The Cover Song - Its a subject that I've thought a lot about lately. To me it has always been as much of a part of a good show as the encore. Its something that sets a concert apart as original. Maybe my youth spent going to pop punk and Pearl Jam shows has skewed my opinion of the cover. No half hour warped tour set would be complete without a cover or two. Three hour pearl jam sets were riddled with punk covers and new takes on The Who classics. I discovered whole generes of music this way.
There has always been something strangely artistic about making something unique without it being original. That is what this mix is. Twelve songs that only have one thing in common. Their lack of originality.
1. Ciccone Youth - Get Into The Groove(y)
Original Artist: Madonna
Sonic Youth got a lot of attention for a cover they did a few years back when Jason Bateman's character in Juno called their version of The Carpenters classic Superstar the best cover of all time. Though I love that song I actually consider another cover they did as one of the best covers ever. Under the name Ciccone Youth, Sonic Youth released a nearly unrecognizable cover of Madonna's hit Get Into the Groove. Even with direct samples of the Madonna song this track is so distinctively a Sonic Youth song. When I chose this as my topic for my first mix this is the song that instantly popped into my head. You have a feeling that this song came about nearly as a joke yet some how it is genius.
2. TV on the Radio - Walking The Cow
Original Artist: Daniel Johnston
Often times you find tribute albums that are riddled with horrible covers. Sometimes filled with obscure bands butchering the greatest artists of all time's classics. The Late Great Daniel Johnston, Discovered & Covered is not one of those albums, and this TV on the Radio cover of my favorite Daniel Johnston track is the highlight for me. I actually discovered Daniel Johnston when I saw Eddie Vedder perform solo. He opened his set with a cover of this song and I instantly had to track down the original. I discovered this album and the documentary The Devil & Daniel Johnston after that and instantly fell in love.
3. Pearl Jam - I Believe In Miracles
Original Artist: The Ramones.
An acoustic punk cover. This song is exactly what a cover should be. It was a song that made its way on a few Pearl jam setlists and found its way on one of their fan club holiday singles. Pearl Jam shows can often be history lessons in punk rock featuring songs by the Buzzcocks, the Avengers, the Dead Boys, and more. They play the music that inspire them and at the same time inspire others to discover music in a whole new way.
4. Willie Nelson & Calexico - Senor
Original Artist: Bob Dylan
There are probably a dozen Bob Dylan cover albums and none of them are better than the I'm Not There OST. This is the highlight of that album for me. The pairing of Willie Nelson and Calexico is amazing. After hearing this track I was hoping they would do an entire album together. Most people my age think of Willie Nelson and think of pot, farm aid, and maybe a few collaborations with shitty new age country starts like Toby Keith. In actuality Willie Nelson is one of the best song writers who ever lived and has a distinctively heart breaking voice. If you didn't know Willie Nelson or Bob Dylan this would be the first song I played you.
5. Gayngs - By Your Side
Original Artist: Sade
I recently saw Gayngs play here in Chicago and it was one of the best shows I went to all year and one of the funnest times I've had at a show. The bands concept is so bizarre and the fact that they pull it off is nothing short of amazing. They played multiple covers with the best being this cover of the Sade classic. The crazy part about this cover was the fact that I was with a huge Sade fan that had never heard of Gayngs before. This made her night and she instantly fell in love with Gayngs. This cover is so bold to even attempt and to pull off... even more impressive. Luckily they record the song for a Daytrotter session a few days after I saw it live. Haven't stopped listening to it since.
6. Death Cab For Cutie - Earth Angel
Original Artist: The Penguins
I just had to Google who the original artist of this song was but it doesn't matter. To me and probably the most of the world this song will always be the slow dance song from Back to the Future. It is such a strange choice for a cover yet it makes so much since that Death Cab would be the one to do it. My love of all things Back to the Future probably makes me like it a little bit more but its amazing nonetheless.
7. The Blood Brothers - Under Pressure
Original Artist: Queen & David Bowie
The first time I heard this song I hated it... I hated the Blood Brothers for doing it. To me it was an untouchable song and goes down as one of the best songs ever made if not the best. Yet after a few times of hearing it I begin strangely fascinated with it. It made sense that a band with two lead vocalist would do this song. They didn't try to change their style and cover it - they just made it their own. If you put the fact that the original was ever made aside this song is a perfect Blood Brothers song. And the fact that they took a 6 minute song and made it barely two minutes is pretty respectable alone. You might have to listen to this song a few times before you get it.
8. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Because The Night
Original Artist: Patti Smith
Its the Boss covering Patti Smith. Pretty much all you need to know. This is the a highlight of one of my favorite live albums ever. The horns make this song sound like it could fit anywhere on any of the classic Bruce albums and anytime you have a male cover a female vocalist or vice versa I think there is instantly something distinctive about it. The best example of this is probably the White Stripes covering Jolene. I didn't include it because I figured most people had heard it but its amazing.
9. The Japandroids - Racer X
Original Artist: Big Black
The Japandroids are probably my favorite new band of the last few years. They have a 7" series right now that features an original that got cut from their debut album and a cover as the B side. This track was the B side to the first of five 7" they put out. I had never heard the song before ordering the first single. Its a song about Speed Racers brother though so I figured I would like it... and I did.
10. Gipsy Kings - Hotel California
Original Artist: The Eagles
One of the coolest covers I could think of. Everyone knows it from the Big Lebowski but this is a song the just reminds me of summer. Like the dude, I'm not the biggest fan of the Eagles but this take of one of the most famous songs of all time is nothing short of amazing.
11. The Postal Service - Against All Odds
Original Artist: Phil Collins
If I were in a band I would cover a Phil Collins or Genesis song every night. I always thought a metal version of No Son of Mine would be mind blowing. But back to this song... Ben Gibbard shows up again on my mixtape with The Postal Services take on one of the best Phil Collins songs. Its not metal but the song is unbelievably unique and the best part about the movie Wicker Park.
12. Scissor Sisters- Comfortably Numb
Original Artist: Pink Floyd
I always thought a mixtape was only as good as its last song so I thought long and hard about what the last track would be. I wanted to end it on a high note and this song is just a rave. I think its rare these days for a cover to actually make its way onto a full length album that isn't a tribute or a soundtrack. The fact that it made their self-titled album just shows you how good this track is. So many people have covered Pink Floyd and failed. If you want to throw up listen to Korn's version of The Wall. I even think The Flaming Lips cover album of The Dark Side of the Moon falls a little short. But making a Pink Floyd classic into a dance club hit... works perfectly.
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