According to the credits, Train, Train was written by Shorty Medlocke. I think Shorty is Rick’s father; the CD doesn’t list a copyright date on the tune, so it could have been written and recorded some time earlier, and covered by Blackfoot. I don’t know the who, when or where of the original, though, if that’s the case. BTW, Shorty is credited with Train, Train’s harmonica prelude, but on the song itself, Brownsville Station’s Cub Koda plays harmonica.
On that same album, Blackfoot covered Spirit’s I got A Line On You and Free’s Wishing Well.
Another favorite:
Serves You Right To Suffer (live) – J. Geils Band (John Lee Hooker)
Yep, Shorty is Rick’s dad. I guess he used to be quite the local musician in Florida; he’s mentioned in some of the Skynyrd bios as an early influence.
Thanks for the info-I don’t have the album anymore, maybe I’ll go get it today…
-sb
They say the Lord loves drunks, fools and little children.
Two out of three ain’t bad.
Natalie Merchant - One Fine Day - (?)
Save Ferris - Come On Eileen - Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Dave Matthews Band - Me and Julio (Down by the Schoolyard) - Simon and Garfunkel
Aerosmith - Come Together - Beatles
Guns N’Roses - Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door - Bob Dylan
I really dislike:
Amy Grant - Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell
I didn’t feel like scanning through all three pages of this, but hasn’t anybody mentioned Sting’s version of Hendrix’s “Little Wing”?
Red Hot Chili Peppers doing “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder, or “Fire” by Jimi Hendrix. Shows how Jammin’ the Chilis really are. Both those songs were great to begin with, and the Chili Peppers versions smoke them.
And Devo doing Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced” is highly recommended.
Worst? Anything on the “Working Man” Tribute to Rush CD. Just goes to show that nobody does it better than Alex, Geddy, and Neil.
Re: Nothing Compares To You. Prince wrote it for a band called The Family; theirs was the first released version. I haven’t heard it but I sure do like Sinéad’s version.
Not necessarily my favorite cover, but one that I think really redefined the original -
Natalie Merchant - Space Oddity (Bowie)
I’ve heard that live, not sure if any studio recording was done.
Oh, really gotta give it up for Phish’s Gin 'n Juice too. Can’t hear it without gettin a big grin.
As for worst… agreeing with several other opinions here. PJ’s “Last Kiss” & Madonna’s “American Pie”. WHY the hell are these even getting airtime? Proof positive that payola continues, folks.
Add to the list almost every single rap or r&b cover of anything. My opinion is that 95% of rap/r&b is pure talentless crap, and I find it quite disturbing that it constitutes such a vast portion of youth’s audio diet. But that’s a rant for another day.
Does anybody know whether Three Dog Night recorded Your Song before Elton John? If they did, does that mean that he actually covered it, even though he wrote it?
I’m not a big David Lee Roth fan, but I really liked his cover of Louis Prima’s “Just a Gigolo”. I also saw Garth Brooks do an acoustic version of “American Pie” in concert a few years ago that was very impressive.
If you won’t question what you think, why call it thinking?
According to my old Keener 13 hit charts, Elton John’s version was released in November, 1970. I’ve never heard Three Dog Night’s cover: when was it released?
The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” as recorded by Devo
I like every cover of “Little Wing” I’ve heard. Which is weird. None of them is as good as Jimi’s version, but the covers are cool in their own ways. Generally if the cover isn’t better than the original I hate it…
David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” as recorded by Bauhaus.
“Telegram Sam” as recorded by Bauhaus. The original was either T. rex or The Troggs. Can’t remember which
T. rex’s “Bang A Gong” as recorded by The Power Station. Yeah I know The Power Station are one of the goofiest supergroups to come down the pike, but I’ve gotta have some guilty pleasures, right?
Igor Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” as recorded by Birdsongs of the Mesozoic. Not as good as the original, but the original didn’t have drum machines in it…