Songs vs. Cover Versions

[Eggs Mayonnaise]

What songs do you love to hear endless cover versions/reinterpretations of? What cover version of a song is better than the original for you? How about a favorite mind-fuck cover where you would never recognize its source right away?

This came about while I was watching Wordplay, the documentary about crossword puzzles. During one scene, I recognized a song originally done by Talking Heads, "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" -- but it was a very different take on the song. About 2 minutes in, I recognized the voice as Shawn Colvin's, and one quick trip to YouTube later, I had a new favorite song of the week.

Talking Heads' original, from 1983:
[YOUTUBE]c44gIVDaRUs[/YOUTUBE]

same song, by Shawn Colvin with Strings Attached, sometime in the 2000s:
[YOUTUBE]J5ChC_n5JZY[/YOUTUBE]

An obscure start, but search your minds and one-up me.

 

[jack]

[youtube]3_I8RCUpe-c[/youtube]

and the original

[youtube]LsDpc-8iR8g[/youtube]

 

[jack]

The proper treatment

[youtube]vhe3vb0z7mY[/youtube]

the brainchild

[youtube]tVZmSEpuJtg[/youtube]

 

['Gear]

Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River-

[YOUTUBE]DksSPZTZES0[/YOUTUBE]

As it should be -

[YOUTUBE]OVLAZtAcUBk[/YOUTUBE]

 

[cakewalk]

I like this almost as much as Elvis's version. Fine Young Cannibals, Suspicious Minds:

[YOUTUBEHD]Q2aha4uEpEQ[/YOUTUBEHD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2aha4uEpEQ
just in case, I mess up the video post again - link... Great black and white video too.

 

['Gear]

The indomitable Peter Burns -

[YOUTUBE]ZUatnbaNfEo[/YOUTUBE]

The more...eh...terrific version -

[YOUTUBE]OEHtTMigQ9U[/YOUTUBE]

 

['Gear]

Oh Britney what happened? How were you supposed to know?

[YOUTUBE]C-u5WLJ9Yk4[/YOUTUBE]

Anyway, off we go.

[YOUTUBE]-Ye9vdrZTAo[/YOUTUBE]

 

[jack]

The indomitable Peter Burns -

[YOUTUBE]ZUatnbaNfEo[/YOUTUBE]

The more...eh...terrific version -

[YOUTUBE]OEHtTMigQ9U[/YOUTUBE]

oh never mind, just ignore me

 

[Eggs Mayonnaise]

Walk Away Renee - The Left Banke, 1966...
[YOUTUBE]4F-sPvlti18[/YOUTUBE]

...Rickie Lee Jones, 1983...
[YOUTUBE]lSgO-gFnpSk[/YOUTUBE]

...and twisted by Billy Bragg, c. 1985
[YOUTUBE]-Kf3maiQLqA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Eggs Mayonnaise]

DEVO - Working in a Coal Mine, 1981
[YOUTUBE]UmlPE-TnWkU[/YOUTUBE]

Original by Lee Dorsey (written by Allen Toussaint), 1965
[YOUTUBE]uwE5CRbQQjY[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Eggs Mayonnaise]

English Beat - Save It for Later (1982)
[YOUTUBE]0bM0wVjU2-k[/YOUTUBE]

Pete Townshend, a few years later. Love this version...
[YOUTUBE]pQ0zMDJKkbg[/YOUTUBE]

Pete's remarks about the tuning stem from the fact that when he wanted to cover the song, he and Dave Gilmour sat down and couldn't figure out the tuning to save their lives. Finally he had to call Dave Wakeling of the Beat to ask for it.

 

[Donovan]

Here's a classic Bruce song many people love. Me not so much.

[YOUTUBE]uozMTmEjxHc[/YOUTUBE]

Here's the one I can't get enough of:

[YOUTUBE]fe4sbTBNtGQ[/YOUTUBE]

I hear Bruce hates it, but I think it's inspired.

 

[Donovan]

And we all know about the amazing versions of "Hurt" done by Johnny Cash and the original by NIN. Here's a really cool live one with David Bowie singing duet with Reznor:

[YOUTUBE]c7_Te7iDojA[/YOUTUBE]

And the immortal JC:

[YOUTUBE]J36CRZzm9vg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Donovan]

The proper treatment

[youtube]vhe3vb0z7mY[/youtube]

the brainchild

[youtube]tVZmSEpuJtg[/youtube]

One of my favorites is Susan Tedeschi, here with Derek Trucks.

[YOUTUBE]dUWl9k6-CjA[/YOUTUBE]

And here's a fun little version from one of myh fave indie artists, Ani DiFranco:

[YOUTUBE]stNLV-kvKOM[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Donovan]

Three Dog Night, One. It was a pretty big hit for them. Little shiny for my taste, considering the lyrics. They look like they're all having fun up there, not dying of broken hearts.

[YOUTUBE]UiKcd7yPLdU[/YOUTUBE]

Now when the songwriter Harry Nilsson does it, you can feel his anguish.

[YOUTUBE]-nB5VxPOoio[/YOUTUBE]

And just for kicks, here's Aimee Mann doing it with a little more arrangement:

[YOUTUBE]VAx4UfrGElc[/YOUTUBE]

 

['Gear]

[YOUTUBE]eIzoWNQqnEQ[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Donovan]

There is a house in New Orleans...

[YOUTUBE]y5tOpyipNJs[/YOUTUBE]


Bunch of animals....

[YOUTUBE]bwAw9ThDQmk[/YOUTUBE]

interesting Sinead version

[YOUTUBE]_bDW-YQZVLw[/YOUTUBE]

 

['Gear]

That Leadbelly is cool beans. The Sinead version is pretty brutal. Is it ok to not like her yet?

 

[Donovan]

I think so yeah. Her relevance flatlined a couple decades back.

 

[Eggs Mayonnaise]

Speaking of stealing from the black man (but I don't think Berry Gordy minded this time):

Money (That's What I Want) - by Barret Strong (1959)
[YOUTUBE]0uqCocIh3_o[/YOUTUBE]

Then by the Beatles (1963)...
[YOUTUBE]9k5ooaufrLM[/YOUTUBE]

...and in the same year by the even whiter Kingsmen...
[YOUTUBE]rIwcWKZMGwc[/YOUTUBE]

...then in 1979 by The Flying Lizards (my favorite for whiting it to the max):
[YOUTUBE]W25_jgiY51I[/YOUTUBE]