Major bands who have never recorded a cover song

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

@bordelond

There is a section on Maiden’s Main Details page, however, that lists “Performed Songs By”, and this includes Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott, the early-70s proto-metal band Mountain, and Tull’s Ian Anderson. But I’m having a hard time tracking these down.

They released a studio version of Tull’s “Cross-Eyed Mary” as a B-side.

[Small_Clanger]

@slu

The Who also recorded and released a single with “Under my Thumb” and “The Last Time” by the Stones to protest one of the times the Stones were busted for drugs.

The Last Time: Is that the version where it sounds like Pete gets tired of playing the riff halfway through and reverts to power-chord mode?

Someone did mention them but that must have been back on page 1.

Pink Floyd.

It wouldn’t seem right somehow them doing a cover.

[fusoya]

@dwc1970

I don’t think Iron Maiden has ever done any covers. Now someone will probably come along and tell me one of their songs I thought was an IM original is actually a cover.

Nope. Iron Maiden has definately never released any covers, and I can’t even think of any covers that they’ve ever performed in concert before (unless you want to count Always Look On the Bright Side of life)

[fusoya]

@Ludovic

Has Weird Al Yankovic ever released an entire cover song?

There was a very straight and very unnescessary cover of the theme from George of the Jungle on the Dare to be Stupid album. He’s released countless cover songs, reworked to be polkas.

It was never released, but Al used to perform a straight cover of The Who’s My Generation in concert, mainly as an excuse to smash his accordion on stage

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

@fusoya

Nope. Iron Maiden has definately never released any covers, and I can’t even think of any covers that they’ve ever performed in concert before (unless you want to count Always Look On the Bright Side of life)

This site lists 16 covers recorded by Iron Maiden.

[bordelond]

@Biffy the Elephant Shrew

This site lists 16 covers recorded by Iron Maiden.

Digging a little deeper, it appears that all of these covers appear as as B-sides, or on 12" releases, or on bootlegs. Although Maiden does not quite fit the OP’s requirement, I think it’s safe to say that Maiden’s covers are only of peripheral importance to their overall recording career. I’m hard pressed to think of a band as notable who have relied less on covers than Iron Maiden,

[JohnBckWLD]

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” (though not a cover version) is definitely a rip-off of the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie”

[Wolfian]

@JohnBckWLD

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” (though not a cover version) is definitely a rip-off of the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie”

I’m not a huge fan, but have the Doobie Brothers covered anything?

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

@Wolfian

I’m not a huge fan, but have the Doobie Brothers covered anything?

One of their earliest hits was the Byrds’ “Jesus Is Just Alright.”

[Annie-Xmas]

I might add that the individual members of ABBA recorded SWEDISH versions of many a song. If that counts as covering.

[Pashnish_Ewing]

@Wolfian

I’m not a huge fan, but have the Doobie Brothers covered anything?

Also, one of the hits from their “comeback” album Cycles was “Need a Little Taste of Love”, originally recorded by The Isley Brothers.

I think I’m pretty safe with The Cars. They count as major, right?

[Ludovic]

@JohnBckWLD

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” (though not a cover version) is definitely a rip-off of the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie”

I thought More Than a Feeling was a ripoff of Smells Like Teen Spirit

[cbawlmer]

@Biffy the Elephant Shrew

One of their earliest hits was the Byrds’ “Jesus Is Just Alright.”

That was by The Byrds?? I never knew!

If we’re counting live albums, then Bon Jovi also covered Nancy Sinatra’s “My Baby Shot Me Down” on one, as a segue into “Runaway” of all things.

[bordelond]

@Pashnish Ewing

I think I’m pretty safe with The Cars. They count as major, right?

Allmusic.com is backing you up on The Cars (scroll to bottom, look right).

[Mr.Blue_Sky]

@Wolfian

I’m not a huge fan, but have the Doobie Brothers covered anything?

“Take Me In Your Arms (rock me)” was originally done by Kim Weston.

[Spoke]

I nominate The Police.

[pravnik]

I can’t think of any cover’s by these bands, but feel free to correct me if I’m mistaken:

Tool, Skinny Puppy, the Misfits, the Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Motorhead, the Deftones, the Melvins.

[Lando_Griffin]

Sorry, but Tool covered Zeppelin’s ‘No Quarter’ on one of their albums (the title of which escapes me at the moment…)

[pravnik]

Hmm…right you are, on “Lateralus”. Apparently that album had Nugent’s “Stranglehold”, too.

No need to apologize, BTW, you won’t hurt my feelings.

[Jeff_Lodoen]

@bordelond

Digging a little deeper, it appears that all of these covers appear as as B-sides, or on 12" releases, or on bootlegs. Although Maiden does not quite fit the OP’s requirement, I think it’s safe to say that Maiden’s covers are only of peripheral importance to their overall recording career. I’m hard pressed to think of a band as notable who have relied less on covers than Iron Maiden,

I would say more than a dozen covers would count them Out. Or else Journey, Styx, Foreigner and The Eagles are In.

Notability is relative…

@JohnBckWLD

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” (though not a cover version) is definitely a rip-off of the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie”

Well stop saying it. It was more of a riff on “Walk Away Renee”.