The History Of Modern Music Culture In Cover Versions
In the second decade of the 21st century, the mystifying art of the cover song has been almost completely corrupted by the incessant chirruping of all those desperate TV talent show wannabes and neverwillbes. Popstars, Pop Idol, Fame Academy, X Factor, The Voice, those programmes are everywhere, filling up every last minute of our dull weekends. Versions of old classics or recent best sellers remain their staple diet, watered down, homogenised, bland and very, very beige. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The first golden rule of doing a cover is if you don’t have any new flavor to add to the original, then don’t bother in the first place. In the hands of adventurous music makers, covers can be a great device for speaking in a more colloquial tongue. It doesn’t matter how deviant or extreme the execution, what matters is how that close encounter with a familiar melody or hook speaks to even the most casual listener.
Some re-contextualise the classic’s, some shine a light on the brilliant writing at the heart of the original, while others elicit a wry smile of recognition with just the right amount of humour and reverence. Despite the familiarity so central to their very core, covers are always at their best when offering an entry point into music that is beyond our normal experience, so providing an easy way in to those new listening experiences we all crave so much.
Listed here, edited down from literally hundreds and thousands, are some of my favourites from the past four decades in a vague attempt to tell the history of modern music culture in cover versions. Some you will know, some you will not, some are radical reconstructions, some just provide a bit of oomph, but all are suitably thrilling remakes, twisting perceptions of their original sound and meaning.
ONE
1. Muse / Feeling Good
Best Known release Nina Simone June 1965 LP ‘I Put A Spell On You’
2. Chris Eckman / Yellow Submarine
Original release The Beatles August 1966 Single
3 The Slits / I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Best Known release Marvin Gaye August 1968 Single
4 Laibach / Sympathy For The Devil
Original release Rolling Stones December 1968 LP ‘Beggars Banquet’
5. Paul Quinn & Edwyn Collins / Pale Blue Eyes
Original release The Velvet Underground March 1969 LP ‘Velvet Underground’
6. Flying Lizards / Sex Machine
Original release James Brown July 1970 Single
7. Saint Etienne / Only Love Will Break Your Heart
Original release Neil Young August 1970 LP ‘After The Goldrush’
8. Trent Reznor & Karen O / Immigrant Song
Original release Led Zeppelin October 1970 LP ‘Led Zeppelin III’
9. Sonic Youth / Superstar
Best Known release The Carpenters August 1971 Single
10. Black Box Recorder / Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide
Original release David Bowie June 1972 LP ‘Ziggy Stardust’
11. Placebo / 20th Century Boy
Original release T.Rex March 1973 Single
12. The Young Gods / Hello Hello I’m Back Again
Original release Gary Glitter April 1973 Single
13. Red Hot Chili Peppers / Higher Ground
Original release Stevie Wonder July 1973 Single
14. Alabama 3 / Hotel California
Original release The Eagles December 1976 LP ‘Hotel California’
15. Faith No More / Easy
Original release The Commodores March 1977 Single
16. Lily Allen / Mr Blue Sky
Original release Electric Light Orchestra October 1977 LP ‘Out Of The Blue’
17. R.E.M. / Strange
Original release Wire November 1977 LP ‘Pink Flag’
18. Jeff Buckley / Lilac Wine
Best Known release Elkie Brooks January 1978 Single
19. The Fall / Lost In Music
Original release Sister Sledge January 1979 LP ‘We Are Family’
20. Grace Jones / She’s Lost Control
Original release Joy Division August 1979 LP ‘Unknown Pleasures’
TWO
1. Afghan Whigs / Lost In The Supermarket
Original release The Clash December 1979 LP ‘London Calling’
2. LCD Soundsystem / Slowdive.
Original release Siouxie & The Banshees October 1982 Single
3. Aztec Camera / Jump
Original release Van Halen December 1983 Single
4. T.A.T.U. / How Soon Is Now?
Original release The Smiths August 1984 Single
5. The Futureheads / Hounds Of Love
Original release Kate Bush September 1985 LP ‘Hounds Of Love’
6. Luna / Sweet Child O Mine
Original release Guns’n’Roses July 1987 LP ‘Appetite For Destruction’
7. Sunday Girl / Where Is My Mind?
Original release The Pixies March 1988 LP ‘Surfer Rosa’
8. Tricky / Black Steel (In The Hour Of Chaos)
Original release Public Enemy April 1988 LP ‘Nation Of Millions’
9. Nada Surf / Enjoy The Silence
Original release Depeche Mode February 1990 Single
10. Polyphonic Spree / Lithium
Original release Nirvana September 1991 LP ‘Nevermind’
11. Ben Folds / Bitche’s Ain’t Shit
Original release Dr Dre December 1992 LP ‘The Chronic’
12. The Gourds / Gin & Juice
Original release Snoop Dogg November 1993 LP ‘Doggystyle’
13. Ryan Adams / Wonderwall
Original release Oasis October 1995 Single
14. The Vines / Ms Jackson
Original release Outkast October 2000 LP ‘Stankonia’
15. Eels / Get Ur Freak On
Original release Missy Elliott March 2001 Single
16. The Cliks / Cry Me A River
Original release Justin Timberlake November 2002 Single
17. Snow Patrol / Crazy In Love
Original release Beyonce May 2003 Single
18. Yael Naim / Toxic
Original release Britney Spears November 2003 LP ‘In The Zone’
19. Manic Street Preachers / Umbrella
Original release Rihanna March 2007 Single
