Yes, my Asian manual catharsis specialist Fah Lo Suee and I will be repairing to our local Forest Hills Mattress Firm outlet, to check out a possible inauguration gift for Republican VP candidate/futon assailant J.D. Vance.
You know -- just because.
That being the case, we'll be out of touch for a few days, and here's something to occupy us all till we return.
BEST OR WORST COVER (HEH) OF A GREAT SONG ORIGINALLY WRITTEN/RECORDED IN THE '60S AND THEN REMADE AFTERWARDS!!!
No arbitrary rules, you're welcome very much.
Well, actually, I was gonna stipulate nothing originally done by The Beatles, but I thought better of it.
But just to be clear: we're talking about songs first popularized in the Sixties, i.e., in the period between the release of Alfred Hitchcock's classic horror film Pyscho in 1960 and the Stones' show-stopping performance at Altamont in 1969.
And then remodelled in the subsequent decades. Got it?
Okay -- and my totally top of my head Top Seven choices of great/not so great stuff is:
7. The Stranglers -- Walk On By (Dionne Warwick)
Let's just say lead singer Hugh Cornwell's vocals here lack the bruised romanticism of Warwick's epochal take on the song.
6. Michael Bolton -- When a Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge)
Yikes. I mean, I'm willing to concede that Bolton's heart was in the right place, but boy, does that suck.
5. The Jags-- Here Comes My Baby (Cat Stevens/The Tremeloes)
The Jags -- one of my favorite Brit New Wave skinny tie bands. The song itself is transplendent, of course.
4. Diesel Park West -- All Come to Meet Her Now (Skip Spence)
From that glorious 1999 tribute record in honor of the solo album by Moby Grape's tragic genius. This particular cut just kills me, but if I had more room, I would have included Robyn Hitchcock's contribution.
3. Tenacious D -- You Never Give Me Your Money (The Beatles)
I generally find these guys amusing, but this starts to get on my nerves about a minute into it.
2. The Rolling Stones -- Just My Imagination (The Temptations)
When that came out originally in 1978, Jagger gave an interview somewhere and said something to the effect that "'Imagination' sounds like a sort of average English band tuning up during a sound check." Boy. Talk about underselling yourself.
And the number one rehabilitation of one of those damned period pieces from the fuckin' Boomers' make-me-wanna-puke glory decade (I keed, I keed!) absolutely has got to be...
1. Gerry Devine -- 5D (The Byrds)
Okay, I'm prejudiced, but that's just fucking great. I mean, when Gerry told me he was gonna do a Celtic remake of the Byrds cosmic psychedelic folk-rock classic, you could have knocked me over with one of those avian flight appendages
Alrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?
And have a great weekend, everybody!!!
POSTSCRIPT:Thoughts on the late Greg Kihn on Monday.
40 comments:
Boiled In Lead : Stop! Stop! Stop!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ycZlGOYegrw&t=31s&pp=2AEfkAIB
- Paul in DK
"Stop Your Sobbing" - The Pretenders
"Live" & "Hazy Shade of Winter." - The Bangles
"I Think We're Alone Now" - The Rubinoos (currently on tour)
“Stand By Me” (John Lennon) … originally Ben. E. King. Lennon’s version has heart and grit.
“Ain’t too Proud to Beg” (Stones) … originally the Temptations. Stones’ version is technically excellent but devoid of soul, imho.
“Day in the Life” and “People Get Ready” (Jeff Beck). The GOAT.
"I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down" by Elvis Costello
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Extra credit for the extended 12" that made it a medley with Where Did Our Love Go.
No one's saying if they like or dislike the tunes they're posting, ha ha.
Someone beat me to "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." I like oddball guitar solos but on this tune it sounds like a cat climbed the guitar neck and got its claws caught in the strings.
Some 80s band covered "Spirit in the Sky" but I've never had the courage to listen to it.
Re: Greg Kihn. Known for "Jeopardy." Peter Marshall known for "Hollywood Squares." Just a mere coincidence?
Bob in IL
Couldn't agree more on "Ain't Too Proud." It should have been a great fit for the Stones, but man does it suck.
Opening an unwanted can o'worms here, but it's so bad, it made me hate the guy for a year, and I absolutely love the guy. Bowie's "God Only Knows." And something I love off the top of my head is the Phil Spector produced, Nilsson & Cher duet on Martha & The Vandellas' "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking.)" Wall Of Sound bliss!
Hard Rain's Gonna Fall ... Dylan covered by Bryan Ferry. Love 'em both, but SO different.
From a delightful comp by bon filles Les Calamites, their take on the Ad-Libs 'Boy From New York City.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dobcTvJ12mI
"anyone who had a heart" - lake street dive
I have trouble remembering shitty songs, so no offers for that. But these are good'uns:
Clash doing Equals' 'Police On My Back'
Dwight Yoakam & Sheryl Crow doing Sonny & Cher's 'Baby Don't Go'
REM doing the Clique's 'Superman'
Izzy Stradlin doing Toots' 'Pressure Drop'
Social D doing The Man In Black's 'Ring Of Fire'
Throwing Muses doing Beatles' 'Cry Baby Cry'
Sidewinders doing Neil Diamond's 'Solitary Man'
Rainy Day doing Dylan's 'I'll Keep It With Mine'
Animals doing Dylan's 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue'
Linda Ronstadt doing Roy O's 'Blue Bayou'
Dream Syndicate doing Herb Alpert's 'Lonely Bull'
Nazareth doing the Every Bros' 'Love Hurts'
Carl Carlton doing Robert Knight's 'Everlasting Love'
C in California
Carl Carltons
EDIT: that 'Carl Carltons' after my name is a mistake, not my co-signer
The absolute worst guitar = Grand Funk "Loco-Motion"
And yet they got a #1 out of it. Sounds like they told a small child, "Don't touch this Echoplex," and you know the rest.
Bob in IL
Actually One band, One musician -.
Todd Rundgren - entire side two of
Faithful - outstanding covers
One band - Vanilla Fudge who made an entire career covering songs
You keep me hanging on?/ Season the Witch, People Get Ready., et al
rob
The Clash - I Fought the Law
Patti Smith - So You Wanna Be a Rock'n'Roll Star
The Ramones - Somebody to Love (just 'cause steve hates it and it's great)
The Barbarians (you know - four guys, seven hands) did the Byrds' "Why" on their debut/only album.
Unknown - just read that they were backed by the BAND on one single !
rob
blondie denis/denise. i can't remember who did it originally but i've always loved blondie's version
e***
“Act Nice And Gentle” - Black Keys
“Understand Your Man” - Dwight Yoakum
“For Lovin’ Me” - Go To Blazes
“It’s The Little Things” - The Skeletons
The Black Crowes used to play Dylan's "Girl From the North Country" that redefined that song. I'm not sure if an official studio recording exists but on the boots I have, that song is a setlist topper, every time.
Blue Oyster Cult used to end their show with a version of the Stones "It's Not Easy". Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma would duck-walk across the stage together.
I would have paid good money to see that.😎
Get it On by Marvin Gaye as done by Jack Black in the movie High Fidelity is pretty good imo. rs
getawaygoober & simels
Yeah. I saw them do it at the Hollywood Palladium in '73 on the Tyranny & Mutation tour. BOC was third bill, Joe Walsh & Barnstorm 2nd bill behind The Smoker You Get, with Mott the Hoople headlining behind Mott. It was Ariel Bender's 1st gig. Sandy & I had just moved to West L.A. and begun our Freshman year at UCLA . What a show! Mr. Peabody, Wayback Machine please?
VR
I just lost my list in the ether . not into re-doing it gotta go somewhere
Some I like:
Patti Smith covering Privelege
Grand Funk Railroad covering Inside Looking Out
UFO covering Alone Again Or
Pretenders covering I Got to Sleep
Three Dog Night - A Change Is Gonna Come
Three Dog Night - Lady Samantha
Steppenwolf - Sookie Sookie
Black Crowes - Hot Burrito #1
Emmylou - Wheels
i had a lot of stinkers & mehs too but
VR
I may be wrong, but I always heard Todd Rundgren played the guitar solo
VR
Just heard another great one yesterday - from the Stones tribute album "Jem Records Celebrates Jagger & Richards", The Anderson Council's cover of "The Citadel". I like it better than the original. Here it is:
https://youtu.be/_m3hRAD1yEM?si=gpg9279kUL3ovqCm
Rundgren was the producer. Wouldn't be surprised if he also played. Whatever, who was the one that heard that pig poop and said "That's great. Nail it shut."?
"Viva Las Vegas" - The Dead Kennedys
A couple I like:
Sisters Of Mercy - Gimme Shelter
Van Morrison - Sack Of Woe
If I knew how on this site, I would post a pic my brother took of them as they duck-walked in front of us.
VR here –
First off, Fudley Correctol, my alter ego, has surfaced to let you know that, because of my "one foot out the door sloppy-ass typing," I made some regrettable errors in my last comment. Yes, I do know how to spell "privilege" and the Pretenders cover is of the Kinks’ "I Go to Sleep," not I Got to Sleep (which may have been a Freudian slip given the weekend I'm having).
Fudley also drew to my attention that Steve's Number Two pick, The Rolling Stones cover of the Temptations' "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me," should be disqualified on the basis that it was recorded in 1970 and released in 1971.
Steve’s rules state:
BEST OR WORST COVER (HEH) OF A GREAT SONG ORIGINALLY WRITTEN/RECORDED IN THE '60S AND THEN REMADE AFTERWARDS!!!
Fudley also wants to draw attention to the fact that the rules are not entirely clear and precise. "Remade afterwards" means at a later time. It isn't clear as to whether the cover cited should have been done anytime afterwards or whether it meant any time after the 60's. Since it's not clearly stated, I'm going to assume the former is true and correct. That in mind, here are some more covers best, worst. And some meh's.
Black Crowes - Hot Burrito #1 (Flying Burrito Brothers) (an absolutely lovely performance)
Youngbloods - Let's Get Together (We Five-I know about Dino Valenti & Kingston Trio & the Airplane) (The Youngbloods = definitive)
Some of the Sid & Susie stuff is OK
Janis Joplin - Me & Bobby McGee (Roger Miller-Kenny Rogers & the First Edition) (yeah, they recorded it before Kris) (Janis made it her own on that pretty spectacular posthumous release. Half Moon is my favorite. And to think that John Hall wrote it.)
Grateful Dead - Me & Bobby McGee (same list as above) (I love it with all the Dead's rough edges, Very nice as is their cover of John Phillips' Me and My Uncle - I love most of Skullfuck.)
Yes – America (Simon & Garfunkel) (Over the top but pretty fucking great anyway. Steve Howe kills on this. Like all early Yes covers, they take major liberties and go off on tangents. I like their takes on the Byrds and Springfield too. If I’m in a Yes mood. If not, forget about it. Got an anecdote but it's too complicated and ....)
My brain needs to rest. Fudley be damned! All errors intact.
VR
due to technical difficulties this is out of sequence
Graham Parker – I Want You Back (Jackson 5) (MUY F*CKIN’ BUENO)
UB40 - Red Red Wine (Neil Diamond) (meh. I never thought these guys were cool.)
Stones – Ain’t Too Proud to Beg (Temptations) meh (guitar solo doesn't bother me and I like the cold ending and quick segue into It's Only Rock 'N' Roll on the album. When IORR LP came out, it didn't live up to my expectations of a big comeback from Goats Head Soup. Initially I was very harsh on it and swore I'd never buy another Stones album again. :-) But I kinda like Side One and Fingerprint File. They did Beg on the ’75 tour. I went to all five nights at the Forum. They were sloppy but rockin’. Best shows were the Wednesday opener, Friday and Sunday. Unfortunately, the Vault DVD release is from the Saturday show. Beg had a different solo and they tried a little rave-up at the end. But even Billy Preston couldn’t save it. A very unworthy follow-up to Gimme Shelter in the setlist.)
Bonnie Raitt – Runaway (Del Shannon) (great re-arrangement, ace musicians. Tasty Norton Buffalo harp solo.)
Phil Collins - You Can't Hurry Love (Supremes) (worst. Great drummer but I never much cared for his voice or stage presence. I call Bruce Springteen "The Butt," but I call Collins "The Head." This is due to all of his early albums featuring close-ups of his unappealing countenance, not to mention the music for numbskulls inside.)
Phil Collins – A Groovy Kind of Love (Mindbenders) (worst)
I'm pretty sure the story goes like this: GF and Todd finished "Shinin' On" and the label said, "Great. Where's the single?" Back in the studio to work on something else, Todd started clapping a beat and singing' "The Locomotion." The band jumped in. Literally minutes later, they handed in the track. I think it's all one big sloppy mess, but a lot of fun.
also out of sequence - submitted last night but somehow vanished
not that it matters much but the proper order would be: 1=1; 2=4; 3=2; 4=3.
Mott the Hoople – At the Crossroads (Sir Douglas Quintet) (very kewel that they covered it but it doesn't surpass the original)
Mott the Hoople - Laugh At Me (Sonny Bono) (that's more like it)
Santana – Black Magic Woman (Fleetwood Mac) (great cover of a great original. Tagging Szabo at the end is even more genius. Cold ending into Oye Como Va is another tongue rape.)
Steppenwolf - The Pusher (Hoyt Axton in live club gigs- early incarnation, Sparrow, recorded it in 1966) (no one will ever surpass this cover. Axton's own version, recorded in the early 70's, is horrible. Slash and Chris Robinson failed on the former's most recent covers album. Chris is no John Kay and Slash is no Michael Monarch. A valiant effort nonetheless)
Three Dog Night - Mama Told Me to Come (written by Randy Newman but first recorded by Eric Burdon) (great cover. These guys never get enough credit for their creativity. The pianet through a Leslie was genius on the part of Jimmy Greenspoon. Nice atmospheric touches by Michael Allsup on guitar as well. Whether you're sick of it, or never liked it in the first place, it's still genius. Too bad producer Richie Podolor died. A documentary on him and American Studios would have been nice. Avoid the Stereophonics version with Tom Jones)
Chesterfield Kings - Street Fighting Man (ace)
Nirvana - The Man Who Sold the World ( (Bowie) OK, for them)
Patti Smith - Gloria (Them) (need I say anything - not mine either. get Smithicized)
Wet Willie - Shout Bamalama (Otis Redding) (smokes)
Deep Purple - Hush (Billy Joe Royal) (my favorite version)
Beth Hart fronting Slash's Blues Ball - Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker) (I know it's not from th 60's but I just wanna vent. Does it get any worse than this bitch? Horrible. Pissed me off when Jeff Beck let her sing for him a few years back, too. She's the worst!)
VR
also out of sequence - was supposed to go up last night - it said it did, but the rat bastards in the information highway let me down again. now all I gotta do is try to remember what I put down
Late note: Looks like they posted it nearly twelve hours after the fact. Must have been a bottleneck in the web. Any way here's the redo of the above from memory with a few embellishments.
Mott the Hoople - At the Crossroads (Sir Douglas Quintet) (very kewel that they covered it but it doesn't surpass the original. You can't live in Texas if you don't have a lot of soul
Mott the Hoople - Laugh at Me (Sonny Bono) (now that shows guts. They pull it off bigly.
Santana - Black Magic Woman (Fleetwood Mac) (fantastic cover of a fantastic original. Tagging Szabo on the end was genius. The cold ending into Oye Como Va is another tongue rape.)
Steppenwolf - The Pusher (Hoyt Axton at the Golden Bear; early incarnation Sparrow did it in 1966) (no one will ever surpass this cover. Axton's own studio version, recorded in 1971, is fuckin' horrible. Slash and Chris Robinson failed on the former's most recent covers album. Chris Robinson is no John Kay and Slash is no Michael Monarch. It was a valiant attempt but doomed from the start. Steppenwolf owns it and always will.)
Three Dog Night - Mama Told Me Not to Come (written by Randy Newman but first recorded by Eric Burdon.) (Great cover. These guys never got enough credit for their creativity. The pianet through a Leslie was pure genius on the part of Jimmy Greenspoon. Michael Allsup added some nice atmospheric touches on guitar as well. Whether you're sick of it, or never liked it in the first place, it's still genius. Too bad producer Richie Podolor died. A documentary on him and his American Studios would have been nice. It cracks me up they had Danny Hutton singing directly into the studio's toilet bowl to achieve the vocal sound they wanted for their excellent cover of Argent's "Liar." BTW avoid the Stereophonics' version of MTMNTC which features Tom Jones on vocals.)
VR
Chesterfield Kings - Street Fighting Man (Rolling Stones) (great with mucho snarl and harder guitars)
Nirvana - The Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie) (OK for them)
Patti Smith - Gloria (Them) (Need I say anything. Not mine either. Get Smithicized.)
Wet Willie - Shout Bamalama (Otis Redding) (rip-roaring smoker. quick and dirty.)
Deep Purple - Hush (Billy Joe Royal/Joe South) (My favorite version. Wolf call intro works for me and the rest speaks for itself. It should have been the opening track on the LP. Hit #4 on Billboard Hot 100. Kept out of top spot by Hey Jude, People Gotta Be Free and Harper Valley PTA. I kinda like Mark 1 Deep Purple. Saw 'em three times. Twice opening for Cream. Deep Purple used strobe lights on stage at the Forum for the Cream shows. They were super loud, which I don't have a problem with as long as it's clear and mixed properly. They came right out of the gates blazing with the two cover hits "Hush" and "Kentucky Woman." As often is the case, there were some issues and jitters on the opener. Still, they were super dynamic and knew how to pace and put on a show. I quibble because Blackmore could have been cleaner. For an opening band, they got a great reception. As the story goes, Clapton didn't like them and had Purple kicked off the tour after three shows. It was pretty apparent that Purple was trying to upstage Cream.)
Beth Hart fronting Slash's Blues Ball - Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker) (I know it's not from the 60's but I just wanna vent. Besides, Pat Boone's cover is from the 60's (2nd worst). Re: Beth Hart - Does it get any worse than this bitch? Horrible! Pissed me off when Jeff Beck hired her to sing with him on the 2006 tour. What do people hear in this c*nt! Her performance in this song makes me want to strangle her and dump her from the 30th floor of the Westin Bonaventure. The WUUUUURST with five umlauts.
VR
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