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Cover Up Before You Head Out - 10 more interesting cover songs for your amusementJun 10 '05 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Why make something new when you can present something old in an entirely new light?
Ask a dozen people what post-modernism is, and you'll end up with a dozen different answers. Well actually, ten of those will probably be little more than blank stares, incoherent ramblings, or slack-jawed exclamations of "which what-ism?" Let's refine things and start again... Ask a dozen scholarly, intellectual, or well-read people what post-modernism is, and you'll end up with a dozen different answers. A few common themes will rise up again and again, though. The blurring of the line between kitsch and culture. An emphasis on the ironic. A re-interpretation of older works to create a new way of looking at the familiar. A juxtaposition of ideas that normally don't belong together in hopes of creating something unexpectedly enjoyable. No one ever talks about a post-modern movement in music, but aren't all those characteristics typical for good cover songs? Not the note-perfect mimicry of artists who try to make carbon copies of the original, but the daring, inventive artists who seek to turn a song on its ear and re-invent it from scratch. Aren't they truly post-modern? Probably, but we're not here to discuss philosophy. We're here for another installment of great cover songs that put a unique, offbeat spin on the originals. Before I get too bogged down, let's just start with the list. Sweet Jane by Stephan Eicher (originally by Lou Reed) If there were a do-it-yourself cover song kit out there, Sweet Jane would be one of the songs included. The song's sweet, laid-back riffs are so easy for anyone to slip thie arms around that dozens of artists have covered it over the years, each tweaking only one or two bits of the song, and each sounding almost identical. In the hands of Swiss electro punk artist Stephan Eicher, though, the song morphs into something completely unfamiliar and unexpected. The fast techno drum beat programmed into fast paced loops. The layered, half-sung half-wailed vocals that change the lyrics from something gentle and relaxing to something desperate and strung-out. The electric keyboard riffs that hint ever so obliquely at Baba O'Riley. They may all be a little to gritty and unpolished to ever rival the beauty of the original song, but they certainly take Reed's music to a place we would never expect to find it. (found on the EP Noise Boys) Baba O'Riley by the Waco Brothers (originally by The Who) Speaking of Baba O'Riley, The Who's classic dons an equally unexpected costume when alt-country roots rockers The Waco Brothers get their hands on it. Gone are the song's crisp, concise keyboard riffs, replaced by some deft electric guitar picking. It may not be as crisp as the original, but there's an undeniable charm here nevertheless. All of the crashing power chords make the transition intact, but now we've got a steady boot-kickin' drum beat to drive the song along, and a healthy drawl to add character to the vocals - not so much that the song falls into country music cliché, but just enough to give it a down-home charm. This new version continues to surprise all the way through to the end, where the original version's violin solo might feel right at home, but instead is replaced by some charmingly tipsy vocals from the band, drawling their way through lines of "lie, lie, lie, la la la, lie, inviting us all to sing along. (found on the compilation Whodunit: Chicago Knows Who) The Boxer by Colin Linden (originally by Simon and Garfunkel) The Boxer - epitome of dark, somber, introspective folk music from the sixties, and it survives intact through the translation to light, frothy, blues pop in Colin Linden's hands. There's still a bit of pain in the vocals, but Linden tempers them with a vaudevillian wink and smile overflows with charm. The back music, played by Linden on a lone acoustic guitar, bounced along with innumerable ragtime hooks and noodly riffs that can't fail to induce a smile. Equal parts goofy and solemn, and somehow the two feelings manage to play nicely with one another. (found on the soundtrack to Intolerable Cruelty) Mr. Blue Sky by Tony Visonti (originally by Electric Light Orchestra) While Visonti's version of Mr. Blue Sky (arguably one of the finest pop song from the last few decades) doesn't do all that much to redefine the rhythms and melodies of the original. Rather, Visconti stands out by blending Jeff Lynne pop sensibilities with the offbeat, avant-garde delivery of Frank Zappa. Distorted, filtered guitar riffs stand side by side with harpsichord fills as eccentric, homemade instruments fill in the rhythm line. Visonti weaves his way through the vocals with a deadpan half-sung, half-spoken swagger that drips with detached irony and undeniable hipster cool. (found of the compilation Tribute to the Music of Jeff Lynne) Shine by the Holmes Brothers (originally by Collective Soul) Grunge has never been my thing. The puffed up, gloomy bravado and tendency to take itself far too seriously have always gotten in the way. The Waco Brothers, though, have managed to strip away all the pretension and grime from Shine, recasting it as a blisteringly spirited gospel rock number. Chunky, brazen guitar licks mesh together with an energetic percussion line to create a spirited, celebratory spark. The brothers themselves harmonize their way through the plaintive lyrics with a joyous abandon. There's a feeling of down-home, front porch, folksy charm in the music, but at the same time it feels perfect for a sweltering, theatrical, southern gospel revival show. (found on the album Simple Truths) Blister in the Sun by Bruce Lash (originally by the Violent Femmes) Something about bongo drums can turn any song into the most tropically mellow of tunes, and that's exactly what Bruce Lash does with the Violent Femmes quintessentially frenetic, strung-out signature song. Gone are the sharp guitar lick and energetic hand claps, and in their place is a languid island rhythm built around simple hand drums with shakers and vibraphone fleshing out the sound. Lash dreamily croons his way through the lyrics, taking them to an outdoor beachside cabaret where the house band goads on pairs of starry-eyed lovers from behind a row of smoldering tiki torches. Who would've ever thought that a sound about self-gratification could turn into something so romantic? (found on the album Prozac for Lovers II) Sister Christian by Coheed and Cambria (originally by Night Ranger) Soft, gentle, folksy prog-rock. It's not what arena rockers Night Ranger had in mind when they first recorded Sister Christian but it's way for the fading, eyeball-roll-inducing song to find a brand new life. With its classical-sounding guitar riffs, its soft percussion riffs played by hand on the guitar bodies themselves, and the sweetly introspective tenor vocals with their soft harmonies, all of the excesses of eighties rock slide away and leave behind something poignant and expressive enough to delight today's emo kids, but still melodic and skillful enough to please the rest of us too. (found on the Coheed and Cambria web site) Midnight Rider by Willie Nelson (originally by The Allman Brothers) Forget the stark, stripped-down blues of the original version of Midnight Rider. Willie Nelson piles on so many rich layers of sound into his version and blends it all together so exquisitely that it feels like his version is the way the song is meant to be. There's a hint of country music in the mix, mainly from Nelson's southern drawl and the occasional slide guitar riff, but mostly it’s a powerful, straight-ahead rock song. The thumping drum beat. The dueling electric guitar riffs. The bluesy harmonica solo that crops up over and over throughout the song. Despite his country roots, Nelson manages to show up most rock bands of the last twenty years, claiming ownership of the song in the process. (found on the album It Always Will Be) I Believe In a Thing Called Love by Lemar (originally by The Darkness) If, instead of drawing their influences from Judas Priest and Queen, The Darkness had patterned themselves after Marvin Gaye, this is what I Believe In a Thing Called Love would have originally sounded like. Lemar actually starts off with a soulful cry of "mother, mother, there's far too many of us dying" before segueing into the song's opening verse. Lemar's lush, smoky electric guitar, the only instrument backing his voice, scorches its way through the tune with the dark sensuality that marks the best soul and R&B songs. It's not all somber solemnity, though. The rapid vocal gymnastics in the chorus, coupled with the giddy way Lemar squeals "guitar!" right before the bridge, let the song's irreverent tone survive intact. (found on the album Time to Grow) Wonderwall by Ryan Adams (originally by Oasis) So what if Ryan Adams and the Gallagher brothers all suffer from egos that often take center stage. Wonderwall is still a near-perfectly crafted pop song. In Adam's hands, the song turns from something grandiose and celebratory into something much more reserved and melancholic, but no less exciting. The simple acoustic guitar plucking rhythms mixed with gentle, drawn-out orchestral lines bring a classical feel to the pop sensibilities. Adam's reverb-drenched vocals seethe with pain and regret, adding intriguing new layers to a song that really benefits from a little extra emotional depth. (found on the EP Love Is Hell) There may still be too many bands out there afraid to take risks when they cover an older song. Some people are still content to make a carbon copy of the original. Fortunately, though, the post-modern re-interpretation of music will always rise to top of the heap. The songs listed here are just a few of the countless great cover songs out there waiting to surprise and delight us. And if you have a moment, be sure to also check out these previous lists of cover songs I've written: Close Cover Before Striking - the original Cover Me, I'm Goin' In - part II Quit Hogging the Covers - part III Don't Worry, We've Got You Covered - part IV Curled Up Under the Covers - part V  |
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