Covers-a good thing?

Matthew J Poes

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i was talking with a friend about music and we got to discussing a capella. I like a capella because it’s typically simpler acoustic forms of popular songs. I happen to like that, a lot of pop songs are really good when simplified a bit. It’s also great audiophile material to boot. He then said that one of the worst covers was Pentatonix cover of Jolene. I actually liked the cover quite a bit. We started talking about bad covers.

What do you guys think, are covers good or bad? Some good, som bad? Any songs too holy to cover (I happen to think Thriller falls into this category)?
 

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

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There are actually a lot more covers than most people know about, especially with songs that are really popular. For instance, Wiki any of the Eagles hits and you’ll find them covered by lots of artists, many you’ve never heard of. And so it goes with virtually any popular song.

Many popular covers I’ve liked just as much as the originals, even if done very differently, such as The Supreme’s version of “You Keep Me Hanging On,” vs. the cover by Vanilla Fudge, or The Beatles “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" vs. Elton John’s excellent version. The Carpenters did superb covers of a number of songs, such as “Please Mr. Postman,” “A Song For You,” “Ticket To Ride,” “I’ll Never Fall In Love Gain,” and more.

And, it’s not uncommon for some covers to be bigger hits than the originals. The Beatles “Please Mr. Postman” (again) comes to mind , which was a cover of a song originally done by Motown girl group the Marvelettes, or Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog,” which was originally recorded by Willie Mae Thornton.

Or sometimes the covers are just done better than the originals. In addition to “Postman” and “Hound Dog” mentioned above, I’ve always thought that Basia’s version of “Until You Come Back To Me” blows away Stevie Wonder’s and Aretha Franklin’s versions. Same with Chicago’s version of Steve Winwood’s “I’m A Man" and The Rippington's jammin' instrumental version of the O'Jay's "Backstabbers."

But I know what you mean about some are better just left alone. In driving around town here in Corpus Christi I regularly listen to an easy-listening station that plays lots of instrumental covers of popular songs from the ’60s through ’80s. Some are so much like the original versions it’s like “Why did you bother?” Others are unique interpretations, and sometimes it works and sometime not. Strangely, on one commute to work they played two instrumental versions of The Beatles “When I’m Sixty-Four (strange to hear both in like a 30-minute time span!). The first was great, the second was like “What were you thinking?”

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 
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Matthew J Poes

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I agree with all you've said. Covers don't seem quite as common as they once were. There was a time when you might see a popular song covered 3-4 times within a few years of them coming out.

I'll also say I am one of those who thinks the heyday in music writing has passed. Certainly a new song comes along once in a while that I like. Most are just catchy rather than good. I feel like the music coming out of the stones, Clapton, the Beatles, much of Motown, etc. (And the list is endless it seems) from the late 50's through mid 70's was as good as it's ever been. I'd love more covers of the great classics from that time. There are some talented artists today, but the music writing isn't great.

My wife and I watch a lot of Russian talent shows for dance and singing. The general view of the dancers and choreographers see that certain dancers shouldn't be covered unless you really have chops. Michael Jackson is someone they frown on for covers. With music you see less of that view but I think such artists and hits exist. Whitney Houstons "I will always love you" is not a song to be trifled with. If you are going to cover it you better be better than Whitney or it isn't worth your breath.
 

Mark C Flick

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Some covers are great, some are... meh, and some ya gotta wonder why bother? Then there are some that are an interesting journey. For example;



 

Matthew J Poes

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I've always loved John Lee Hooker and George Thorogoods renditions equally and for different reasons.

Never liked Amos Milburns style. I don't like the PRAT of the song and definitely consider this a case where the covers were better than the original. I don't really like the jump blues style. Blues isn't supposed to be upbeat!
 
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