# 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:** 51
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1005 "2025-06-16T20:18:43Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I’ve always liked Mary’s videos. I think she’s using a teleprompter for the spoken part (I understand that they’re quite inexpensive nowadays), but still - it’s one single take, with a fixed camera. Remarkable. And I love her singing voice. I want to compare it to Karen Carpenter. It’s not as good (can anyone match?), but it’s… effortless and very smooth, the way KC sang. I’m certain it takes a lot of effort to make it that effortless. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > I posted her playing with Leo/Frog Leap Studios upthread. She mentions that one when it comes to the solo. Speaking of Carpenters: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fsgj4xcxXyA/hqdefault.jpg "The Carpenters - Ticket To Ride") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgj4xcxXyA) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1006 "2025-06-16T20:56:15Z")
They covered the Jeff Barry-Ellie Greenwich song “I Can Hear Music” with Carl singing. Absolute perfection. [https://youtu.be/EqhVI1lz3ng?si=o8CHolCj2GU8nP1n](https://youtu.be/EqhVI1lz3ng?si=o8CHolCj2GU8nP1n) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1007 "2025-06-16T21:09:31Z")
> [@Charlie\_Tan](#): > > Speaking of Carpenters: Their arrangement of “Superstar” by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell is as close to perfection as a pop song can get. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SJmmaIGiGBg/maxresdefault.jpg "Carpenters - Superstar") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJmmaIGiGBg) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1008 "2025-06-16T21:23:03Z")
Is “Superstar” a cover? I do miss her. I was a teen when she died and it was my first exposure that anorexia was a thing. I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1009 "2025-06-16T21:31:58Z")
How about “Sleepwalk” by [Santo & Johnny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_%26_Johnny) and covered by one of the best guitarists ever, Les Paul (instrumental). It’s a real treat…he’s so good. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2Rar4uStkt4/hqdefault.jpg "Les Paul - Sleepwalk") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rar4uStkt4) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1010 "2025-06-16T21:44:39Z")
Sure is. Delaney and Bonnie and Friends played it on their tour and released it as a B-side in 1969. In 1970 Rita Coolidge sang it on Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen live album. The Carpenters did it in 1971. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1011 "2025-07-14T18:02:14Z")
Here’s a fun version of The Talking Heads’ _Road To Nowhere_ performed on New York balcony: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rpdpxO3JglM/maxresdefault.jpg "Road To Nowhere - Talking Heads (Acoustic Cover by Dante Mazzetti)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpdpxO3JglM) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1012 "2025-07-14T18:38:05Z")
Great cover - I love that guy, I’ve seen most of his clips. [Here’s After Midnight.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChMvGIlNfrg) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1013 "2025-07-14T22:40:02Z")
Tracey Ullman’s cover of Kirsty MacColl’s “They Don’t Know” is great fun, but some prefer the more poignant sound of the original. What say you? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ACa4TlVod_w/maxresdefault.jpg "They Don’t Know") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACa4TlVod_w) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0pZSUADlHUQ/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgXihIMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBzrIHB0QHSfJCD9yNOdYLiWJ-5-A "Tracey Ullman - They Don't Know (Remastered Footage 2021)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pZSUADlHUQ) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1014 "2025-07-14T23:08:23Z")
The sales failure of the original record is the most notorious example of a record label torpedoing an artist out of sheer spite. And that’s a pretty damned high bar. Ullman saved the song from obscurity and at least secured some healthy songwriting royalties for MacColl. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1015 "2025-07-14T23:31:54Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The sales failure of the original record is the most notorious example of a record label torpedoing an artist out of sheer spite. And that’s a pretty damned high bar I’d be interested in reading more about that if you’ve got a reliable link about it. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1016 "2025-07-14T23:42:20Z")
According to the producer of that record (Liam Sternberg) McColl was refusing to sign a long term contract with Stiff Records. Despite reaching number 2 in radio airplay, Stiff didn’t press enough records to even put it on the UK sales charts. The Wikipedia cite for that is: Balls, Richard (2014). Be Stiff: the Stiff Records story. London: Soundcheck Books. pp. 178–180. ISBN 978-0-9575700-6-1. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1017 "2025-07-14T23:44:43Z")
Thanks for that! ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1018 "2025-07-16T19:26:48Z")
I remember at the time thinking "Kind of a throwaway song, but the video’s so fun that I’ll … … keep watching MTV in hopes that it comes on again. And make my sister watch til the end!" ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1019 "2025-07-16T22:14:23Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The Wikipedia cite for that is: > Balls, Richard (2014). Be Stiff: the Stiff Records story. London: Soundcheck Books. pp. 178–180. ISBN 978-0-9575700-6-1. In what sense is this a Wikipedia cite? This gives the title, author, publisher, date of publication, location of the publisher, and the pages of the book that are relevant. This allows you to find a source for claims about the relation between MacColl and Stiff Records. That’s nice, but it’s not a Wikipedia cite. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1020 "2025-07-16T22:27:29Z")
I meant the cite I found on the Wikipedia article. My personal knowledge comes from elsewhere (probably a podcast or YouTube video). ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1021 "2025-07-16T22:36:40Z")
Which Wikipedia entry has this cite? I just checked all the relevant Wikipedia entries. None of them mentions this book. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2025, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1022 "2025-07-16T22:38:13Z")
Footnote 4 under references. > **[They Don't Know (Kirsty MacColl song)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Don%27t_Know_(Kirsty_MacColl_song))** > > "They Don't Know" is a song composed and first recorded in 1979 by Kirsty MacColl. It was released as a single by Stiff Records on 1 June 1979. Though unsuccessful, the song was later recorded by Tracey Ullman in 1983. Ullman's version reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 8 in the US. > When I was with the R&B outfit Drug Addix, Stiff Records paid for some demos to be done with the band, but they didn't really like them. When they heard that I'd eventually left \[Drug Addix\] they called me & said: "We... ---
**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:** [July 16, 2025, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1023 "2025-07-16T22:39:20Z")
O.K., thank you. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596/1024 "2025-07-22T20:06:32Z")
Thought this was a great cover of Me and Bobby McGee, no monitor, no mics, no amps or speakers: [Sierra Ferrell finishes her show outside on the sidewalk](https://youtu.be/4e8kG9vPKgs) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596.md?page=50) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-thats-a-great-cover-of-that-song/851596.md?page=52)