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Cover Me Impressed
With a focus on the 60's-90's music scene, CMI is a Paradiso for Lovers Cover Songs! Each post focuses on a particular song and provides its original and most popular recordings as well as covers versions. Patrons of CMI vote on the most deserving cover version, which will then live to compete again, battling other cover songs in a future post.
Bands, musicians, troubadours, and their ilk, submit your cover songs for future CMI competitions.
CMI welcomes the opportunity to introduce new artists.
Contact RDubbs at RDubbsTunage@gmail.com
Music Genres?
We've Got 'em Covered ...
Rock / Alt-Rock / Rock 'n Roll / Rockabilly / Indie Pop / New Wave / Old Wave / Surf / Reggae / Ska / Punk Rock / Psychobilly / Cowpunk / Alt-Country / Bluegrass / Folk / Croon-Tunes / A Cappella / Motown / Gospel / Blues / Rhythm & Blues / Jazz / Big Band / Lounge / Classical / Celtic / Bossa Nova / Worldbeat / Show Tunes / Cartoons / Bizarro / Musical Calamities
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.
Delilah was a big hit when I was growing up. I remember having to endure it many a time on the radio. But until actually researching it a bit for the blog, I could not have told you anything pertaining to what it was about. Can you? Well it’s a real killer … literally. It’s about some character who, while approaching his woman’s house for an impromptu visit, spies her through the blinds cavorting about, if you know what I mean. In a rage he beats on her door (“Why, Oh Why, Delilah?), upon entering promptly slices her to ribbons and then begs for her forgiveness. Nice tune.
In searching an apt competitor for John Otway’s version it was interesting to find that virtually everyone who covered this song did so in mocking fashion. Other than Tom I don’t know that anyone took it seriously. Although, when your crooning about heinous atrocities how could you keep a straight face? Given the subject matter it is surprising and unfortunate that my man, Nick Cave, never added his special kind of magic to this number. However, I did come across a cover of Nick belting out, and I kid you not, I Just Stopped in To See What Condition My Condition Was In (but that’s for another post on another day).
The Original
Tom Jones:
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The Cover Songs Competition
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I found five or six excellent covers of Delilah. It was quite difficult choosing who would compete.
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Flogging Molly vs. John Otway
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Flogging Molly:
For reasons you’ll soon find out, Flogging Molly refers to their version as De (That’s All Right) Lilah:
John Otway:
Bit of a long intro but John can be a little verbose during live shows. But what can you do? The guy’s got a lot on his mind and thankfully he’s willing to share it!
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.
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.
Don’t know why Eek, Youtube and the Music Gods have chosen this particular video to give me such a hard time with … I would posit the cause being that the Music Gods are still justifiably enranged and vengeful from yesteryear’s misplaced reverence of the clown-show that was Led Zeppelin. In the name of Jah, haven’t you heard the word of EC yet? Clowntime is OVER! He and others like him were sent to us so we could appreciate and learn from intelligent, mind-expanding, poignant, witty music, and should never again be subjected to carnival sideshows like the Zep. Oh fear ye, you irreverent heathens who continue to lend your ears to the purveyors of blaring tripe. Yes, fear the barkers of clangor. Repent! Repent! Repent! Gnash your teeth, bend your knees before your “media play device” (if it adorns your head then that’s fine too) and allow it to lavish your abode with melodious absolution. But first hit the play button below and give Eek your fullest attention.
Dubbenmeister Blog Radio
Eek-A-Mouse: DY’er Mak’er:
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.
“Ain’t No Sunshine” is ranked 285th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song won the Grammy for Best R&B Song in 1972.
Beautiful, beautiful song and if you don’t think so you’re flat out wrong …
The Original
Bill Withers:
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The Cover Songs Competition
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Ladysmith Black Mambazo with Des’ree vs. Me First & The Gimme Gimmes
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Ladysmith Black Mambazo with Des’ree:
Me First & The Gimme Gimmes:
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.
You know something? She just might make it after all …
The Original
I was kinda always partial to Rhoda. Perhaps my parents should have sought help for me way back then.
Theme Song to the Mary Tyler Moore Show (Sonny Curtis):
And the Ensuing Made-for-Radio Release (Sonny Curtis):
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The Cover Songs Competition
Rough and tumble match here between a couple of eccentric trailblazers.
Husker Du vs. Opal Foxx Quartet
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Husker Du:
Minneapolis punkers made an obvious choice in covering Minny-based Mary Tyler Moore show.
Opal Foxx Quartet:
For those unfamiliar with this extraordinarily bizarre, creative, endearing, at times brilliant and at other times horrendous, ensemble, the ten-piece band was fronted by Atlanta-based instituion Benjamin Smoke, a proudly irreverent drag queen with a gruff voice (think Tom Waits on a really off night) and trenchant wit. What Benjamin lacked in talent was amply made up for by attitude.
Benjamin was a part of the underground Atlanta music scene from the early 1980’s through most of the 1990’s before succumbing to illnesses related to AIDS in 1999. Somewhere along the line Patti Smith caught his act, was duly impressed and two wound up becoming good friends. About a year after his death a rather interesting documentary (Benjamin Smoke) was released about Benjamin’s life and times.
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.
I think Celtic Soul might be a Van Morrison tribute band, which would ordinarily warrant certain preclusion from the blog. But I could not find anyone else brave enough to lock horns with Bettye and CS does put forth a fine effort…
Bettye LaVette:
Check out these superlatives for one of Bettye’s recent releases (i.e. Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook):
“A great record. Put me in the Bettye Lavette fan club.” – Keith Richards
“Bettye is reinventing and reclaiming a soul singing tradition all at once.” – Pete Townsend
“This Record is so full of life it hurts.” – Jon Bon Jovi
“Her performance of ‘Love Reign o’er Me’ will bring you to tears.” – Dave Grohl
“Bettye is blessed with an instantly recognizable voice full of power & emotion.” – Steve Winwood
“Bettye has recorded an amazing version of ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me’.” – Elton John
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.
The consummate union song, “Which Side Are You On?”, was written by Florence Reece in 1931. Reece was the wife of Sam Reece, a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, Kentucky. In 1931, the miners of that region were locked in a bitter and violent struggle with the mine owners. In an attempt to intimidate the Reece family, Sheriff J. H. Blair and his men (hired by the mining company) illegally entered their family home in search of Sam Reece. Sam had been warned in advance and escaped, but Florence and their children were terrorized in his place. That night, after the men had gone, Florence wrote the lyrics to “Which Side Are You On?” on a calendar that hung in the kitchen of her home. She took the melody from a traditional Baptist hymn, “Lay the Lily Low”, or the traditional ballad “Jack Munro”. (Mostly extracted from Wikipedia, so who knows if any of it is accurate; but it makes for a nice blog intro.)
The first first studio release of “Which Side Are You On?” was recorded in 1941 by The Almanac Singers. The Almanac Singers was a politically and socially progressive folk band founded by Millard Lampell, Lee Hays, Pete Seeger, and Woody Guthrie. The group’s line-up often expanded and contracted as new members, as well as Woody, came and went regularly. Woody once famously referred to The Almanac Singers as “the only group in the world that rehearsed on stage.”
Over the years “Which Side Are You On?” has been a staple for union organizing as well as worker demonstrations and strikes. The song has been covered by many and the lyrics have often been revised to reflect current political, economic and social issues.
The Original
The Almanac Singers:
Florence Reese:
This is surely one woman not to be trifled with!
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The Cover Songs Competition
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Billy Bragg vs. Dropkick Murphys
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Billy Bragg:
Dropkick Murphys:
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.
Sonny Bono supposedly wrote this song in angst after being refused service at a Los Angeles restaurant for wearing what the owner considered to be bizarre attire. Sonny has often been the butt of jokes, many times deservedly so, yet the guy actually had some talent and could write a decent song every now and then. I would argue that this is one of them.
The Original
Sonny Bono:
This is an alternate version. The sound quality is not nearly as good but it’s worth checking out just to see the controlled rage Sonny seems to be in as he sings the lyrics.
The Cover Songs Competition
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Otis Ball vs. Mott the Hoople
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Otis Ball:
Mott the Hoople:
You don’t suppose Ian Hunter could have related to these lyrics, possibly turning a few heads every now and then with his look? He obviously dug the song, resurrecting it for live shows during his solo career.
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.
The sound quality on this one is not nearly as good but it is a great old live video of The David Johansen Band. Make sure to take a look at about the 3:40 mark of the video; David is buffooning about the audience when he takes a quick step and very nearly gets clocked by one of the roving cameras:
The Slackers:
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.
cover me impressed 