Tune du Jour: “Instant Karma!” – John Lennon / Yoko Ono & The Plastic Ono Band
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: U2 vs. The Vitamin String Quartet vs. Midnight Oil vs. Paul Weller
VOTE, COMMENT, then DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF
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The Original
John Lennon / Yoko Ono & The Plastic Ono Band:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
U2 vs. The Vitamin String Quartet vs. Midnight Oil vs. Paul Weller
U2:
The Vitamin String Quartet:
Midnight Oil:
There used to be killer footage of Midnight Oil performing this song at an impromptu protest in downtown NYC on YouTube but, unfortunately, it ultimately got yanked …
Paul Weller:
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 like the original, but was somewhat disappointed in the covers.
U2 did a restrained, perhaps even pedestrian, version that failed to provide anything new or inventive.
I’ll allow the string quartet in the interests of providing alternative sounds and styles in the pursuit of covering revered hits of yesteryear. But this isn’t the type of cover that’s gonna get the vote. Nor am I tempted to listen a second time.
Didn’t care for the version by Midnight Oil, who failed to offer a new and creative take.
Paul Weller might not have changed the approach of the original, but brought enough energy and attitude to win today’s competition.
A really cool song. For whatever reasons, I’ve grown to love it more as time has gone on. But what’s with Yoko knitting blindfolded?!!? Admittedly beyond my intellect …
Straightforward as it may be, U2 hits all the right buttons on this reverent recreation. Can’t complain …
The Vitamin String Quartet … gimmick? Perhaps … but a quite pleasant one at that …
Midnight Oil takes an angst-driven delivery to the song. And Peter Garrett’s vocals work very well in this capacity. Excellent!!!
You would expect nothing less than perfection from Weller on a number like this. It just suits him to a T. And he does not underperform. Beautiful rendition with a great backing band and background vocals. Gotta believe that this take would have met with John’s approval (despite the lack of a blindfolded knitwit on stage!).
Weller and his able companions …
Instant Karma …. What a concept, if only if it was a bit more functional for some very obvious world-class asshole offenders
does seem to usually work whenever I make a questionable decision though …. go figure
U2 did a nice version, and Midnight Oil… pretty good
for some reason string quartet came up as unavailable
loved Wellers version, clear winner to me