Archive for the ‘THE CLASH of Cover Tunes’ Category

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

Posted: January 8, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Tags: , , , , , ,
7
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)
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

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

space

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).

space

The Most Popular

space

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.

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

The Alliance vs. Sex Pistols

space

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?!!?

space

space

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
Tags: , , , ,
5
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)
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

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

space

Bruce Springsteen:

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

Cowboy Mouth vs. Suzi Quatro

space

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.

space 

space

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
Tags: , , ,
6
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)
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

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

space

R.E.M.:

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

Great Big Sea vs. Pickin’ On Series

space

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.

space 

space

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
Tags: , , , ,
6
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)
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

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

space

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.

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

Jake Stone vs. Sibyl Vane

space

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.

space 

space

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.

Hal Davis, Berry Gordon, Bob West & Willie Hutch: “I’ll Be There”

Posted: January 4, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
6
Tune du Jour: “I’ll Be There” – The Jackson 5
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Me First & The Gimme Gimmes vs. D.A. Sebasstian
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

"Free markets will not prevail without unfettered competition among cover songs." - Milton Friedbyrd

“Free markets will not prevail without unfettered competition among cover songs.” – Milton Friedbyrd

The Jackson 5 recorded I’ll Be There for Motown Records in September 1970. It became the Jackson 5’s fourth #1 hit in a row, making them the first black male group to achieve four consecutive #1 pop hits.

The most successful single ever released by the Jackson 5, I’ll Be There sold 4.2 million copies in the United States, and 6.1 million copies worldwide. It replaced Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through the Grapevine as the most successful single released on Motown in the U.S., a record it held until the release of Lionel Richie’s duet with Diana Ross, Endless Love (1981). Outside the U.S., I Heard It Through the Grapevine remained Motown’s biggest selling record with worldwide sales of over seven million copies.

The Original

space

The Jackson 5:

space

Another #1 Version

space

Mariah Carey & Trey Lorenz:

Mariah Carey included I’ll Be There as a last-minute addition to her MTV Unplugged setlist (1992), after she had been informed that most acts on the show commonly performed at least one cover. Carey’s label, Columbia Records, had not planned to release the unplugged version of I’ll Be There as a single but after receiving large-scale requests they relented. I’ll Be There became Carey’s sixth #1 single in the U.S., and her biggest hit elsewhere at the time.

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes vs. D.A. Sebasstian

It’s been hours since Me First & The Gimme Gimmes were represented on CMI and, quite frankly, I’ve been receiving a lot of complaints over the perceived slight. So without further ado …

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes:

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes 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.

Me First & The Gimme Gimme’s triumphal performance in CMI’s THE CLASH of Cover Tunes competition is detailed below:

10/15/2013 – “The Boxer” (Simon & Garfunkel) – Me First & The Gimme Gimmes (60%) stymie Material Issue (40%)

D.A. Sebasstian:

Don’t know what to say about D.A. Sebasstian other than that before hearing his version of “I’ll Be There” on a covers compilation disc, I had never heard of the guy. But his cover was easily the best on the album. Great fun, tremendous cover:

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.

space 

space

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.

ABBA: “Dancing Queen”

Posted: January 3, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Tags: , , , ,
6
Tune du Jour: “Dancing Queen” – ABBA
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Milo Binder vs. Robbie Fulks
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

Broccoli Fields Forever ...

Broccoli Fields Forever …

Dancing Queen was released by ABBA in August 1976. It is commonly referred to as one of the most successful singles of the 1970s. Dancing Queen became a massive worldwide hit, topping the charts in more than a dozen countries including ABBA’s native Sweden (where it spent 14 weeks at the top), Australia, Belgium, Brazil, West Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Mexico,the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway (where it charted for 32 weeks), making it the 11th best-performing single of all time in that country), South Africa and Rhodesia. Dancing Queen also topped the charts in the United States, ABBA’s only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a Top 5 hit in Austria, Canada, Finland, France and Switzerland. The song sold over three million copies.

space

The Original

space

ABBA:

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

Despite the substantial accolades described above this is truly an awful song. The 1970s probably produced the worst body of music in the last century and very possibly the entire history of the planet. And Dancing Queen certainly is exemplary in epitomizing all that was wrong with the 70s music scene; perfectly straight pearly white teeth centering witless, blissful, smiley faced “musicians” donning polyester, pastel leisure suits while assaulting the listening public with insipid lyrics that convey vapid bubble-gum bromides, which were required for the era’s pretentious dance gyrations and subsequent vacuous mating rituals.

Songs of this era are easily mocked and lampooned. Yet, the offerings below are unique and, quite frankly brilliant, in that they manage to make this disaster of a song (i.e. Dancing Queen) sound poignant and as far-fetched as it may seem, even enjoyable! Skeptical, are you? Well, bang on …

Milo Binder vs. Robbie Fulks

space

Milo Binder:

Robbie Fulks:

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.

space 

space

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.

Billy Bragg: “St Swithin’s Day”

Posted: January 2, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Tags: , , ,
6
Tune du Jour: “St Swithin’s Day” – Billy Bragg
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Ben Gibbard vs. Mary Lou Lord
Peruse, Comment and Vote (I Beseech, Implore and Urge Thee, respectively)
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

Broccoli Fields Forever ...

Broccoli, You’re My Reason To Get Out Of Bed Before Noon …

“It first dawned on Bragg that he was capable of writing such a song in the early 1980s. ‘I played “St Swithin’s Day” to the woman I was living with at the time, and she just burst into tears,’ he recalls. ‘I thought, “OK, that seems to have done the trick.” Because before that, having been a punk rocker, there were other ideas I was trying to get across, there were other feelings I was trying to get out of people.’” – Billy Bragg

space

The Original

space

Billy Bragg:

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

Ben Gibbard vs. Mary Lou Lord

space

Ben Gibbard:

Mary Lou Lord:

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.

space 

space

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.

Robert Burns: “Auld Lang Syne”

Posted: January 1, 2014 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Tags: , , , ,
6
Tune du Jour: “Auld Lang Syne” – Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Me First & The Gimme Gimmes vs. The Smithereens
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

Broccoli Fields Forever ...

Broccoli Fields Forever …

Auld Lang Syne was composed by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. The title may be translated into English literally as “old long since”, or more idiomatically, “long long ago”, “days gone by” or “old times”. Consequently “For auld lang syne”, as it appears in the first line of the chorus, might be loosely translated as “for (the sake of) old times”.

Robert Burns sent a copy of the original song to the Scots Musical Museum with the remark, “The following song, an old song, of the olden times, and which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down from an old man.” Some of the lyrics were indeed “collected” rather than composed by the poet; the ballad “Old Long Syne” printed in 1711 by James Watson shows considerable similarity in the first verse and the chorus to Burns’ later poem, and is almost certainly derived from the same “old song”.

Sang on New Year’s Eve for literally centuries, the first recorded version of Auld Lang Syne is believed to be by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians.

The Original

space

Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians:

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes vs. The Smithereens

space

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes:

The Smithereens:

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.

space 

space

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 Beatles: “A Day In The Life”

Posted: December 31, 2013 in THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Tags: , , ,
5
Tune du Jour: “A Day in the Life” – The Beatles
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Captain vs. Easy Star All-Stars
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

Broccoli Fields Forever ...

Broccoli Fields Forever …

A Day in the Life, the final song on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, was ranked the 28th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. Rolling Stone also ranked it as the greatest Beatles song.

The Original

space

The Beatles:

space

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

Captain vs. Easy Star All-Stars

space

Captain:

Easy Star All-Stars:

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.

space 

space

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.

P.F. Sloan: “Eve of Destruction”

Posted: December 30, 2013 in Reigning Pooh-Bah Maximus of Cover Tune, THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Tags: , , , , , ,
4
Tune du Jour: “Eve of Destruction” – Barry McGuire
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: The Dickies vs. Johnny Thunders
CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com     CoverMeImpressed.com

space

Broccoli Fields Forever ...

The Broccoli Fields They Are Exploding …

Eve of Destruction was written by P.F. Sloan. The song was initially offered to The Byrds but they rejected it. The Turtles then accepted it, including the song on their debut album, It Ain’t Me Babe, which was released in October 1965.

Eve of Destruction was first released by Barry McGuire in July 1965 with P.F. Sloan playing guitar on the track. Two months later (i.e. September 1965) Sloan released his own version of the song.

McGuire’s version of Eve of Destruction was a huge success, reaching #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the UK Singles Chart.

space

The Original

space

Barry McGuire:

THE CLASH of Cover Tunes

space

The Dickies vs. Johnny Thunders
The Dickies:

Johnny Thunders:

Johnny Thunders holds the distinction of being CMI’s Reigning Exultant Virtuosic Performer of “Eve of Destruction“. Additionally, Thunders is a recipient of CMI’s universally coveted title of Bi 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.

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

11/10/2013 – “Eve of Destruction” (Barry McGuire) – Johnny Thunders (86%) throttles The Pogues (14%)

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.

space 

space

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.

Older Entries
Newer Entries