After all of the solemn Indian music I was startled when Monty Python lined up on the stage and their music started up. I thought to myself in disbelief, “Good god, they are NOT going to do THAT song…”
And of course, they sure did. Complete with showing their asses. George would have loved it.
When Warren Zevon was alive, Dave Letterman tried to get him to play “Desperadoes Under the Eaves” on hius show many times, but Zevon wouldn’t do it without a big string section like the original.
After he died, the band Dawes, who covered lots of Zevon songs, was invited onto the Late Show to play the song.
I’m not quite sure what the limits of tribute are here. I adore Nightshift by The Commodores - despite it being the sort of music that I wouldn’t typicall go for. It’s addressed to (the deceased) Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson - so I guess that makes it a tribute.
I don’t think there’s any question that this qualifies - Jealous Guy by Roxy Music, recorded shortly after the murder of John Lennon.
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William Bell has a single called “A Tribute to a King” which was about Otis Redding…it’s a bit cornball, though. As far as R&B tributes to friends, it’s not nearly as good as “Nightshift.”
Elton John’s tribute to John Lennon (Empty Garden) is a great song
Wilson Pickett’s tribute to Cole, Cooke and Redding is a soul masterpiece. Also indirectly includes Moms Mabely, Dion, A certain left handed guitar player you might recognize, and even his own self.
Can’t say I have any tribute bands I follow in a larger sense, for whole shows or anything, but for single tracks, these two remind me just how good music can be.
Randy Hansen is apparently still doing a Hendrix tribute. I saw it in my late teens in the late 1970s and thought it was pretty good. I’d noticed an advertisement for the show and took my incredulous friends along to see it. He came onstage alone, dressed as Hendrix, smiling and nodding to the crowd. He promptly lay down onstage while wearing his plugged-in guitar and with his feet toward us. My friends and I looked at each other, wondering what the hell this guy we’d never heard of was trying to do. A hush fell over the audience when we noticed the first wisps of vapor from a couple of fog machines that eventually shrouded the stage and covered him completely. The music started (I don’t remember what song), and Hansen, still lying on his back, thrust the neck of his guitar up through the fog, started playing and eventually rose to his feet. That was an awesome show.
Heart used to be a Zep cover band. Here they are at the Kennedy Center paying tribute with a cover of “Stairway to Heaven”:
Referred and linked to in the OP.
That was great. Thanks for posting.
That was great. Thanks for that!!!