# Help my Cover Band! Need Song Ideas! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469 "2006-12-01T14:28:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/1 "2006-12-01T14:28:32Z")
Got any song ideas? My friendly neighborhood mid-life crisis rock band (check out our Myspace page [here](http://www.myspace.com/theweekendersrock)) can use YOUR help! We need to stay fresh and work on some new songs! You can see the list of songs we do now - here are some other criteria: - Should be easy to dance to - that is a main criteria (a few of these songs are rarely played because they aren’t as dance-able) - Should be mainly rock - we don’t have keyboards/synth and use guitars to fake it (although the organ sound we cop on Walkin’ on the Sun sounds pretty darn good!! 😉 - Should be very popular - something your average joe in a bar would likely know and want to party/dance to. Obscure stuff - or even cooler-than-thou great stuff that folks don’t know - won’t cut it. For instance, I would LOVE to do “Love Like Anthrax” by Gang of Four, but folks would just look at us funny. - We have a preponderance of 80’s stuff - if you have ideas like that, great - but frankly, it would be fun to do newer stuff, so we aren’t tagged with a nostalgia band label. Any ideas?? Thanks in advance! Save it for Later - The English Beat Just Like Heaven - The Cure Chain of Fools - A Franklin Pretty in Pink - Psychedelic Furs Pump it Up - Costello Get it On - T.Rex I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash Melt with You - MEnglish Brown Sugar - Stones Just What I Needed - Cars Love Shack - B-52’s Whip It - DEVO Walking on the Sun - Smashmouth One Way or Another - Blondie Hit Me with Your Best Shot - Benatar White Wedding - Billy Idol Turn Me On - Slow - Norah Jones Underneath it All - Slow - No Doubt Pride (in the name of love) - U2 Can’t Get Enough of Your Love - Bad Company Psycho Killer - Talking Heads Long Way to the Top - AC/DC Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes Middle of the Road - Pretenders Boys Don’t Cry - The Cure My Sharona - Knack What I Like About You - Romantics I Need to Know - Tom Petty Rockaway Beach - Ramones Stacy’s Mom - Fountains of Wayne All Right Now - Free 867-5309/Jenny - Tutone Are You Gonna Be My Gir - Jet Burning Up - Madonna Bright Future in Sales - Fountains Too Soon To Tell - Slow - Raitt Back on the Chain Gang - Pretenders Tainted Love - Soft Cell Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats Stuck in the Middle - Stealer’s Wheel You Spin Me - Dead or Alive Blue Monday+You Spin Me - New Order; Dead or Alive Best Friend’s Girl - Cars I Wish it Would Rain - Slow - Temptations Sedated + Rockaway Beach - Ramones Dancing with Myself - Billy Idol Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics Venus - Shocking Blue I’ll Be Around - Slow - The Spinners Birthday - The Beatles A Change Will Do You Good - Sheryl Crow I Only Wanna Be with You - Tourists Inside Out - Eve 6 Manic Monday - Bangles Crazy Little Thing… - Queen Is She Really Going Out … - Joe Jackson Life During Wartime Talking - Heads All Day & All of the Night - The Kinks Times Like These - Foo Fighters Because the Night - P Smith Rebel Rebel - David Bowie ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/2 "2006-12-01T14:50:13Z")
How about \*A Million Miles Away \* - **The Plimsouls** \*Yummy Yummy Yummy \* - **The Ohio Express** \*Surrender \* - **Cheap Trick** More on the rock side than the dance side, but who sez you can’t dance to the rock? Oh yeah, if you want to do something by Gang of Four, you could do _I Love A Man In Uniform_. It’s danceable and I’d wager folks have heard of it. Rock on! ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/3 "2006-12-01T15:03:36Z")
I was at a bar (no, really?) a few days ago and saw a pretty tight band that was playing a pretty decent version of “Back in Black” which segued into “So Watch’a Want” by the Beastie Boys, they have the same beat, which went back into “Back in Black” and then they did the last verse of the Beasties song over the music to “Back in Black.” I was really impressed, the crowd went nuts and I realized that it’s not the toughest transition to pull. I’m sure they rehersed the shit out of it, but still, I went home that night and figured it out, so it’s not that hard. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/4 "2006-12-01T15:32:10Z")
I’ve got an 80s (mostly) band, and this is a list of a lot of what’s on our plate at the moment: Aerosmith - Walk This Way Aha-ha - Take On Me Asia - Heat of the Moment Bad English - When I See You Smile Big Country - In A Big Country Billy Idol - White Wedding Bon Jovi - Living On a Prayer Bon Jovi - Shot Through the Heart Bruce Springsteen - No Surrender Bryan Adams - Summer of 69 Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me Cheap Trick - Surrender Concrete Blonde - Joey Cyndi Lauper - Money Changes Everything Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time David Bowie - Modern Love David Bowie - Rebel Rebel David Bowie - Young Americans Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Right Round Dexy’s Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen Dire Straits - Money For Nothing Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer Eddie Money - Take Me Home Tonight Europe - The Final Countdown Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy Guns N Roses - Paradise City Guns N Roses - Sweet Child O Mine Huey Lewis and the News - The Power of Love Huey Lewis and the News - I Want a New Drug J Giles Band - Centerfold Jefferson Starship - We Built This City On Rock And Roll Jesus Jones - Right Here Right Now Journey - Any Way You Want It Journey - Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) Kenny Loggins - Footloose Loverboy - Everybody’s Working for the Weekend Men At Work - Land Down Under Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning Modern English - Melt With You Mr. Mister - Broken Wings Naked Eyes - Always Something There To Remind Me Nena - 99 Luftballons Night Ranger - Sister Christian Pat Benetar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer Poison - Every Rose Has Its Thorn Prince - Lets Go Crazy Prince - Kiss R.E.M. - Its The End Of The World As We Know It REO Speedwagon - Roll With The Changes Rick Springfield - Jessie’s Girl Robert Palmer - Addicted To Love Robert Palmer - Simply Irresistable Roxette - She’s Got The Look Simple Minds - Don’t You Forget About Me Soft Cell - Tainted Love Styx - Renegade Supertramp - Goodbye Stranger Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World The B52s - Love Shack The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian The Cars - Just What I Needed The Cure - Friday, I’m in Love The Knack - My Sharona The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic The Police - Message In A Bottle The Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane Tom Petty - American Girl Tom Petty - The Waiting Tommy Tutone - 867-5209 - Jenny U2 - New Years Day U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/5 "2006-12-01T15:52:04Z")
Great suggestions - I am scribbling like mad!! Keep 'em coming folks! Wow - **Eonwe** - that’s a heck of a list! **An Arky** - I love your ideas - but am a little curious about Yummy Yummy - if I was going for 60’s bubble-gum pop, I think we’d go for I’m a Believer first - what a great song… ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/6 "2006-12-01T16:24:56Z")
I dunno…my old band covered it many moons ago. It sounds good roughed up. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/7 "2006-12-01T16:28:08Z")
Tie Your Mother Down, Fat Bottomed Girls, We Will Rock You - Queen I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Get Your Hands Off My Woman - The Darkness (though the vocals may give you some trouble :)) The Boys are back in Town - Thin Lizzy Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon - The Police Bring Me to Life - Evanescence Would any Smiths songs work? This Charming Man maybe? How Soon is Now, if you have the technology. I suppose System of a Down is right out? Great fun to play tho’ For Monkees songs there’s also Last Train to Clarkesville, Stepping Stone and the Monkees Theme\* \*we’re the young generation, and we’ve got something to say - Hey Hey we’re the Monkees ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/8 "2006-12-01T16:40:53Z")
I see that ‘I Want You To Want Me’ has been mentioned. Cheap Trick has another song called just ‘I Want You’ that kicks ass all over IWYTWM. It isn’t all that well known but it rocks and people get into it. Or at least they did when I used to cover it. Slee ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/9 "2006-12-01T16:43:13Z")
Heh, that reminds me, I’ve also covered _Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)_ by the Monkees, plus, we reworked the Monkees Theme into the Yell County Theme: (we only played it live once, though) \*Here we come, walking down the street We never get any looks from any girls we meet Hey, hey we’re Yell County People say we’re too fucking loud But we’re too busy flailing To turn our volume down We’re just trying to be famous But no one comes to see us play We’re just self-flagellatin’ And we’ve got nothing to say\* ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/10 "2006-12-01T17:09:21Z")
“500 miles” by the Proclaimers is incredibly fun to play AND listen to. Plus, everyone knows it and will sing along. We played it a few Halloweens ago and, to our surprise, it went over really really well. Plus, you get to sing “Da-dalalaldada!” a lot. Always fun. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/11 "2006-12-01T21:07:53Z")
Go! – Tones on Tail Very bouncy, energetic early-'80’s postpunk New Wave number, but you need a way to substitute for that ascending xylophone-ish arpeggio. (Does your drummer have a full set of cowbells or wood blocks?) [Disclaimer: I’m still a prisoner of the whole British punk/postpunk/New Wave/Ska Revival period. So sue me. Your Brit/Kiwi bandmates will appreciate these, though.] Do the Dog – The Specials The slightly naughty ska-revival classic. Compulsively danceable, and it would be hugely fun for your drummer to play, too. Admittedly benefits from a singer with a British accent (and if your band has a baritone, he can chime in too)… lyrics include a prominent “bullsh#t,” so it might not be appropriate for all your gigs. Neat Neat Neat/Smash it Up – The Damned “Neat” is a straightforward thrashing 4/4 mosher with a machine-gun staccato title lyric for a hook. The lyrics make no sense, but with that rhythm and energy, who cares? As for “Smash,” the original recording clocks in at under 5 minutes but feels longer, due to its rambling structure and key/time sig changes. (It’s like a mini rock opera, or more accurately, a British music hall show.) A nice showcase for your bassist, and it would definitely be something different for your fans! The lengthy instrumental intro is definitely a dance break, though. There is a prominent synth part, but it doesn’t carry the melodic lead (as in “96 Tears” by ? and the Mysterians) and isn’t essential. Life Begins at the Hop/Real by Reel – XTC The faster your band can manage this one, the better. How fast can your lead guitar manage the punishing solos? “Real” has fun, retro “ooh-ooh!” vocalise. More recent tunes: Song 2 – Blur Don’t worry about crowd recognition; if anything this has been used as a backdrop in too many sports shows, etc. It’s real brief, though, so it’d be best used as a segue piece or in rehearsed “no-huddle” transition to the next song. In a Funny Way – Mercury Rev I apologize in advance. It’s utterly unfair to lay down a Mercury Rev challenge to an 80’s-oriented cover band, let alone one without a keyboardist, but I have faith that you guys could manage a stripped-down version of this, and that your fans will take to it, as relatively obscure as it is. Just ignore the symphonic washes of sound; all that typically Merc Rev Spector-ish wall-of-sound stuff is irrelevant. (A female singer can cover a lot of the harmonic washes with pure vocalise, anyway.) The main energy is sustained through the rhythm section and the chiming lead guitar lines. Focus on the Tamla-style drum riffs (how often to you hear those 60’s-style drum rolls nowadays?) and rapid-pulse basslines, so McCartney-esque in their churning melodicism… and revel in that double-length bridge section. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/12 "2006-12-01T21:32:14Z")
Great suggestions \*\*Birdmonster \*\* and **Scriv** - and my favorite usual music posters, \*\*Small Clanger \*\*and \*\*slee \*\*- all good stuff and noted. At this point, my job as quasi-manager is to collect the ideas and prep them to run past the band - I find it works better if I don’t pre-judge and we work it out together; no one thinks I am playing favorites (although I usually get 'em to try out a song or two they don’t think will work, but does!) Oh, and one update: the Westchester County chi-chi magazine just voted our usual gig spot as having the best live music! Very cool - since we are one of the “house bands” there (there are a couple of other regulars, too) I am choosing to take as much credit for this as possible!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Archeonomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Archeonomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archeonomist)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/13 "2006-12-01T23:05:46Z")
You got a cool sound 🙂 What about: - Creep by Radiohead - Have A Cigar by Pink FLoyd (listen to the Primus’ version for inspiration) - Boom Boom Mancini by Warren Zevon - Walk this world by Heather Nova Off the top of my head… ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2006, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cover-band-need-song-ideas/382469/14 "2006-12-02T03:26:02Z")
I heard a cover band do an acoustic version of The Notorious B.I.G’s “Hypnotize” that brought down the house. The crowd _loved_ it.