If You Could Hear A Cover By Any Artist, Who Would It Be?

[AnthonyCeseri]

If you could hear any artist covering any song, who would you pick to play what... and why? 

 

I don't even have a solid answer for this myself except to say I'd love to hear two totally different styles juxtaposed. That's why I always loved Marilyn Manson's version of Sweet Dreams.  

[Rudi]

I’ve already heard it. I was lucky enough to see the late John Martyn at a gig local to me, and he did Randy Newman’s ‘Gods Song’.

 

I wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. Newman’s own delivery remained (surprisingly) more soulful. It was good to hear nevertheless.

 

 

I saw a quiz show a little while ago and this music question arose:

Who sang & recorded ‘Crash Bang Wallop’?

 

The young guy didn’t have the first clue, but plumped for Bob Dylan. I laughed for 5 minutes.

I would love to hear that.

I can just imagine Dylan drawling “Stick it in yer family al-bumâ€.

[AnthonyCeseri]

Not something I've ever given much thought to, but probably Bonnie Raitte. As far as as reason.....guess I just love the way she stylizes...makes 'em her own.

Take her cover of "Runaway" for instance. Outstanding bluesy slant on a 50's style straight-rock kind of tune.

Don't get me wrong....I do like the original! But honestly, if I had to choose between the two, I'd pick her version.

 

It doesn't hurt that I absolutely love her voice! I've always said...."if God is actually a woman, she probably sings like Bonnie Raitte!"     

 

Tom

 

Awesome. Do you have a particular song in mind you'd like to see her do? One that she hasn't done already? 

[AnthonyCeseri]

I’ve already heard it. I was lucky enough to see the late John Martyn at a gig local to me, and he did Randy Newman’s ‘Gods Song’.

 

I wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. Newman’s own delivery remained (surprisingly) more soulful. It was good to hear nevertheless.

 

 

I saw a quiz show a little while ago and this music question arose:

Who sang & recorded ‘Crash Bang Wallop’?

 

The young guy didn’t have the first clue, but plumped for Bob Dylan. I laughed for 5 minutes.

I would love to hear that.

I can just imagine Dylan drawling “Stick it in yer family al-bumâ€.

 

Haha, nice. That's interesting that you got to see the cover you wanted and it didn't live up to the hype!

[Onewholovesrock]

I don't have an answer to your question. But you never know what an artist can do to somebody else's songs. In my opinion it's usually hard to beat the original. I would say 19 out of 20 times the original is always better.

 

If somebody told me Johnny Cash was going to do some NIN covers I wouldn't think in a million years they would be any good or anything I would want to listen to. But HOLY SHIT!! I would've been completly WRONG!

 

Johnny Cash's version of NIN's "Hurt" is truly amazing in my book. Possibly my favorite cover ever.

[AnthonyCeseri]

Good question, Anthony.

 

I have affinities for talented players, diva singers and my own songs.  So, I'd love to hear Alicia Keys, in her own style,  play and sing a piano-based 1+1 version of any song of mine.

 

Nice... good call. And yeah, I think she has an amazing voice. 

[AnthonyCeseri]

I don't have an answer to your question. But you never know what an artist can do to somebody else's songs. In my opinion it's usually hard to beat the original. I would say 19 out of 20 times the original is always better.

 

If somebody told me Johnny Cash was going to do some NIN covers I wouldn't think in a million years they would be any good or anything I would want to listen to. But HOLY SHIT!! I would've been completly WRONG!

 

Johnny Cash's version of NIN's "Hurt" is truly amazing in my book. Possibly my favorite cover ever.

Yeah, good call on Johnny Cash. That was pretty cool, and definitely a fitting style for that song. 

 

And regarding always thinking the original is better --I think that's just because we tend to like what we hear first. It becomes the norm, so it comes off as better. 

[Rudi]

Los Lobos did an album with guests covering their songs (‘The Ride’ with Tom Waits, Mavis Staples, Bobby Womack etc).

 

They accompanied Elvis Costello who sang ‘Just a Matter of Time’.

I always thought the original was iconic, but Costello made the song (as they say) ‘his own’.

 

Its faintly amusing that the band try to add harmony vocals, but Costello’s timing is so unique that they fail to match it. Therefore those harmonies sound disjointed and ‘timid’.

 

An example of a cover sounding better that the original, instigated by the original artists.

[AnthonyCeseri]

Los Lobos did an album with guests covering their songs (‘The Ride’ with Tom Waits, Mavis Staples, Bobby Womack etc).

 

They accompanied Elvis Costello who sang ‘Just a Matter of Time’.

I always thought the original was iconic, but Costello made the song (as they say) ‘his own’.

 

Its faintly amusing that the band try to add harmony vocals, but Costello’s timing is so unique that they fail to match it. Therefore those harmonies sound disjointed and ‘timid’.

 

An example of a cover sounding better that the original, instigated by the original artists.

Very cool!... great share! 

[Onewholovesrock]

Yeah, good call on Johnny Cash. That was pretty cool, and definitely a fitting style for that song. 

 

And regarding always thinking the original is better --I think that's just because we tend to like what we hear first. It becomes the norm, so it comes off as better. 

Probably

[AnthonyCeseri]

Little Big Town has covered Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and others.  I like everything by LBT.

 

I just heard about the Little Big Town cover of Lady Gaga -- I need to check that out!

Edited March 11, 2013 by AnthonyCeseri

[Dkaudio]

I don't have an answer to your question. But you never know what an artist can do to somebody else's songs. In my opinion it's usually hard to beat the original. I would say 19 out of 20 times the original is always better.

If somebody told me Johnny Cash was going to do some NIN covers I wouldn't think in a million years they would be any good or anything I would want to listen to. But HOLY SHIT!! I would've been completly WRONG!

Johnny Cash's version of NIN's "Hurt" is truly amazing in my book. Possibly my favorite cover ever.

Dude. This has to be one of THE very best covers ever recorded.

[TapperMike]

You know what's funny.  After the beatles decided no more covers and Paul McCartney followed suit with his own career I always wanted to hear him do some covers.  The last thing I would have ever expected is that he'd team up with Dave Grohl and reform Nirvana. 

 

 

 

I did like the Billy Joel / Elton John tour where they would perform each others songs.

[AnthonyCeseri]

You know what's funny.  After the beatles decided no more covers and Paul McCartney followed suit with his own career I always wanted to hear him do some covers.  The last thing I would have ever expected is that he'd team up with Dave Grohl and reform Nirvana. 

 

 

 

I did like the Billy Joel / Elton John tour where they would perform each others songs.

 

And man did I LOVE that Nirvana team-up...