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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
Pink Floyd’s first hit in the United States, Money, from the band’s seminal album The Dark Side of the Moon.
The Original
Pink Floyd:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Easy Star All-Stars vs. Indra Rios-Moore vs. The Squirrels
Easy Star All-Stars:
Indra Rios-Moore:
The Squirrels:
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.
Tommy Les Cappuccino & The Scarlettes vs. Mike Dennis vs. The Jam
Tommy Les Cappuccino & The Scarlettes:
Mike Dennis:
The Jam:SPA
CE
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.
Crooked Fingers vs. The National vs. The String Quartet
Crooked Fingers:
The National:
The String Quartet (aka Vitamin String Quartet):
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.
I’ve been a Puppet, a Pauper, a Pirate, a Poet, a Broccoli Man …
The Original
Ray Charles:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
The Barbarians vs. Andy Stokes vs. Toots & The Maytals
The Barbarians:
Andy Stokes:
Toots & The Maytals:
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.
And In My Hour of Need, I Truly Am Indeed, Alone Again, Broccoli …
“A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock & Roll” is one of those songs that is so brutally awful there should really be a class action suit against its producers for the personal pain and suffering it has caused to the multitudes. Who knows where I might be if I had never heard this audio-tripe? And given that it was a pretty big hit it is quite interesting how few covers there are of the song. It’s as if there is a concerted effort by all to erase that horrible memory from our collective consciousness.
Yet, this is a post that ultimately had to happen. Despite the deplorable memories that the mere mention of this song conjures up, it does have one ultra-fantastic redeeming quality. The incomparable Kelly Hogan and the ever-so-nearly incomparable John Wesley Harding collaborated on a version of “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock & Roll” that stands as one of my favorite covers of all time. They power their way through the tune with pitch-perfect harmonies, enhanced lyrics and a slightly chaotic score. Brilliant delivery, simply brilliant. Definitely a Cover Me Impressed Hall of Famer!
The Original
Donny & Marie Osmond:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Bill Funt, Carey Farrell & Steve Della Maggoria vs. John Wesley Harding & Kelly Hogan vs. An Unidentified Cockatiel
Bill Funt, Carey Farrell & Steve Della Maggoria:
John Wesley Harding & Kelly Hogan:
An Unidentified Cockatiel:
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.
I’ve been a Puppet, a Pauper, a Pirate, a Poet, a Broccoli Man …
The Original
Ian Dury & The Blockheads:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Nina Hagen & Freaky Fukin Weirdoz vs. Jewish Monkeys vs. Kurt Gober Band
Nina Hagen & Freaky Fukin Weirdoz:
Jewish Monkeys:
Kurt Gober Band:
Who knew that Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick was such a popular song with children?
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?!!?
Why Can’t You See, I’m A Stalk of Broccoli Incapable of Cheatin’ On You, Baby…
Well, as a matter of fact, I don’t like Billy Joel!
The Original
Billy Joel:
This is an example of a really poor song.
Nick > Billy:
And here we have an example of making a mockery out of a really poor song.
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Me First & The Gimme Gimmes vs. Mortanius vs. Yellowcard
Me First & The Gimme Gimmes:
Mortanius:
Yellowcard:
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.
From Waits’ sublime masterpiece, Rain Dogs, Downtown Train beautifully captures the romance, hopes and desires, insecurity and confusion, and, at times, overcrowded-loneliness of a New York City weekend.
As Bill Janovitz of AllMusic puts it: “The verses of Downtown Train are chock-full with more concrete and evocative images than all of the contemporary Top 40 pop hits combined; images like ‘another yellow moon has punched a hole in the nighttime,’ ‘The downtown trains are full/With all those Brooklyn girls/They try so hard to break out of their little worlds,’ and ‘you wave your hands and they scatter like crows’ ring of Ira Gershwin and Cole Porter.”
One rock critic observed “a Lou-Reedish guitar lead pervading the song” but, personally, I think Downtown Train has much more of a Springsteen-esque feel to it. Although, whether Waits was influenced by Springsteen or vice versa is difficult to say.
The Original
Tom Waits:
That’s former World Middleweight Boxing Champion, Jake LaMotta, in the video.
TheMost Popular
Rod Stewart:
Rod Stewart recorded a lousy cover version of Downtown Train that became a #3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late 1989, and was also a number-one single on the album rock and adult contemporary charts. Strangely enough, Stewart’s lackluster debasing of Downtown Train went to number-one in Canada – a country where people generally make intelligent choices – and made the top ten on the UK Singles Chart in 1990. And if all that wasn’t putrefying enough, Stewart also received a Grammy nomination for the song in the category Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. When asked to comment on Stewart’s version of Downtown Train, world renowned scholar and preeminent expert on cover songs, R.J. Dubbengoth IV, vomited profusely.
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Mary Chapin Carpenter vs. Rocking Chairs vs. Patty Smyth
Mary Chapin Carpenter:
Rocking Chairs:
Patty Smyth:
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.
The Scott Morgan Band vs. Samonikli vs. Thee Hypnotics
The Scott Morgan Band:
Samonikli:
Samonikli was formed in 1963 by four Belgrade high school students, initially performing primarily at school proms and college dance parties. By 1965 they were playing regularly at dances at the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Technology, which greatly expanded their fan base and led to wide popularity throughout Serbia. The band covered rock hits, as well as traditional songs, while their own songs were mostly instrumentals inspired by Cliff Richard’s band, The Shadows.
Thee Hypnotics:
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.
And In My Hour of Need, I Truly Am Indeed, Alone Again, Broccoli …
One of the ultimate good-time songs. Syrupy, schmaltzy, bubble-gum gooey and the like? Sure but what of it? Build Me Up Buttercup still manages to endure as a retro-cool song that has brought smiles to the masses. You shake your head in disagreement? Well let me put this out there. When was the last time David Johansen wasted time on a song of no musical merit? Yeah that would be never. Still, if your senses are somehow offended by this old, played-out standby then I suggest you take the day off and come back tomorrow. The rest of us will just relax and revel in the saccharine absurdity of it all.
The Original
The Foundations:
A Creative, Fun and Obviously Memorable Use of Build Me Up Buttercup
Everyone gets into the act (like literally everyone) at Carly Fearnley and Rikki Sjamsul’s wedding, July 27, 2013!
And a Creative, Fun and Obviously Memorable Cover of Build Me Up Buttercup
Julia Nunes and friends and friends and more friends:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
The David Johansen Group vs. Save Ferris vs. Twenty One Pilots
The David Johansen Group:
Save Ferris:
Save Ferris has informed me that this is not their cover song. Never a dull moment on CMI …
Twenty One 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 