Great Cover Versions

[FBOAB]

Zappa's version of Bolero. He played it live once in London on his last tour. A chap I knew went to the gig and the crowd were so blown away there was a silence of about three seconds before they erupted.

 

[Abitrary]

You can listen to a cover version I played in my sig link below....personally I think it's way better than the origional which was by some loser band from the 70's

That's not bad. Just a couple of production niggles though.

The drums sound like they've got one mike on them, or maybe just one on the bass and one on the rest of the kit. Get a mike on the snare as well.

The guitar is the best part, but too squidgy. Too much echo / reverb / flange whatever all over the distortion. Use stereo a/b effects to get the best out of a more natural sounding guitar.

The vocals are very good. Good voice and well recorded.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I double tracked the guitar solos having worked them all out note for note, the drummer is actually the singer as well..maybe he was singing down his snare mic

 

[Over The Hill]

I may be a bit Radio 2 these days but I really love the Glen Campbell version of Green Day's Good Riddance (time of your life)

If you have not heard it -

View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=37b_mlcQBN4


If you have teenagers you can learn the Glen Campbell version and REALLY annoy them by knowing the words as the original is a bit of a youth anthem these days.

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Kermit the Frog doin' Once In a Lifetime.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I've listened to all of the cover versions suggested so far and been rather underwhelmed (with the exception of Hendrix's version of Dylan - which even he prefers, and Cash's 'Hurt' - but then all his covers are rather fantastic). That first one was awful (the cover of Outcast) was awful. I've been casting around for one that I think is really good, and actually I am struggling. The only ones I think I really like are The Pixies' version of JaMC's 'Head On' and, on a related note, The Breeders' version The Beatles' 'Happiness is a Warm Gun'. But I'm not sure they are better than the originals...

 

[Kirstie]

Robert Wyatt's version of Shipbuilding is far better than Elvis Costello's. It sounds like he really cares.

Robert Wyatt is generally fab.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Robert Wyatt is generally fab.

Oh yes, now there is one I definitely agree on.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Johnnie Allan's version of Promised Land, complete with accordian.

Bryan Ferry with The Times They Are Achanging.

The Pogues, Dirty Old Town.

Rolf Harris breathing life into that pretentious crap Stairway to Heaven. Pity he didn't do the same to Imagine too, though Orville the duck might be more appropriate.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

Rolf Harris breathing life into that pretentious crap Stairway to Heaven. Pity he didn't do the same to Imagine too, though Orville the duck might be more appropriate.

and i thought i was the only one that thought of those tracks as a load of old tosh. imagine would have been long forgotten if lennon had lived to produce a back catalogue of tedium, á la mccartney

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Kermit the Frog doin' Once In a Lifetime.

And indeed, another Muppet doing "Time in a Bottle" by Jim Croce.

 

[Globalti]

Sharon Shannon & Friends - A man of Constant Sorrow
Cheryl Crow - Here Comes the Sun
De Dannan - Hey Jude
Eva cassidy - Over the Rainbow

 

[got-to-get-fit]

i like Dave Grohl's version of mcCartneys Blackbird

View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qeoOM0VcbtU&feature=related

 

[FBOAB]

Changed me mind - Mike Flowers and the Pots, Wonderwall. Class in a kind of pipe and slippers way..

 

[Maverick Goose]

Running for covers

MarK lanegan's version of 'Where did you sleep last night' from 1990 (had some blokes called Kurt Cobain on guitar and Krist Novoselic on bass as his back up band) probably inspired someone three years later, I did like the Nirvana version, not quite as good though

Mark Lanegan's version can be found on his album The Winding Sheet [his covers album I'll Take Care of You is well worth a listen as well]. Love Nirvana's version of DB's The man who sold the world too. See also:
Mudhoney-Pump it up [original by Elvis Costello]
Tom Waits-I don't want to grow up [original by the Ramones]
Echo and The Bunnymen-Paint it black [original by the Stones]
Madeleine Peyroux-The heart of saturday night [original by Tom Waits]
Johnny Cash-Solitary man [original by Neil Diamond]
Emmylou Harris-Waterfall[original by Jimi Hendrix]
Mark Kozelek from Red House Painters also recorded a whole album of AC/DC covers called What's Next To The Moon which makes them sound like lost Nick Drake songs.

Happy listening!