# Wow, that's a great cover of that song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 12, 2020, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596 "2020-04-12T02:35:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/281 "2020-08-25T06:17:54Z")
River Hippie, who is performing that version of “California Dreaming”? _School of Rock_ was, of course, a 2003 movie. Later a company was formed which opened 250 schools around the world which, as in the movie, teach kids to play rock. The students at which of those schools is singing in that video? Incidentally, if it’s the school in Los Angeles, that actually doesn’t fit the feeling that the song was supposed to convey. (And maybe that’s irrelevant, but let me make my point.) Who in the Mamas and the Papas was the emotion of the song supposed to be about, after all? The song was written while the Mamas and the Papas were all living in New York. The song isn’t about John Phillips, who spent his childhood moving around a lot because his father was a U.S. Marine. Later his family moved to Alexandria, Virginia. It isn’t about Cass Elliot, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland and later also lived in Alexandria, Virginia. It certainly isn’t about Denny Doherty, who grew up in Nova Scotia. The song is about the feelings of Michelle Phillips, who grew up in Los Angeles and then found herself living in New York. It’s about her being homesick for Los Angeles. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/282 "2020-08-25T10:34:31Z")
Hmm, I guess I should call you River\_Hippie, not River Hippie. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/283 "2020-08-28T01:38:18Z")
Huh… didn’t put that much thought into it, just enjoyed it for what it was. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/284 "2020-08-28T01:41:10Z")
Maybe I should be more familiar with the original before I claim this is a “great” cover but this is a cover and I enjoyed it. Pink Martini, Amado Mio. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sCbzWiJLVhk/maxresdefault.jpg "Amado Mio - Pink Martini ft. Storm Large") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCbzWiJLVhk) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/285 "2020-08-28T01:45:51Z")
On further reflection I would add that whenever I see youngsters doing covers of older classics it warms my heart a little. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/286 "2020-08-28T02:40:08Z")
Year Of The Cat/Al Stewart cover by Courtlyn Carr. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_psxBZPkpE0/maxresdefault.jpg "Year Of The Cat - Courtlyn Carr") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_psxBZPkpE0) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/287 "2020-08-28T02:54:04Z")
Having put even more thought into it, I would say that if I heard the SOR version on the radio, without the video of a bunch of high school age kids doing the song, well… it would evoke pretty much the same feeling as the original. I think they nailed it. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/288 "2020-08-28T04:25:12Z")
This is a recent find for me: [“I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNuCnyjt_gg) by Eddie Hazel. ---
**Author:** ![Jane\_Elliot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jane_elliot/32/6166_2.png) [@Jane\_Elliot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jane_Elliot)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/289 "2020-08-28T23:19:00Z")
Many years ago (not long after Hot Topic opened) I heard a version of “Brandy” on in HT that was just amazing. It was headbanging speed metal and I loved it. I should have bought it right then and there, but I didn’t. I’ve never found it again. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/290 "2020-08-29T01:14:55Z")
Love this guy. Jacob Koopman covers Blackbird and Fast Car. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cglQy-wGne4/maxresdefault.jpg "Fast Car (Tracy Chapman) with Blackbird intro (The Beatles) Jacob Koopman Cover") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cglQy-wGne4) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/291 "2020-09-08T00:51:59Z")
Joanna Connor band covers “Walkin’ Blues” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iSwoM7WIy5M/hqdefault.jpg "Unbelievable Version of Walkin' Blues Joanna Connor Band @ Carty BBQ Norwood, Massachusetts, USA.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSwoM7WIy5M) ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/292 "2020-09-08T01:28:36Z")
she also had a hit with a cover of daydream believer also … ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/293 "2020-09-08T01:32:01Z")
It’s hard as hell to find (in fact i only ever found it on napster) but mike ness of social distortion has a cover of “this diamond ring” that’s almost better than the original … ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/294 "2020-09-08T01:49:03Z")
Indeed she did. And you may know that she also covered this one by England Dan and John Ford Coley. England Dan (Seals) was brother to James, of Seals and Crofts. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/frMjDbCR_3E/hqdefault.jpg "broken hearted me - england dan and john ford coley (with lyrics)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frMjDbCR_3E) She covered “A Love Song” and “Danny’s Song” by Kenny Loggins as well. In the 70s I guess there was a shift to singer-songwriters but sometimes a division of labor produces great results as well. 😀 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/322_GED6Ccs/maxresdefault.jpg "Kenny Loggins - Danny's Song (Live From The Grand Canyon, 1992)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=322_GED6Ccs) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/295 "2020-09-08T02:23:26Z")
Smells Like Teen Spirit cover, Postmodern Jukebox style. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_NlQ1sMl1d4/maxresdefault.jpg "Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana ('60s Orchestral Cover) ft. Alisan Porter") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NlQ1sMl1d4) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/296 "2020-09-08T02:33:58Z")
Joanna Conner/Walking Blues. Eh, I already linked this back in June. Damn alcohol! ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/297 "2020-09-08T02:51:58Z")
Shine On You Crazy Diamond. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/D97gP-1zyqQ/maxresdefault.jpg ""Shine On You Crazy Diamond" in Jerusalem (uncut)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D97gP-1zyqQ) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/298 "2020-09-09T19:53:15Z")
Just remembered this - it was used as the theme for the Channel 4 sitcom (and flawed masterpiece), Damned. Nick Cave’s **People Ain’t No Good** done by Camille O’Sullivan: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/oiUltDl2GkM/maxresdefault.jpg "People Ain't No Good (Live)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiUltDl2GkM) j ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/299 "2020-09-11T01:43:26Z")
I enjoyed that. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/300 "2020-09-12T02:44:50Z")
More youngsters playing geezer rock classics. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Bs79I7d1Jfc/maxresdefault.jpg "While My Guitar Gently Weeps - MonaLisa Twins (The Beatles Cover)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs79I7d1Jfc) Mona Lisa Twins, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596.md?page=16)