Tag Archives: cover songs

A deep cut from Bruce Springsteen: That’s on his four-CD “Tracks” collection of B-sides and other unreleased or miscellaneous tunes. The man was a nonstop songwriting machine. Most of what’s on “Tracks” is stuff you probably don’t know unless you’re … Continue reading →

Neil Young sings what was then his new song, once he finds the right harmonica. That was from 1971. I’m getting old, too. Now here’s Johnny Cash and his cover version: I so wish he were still around to do … Continue reading →

From the movie of the same name, here’s Jimmy Cliff: An underrated classic from the 70s if you ask me. Here’s cover version by another underrated artist, Joe Jackson: Love Joe Jackson. I guess I’m just a sucker for someone … Continue reading →

I know, this song has been covered forty jillion times. But you know what I’d never heard before now? Leonard Cohen’s original version. Here it is: Different from what you’re used to, right? Here’s a live version that’s a bit … Continue reading →

That Pink Floyd song from Dark Side of the Moon whose name you can never remember: That wasn’t the first video I watched for this. I looked at this one first, by The Australia Pink Floyd Show. It was so … Continue reading →

One of the gospel songs of Bob Dylan: Couldn’t find a decent live version of that, sorry. Anyway, because this is a Dylan song there are covers aplenty. The one I have is by blues diva Etta James: I’m convinced. … Continue reading →

Here’s one of the great voices of American blues, Muddy Waters: As our subtitled narrator notes, Muddy Waters was a huge influence of many other blues artists, as well as on rock musicians. ZZ Top is a prime example of … Continue reading →

An all-time classic from an iconic band: Remember when James Watt, Ronald Reagan’s idiot Secretary of the Interior, denied the Beach Boys a permit to play a Fourth of July concert on the Washington Mall? He’d never even heard of … Continue reading →

Possibly Billie Holliday’s best-known song: Yeah, that song has no relevance to today’s society at all. Billie Holliday would have been 100 years old in April. Coverville had a nice tribute to her last week. “God Bless the Child” was … Continue reading →

Easily the most famous bossa nova song ever, and possibly the most recognizable saxophone melody, here’s Stan Getz with Joao Gilberto and Astrud Gilberto doing their signature hit, “Girl From Ipanema”: I remember reading a “Peanuts” cartoon from a paperback … Continue reading →

Legendary big band drummer Gene Krupa leads his troupe and an unnamed female vocalist in this classic: Of course, the version we all know is by Ray Charles: Some years ago I was visiting a school friend in Atlanta, and … Continue reading →

A vintage clip of a classic Grateful Dead song: That video is about three times as long as the studio version of the song, but hey, the Dead were a jam band. Anything less wouldn’t feel right. It’s also interesting … Continue reading →

Tear up your sweatshirt and put on your leggings, it’s time to go back to the 80s with Irene Cara: You know my motto: There’s no cheesy 80s hit song that Big Daddy can’t take to completely unexpected places: Someone … Continue reading →

You all know the Roberta Flack version: If you’re old enough to remember that song, you’re probably old enough to remember a TV ad or two selling a compilation of mellow hit songs that included this. (You may also remember … Continue reading →

It’s a James Taylor classic: But have you ever said to yourself “You know, I’d like to hear that song with a bluesier voice and a horn section backing it”? Well, then Blood, Sweat & Tears is here for you: … Continue reading →

Nobody does western swing these days like the Hot Club of Cowtown: I’ve been a fan of theirs for awhile, though I haven’t seen them in Houston recently. For a clear demonstration of their instrumental chops, see this blazing rendition … Continue reading →

Let’s get folky, shall we? When you think folk music, you’ll probably think about the Kingston Trio sooner or later. Of course, the Trio themselves didn’t consider themselves to be folkies, though they obviously had a huge effect on the … Continue reading →

You’re not too cool to sing along. Admit it. That was recorded in Houston, as you could tell from the pandering lyrics edit. The copyright says 2005, but that’s got to be at least 20 years off. My guess this … Continue reading →

British Invasion time with Eric Burden and The Animals: I’m guessing a lot of people are familiar with the Elvis Costello version. Here’s a somewhat stripped down live recording of it: The version with which I am most familiar is … Continue reading →

The great John Lee Hooker, y’all: And the Spencer Davis Group, featuring a very young but still completely recognizable Steve Winwood: The recording I have is by Winwood as a solo act, but I couldn’t find a video for that. … Continue reading →

A live performance by the Eagles during one of their reunion tours. Can someone explain to me why music writers seem to all hate these guys? I don’t get it. Anyway, the country roots of this song are easy to … Continue reading →