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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. 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.
David Bowie wanted to help out his buddy, Ian Hunter and his band Mott the Hoople, so he wrote “Suffragette City” for them to use. Ian said ‘thanks, but I’m looking for something better’. As the story goes, Bowie sat in the middle of his living room floor, cross-legged, all night, and by morning he had completed “All the Young Dudes”.
This rock ‘n’ roll anthem consistently finds its way onto critic’s lists for best rock songs of all time.
The Original
Mott the Hoople:
And The Guy Who Wrote It
Bowie waited two years before he played it live:
And this is from the Freddie Mercury Tribute Aids Awareness Concert. It features an all-star cast of Bowie, Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson and Queen. This classic clip also includes Bowie’s “Heroes” and ends with a touching tribute from Bowie to Freddie and all others with Aids:
I have never been a fan of Queen but my son, Sayed, insisted that I watch the movie “Bohemian Rhapsody”. He said I would enjoy it regardless. Man was he right! It is an excellent film. And I never thought I would say this but I just might be a fan of Queen now …
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Well … after those clips these bands have their work cut out for them with their covers. But I think you’ll find that they all acquit themselves quite well.
Robyn Hitchcock vs. Billy Bragg & Jill Sobule vs. Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs
Robyn Hitchcock:
This was an encore performance at a show in 2011 at the Three Kings pub in London, a show in which Robyn and company played the entire Beatles’ album “Revolver”. Yeah, what would you have given to be at that show!
Billy Bragg & Jill Sobule:
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs:
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.
Don’t know what it is about this song that makes me love it so much, but I do.
The Original
Procol Harum:
I get a kick out of this clip from the movie The Commitments
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Alton Ellis vs. Robyn Hitchcock vs. Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes
Alton Ellis:
Robyn Hitchcock:
Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes:
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 CLASH of Cover Tunes: Grateful Dead vs. Robyn Hitchcock vs. Lee Ranaldo
You used to be so amused, At Broccoli Man, and the carrot for a guitar he used …
“You can tell the size of a man by the size of the thing that makes him mad.”
Adlai Stevenson
Yeah I know this post requires a substantial investment of time. Blame it on Pete …
The Original
Bob Dylan:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Grateful Dead vs. Robyn Hitchcock vs. Lee Ranaldo
Grateful Dead:
Robyn Hitchcock:
Lee Ranaldo:
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?!!?
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.
You used to be so amused, At Broccoli Man, and the carrot for a guitar he used …
The Original
Bob Dylan:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Bad Religion vs. Robyn Hitchcock vs. Nena
Bad Religion:
Robyn Hitchcock:
Nena:
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.
Oh Look Out You Rock ‘n’ Rollers, Pretty Soon You’re Gonna Get Older…
What could you say? Last night we lost an icon, innovator, genius. David Bowie will surely be long remembered as one of the most talented, creative and bizarre musicians of our lifetime!
Enjoy a bevy of tributes to David Bowie. The styles and genres of these cover songs are as diverse as the man himself.
Absolute Beginners
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Carla Bruni:
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Ashes to Ashes
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Paul Dempsey:
Hezekiah Jones:
Happy Rhodes:
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All the Young Dudes
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Billy Bragg & Jill Sobule:
World Party:
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Changes
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Echo and the Bunnymen with Sharleen Spiteri:
The Illinois State University’s Clef Hangers:
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Heroes
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Magnetic Fields:
The Coal Porters:
Nico:
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It Ain’t Easy
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Hazel:
Kelly Hogan & Robbie Fulks:
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Jean Genie
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Camp Freddy:
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Kooks
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Brett Smiley:
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Life on Mars
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Robyn Hitchcock:
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain:
And of course it would not be a proper tribute without … ABBA!!!:
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Moonage Daydream
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J. Hell:
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Oh You Pretty Things
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Jun Jun Clinic:
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Rebel Rebel
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Iggy Pop & Lenny Kravitz:
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Sound and Vision
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Beck:
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Space Oddity
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Real-Life Astronaut, Commander Chris Hadfield:
(Shatner cannot be happy over this infringement of his territory!)
John Otway:
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Starman
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of Montreal:
Arcadian Walnut:
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Under Pressure
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Flaming Lips:
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Watch that Man
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The Fur Ones:
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Ziggy Stardust
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Def Leppard:
Massacre:
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A Late Addition
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“Life on Mars” happens to be one of my favorite Bowie songs. So when I saw this interesting rendition, I just had to add it to the tribute. Reminds me of the classic Procol Harem church scene in “The Commitments”.
By the way, if anyone has a favorite Bowie cover that is not included then please let me know. If possible I will add it.
Nicholas Freestone (organ scholar at St Albans Cathedral in Hertfordshire):
The Commitments: Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) and Steven ‘Soul Surgeon’ Clifford (Michael Ahern):
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Another Late Addition
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This next video is proof-positive of just how cool David Bowie was. From The Cher Show, Bowie and Cher begin a set collaborating on Young Americans, which is weird enough. But things turn completely bizarre as Young Americans morphs into a very long medley of bad songs. Bowie had to be suppressing laughter throughout yet on the exterior appears way-cool to the nth degree. Now I ask you, how many musicians could have pulled this off without looking completely ridiculous?
David Bowie on The Cher Show (November 23rd 1975):
I don’t recall feeling worse over the passing of a person who I never knew or met. Pete Seeger, quite simply, was one of my favorite people. He seemed to embody everything that was good in the world.
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“Turn, Turn, Turn”
Nina Simone:
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Always on the right side of the issues.
“Where Have All The Flower Gone”
Peter Seeger:
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Never bowing to McCarthy nor the seemingly endless procession of right-wing thugs to follow.
“Bells of Rhymney”
Robyn Hitchcock:
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Always ready to fight – nonviolently, of course – for the dispossessed and downtrodden.
“Little Boxes”
Pete Seeger:
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Always ready to speak his mind regardless of perils or consequences
“Waist Deep in the Big Muddy”
Dick Gaughan:
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And always, always, always optimistic of the future.
Broccoli For Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles … Oh Yeah!
The Original
Bob Dylan:
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The Cover Songs Competition
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Robyn Hitchcock vs. Neil Young with Booker T & the M.G.’s
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Robyn Hitchcock:
Unfortunately the sound quality is not the best on this live recording.
Neil Young with Booker T & the M.G.’s:
Live cut of Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues followed by a killer version of All Along the Watchtower
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 