If parlour games are the new pub crawls in this season of the siccness then who's down for a round of Great Cover Versions? A Great Cover Version doesn't necessarily have to be better than its source material, but it does need to bring summat slightly different to the table and jam in its own right. All genres and eras are welcome, as are artists covering their own songs. What's not welcome are any of Tricky's shitty Bwistolian whisper-wap cover versions of 80s Rap classix, or any remakes of Children's Story which are all superfluous.
Howlin' Wolf - Evil (psychedelic version) (1969)
Fun Boy Three ft. Bananarama - It Ain't What You Do.. (1982)
Bananarama ft. Fun Boy Three - Really Saying Something (1983)
Isaac Hayes - Walk On By (1969)
Kreayshawn - Not My Job (2019)
Walter Murphy - A Fifth Of Beethoven (1977)
Notorious B.I.G - B.I.G. (Interlude) (1997)
Santana - Oye Como Va (1974)
Them - Baby, Please Don't Go (1964)
Baby Huey - A Change Is Going To Come (1971)
N.O.R.E - Colors (2002)
Soft Cell - Tainted Love (1981)
The Jackson 5 - I'll Bet You (1970)
Def Squad - Rapper's Delight (1997)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower (1968)
Madness - One Step Beyond (1979)
Big Drill Car - Surrender (1993)
The Mohawks - The Champ (1968)
Biz Markie - Bennie & The Jets (1995)
Joe Williams & The Jazz Orchestra - Get Out My Life, Woman (1966)
Cat Power - Ramblin' (Wo)man (2008)
Young Holt Unlimited - Light My Fire (1969)
Shirley Bassey - Light My Fire (1970)
Yung Cat - Killa City Party (2017)
The Sonics - Money (1965)
Neil Falconer - Peter Gunn (Spy Hunter Theme) (1983)
Charles Bradley - Changes (2016)
The Cramps - Fever (1980)
Akinyele - Coochie (1999)
Incredible Bongo Band - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1973)
Al Green - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (1972)
Too $hort - I Need A Freak (1997)
Aretha Franklin - Respect (1967)
Nirvana - Molly's Lips (1992)
Ms. Kane of Legit Ballaz - I Ain't The One (2003)
ESG - Moody (Spaced Out) (1983)
Link Wray & The Raymen - Batman Theme (1966)
DJ Jazzy Jeff ft. Peedi Crakk - Brand New Funk 2k7 (2007)
AllStar Lee - The Fresh Prince Of Brick Mile (2017)
Ramsey Lewis - Back In The U.S.S.R (1968)
Melissa Auf Der Maur & Karen Elson - Devil's Plaything (2002)
Juiceboxxx - Dead End America (2018)
Necro - I Need Drugs (2000)
Maceo & The Macks - Soul Power '74 (1974)
I love the Roots cover of Men At Work.
ReplyDeleteThat changes cover ooh wee
ReplyDeleteCalling foul on the rap inclusions that aren't Snoop n Biggie here cos for the most part theyre remakes n in akinyeke n necros case, basically parodies/answer songs. Snoops the only rapper to repeatedly take on the fools errand of straight up covering rap songs, the man can't stop n he often succeeds somehow. Some songs are beyond sacrosanct eg rappers delight n sucker MCs as anyone who's heard spice 1s worthless go at it can attest.
Had no idea One Step Beyonds a cover, og goes v hard.
Brand New Funk might be my fav rap remake it's just perfect
ReplyDeleteJodeci - “Lately”
ReplyDeleteDonal, if they somehow stick to the structure of the original then it's a cover, imho.
ReplyDeleteBunch of covers I dig:
ReplyDeleteDick Dale & His Del-Tones - Miserlou (1963)
The Beatles - Twist And Shout (1964)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Hey Joe (1967)
The Whatnauts - Message From A Black Man (1970)
Jimmy Ponder - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (1974)
The Clash - I Fought The Law (1979)
Soft Cell - Tainted Love (1981)
Siouxsie And The Banshees - Dear Prudence (1984)
Los Lobos - La Bamba (1987)
Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (1990)
Beats International feat. Lindy Layton - Dub Be Good To Me (1990)
Iron Maiden - Doctor, Doctor (1996)
Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal (2001)
Johnny Cash Hurt (2002)
Jonathan Davis - Love On The Rocks (2003)
The Bambi Molesters - Siboney (2010)
Carpenter Brut - Maniac (2017)
Pyramidos - Fotia Me Fotia (2020)
Curtis Mayfield Edition:
ReplyDeleteAin't No Love Lost - Patti Jo
Give Me Your Love - Sisters Love
Right On For The Darkness - Willie Wright
Mighty Mighty - Jesse Anderson
Hard Times - Curtis Mayfield (covering his own track
Bonus Smackhead Beats:
Home Is Where The Hatred Is - Esther Phillips
Great call on Ain't No Love Lost.
ReplyDeletePrefer the Patti Jo original of Make Me Believe In You to the Curtis Mayfield cover meself.
Janis Joplin "Summer time"
ReplyDeleteBjork "Like someone in love"
Madness "It must be love"
Ella Fitzgerald "Sunshine of your love"
Bodycount "Hey Joe"
Jimmi Hendrix Experience "hey Joe"
Robbie Wiliams "Angels"
House Martins "Caravan of love"
Lauryn Hill "Can't take my eyes off of you"
ReplyDeleteFugees "Killing me softly"
Fugees "No woman, nuh cry"
Joey Ramone "What a wonderful world"
En Vogue "yesterday"
I forgot It Must Be Love was a cover too.
ReplyDeleteGonna start with some Ice-T related choices:
ReplyDeleteMachine Head - Colors (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfYjilEH2h8)
Body Count - Hey Joe and also their hilarious version of Institutionalized (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9jXnZS3ouU).
E-Town Concrete - The World Is Yours and There Goes The Neighborhood are pinnacle wiggerism in the best way possible. Especially the live version of TGTN.
Tori Amos covering Rain In Blood was completely random and then again kinda cool.
Moby - Sailing On, works suprisingly well.
Sheer Terror - Boys Don't Cry (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvKUL3Vbzps)
The banter for that one is gold.
Judge - When The Levee Breaks (One of my fave Led Zeppelin songs, complete with the harmonica solo)
Not quite a cover, more an hommage, but Freddie Gibbs & 03 Greedo is a cool one.
Fuck, can't believe I forgot the Body Count version of Institutionalized.
ReplyDeleteI think my previous post might have succumbed to Covid-19. One more try:
ReplyDeleteDick Dale and His Del-Tones - Miserlou (1962)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Hey Joe (1967)
Henry Mancini - The Windmills of Your Mind (1969)
The Whatnauts - Message from a Black Man (1970)
The Professionals - Theme from The Godfather (1973)
Jimmy Ponder - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (1974)
The Clash - I Fought the Law (1977)
Soft Cell - Tainted Love (1981)
Siouxsie And The Banshees - Dear Prudence (1984)
Beats International feat. Lindy Layton - Dub Be Good To Me (1990)
Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break My Heart (1990)
Was Not Was - Papa Was A Rolling Stone (1990)
Iron Maiden - Doctor, Doctor (1996)
The Minibosses - Wizards and Warriors (2000)
Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal (2001)
The Bambi Molesters - Siboney (2010)
Charles Bradley - Changes (2015)
Carpenter Brut - Maniac (2017)
Ok well in that case a looser homage ive been playing a lot lately is Guccis Colors
ReplyDeleteOn a sadder note, this has gotta top any worst covers list you ever make Lol:
https://youtu.be/eUnRmtgfTUc
The Black Star version of Children's Story can suck a fat dick. Yeltsin Beyonce backpedaling like a motherfucker after Puffy stepped to him.
ReplyDeletedevin the dude - party
ReplyDeletealso have a soft spot for Snoops cover of paid in full, "paper'd up" . Does a really elegant job of covering, because it simultaneously pays homage to Erick b & Rakim and the original sample, Don't look any further . And its the best kokane and snoop duet since Tha Last meal.
links:
ReplyDeletedevin the dude feat. kb and man child - party
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h0vI7wDthQ
snoop dogg feat. kokane - paper´d up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wMj9DeMiXI
Dennis Edwards ft. Siedah Garrett - Don't Look Any Further (Official Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH3rx8LhrQo
Another good Rakim cover is G-Dep's Doe Fiend.
ReplyDeleteAt least mos def could rap sometimes, not sure if im more embarrassed by kweli gushing over all the cRap lamestream artists he interviews on his podcast or joe buddens recent request for a “dungeon fam vs organized noize” ig beat battle
ReplyDeleteBgs I Want It n Waynes ABC good NO ones
Off top of my head snoops covered the show, vapours, loves gonna getcha, gangsta gangsta, the symphony n cinderfella dana dane. Thats not even half of em! Deep cover 4 real
Covers without some major twist/veering from the script are pointless in rap imo, too autobiographical n not enough room for interpretation i think, that said e-40s Big Ballin With My Homies is a criminal omission from this list 😱
ReplyDeleteCos of this post i just learned whosampleds started properly differentiating covers/samples etc in a way that makes some kinda sense which im v happy bout
I did consider Big Ballin'.. but ditched it because he completely switched the title. Definitely would have included it if he'd called it Posse In Vallejo or Posse On The Turf, though 😄
ReplyDeleteZZ Top -- I gotsta get pid (25 lighters)
ReplyDeleteBreeders -- Happiness is a warm gun
Amy Lee -- Halfway down the stairs (H/T to you for this one!)
Pabllo Vittar -- Open Bar
Does Let's get down by Tony Toni Tone + Dj Quik count as a cover of Teen spirit?
More of an interpolation than a cover, imho.
ReplyDeleteGood call on the ZZ Top version of 25 Lighters.
Rage against the machine "Microphone fiend"
ReplyDeleteTori Amos "Like a Prayer"
The Beatles "Twist 'n shout"
Little Richard "Dock of the bay"
Zapp & Roger "Heard it through the grape vine"
Otis Redding "I can't get no satisfaction"
Johnny Cash "Hurt"
Johnny Cash "In my life"
Lisa Stansfield "Lay your hands on me"
Disqualifying RATM. Their Rap covers are even worse than Trickys.
ReplyDeleteTwist & Shout is a very good call, albeit the Isley Brothers version not the Beatles' one.
Butthole Surfers American Woman, Deerhoof Pour Some Sugar on Me and Roseanne singing the national anthem (America).
ReplyDeleteJust the man i wanna see. You heard from Nyquil?
ReplyDeleteI haven't talked to him since a couple days before he left for South America. Phone convo. I think he's ~5 phones past that number now. I'll do a little more investigating today.
ReplyDelete(I did talk to Thomas last week. He's "thumbs up.")
Happy to see Fred referencing E-Town Concrete in here.
ReplyDeleteBoth of my previous attempts at posting a list of great cover songs seem to have disappeared into the ether.
ReplyDeleteSpartan - try again. Or pm them me plz.
ReplyDeleteJesse - last I heard he was checking himself into a Bolivian rehab just before Corona broke 😕
Can't forget about some N.O. classics:
ReplyDeleteThe Dixie Cups - Iko Iko -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBl2G8Bd-aI
Partners N Crime - N.O. Block Party -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWW6rpb_GbU
Team Toon - My Hot Girl -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-sq9-Y-KcI
And another contender for worst cover:
Captain Jack - Iko Iko -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_8IifQjYuI
And does Terrence Howard's version of 'Hard Out Here For A Pimp' count as a cover of the Three 6 version? Didn't think so.
Ffs can't believe I forgot My Hot Girl 😳
ReplyDeletesome that I enjoy:
ReplyDeleteMaster P - 6 N Tha Morning
Black Flag - Louie Louie
Mudhoney - Hate The Police
Dirtbombs - Cosmic Cars
oh yeah Pissed Jeans have done a belting cover of GnR's "It's So Easy" but only live on youtube
The Fall - a few but let's say Lost In Music
fuckin hell forgot loads
ReplyDeleteTiga & Zyntherius - Sunglasses At Night
Dead Kennedys - Take This Job And Shove It
The Specials - Monkey Man
Killdozer - I'm Not Lisa
The Ready Men - Shortnin' Bread
Added Soul Power '74 by Maceo & The Macks to my list. Absolute glaring ommission.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about The Specials, but went for Fun Boy Three instead. Obvs there's also their version of Our Lips Are Sealed.
The disdain for Tricky is real.
ReplyDeleteOnly decent song he ever did was Christiansands, and half of its appeal comes from it soundtracking that scene in Face/Off.
ReplyDeletecan’t believe sid vicious “my way” isnt on here because i swear you put me on!
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/rDyb_alTkMQ
it’s basically a jazz standard and im guessing some actual jazz heads have done it better but andré 3000’s “my favorite things” off the love below is also pretty great
would argue the clash doing “police & thieves” is superior to their “i fought the law”
practically the only good thing either of will smith’s spawns have done is willow’s cover of “easy easy” by king krule
https://m.soundcloud.com/dhatu/easy-easy-cover-willow-smith
Tru re: My Way.
ReplyDeleteSid woz innocent!!! It woz NY drug dealers wot murdered Nancy.
Because I'm in a Baton Rouge Youtube video streak, I found these
ReplyDeleteBoosie's Wonder Why Your Child So Bad done by
YB For Initials x Jungle Muzik Larry x Lil Mike 23- Child So Bad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRys5hrUexc&list=WL&index=85
&
GC PNutt - Mama Wonder Why Ya Child So Bad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVkialcYtQg&list=WL&index=83
+ NBA YoungBoy's 38 Baby done by
Jungle Muzik Larry- 40 Glock Baby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI8zhmkGK5I&list=WL&index=84
I was tryna think if Boosie has ever done a cover. Beatjacks and sequels? Yes. but covers? Not that I can remember.
ReplyDeletecam'ron did at least 2 covers, and there's something about the chorus on the "time after time" cover :
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNWIm-PUZlU
without transition, sepultura made a nice cover of os mutantes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKmQxD4cDGI
and hp lovecraft added some groove, weird unison chants and silly flutes to "let's get together" by the youngbloods, and it clearly needed that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz7marfOwSQ
FFS, can't believe i forgot to include Big Drill Car's cover of Cheap Trick's Surrender in this list. Edited it in because i luh it so much I think of the Cheap Trick original as little more than a reference track.
ReplyDeleteHey hey, Nyquil's back online!
ReplyDeleteHe's alive... ALIVE!
ReplyDeleteUGK - trill ni**as don’t die
ReplyDelete