Archive for January, 2014

BSA: Question to the Readers

Posted: January 13, 2014 in Blog Service Announcement
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Blog Service Announcement

I’ve got a question for those who post comments regularly. Once you’ve posted a comment do you regularly go back to see if anyone has directly replied to it? I typically try to respond to every comment. But it recently occurred to me that I’ve never received a reply to any of my replies. Naturally my next thought was whether anyone was reading my replies and, if not, then was it worth my time and effort to reply? Understand, I’m not trying to shame readers into checking they’re posts. But I would like to get a better understanding of the reader’s tendencies and preferences. Thus, if you will then please let me know if you tend to return to posts after you’ve left a comment. I guess another point of interest would be, upon going to a post for the first time, do you usually read the comments and replies?

By the way, if would like to read replies to your comments but are not enthused over the idea of returning regularly to old posts to see if there is anything new then I’m pretty sure you can set the WordPress system to notify you when someone replies to one of your comments. Being the “administrator” I’m not sure how my menus differ from yours but, for what it is worth, I’ve got a menu called “Settings”; its submenu “Discussion” is where the e-mail settings are on my dashboard. If that is not the case for readers and you would like to know how to setup the e-mail preferences then let me know and I’ll find out.

Please reply below.

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Chita Rivera & Marilyn Cooper (West Side Story): “America”

Posted: January 13, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “America” – West Side Story
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: The Nice vs. Schlong
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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Broccoli For Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles ... Oh Yeah!

When You’re A Jet You’re A Jet All The Way From Your First Broccoli Buzz To Your Last Dying Day!

West Side Story is one of America’s most acclaimed Broadway musical plays. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is the story of forbidden love between a former gang member and the sister of a rival gang member.  Music for the production was composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim. The show, which opened in 1957, ran for 732 performances before going on tour (it had an even longer-running production in London). West Side Story was nominated for six Tony Awards including Best Musical (the award ultimately went to The Music Man). In 1961 a musical film of West Side Story was produced, starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris and Russ Tamblyn. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, winning ten including Best Picture. Ten Academy Awards remains a record for a musical film.

 

The Original Stage Production Version

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Rita Rivera & Marilyn Cooper:

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The Film Version

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Betty Wand & George Chakiris:

In the film West Side Story Rita Moreno and George Chakiris are the leading vocalists … or maybe not. Moreno’s singing was dubbed in by Betty Wand.

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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The Nice vs. Schlong

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The Nice:

Schlong:

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

Paper Lace: “The Night Chicago Died”

Posted: January 12, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “The Night Chicago Died” – Paper Lace
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: No Empathy vs. Yo La Tengo
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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Everybody's Dressin' Funny ... Cover Me Impressed!

Everybody’s Dressin’ Funny … Cover Me Impressed!

Many would argue that The Night Chicago Died is the worst song of all time. However, they’d be wrong. The song’s potential for infamy is limited to possibly being the second worst song of all time as Billy, Don’t Be A Hero currently and mostly likely always will hold the distinction of being the worst the music world has ever produced. Amazingly, both abominations were first recorded by the same band, the all-time abysmal “Paper Lace”.

The Night Chicago Died reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in 1974, reached number 3 in the UK charts, and number 2 in Canada. And why not? This assault on one’s sensibilities had everything you’d look for in a 1970’s hit: rudimentary, grade-school level verses, lyrics teeming with sappy emotion, a simple John Wayne good guys always win in the end patriotic mentality, a catchy chorus that stays with you like herpes and some electric guitar licks to enforce just how hip the song and, by extension, its listeners must truly be.

“Paper Lace” sent a copy of The Night Chicago Died to then Mayor Richard J. Daley who apparently hated it. So at least there is one minute reason to extend a very small modicom of respect to the man.

The Original

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Paper Lace:

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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No Empathy vs. Yo La Tengo

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No Empathy:

Yo La Tengo:

Beginning in 1996, Yo La Tengo supported the fundraising efforts of New York’s world-renowned independent radio outlet WFMU with annual studio visits. All listeners who pledged money during the band’s appearances were offered the chance to request a favorite song that Yo La Tengo would then attempt to perform; no rehearsals, no advance word of what the requests might be, just plug it in and kick it out. The spontaneous element is impressive and, at times, hysterical. It is from one of these sessions that Yo La Tengo’s version of The Night Chicago Died was produced.

Yo La Tengo is a recipient of CMI’s universally coveted title of Uni Victor Melodious Maximus in Adversarial Replication. Among the title’s myriad of rewards and benefits, perhaps most desirous is that it bestows upon the recipient the eminently yearned for privilege of having one’s name appear in print media in bold yellow.

Yo La Tengo’s triumphal performance in CMI’s THE CLASH of Cover Tunes competition is detailed below:

10/1/2013 – “Somebody’s Baby” (Jackson Browne) – Yo La Tengo (90%) annihilate The Gamits (10%)

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

Ada R. Habershon and Charles H. Gabriel —> A.P. Carter: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?””

Posted: January 11, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” – The Carter Family
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Mike Farris vs. Ken Parker
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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Broccoli Fields Forever ...

Broccoli Fields Forever …

Will the Circle Be Unbroken? is a popular Christian hymn written in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song pertains to loved ones now departed and the hopeful reunion with them in an afterlife. It is generally played to be uplifting to the congregation, and is a frequent standard in gospel revivals. Will the Circle Be Unbroken? was first recorded in 1912 by William McEwan.

In 1935, A.P. Carter, founder of “The Carter Family”, revised and added to the lyrics of Will the Circle Be Unbroken?, reworking it into a song concerning the death, funeral, and mourning of the narrator’s mother. Carter named his revised version Can the Circle Be Unbroken?. As others later covered his song, Carter’s revised version subsequently became most often referred to by its original name, Will the Circle Be Unbroken?. The version of the song most often played today is Carter’s but under the title of Will the Circle Be Unbroken?.

The Original

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The Carter Family:

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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Mike Farris vs. Ken Parker

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Mike Farris & The Roseland Rhythm Revue featuring the McCrary Sisters:

Ken Parker:

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

Gene Chandler: “Duke of Earl”

Posted: January 10, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “Duke of Earl” – Gene Chandler
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Alton Ellis vs. Youth Brigade
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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Broccoli Fields Forever ...

Broc..Broc..Broc..Broc-A-Lee, Broc..Broc..Broc-A-Lee…

Duke of Earl was penned in 1961 by Gene Chandler, Bernice Williams and Earl Edwards. The song rose to number 1 on both the pop and R&B charts. It held the number-one spot for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the Hot 100 for a total of 15 weeks. Duke of Earl was a 2002 inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was selected by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Duke of Earl has a rather interesting origin. According to Wikipedia, the song originated from warm-up exercises by the Dukays, a vocal group that included Chandler (under his original name, Eugene Dixon) and Earl Edwards. The group would regularly warm up by singing “Do do do do…” in different keys. On one occasion, Dixon changed the syllables he was singing to include Earl’s name, and the chant gradually became the nonsense words “Du..du..du..Duke of Earl”. The pair worked on the song with regular songwriter and mentor Bernice Williams, and then recorded it with the other members of the Dukays. However, the group’s record company was not interested in releasing the song, instead leaving Dixon with the offer of releasing it as a solo artist. Dixon changed his name to Gene Chandler (a surname taken from that of the actor Jeff Chandler), and the song was released at the end of 1961

The Original

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Gene Chandler:

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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Alton Ellis and The Flames vs. Youth Brigade

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Alton Ellis and The Flames:

Youth Brigade:

Everybody Now: I’m An Individual, We Are Individuals!!!

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

The Replacements: “Treatment Bound”

Posted: January 9, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “Treatment Bound” – The Replacements
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Asylum Street Spankers vs. Bright Little Field
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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Everybody's Dressin' Funny ... Cover Me Impressed!

Everybody’s Dressin’ Funny … Cover Me Impressed!

 

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An early classic from The Replacements 2nd album, Hootenanny.

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The Original

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The Replacements:

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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Asylum Street Spankers vs. Bright Little Field

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Asylum Street Spankers:

A great band from Austin, Texas. Their unique blend of  acoustic blues, early jazz and overall bizarre zaniness make for an outstanding live show. Catch them live or regret it later!

Bright Little Field:

Bright Little Field was formed by Nashville-based ukulele duo Tom Littlefield and Jonathan Bright after the two veteran musicians discovered their shared love for The Replacements. Although both men had done their share of kicking up a racket in their day, they chose a stripped down primal level – ukuleles, pots and pans – to pay homage to The Replacements. The result, Treatment Bound: A Ukulele Tribute to The Replacements, is one of the finer and most creative and enjoyable tribute discs you’ll find. (Mostly lifted from AllMusic)

Bright Little Field is a recipient of CMI’s universally coveted title, Uni Victor Melodious Maximus in Adversarial Replication. Among the title’s myriad of rewards and benefits, perhaps most desirous is that it bestows upon the recipient the eminently yearned for privilege of having one’s name appear in print media in bold yellow.

Bright Little Field ‘s triumphal performance in CMI’s THE CLASH of Cover Tunes competition is detailed below:

10/16/2013 – “Swingin’ Party” (The Replacements) – Bright Little Field (75%) wallop Popland (25%)

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

Paul Revere & The Raiders: “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”

Posted: January 8, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” – Paul Revere & The Raiders
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: The Alliance vs. Sex Pistols
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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Broccoli For Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles ... Oh Yeah!

Broccoli For Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles … Oh Yeah!

(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone was written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. It was first recorded in May 1966 by Paul Revere & The Raiders. The song was also recorded by The Liverpool Five, a “British Invasion” band, sometime in 1966. Some sources claim that The Liverpool Five actually released their version of (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone before Paul Revere & The Raiders. But this is probably inaccurate and, when you come right down to it, who really cares?

Between May and December of 1966, at least five bands released versions of (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone (i.e. Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Liverpool Five, The W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band, The Flies, and The Stillroven). The Monkees’ version of the song was also recorded in late 1966 but the album in which it appeared, More of the Monkees, was not released until January 1967. It’s somewhat mind-boggling. That’s a lot of versions of one song to be released within 9 months!

The lyrics, tone and pace of (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone are rather remarkable given its release date, providing an early taste of the punk genre to follow. Not surprisingly, it is a favorite cover song for many garage and punk bands.

The Original

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Paul Revere & The Raiders:

The Liverpool Five:

There are many that would argue The Liverpool Five’s version of (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone is superior to any that came before or after it. Given its superb quality and the chance that they did win the “race to release”, I’ve included The Liverpool Five’s version of the song in this section.

A quick tidbit of trivia: None of the band members of The Liverpool Five were from Liverpool (four were from London and the fifth from Cumbria).

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The Most Popular

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The Monkees:

The Monkees version of (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone enjoyed the most commercial success. Although released as a B-side, it reached #20 in the US charts.

And yet another tidbit of trivia: Although all stemming from the same recording, The Monkees’ single version, mono album version and stereo album version all slightly differed from each other.

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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The Alliance vs. Sex Pistols

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The Alliance:

Sex Pistols:

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

Bruce Springsteen: “Born to Run”

Posted: January 7, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “Born to Run” – Bruce Springsteen
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Cowboy Mouth vs. Suzi Quatro
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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Broccoli Fields Forever ...

At Night We Dine At Mansions of Glory Eating Sauteed Broccoli …

Let’s see, what can I say about the song Born to Run? Well, it’s a really good song. And if you have not heard it yet I think it would be worth your time. Oh yeah, and it would take a copious amount of buckets, chock full of moxie, to cover such a national treasure …

The Original

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Bruce Springsteen:

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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Cowboy Mouth vs. Suzi Quatro

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Cowboy Mouth:

Suzi Quatro:

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

Also, keep in mind that if you should spontaneously self-actualize while playing a cover then you could – and probably should – nominate it for Top 10 (i.e. “Impeccable”) consideration.

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

R.E.M.: “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”

Posted: January 6, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” – R.E.M.
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Great Big Sea vs. Pickin’ On Series
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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Broccoli Fields Forever ...

Broccoli Free Europe …

It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) appeared on R.E.M.’s 1987 album Document. It was released as a single in November 1987, reaching No. 69 on the US Billboard Hot 199 and later reaching No. 39 in the UK singles chart on its re-release in December 1991. In an interview with Guitar World magazine published in November 1996, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck agreed that End of the World was in the tradition of Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues (a song notable in that RDubbs does not particularly care for it).

The Original

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R.E.M.:

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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Great Big Sea vs. Pickin’ On Series

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Great Big Sea:

Pickin’ On Series:

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

Also, keep in mind that if you should spontaneously self-actualize while playing a cover then you could – and probably should – nominate it for Top 10 (i.e. “Impeccable”) consideration.

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

Nick Cave: “The Weeping Song”

Posted: January 5, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Tune du Jour: “The Weeping Song” – Nick Cave
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Jake Stone vs. Sibyl Vane
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
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DDT Did A Job On Me ... Now I Am A Teenage Broccoli!

DDT Did A Job On Me … Now I Am A Teenage Broccoli!

In deference to the recent anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy I chose the greatest song John Lennon ever penned to launch Cover Me Impressed. Needless to say it is beyond disheartening that 42 years after this brilliant plea for peace was introduced it is as pertinent today as the day it was written.

The Original

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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds:

It’s truly hard to imagine a more sophisticated and debonair dancer than Nick Cave. He’s got moves others can only dream of.

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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

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Jake Stone vs. Sibyl Vane

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Jake Stone:

Sibyl Vane:

Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?

Also, keep in mind that if you should spontaneously self-actualize while playing a cover then you could – and probably should – nominate it for Top 10 (i.e. “Impeccable”) consideration.

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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.

Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.

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