h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can I remind people about A976214

And, an interesting offshoot from Freddy's ramblings: can anyone think of a band that has NEVER done a cover version?

B

May I begin with an anecdote? While on a bus a friend of mine overheard a conversation between some teenagers saying they couldn't believe Guns 'n' Roses had covered the Avril Lavigne "classic" Knockin' on Heaven's Door. Kids today eh? It's a good job I wasn't there I have tattooed Bob Dylan to their foreheads in mirror writing.

Some artists seem to write songs which are ripe for cover versions. I'd put Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen in this group because they are very gifted song writers, but not always polished performers (and before anyone starts on me I a huge fan of both of them). You also have to put Prince in there, though I would never accuse him of not offering a polished performance, he's simply a gifted songwriter.

Then again some artists seem to be able to handle a cover version. Marylin Manson, seems to be able to carry it off quite well. Whether this is because "all his other songs are crap" or because he has a very singular style which he maintains whatever he does is a matter for debate. No matter what he's singing you are certain it's Marylin Manson.

And likewise some artists are so bland and insipid that any cover version they attempt will serve only to get on my nerves. See Katie Melua later.

Good cover versions:

Scissor Sisters - Comfortably Numb (Waits for the inevitable fallout...)
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Especially because I still love the original.)
Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince is so cool!)
Johnny Cash - Hurt (A NIN song on his occasionally brilliant album of cover versions The Man Comes Around.)
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah (The best cover version of all time! No debate, no argument.)

Bad cover versions:

Madonna - American Pie (I know it's been mentioned before, but I really hate it.)
Katie Mellua - Lilac Wine (Katie, Katie, Katie, how could you presume to think that you could do a Jeff Buckley song even one tenth as well as Jeff? Foolish Child!)
Katie Mellua - Just Like Heaven (Ditto ...The Cure... Foolish Child!)
Puff Daddy and Sting - Roxanne '97 (Not sure if this is a cover version or a remix, but nevertheless I will never forgive Sting for doing this. Unfortunately it's on my version of the Very Best of... album meaning I have to leap across the room aimed at the stop button when the CD gets to the last track. In later versions they've cut it off. Gonna have to buy a new copy one of these days.)

Oh, and Elbow's live lounge version of Independent Woman Part I. Sheer genius!

Scissor Sisters' cover of "Comfortably Numb" is as classic to me as the original. Despite the musical stylings of Scissor Sisters and Pink Floyd being very different, Scissor Sisters' interpretation of it was unique to them but worked well with the lyrics, at least for me.

I'm surprised no-one has yet mentioned The Byrds, who covered a tremendous amount of Bob Dylan tracks during the 60s. In fact, my first introduction to Dylan's stuff came through listening to my dad's Byrds LPs . Songs such as Mr Tambourine Man and Wheels on Fire sound completely and utterly different when done by The Byrds*.

My dad once described Leonard Cohen's music as the kind you'd slit your wrists to .

*This may be because Bob Dylan doesn't have the greatest singing voice in the world...

Oh, and before I forget - while Katie Melua seems a nice enough girl, she should be banned from making music. It's just so MOR and bland . And all copies of "Closest Thing to Crazy" should be burned.

Alternatively, maybe we should encourage Marilyn Manson to cover "Closest Thing to Crazy" .

My daughter was listening to Mariah Carey some while back, the song was 'Bringing on the Heartache', and she said to me i love that song she wrote, so is soooooo talented.

Blimey girl, i explained to her that it was not a diva love song, it is a rock ballad by Def Leppard

Until i played it to her she didnt believe me, no idea

The kids of today, eh BK? At least my three year old knows a great song when he hears it! You should hear his rtendition of Dirty Deeds ,magic> Might have to release it as a cover version (just so that the thread stays on topic

...so many typos...so little time...

I know duran duran our the original but I heard one so terrible that *faints*

I have to agree with earlier comments about Jeff Buckley. His covers of 'Lilac Wine' and 'Halleluliah' are stunning.

One artist, two rock bands, different extremes:

Stevie Wonder's 'Higher Ground' covered by RHCP =
Stevie Wonder's 'Spuerstiscious' covered by Megadeth =

Megadeth also made a right hash of 'Anarchy in the UK' (or USA as they had it).

Katie Melua. "Closest thing to crazy" is in my top two "worst songs of all time". "Horrible twee shht" to these ears. "I feel like a woman" by Shania Twain is t'other.

Someone on here described Katie Melua music perfectly: music for people who don't like music but feel they ought to own some.

Regarding bands that never did cover versions, I don't know if Abba ever did a cover version.

I can't think of any covers by ABBA.

Did Black Sabbath ever do any? Or Deep Purple? Actually, I'm pretty sure a lot of the big(ish) seventies bands didn't. I don't recall any by Yes or Genesis either.

One of my favorite covers is 'Little Nicky' by Foo Fighters. Technically Eric Clapton's 2nd rendition of 'Layla' would be a cover because wasn't the original performed by the entire band Cream?

I also like pretty much all the covers I've hear from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.

Roymondo beat me to the suggestions I was going to make.

Now, I know Erasure did Abbaesque - didn't Abba do Erasurish?

Or was it Depressed Modes?

Bjorn Again did Erasurish.

Magwitch, i remember Joan Jett doing a cover of Dirty Deeds, utter shite

Roymondo, totally agree with the Megadeath cover, also Anthrax did a cover of a Joe Jackson song, but cant think of the name at the mo, but it was brill

I used to cover Anthrax's cover! Time (ticking in my head) or somethng like that. Used to give me a right old cramp in my right arm!

'Time' thats it

Cramp in the arm eh!