Friday, December 28, 2007

Weekend Listomania (Special We Can Dream, Can't We? Video Edition)

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental manservant Hop-Sing and I are off to the San Francisco Zoo, where we will be attending a memorial for somebody or other. We're not sure what exactly the occasion is, but apparently someone named Cat Power will be performing, so it could be a hot one. In any case, posting by moi will necessarily be sporadic for a few days.

But in my absence, here's a fun project for you all to contemplate:

THE GREATEST COVERS THAT NEVER WERE!!!!!!
You know -- some really fabulous song you'd really like to hear some favorite artiste -- solo or group -- perform or record, but so far they haven't gotten around to it (the bastards!!!).

Okay, my totally off the top of my head Top Ten:

10. The Hold Steady -- The Boys Are Back in Town [Thin Lizzy]
They've probably jammed on it a thousand times -- it's about time they go public for gosh sakes.



9. The Posies -- Carrie-Ann [The Hollies]
They already proved they were genetically bred to do Hollies songs with their version of "King Midas in Reverse" -- just think what they would bring to the sunniest of the Clarke-Hicks-Nash classics.



8. The Pretenders -- Every Little Bit Hurts [Brenda Holloway]
My fave 60s soul ballad/torch song would be a natural for Chrissie Hynde, I suspect.



7. Neko Case -- The First Cut Is The Deepest [Cat Stevens]
Because she'd do it better than Sheryl Crow, duh.



6. Steve Earle -- Street Fighting Man [The Rolling Stones]
C'mon -- this is the job he was born for.



5. Bob Mould -- Calvary Cross [Richard Thompson]
On the 1994 Thompson tribute album Beat the Retreat, Mould turned the rockabilly tinged "Turning of the Tide" into a killer piece of buzz-saw punk. I swoon to imagine what he could do with Thompson's most intensely doom-haunted song....



4. Emmylou Harris -- Withered and Died [Richard and Linda Thompson]
I can't recall if Emmy has ever covered a Thompson song, but if she was of a mind to, this one is so heartbreaking I don't know if we'd survive the hearing.



Update: Astute reader Virgotex alerts me in comments that Emmy has, in fact, covered a Thompson song -- the sublime "Dimming of the Day" -- on her Portraits album. "Withered and Died," however, still awaits the Harris caress.

3. Elvis Costello and the Attractions -- Sooner or Later (One of Us Must Know) [Bob Dylan]
If anybody is going to do the most majestic "Blonde On Blonde" song it should be these guys.



2. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers -- 19th Nervous Breakdown [The Rolling Stones]
Jagger's snarl would morph into Petty's sly drawl pretty good, doncha think?



And the number one cover I'd love to hear is....

1. Led Zeppelin -- Bits and Pieces [Dave Clark Five]
For obvious reasons.....



Okay -- what would be your picks?

[h/t FeralLiberal]

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too many choices!

But I am not a big fan of Sheryl Crow so I agree with that.

Anonymous said...

Oh, this topic is a good one!

I'm sure I'll think of some others, but I always thought the Dead should cover The Bobby Fuller Four's "I Fought the Law (and the Law Won)" ... Weir's voice is perfect for it.

steve simels said...

BG --

Apparently the Dead did cover I Fought the Law....

http://www.deaddisc.com/GDFD_Songs_Perf.htm

Of course, they probably did too many songs, if you know what I mean...
:-)

Wendy said...

BG --

Apparently the Dead did cover I Fought the Law....



Well, I'll be damned. I've been thinking that since 1972 ...

The Kenosha Kid said...

This is such a tough one. How about:

Stereolab covering Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers "She Cracked"

Radiohead covering PIL's "Poptones"

Songs that are crying out to be covered but I just can't think of the right artist:

Over Under Sideway Down - Yardbirds
Little Girl - Syndicate of Sound
Jeepster - T-Rex
Back to the Old House - The Smiths

steve simels said...

How about somebody -- please, somebody -- covering Flipper's "Sex Bomb Baby."

The Kenosha Kid said...

Only the Beastie Boys could do it justice.

How about Talking Heads (circa 1978) covering What Goes On (circa Velvet Underground)?

steve simels said...

The Kenosha Kid said...

Only the Beastie Boys could do it justice.

How about Talking Heads (circa 1978) covering What Goes On (circa Velvet Underground)?


Extremely good calls on both counts...

steve simels said...

BTW, if you haven't checked out that Australian Stones clip of "19th Nervous Breakdown" don't miss it.

Whoever directed that REALLY knew what they were doing...

Anonymous said...

I wonder if XTC's ever done Autumn Almanac in concert (back when there were such things as XTC concerts). Andy Partridge has described it as the song that inspired him to start a band.

Over Under Sideways Down would've been a great Young Fresh Fellows cover job.

Anonymous said...

ahem.....

Emmylou covered RT's "Dimming of the Day" on her Portraits album

steve simels said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TJWood said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TJWood said...

Led Zeppelin covering "Bits and Pieces"? If that doesn't get them to do some sort of for-keeps reunion, maybe nothing will. I can't top that one.

I checked out the latest Graham Parker album, "Don't Tell Columbus" a week or so ago. The last song, "All Being Well" is a very touching ballad that somebody has to hear and cover? Emmylou Harris? Linda Thompson? Elvis Costello? Ben Ottewell (solo or with the rest of Gomez)? Hey, maybe Cat Power has heard the tune?

Any or all of the above as well for "She Sang Angels to Rest" from the latest Richard Thompson album

Feral said...

Fountains of Wayne covering the Kinks' "David Watts"

Pearl Jam covering REM's "Finest Worksong"

Buddy Guy covering CCR's "Penthouse Pauper"
(that was what gave me the idea for this list)

Gary said...

The New Pornographers covering the Raspberries' "Overnight Sensation".

Led Zeppelin doing Stevie Wonder's "You Haven't Done Nothin'".

Prince covering Jellyfish's "Glutton of Sympathy".

Anonymous said...

These came to me as I was falling asleep:

James Taylor- "Still Crazy After All These Years"

Chili Peppers - "1999"

Bruce - "Runaway"

Anonymous said...

Even as a confirmed Deadhead, let me be the first to say:

Their version of I Fought the Law sucked. Garcia slowed it down (as he did everything else) and that song needs, if anything, to be a rush of adolescent angst.

That being said, I always wanted to see them cover Talking Heads, esp. The Big Country. The themes were similar to the themes to one of Garcia's better later songs, Standing On the Moon, the plaint of the outsider who longs to be inside, but is repelled by what he sees inside....

Anonymous said...

And I've always wanted to see Dylan cover Lou Reed.

Can't you just hear that cracked & broken voice intoning, "Heeeeeerrrrroin, it's my waaaahhhfff and it's my laaaahhhfff...."

Anonymous said...

Their version of I Fought the Law sucked. Garcia slowed it down (as he did everything else) and that song needs, if anything, to be a rush of adolescent angst.

That's too bad. If they had done it straight, it really would have worked.

Anonymous said...

That's too bad. If they had done it straight, it really would have worked.

Well, a slight amend -- the very first time they did it, it was pretty good.

But after that, the inevitable slowing-down started and it went downhill fast.

It might'a been different if they had tried it much earlier in their career....

And if Amy Winehouse survives all her problems, I'd like to hear her cover almost anything by anybody - what a great, unique voice she has.

Anonymous said...

It might'a been different if they had tried it much earlier in their career....

I first thought of it back in 1972, before they started taking their vocals so seriously.

MBowen said...

A couple of possible British folk-rock covers

Belle & Sebastian - Hazey Jane II (Nick Drake)

The Decemberists - The Angels Took My Racehorse Away (Richard Thompson)

MBowen said...

Oh, and if we can go back in time, I'd love to hear "Heat Treatment"-era Graham Parker & The Rumour do "Build Me Up, Buttercup".

Timmy Mac said...

Ryan Adams doing Gram Parsons...maybe "Ooh, Las Vegas."

You heard me.

Anonymous said...

Laurie Anderson - "Heatwave"

TMink said...

Out of the Blue and Into the Black - Matthew Sweet
Itchycoo Park - Apples in Stereo
Temptation Eyes - The Strokes
My Best Friends Girl - FOW

Wow, what a fun question, very thought provoking.

Trey

And Laurie Anderson doing heatwave is just manical qenius.

TMink said...
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Anonymous said...

Out of the Blue and Into the Black - Matthew Sweet

1. I've been on a Neil Young jag lately for some reason, and do declare that Matthew needs to make a WHOLE album of Neil covers. Why? Because he's already collaborated on a truly wonderful covers album, and his live version of "Cortez The Killer" from the expanded "Girlfriend" reissue is truly magnificent.
2. Same song, coupla Old Rock Dorks talking, last night: "What is the definitive version of "Cortez the Killer?" I believe that Pearl Jam could OWN it, if they haven't already recorded it on one of their 650 "official" live albums. Only David Fricke knows for sure.
3. Always thought that Skynyrd's "Gimme Three Steps" would make a great reggae song...
4. Sascha Baron Cohen sings Leonard Cohen? Brian Wilson sings Wilson Philips? Eh, I've got nothing...

Happy New Year, good folk... - Bill Buckner

steve simels said...

MBowen said...
Oh, and if we can go back in time, I'd love to hear "Heat Treatment"-era Graham Parker & The Rumour do "Build Me Up, Buttercup".


I would fucking take a hostage to hear that....brilliant call.

The Kenosha Kid said...

Sascha Baron Cohen sings Leonard Cohen? Brian Wilson sings Wilson Philips? Eh, I've got nothing...

How about..
Bob Dylan covers "Bob Dylan" (the Bowie song)

David Bowie covers "David Bowie" (Phish)

Alex Chilton covers "Alex Chilton" (the Replacements)

steve simels said...

Alex Chilton covers "Alex Chilton" (the Replacements)

I'm guessing he's actually done that.

Which doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear it...

Anonymous said...

Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music doing "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...

dave™© said...

Actually, I've always wanted Elvis and the Attractions to cover "Whiter Shade of Pale."

With "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?" on the flip...

Mister Pleasant said...

Hell yes, the Posies should do an entire Hollies album.

Also Emmylou is an inspired choice for "Withered and Died", though I am quite fond of Elvis Costello's version.

A few others come to mind
k d lang - "The Kiss" [Judee Sill]
The Bangles - "Carrie" [Joni Mitchell]
Quasi - "I Haven’t Got The Nerve" [Left Banke]
Cheap Trick - "Turn-Down Day" [Paul Simon/Cyrkle]

steve simels said...

The Kenosha Kid said... How about..
Bob Dylan covers "Bob Dylan" (the Bowie song)

David Bowie covers "David Bowie" (Phish)

Alex Chilton covers "Alex Chilton" (the Replacements)


Well, Brian Wilson has already covered the Barenaked Ladies "Brian Wilson."