Tune du Jour: “Revolution” – The Beatles
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Flamin’ Groovies vs. REO Brothers vs. Billy Bragg vs. Stone Temple Pilots
VOTE, COMMENT, then DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF
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Damn, does this song ring true in these times?!!?
The Original
The Beatles:
Interesting Loose Interpretation
Nina Simone:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Flamin’ Groovies vs. REO Brothers vs. Billy Bragg vs. Stone Temple Pilots
Flamin’ Groovies:
REO Brothers:
Billy Bragg:
Stone Temple Pilots:
SPACE
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. It is your solemn responsibility to decide which cover song prevails. In other words … Which Side Are You On!??!
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
cover me impressed 
I’m too distracted by Kristi Noem’s husband’s cartoonishly large breasts to comment on the song. I’ll log on later.
Such a great power pop song! And seeing the video with those guys so young blasting it out …
Nothing at all wrong with the Flamin’ Groovies take but nothing that sets them apart either.
I don’t know who the REO Brothers are. They look like a bunch of teenagers practicing in their basement for the high school talent show. But, damn, that was an impressive cover!
My man, Billy, delivers a very Bragg-Meister-Esque version. That guy just can do no wrong in my eyes (and ears).
Stone Temple Pilots really have this song down and deliver just a superb in-studio version.
All excellent, reverent, and accomplished. My vote goes to Stone Temple Pilots.
I might have thought Flamin’ Groovies had the best chance of getting today’s vote, but the lo-fi lackluster version was disappointing and lacked luster.
Never heard of REO Brothers. They tried to recreate the original note-for-note. They were good at doing just that, lead vocalist included.
Stone Temple Pilots likewise did a cover very similar to the original.
Billy Bragg wins today’s vote by providing us with a little something different.
I agree that the Flamin’ Groovies was a little lo-fi and unenergetic. Billy Bragg’s version was certainly different, but I can’t say that I enjoyed it all that much. It was a tough call between the REO Brothers and Stone Temple Pilots. I really wavered. But I gave it to STP, as they really nailed it live. Definitely a greats song. My public school ran a talent show, probably in 1971, and my best friend Douglas got up there and sang this song. Poorly.
Lennon wanted to finally address some of the political topics which The Beatles had been avoiding. They had been asked about Vietnam but had so far been silent. He wrote Revolution as a slow bluesy shuffle and as they were working on The White Album wanted it to be their next single. Paul wanted to avoid controversy and he and George felt the song was too slow to be a hit. They revamped the arrangement but by this time Hey Jude was finished so Revolution became the B side. If you want to know where John got the guitar intro find Pee Wee Crayton’s 1954 track Do Unto Others. By the time The White Album came out three months later it was called Revolution 1 and the weird, long experimental collage was called Revolution 9. They were originally going to be one long track with the experimental piece following as the first part slowly faded away. Lennon decided it was better to separate them. Flamin’ Groovies played it too safe. Faceless, faithful, facile copy. REO Brothers offer nothing new. Impressively similar. In a clone war maybe a winner. Billy Bragg
delivers a shatteringly spiky, caffeinated and short take. Finally something different but not satisfying. STP were aided by the live video and it did allow for some spontaneity. An unenthusiastic vote for today.