TOP 40 COVERS (UNDER COVER WEEK)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Words Of Wisdom

"I thought I knew what love was, what did I know/Those days are gone forever, I should just let 'em go, but..."

-Don Henley

Welcome to Covers Week at Classic Rock Bottom.  Covers Week was Jon's idea (a great one if I must say so myself), but it was definitely inspired by Chris and Aaron over at the Decibel Geek Podcast.  They did a show a few weeks back called Bizzaro Covers, and we decided we'd share nothing but covers with you this week.

So you get a week off from the usual Album Of The Week and Lost/Forgotten Album Of The Week, plus Scott and Niels are participating with Scott's Hidden Treasures and Videos Of The Week.  

My playlist is comprised of cover versions of songs that were originally Top 40 hits in the U.S.  I think you'll know the majority of the songs.  I cover rock, pop, soul and even a disco song here.  I hope you enjoy it.  And by the way, the pics beside each song and description are of lovely ladies that I wouldn't mind at all being under "the covers" with.

***Click the pic at the top of this thread to hear the playlist***

 

Song: The Boys Of Summer

Artist: The Ataris

Original Artist: Don Henley

Lovely Lady: Scarlett

I would imagine most of you are familiar with this song.  It was huge.  Henley took it to #5 in 1984.  Henley also won a grammy for Best Male Vocal Perfomance for this song.  So why in the world would you wanna cover it?  I can't answer that, but I think The Ataris actually do a pretty good job here.  It's slightly sped up and contains a very noticible lyric change (Black Flag is substituted for Dead Head).

 

Song: Just What I Needed

Artist: Sister Hazel

Original Artist: The Cars

Lovely Lady: Jennifer

Although not quite as big a hit as the previous song, it still broke the top 40.  It reached #27 in 1978 and it's also a staple on Classic Rock Radio stations.   Other than a few vocal inflections, Sister Hazel does a good job of staying true to the original. 

 

Song: Careless Whisper

Artist: Seether

Original Artist: George Michael

Lovely Lady: Jessica

The first true pop song on my list.  This is a little confusing, but for some reason the song was released on a Wham! album (Make It Big) but was billed as a George Michael single.  Beats me.  Anyway, it was a #1 hit.  I know you've heard it, so don't act like you haven't.  Seether rocks it up a bit.  It's still a ballad, but the sax work is replaced with guitar work.

 

Song: I Will Survive

Artist: Cake

Original Artist: Gloria Gaynor

Lovely Lady: Leann

How 'bout a disco song?  This was a #1 hit in 1979.  Cake's version is so cool.  I love the bass and guitar work on this song.  I even like the horns towards the end, they remind me of the Rocky movies for some reason.  There is one profanity, so if you listen at work, wear your headphones.

 

Song: Send Her My Love

Artist: Kip Winger

Original Artist: Journey

Lovely Lady: Jessica

I've always liked this song and I've always liked Kip Winger.  I found this by just fiddling around on the web and I (gasp) downloaded it.  The original is from the 1983 album Frontiers and reached #23 in the U.S.  Obviously, no one is ever gonna top Steve Perry.  It just can't be done.  But this song is built quite well for Kip Winger's voice.  His vocal is really smooth and I'd say he handles it pretty well.

Song: Baker Street

Artist: Foo Fighters

Original Artist: Gerry Rafferty

Lovely Lady: Kate

How 'bout #2 in 1978?  That's where this awesome original song landed.  The original is terrific and the cover isn't bad at all.  The sax is replaced with guitars which work well for this cover.

Song: Use Me

Artist: Hootie & The Blowfish

Original Artist: Bill Withers

Lovely Lady: Charlize

We go the soul route with track number 7.  Use me scored Withers a #2 hit back in 1972.  It's hard to top Bill Withers, but Darius Rucker really nails this cover.  Just listen.  Whoever is doing the backing vocals does a really nice job as well.  I can't say that I'm a huge fan of Hootie & The Blowfish, but they do have a few pretty good songs.  This cover is one of them.

Song: Born On The Bayou

Artist: Broken Homes

Original Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival

Lovely Lady: Carrie

Born On The Bayou was a #2 hit way, way back in 1969 for CCR.  I have no info whatsoever on this band called Broken Homes, but this cover comes from the soundtrack for the Tom Cruise movie Born On The 4TH Of July.

Song: Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Artist: Ra

Original Artist: The Police

Lovely Lady: Sofia

Well, the previous 3 originals all hit #2, but this song could only get to #3 for The Police in 1981.  Ra is a band I've featured on CRB before, and they got very little love.  I think the consensus from you Bottom Feeders was that you didn't like the vocalist.   As usual, I totally disagree.  This is a pretty straight cover that makes the song a bit heavier.

 

Song: When Doves Cry

Artist: One Less Reason

Original Artist: Prince

Lovely Lady: Faith

So let's end it all with a song that originally hit #1 in 1984.  You all know this original, but now you get to hear a cover.  I doubt you've heard this because One Less Reason is another band I've featured before that didn't get a positive response.  This is a band that I think was unsigned when this was released so the production isn't the greatest.  The biggest change for the song is the appearance of "almost" cookie monster vocals at the end of each chorus.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Sorry about the crazy layout.  I just don't know why I have a problem with this, but quite honestly, I'm not in the mood to try and fix it.

[Niels (Mod)]

Who cares. Awesome pictures!!!! Especially Scarlett!! She's partly dane, off course!!

[RJhog (Admin)]

She might only be partly Dane but she is all-kind-of-fine!

[Niels (Mod)]

I like the Ataris's version of TBOS. It rocks more than the original. 

I haven't heard the original Cars-version, so I can't tell, which one is better. The Cars sort of bore me. Sorry, I know you guys like them. This song is boring as well.

Oh, now this is a bad cover. Say what you will about GM, but he is/was kind of a musical genius, and a perfectionist, and his songs are pretty tough to touch. IMO, don't make a cover, if you KNOW it will sound like shit, compared to the original. Some times it works though, but NOT in this case.

This song I kind of hate, so I will skip to the next one. 

I don't know this song. Journey, you say? Or is it Kip Winger??? It could be a Kip Winger-song for what I care. Kind of booring. next one.

NOW we're talking!!! One of my altime favorites, covered by one of my alltime favorite drummers!! But again, keep the f... away from a perfect track!! I don't care if you're Dave Grohl, don't touch Baker Street!!!!

Oh man, I hate Hootie And The Blowfish!! I accidently bought their hit-record back in the 90's. Didn't Mick Jagger cover this song once? If I remember correctly it was a lot better than this version!!

No.8 bores......

 At LAST a good cover of a great song!! Thank you very much. It's not as good as the original, but pretty close. I like the way it rocks more!!! Never have been a fan of Sting's voice, so the vocals suits me fine. 

The last one is interesting. Well, it STARTED interesting, and then it sounds like the awfull singer from Hootie And Blowfish takes over. A pale cover, hey wait a minute, now it's death Metal. No, even though I think, somebody COULD make a good cover of this song, this is not it!!

Never the less, a fine list, RJhog. Well, at least the pictures are great!!!

[Scandal 2000]

Definitely nothing wrong with the pictures, lol.

[Scott]

 

 

CRB Top 40 with RJ Casem!!!

 

The Boys of Summer:  I like this, the guitar really works, vocally not very good, nut musically I love it.  I am a huge fan Henleys vocal style, just love what he does to a song and it usually so simple to.  This guy cant match it at all.. 

 

Just What I needed:  The drum track wasnt excpected to open the track.  It feel really monotone to me vocally.  But at least they didnt try to mess with it too much!  You cant fix whats not broken!  This was good to pretty good!

 

Careless Whisper:  This song has ever only had one purpose and thats to impress the females and get achnace to "dance" closely!  Ive heard this cover recently on the radio and was schocked that someone would do this because it just doesnt work.  Pass on this one.

 

I Will Survive:  I have to admit, Ive always thought of Cake as a band more for the Artsy crowd, you know, tortured intellectuals.  And so this predictably doesnt change any perception but rather enforces it.

 

Send Her My Love:  I wonder what Kip WInger woudl say about this if he was doing this on Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp and someone else was the mentor.  Not good vocally, its emotionless.  I think the same fate existed on Boys of Summer, the volcals can get the same feeling across ans Henley and Perry do.  And the guitar is weaker than the original.  Weird track for Winger, dont you think?

 

Baker Street:  Love the Foos and this is not a misstep, I like the treatment Grogls give it.  They did Breakdown by Petty in concert and it was a great moment, I can see this working in that context as well.  I love this choice!

 

Use Me:  Dont remember the original, or did Hootie change it so much I dont recognize it?  Not sure.  Hootie was legendary in the Carolinas before they became overnight sensations.  They used to put on quite the party.  This song ok for me, but thats about it.

 

Born On The Bayou:  Nice!  Love that they respected the original so well.  And like the vocal style here!  Real nice!

 

Every Little Thing She Does is Magic:  eh...  There are some nice things about having a crunchy geetar on this song, but it doesnt work for the entire listen.  This one is just ok.

 

When Doves Cry:  Didnt care for the way the song opened but I did like it once they got going.  But here again, the vocals are flat and the cookie monster chorus comepltely kills any chance this has as being average.  Passing on this one..

 

4 Likes, 2 passes, 2 ok's, 1 weird track, 1 artsy farsty!  Thats a pretty good summary and I loved the listen, it was a well put together list and the theme was cool! 

 

By the Way:  Best photo is Jennifer followed extremely closely by Leann, Jessica #1, and Jessica #2.

 

Keep reaching for the stars!

[RJhog (Admin)]

You forgot one...nut music...go back and read your reply regarding the first song

 

The one pic I forgot was Jennifer Connolley...I should be ashamed!

 

And Hootie's version is very faithful to the original.

 

Thanks for listening, you too Niels.

[Scott]

 

and my 15 miutes are up so I cannot fix it!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Yep, I'm still crackin' up!

[Jon]

Ok, I listened without checking on who did what and here's my ranings:

 

1. Hootie & The Blowfish--Use Me

Really surprised at this one since I absolutely hate Hootie and them Blowfish. Very faithful cover, almost choked back some vomitus when I saw who it was, but that's ok. 

2. Broken Homes--Born On The Bayou

Another nice faithful version. Never heard of this band, but I'm near Detroit and they got a lot of...well, you know.

 

3. Baker Street--Foo Fighters

Yes, yes, yes. Don't like the Foo Goo Fighter Dolls, but have herd this song and actually have liked it.

4. Kip WInger--Send Her My Love

Very nice version, had no clue it was the Kipster until I checked.

And the rest ( no ranking, they're all jumbled at the bottom)

The Ataris--The Boys Of Summer

The singer kinda sucked, but the rest was ok, except for the "deadhead sticker" line. What did they say? A 'black black sticker"? What did that mean?

Sister Hazel--Just What I Needed

Yeah, no thanks. Plus did I hear kazoos????

Seether--Careless Whisper

Nice try, but the words don't fit the heaviness of the band. It was kind of funny listening to metal geetars especially with those lyrics. Not bad, but not a good fit for Seether.

Cake--I Will Survive

Not bad, but Gloria never used the f-word. Shame!

Ra--Everything Little Thing She Does Is Magic

This just bored me. Just could not get into it. 

One Less Reason--When Doves Cry

I kinda liked this to a point and they I didn't about halfway thru.

SO my tally is:

4 likes

3 's aight

3 yucky

Nice list Rjhog!

[RJhog (Admin)]

I think they say "Black Flag" sticker...isn't that a famous punk or some kind of band?

[Jon]

Yeah, they are. Makes more sense than "black black".