also the Jonny Quest theme covered by the Reverend Horton Heat, stunning. ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/29 "2000-10-06T17:49:42Z")
**Six Feet Under** ’s cover of Thin Lizzy’s _Jailbreak_ absolutely kills! ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/30 "2000-10-06T21:52:46Z")
Gary Hoey’s cover of the Linus and Lucy song - multiple electric guitars doing Henry Mancini. Go buy the soundtrack to Endless Summer II just for this song. You’ll thank me. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/31 "2000-10-06T21:57:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kilt-wearin’ man \* > \*\*Gary Hoey’s cover of the Linus and Lucy song - multiple electric guitars doing Henry Mancini. Go buy the soundtrack to Endless Summer II just for this song. You’ll thank me. \*\* “Linus and Lucy”, like all the music from the classic Peanuts specials, was written and originally performed by Vince Guaraldi. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/32 "2000-10-06T22:35:17Z")
Hmph…could’a sworn it was Mancini. Oh, well. Hoey’s cover version is still just about the coolest piece of music I own. ---
**Author:** ![Cantrip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Cantrip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cantrip)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/33 "2000-10-06T23:36:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Robot Arm \* > **The Bobs do some brilliant a cappella covers** Oh, man, no kidding. I saw them at Symphony Space in New York many years ago (when Gunnar Bob was still with them) - they did _Purple Haze_ for what I think was the first time - _unbelievable_! Their version of _Helter Skelter_ won a Grammy, I think. There are two albums of their covers available (_The Bobs Sing the Songs of…_ and _The Bobs Cover the Songs of…_), both of which I heartily recommned. Now that I’ve got that off my chest: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” by the Neville Bros. (don’t know who did the original) “Lonesome Fiddle Blues” by String Cheese Incident (originally by Vassar Clemens) “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” by Smash Mouth (originally by War?) “I Know You Rider”, “And We Bid You Goodnight”, “Iko Iko”, and “Wang Dang Doodle” by the Grateful Dead (the first two traditionals, AFAIK, the third a New Orleans traditional? Dr. John’s done it, anyway, and the last by Howlin’ Wolf). I saw a Dead show in Philly in 1985 or 1986 where they opened with “(In the) Midnight Hour” (Wilson Pickett), “Walkin’ the Dog” (Rufus Thomas) and “Big Boss Man” (Jimmy Reed), and opened the second set with “Revolution” (Beatles). Smokin’! 🆒 Before Jerry died, they also started doing “Rain” and “Tomorrow Never Knows”, sometimes segueing into “Baba O’Reilly”. Best cover band I ever saw. 😉 “Higher Ground” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. “Franklin’s Tower” by Henry Rollins (originally by the Dead) Adam ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/34 "2000-10-06T23:42:55Z")
French, Frith, Kaiser, Thompson’s cover of the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA” Also, a couple of instrumentals : The Ordinaires do a killer version of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” And Garth Hudson’s cover of “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins, which was described by Tom Waits as an “organ orgy.” ---
**Author:** ![Cantrip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Cantrip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cantrip)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2000, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/35 "2000-10-06T23:52:17Z")
Also John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” and “Summertime” (speaking of instrumentals). Adam ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2000, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/36 "2000-10-07T02:16:38Z")
I’m pretty fond of the various covers on Cowboy Junkies’ _The Trinity Session_. Especially Walking after Midnight and Sweet Jane. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2000, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/37 "2000-10-07T03:07:06Z")
“Hey Bulldog” by Toad the Wet Sprocket (Beatles). ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2000, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/38 "2000-10-07T06:36:04Z")
Bizarre Love Triangle by Frente. (orig. New Order) ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/39 "2000-10-07T16:06:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JBirdman12 \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by SwimmingRiddles \* > > \*\*Letters to Cleo, I Want You to Want Me (some early 60s song). Love it, love it, love it. \*\* > > That’s Cheap Trick, best known version is from “Live At Budokan,” 1979, according to the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. The original studio recording is on “In Color,” I think. But don’t hold me to that. I \* think \* the Cheap Trick version is a cover of the original I mentioned. In fact, I’m pretty sure it is. I remember hearing the original on the Oldie’s station, and I REALLY don’t think it was Cheap Trick. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870/40 "2000-10-07T16:22:41Z")
- Sonic Youth’s cover of The Carpenters’ “Superstar” - The Propellerheads’ version of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” - Pet Shop Boys’ version of “Always On My Mind” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs/35870.md?page=3)