Interactive Poll #16 - Under Cover

More notes continuing my first run-through of listening (I saw there are additions past this, will catch up with them, also, later on).

George:               The Sweet Child O’ Mine Suite of Entrants:  I have to say up front, I do not care for this song.  Don’t give up on me, George.  You’ll see, you won me over a bit.   But it’s a weird combination of things that makes me say that, personal things that the song represents to me, that I am not going to go into here.  However, I will listen to see what others have done with it.  Akasha “Sweet Child O’ Mine”  I like the take on it here.  It’s definitely a different song than the original, in terms of them making it their own.  Best Indian Fusion Instrumental Version “Sweet Child O’ Mine”  I REALLY liked this.  Makes me view the song from another viewpoint.  Luca Stricagnoli “Sweet Child O’ Mine”  This is also very nice. It’s a great melody, no argument on how it became such a smash hit.  Heimatdamisch “Sweet Child O’ Mine”  Definitely a novelty version of it, kind of funny, but also engaging.  Captain Fantastic “Sweet Child O’ Mine”  Huge Viggo fan here.  What a lovely, moving bit of film here.  A celebration of life and death.  Thank you for giving me a replacement for my original feelings about this song in a few ways. 

And on to the other covers:  Heimatdamisch “Highway To Hell”  Again, wonderful novelty piece, this.  Gave me a big smile.  😊  Placebo “Running Up That Hill”  Wow.  This is a very chilling version of this song.  It’s very spare and gave me chills.   Not easy to do.  The Harp Twins “Run to the Hills”  Can’t lose with harps and horses!  At least not in my world.  And I love it when there are these surprise covers from a corner least expected.  Beautifully done!  Hannah Williams & the Affirmations “Dazed and Confused”  Nice to hear, from a woman’s perspective.  Made me wonder how Janis would have covered it, Hannah did a great job of it.  Jake Holmes “Dazed and Confused”  Thinking about your mention of Page’s *ahem* odd track record with credits.  Yeah.  Nice version.  Primus “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”  Scary video!  Well done in Primus mode.  Dinosaur Jr “Just Like Heaven”  Nice!  I love the original and also this wonky, warpy version!  Really inspired.  😊  Charles Bradley “Changes”  Gorgeous version of a great song.  The voice of experience here.  Lots of great material, George. 

Mike:    Suzanne Vega “China Doll/Cassidy”  Suzanne Vega has done some really haunting material in her time.  This is one of those.  Elvis Costello “Ship of Fools”  My soul goes more to Suzanne, so far…but you’ve got some great stuff ahead, I can see.   Les Claypool “Battle of New Orleans”  Really interesting to me to hear this, I am not very familiar with Claypool outside Primus and of his collaboration with Sean Lennon, which I really enjoy.  Gov’t Mule “Soulshine”  This band always makes me think of someone I worked with, who had a great love of music and was a wonderful young man.  He died unexpectedly a few years ago, way, way too young to go.  I like to think his soul shines on, so thank you for this.  Chris Cornell “Billie Jean”  Really moving version of this.  Turned it completely into his own.  He was a real star.  Chills here, too. Jeff Buckley “Lilac Wine”  Another real star, born of another real star (at least in my universe, his father is one of my musical heroes).  He does a gorgeous version of this classic song.

The Anders:       Pomplamoose “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing”  I agree, turned a mainstream rock song into something different.  A little more depth than the original.

The Dark Elf:      David Bowie “Let’s Spend the Night Together”  I remember this one, of course.  Bowie was a pretty good rocker.  😉  Definitely the same song, definitely Bowie performing it. Gillian Welch “The Weight”  Classic song of course.  Nice rendering of it, it was made for this kind of presentation.  Punch Brothers “Brandenburg Concerto”  And now we have a classic-al song done in a bluegrass setting.  Wonderful!  Can’t help but wonder if Gabe Witcher (violinist here) is any relation to the harp builder, Jay Witcher.

Lewian:                 Senor Coconut  “The Robots” Done in a very robotic style, not familiar with the original, but this is fun to listen to.  Dominique Horwitz “Die Seerauber-Jen”  More Brecht covers…popular guy to cover, apparently, I remember hearing some in the 60’s.  This one, I don’t like as much.  Mona Mur “Surabaya Johnny”  Very dark sounding, as is fitting.  Grubenklangorchester “Bal sur Seine”  Cabaret style song, not being familiar with the original and also not being able to find a translation, can’t remark much on it, does sound interesting from your description.

Suitkees:             Van Halen “(Oh) Pretty Woman”  I really love the original of this song and am not a big VH fan, so not for me.  Kat Onoma “Radioactivity”  Like the broody music, kind of talk-y vocals, will this one return to my mind?  We’ll see.  An Pierle: “Paris s’eveille”  Another kind of talk-y vocalist, but she is much more engaging to my ear than the Kat Onoma vocalist. 

Had some listening time today.  First notes on the first few entrants, will pick up later on with more, as time permits.  This one is harder for me, as of course I’ve heard most of the originals and also plenty of the covers.  I will likely go for something where I’ve not heard the cover before.   

Raff:      In Living Colour “Memories Can’t Wait”  Blistering guitar, as would be expected from In Living Colour.  Definitely very much in their style as opposed to Talking Heads.  Patti Smith “Gloria”  Also made an iconic song completely her own.  Love both this and the original. RHCP “Higher Ground”  And here, also a classic done in another style than the original.  People seem to love ‘em, or hate ‘em.  Pretty infectious presentation.  Souixsie & the Banshees “Dear Prudence”  Another great 80’s act, this time taking on a 60’s classic.  Keeping the psych, yet updating the sound.  Annie Lennox “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”  Absolute classic Neil Young song, done with class by Annie.  Love her whispery vocal here, with the way-back vocal chorus effect.  Steeleye Span “The Black Freighter”  Love Maddy Prior and was lucky enough to see them play live.  Great pirate-y song.

I prophesy disaster:        Snakefinger “Magic and Ecstacy”  That was a wild romp.  Not quite sure what I think of it, yet.  Jimi Hendrix “All Along the Watchtower”  Arguably one of the BEST covers ever, hands down.  Zoot “Eleanor Rigby”  Another Beatles classic, this time done in a metal style.  Lots of pretty guitars in the video!  I kinda like the way they did this.  We’ll see if it sticks with me.

Cristi:    Johnny Cash “Hurt”  Another arguably one of the BEST covers ever.  He completely owned this song, his voice just took it to another place than the original, which also was very moving.  Talisman “Crazy”  Never heard this band before, quite a good cover of the song, which was also a great song in it’s original form.  WASP “Easy Living”  Done in a very WASP-y way, I still prefer the original.   Voivod “Astronomy Domine”  Also prefer the original here, that is one of my favourite PF LPs, so it would be hard to win me over with this one.  Heathen “Death on Two Legs”  They certainly did it differently, but it’s pretty hard to cover a Queen song and carry it off, at least for my ears.  The Wounded “Smalltown Boy” I really liked the original of this. This person does a biting off of lyrics kind of effect, I like the music the way they did it, but don’t care as much for the vocals, although I like the undertone vocal happening.  Smashing Pumpkins “Never Let Me Down Again” They did this well, it’s not a Depeche Mode song, the way that they’ve covered it. 

Logan:   The Unthanks “Sea Song”  Beautiful cover of a beautiful, wistful song.  Rachel Unthank & The Winterset “Sea Song” I’m not sure which one I like better of these two.  Will have to return to them to see.  Benjamin Clementine “Riverman”  I definitely prefer the original to this one.  I just love Nick Drake’s voice and the production of the original, it just has more depth and body for me.  Galixis “I Want More”  I love the cover (the galactic jumping horse).  Kind of a sugary, poppy feel to this one.  Souixsie & The Banshees “Venus In Furs”  Pretty bombastic, like the original certainly was.  I like Souixsie, but I prefer the original, when I’m in a Velvet Underground kind of mood.  Sid Vicious “My Way”  Excellent novelty piece.  😊 Jad&Den Quintet “Trilogy”  Very enjoyable.  I think I’ve seen them cover something else before.  Kind of fell apart in the scat part (for me), but in general, a very good cover, and obviously accomplished musicians.   180 Gs “Dirty Boy” Not a Cardiacs fan, this one just wasn’t for me.  Boofy Flat

"Hortz Fur Dehn Stekehn West"  Interesting, kind of a dark march feeling to this.  Not sure I like it, but it’s got an earworm sort of appeal even if it doesn’t appeal to me on some level.

Edited by suitkees - August 16 2020 at 10:55

"Soulshine" is a song written by Warren Haynes (from the Allman Brothers Band), but was recorded by Larry McCray originally.  A year later, The Allman Brothers Band recorded it on their album and it became a fan favorite.  Fast forward some years and Haynes formed the band Gov't Mule along with fellow Allman Brothers Band bassist Allen Woody, and Haynes took his song along with him.  My favorite version of this song is this one by Gov't Mule, a case where the original writer covered his own song and gave it the soul it always cried out for.

Raff wrote:   Anyway, a last song from me for today, which maybe Christian will appreciate, seen as the original version is in German ("Seeräuber Jenny", or "Pirate Jenny", from The Threepenny Opera by Brecht/Weill): (Video)

I started a playlist for all the videos posted. Even found a Youtube for the Boofy Flats cover of Magma that Greg listed. 45 videos and counting.

Edited by mathman0806 - August 15 2020 at 21:44

Raff wrote: Nickie, I used to have the Tori Amos album of covers, Strange Little Girls. Unfortunately, it got lost (together with another few CDs) during the move from Italy. Everything else I'd had shipped got here safely, with the exception of that handful of CDs. One of the great mysteries of life ! Anyway, that album is a bit of a mixed bag, including some excellent covers and others that are a bit meh. Anyway, a last song from me for today, which maybe Christian will appreciate, seen as the original version is in German ("Seeräuber Jenny", or "Pirate Jenny", from The Threepenny Opera by Brecht/Weill): Video removed for space

  Great choice here with Steeleye Span!