SCOTTS HIDDEN TREASURES #31

[Scott]

Covers...  I’ve often wondered why bands do this, especially if the song covered was a hit in the first place.  This week I wanna look at some hidden gem covers.  None from the recent barrage of covers albums, let’s put that aside and consider that a different phenomenon altogether.

So why record a cover?  Was it because they needed filler? Maybe the label was pushing for a radio friendly hit?  Or could the reason be more innocent, like the band just simply loved the track.  Bands like Hall and Oates (You’ve Lost That Lovin Feelin) used a cover song to restart their career while bands like Judas Priest used a cover to kill theirs (Johnny B Goode)!  And Quiet Riot picked on one band, Slade, to cover with great success.

No matter your view of cover songs, I bet there are tracks that you may prefer covered versus the original, simply because that’s your preference or because of the order you first heard them.

Open your mind and ears and let’s see if we can find a few that you've never heard before, after all these are supposed to be hidden treasures...

TITLE: Something in the Air
BAND: Gamma
ALBUM: Gamma 2
YEAR: 1980
Originally from Thunderclap Newman and produced by Pete Townsend.  In fact I think this song was written by the Who's driver and promoted heavily by Pete.  I think you'll recognize the tune pretty quickly.  I like this bands version because it sounds more rock and roll.

TITLE: Can't Get It Out Of My Head
BAND: Velvet Revolver
ALBUM: Libertad
YEAR: 2007
I'm violating a self-imposed rule by posting this one.  I featured this one on SHT #3.  But that playlist is old and no longer available and it fits this theme much better.  So you get to enjoy it yet again!  Originally done by ELO, it would be difficult to improve on that, but they did.  Slash kills the guitar on this and they sonically nail the feel of the original.

TITLE: 2000 Man
BAND: KISS
ALBUM: Dynasty
YEAR: 1979
RJHog always loves it when a KISS track makes an appearance and this track is too cool to leave off.  It's a remake of a Rolling Stones tune.  I gotta admit that I've never heard the original and was a bit disappointed when I learned it was a cover, but it’s now owned by Ace and no version, even the original, could change that now.  Turns out that Ace is pretty proficient at covers, New York Groove is another and he's recently covered Sweet's Fox On The Run.  And in all cases he killed it!

TITLE: I Need A Lover
BAND: Pat Benatar
ALBUM: In The Heat of the Night
YEAR: 1979
I may be wrong about the order this track was released, but I first heard Pat Benatar do this song and then I heard Johnny Cougar’s.  It was the same year, same timing, but it was Cougar's version that hit the charts and not this one.  For me, this is still a Pat Benatar song, probably only because of the way I heard it first and most often.

TITLE: I Am A Rock
BAND: April Wine
ALBUM: Back To The Mansion
YEAR: 2001
This Paul Simon hit song has been covered several times by such bands as The Hollies, The Grass Roots, and as recently as Shaw Blades.  But this one a lot more rock and roll and lot more listenable at least to me.

TITLE: Stayed Awake All Night
BAND: Krokus
ALBUM: Headhunter
YEAR: 1983
A rework originally from BTO.  Krokus was another band who could rework an older tune and claim it for their own.  Turns out they really liked Bachman's writing, as they did "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" sometime later and had previously had some success with American Woman on their   "One Vice At A Time" release.

TITLE: The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)
BAND: Judas Priest
ALBUM: Hell Bent For Leather
YEAR: 1979
I’ve only hear a live version of this from Fleetwood Mac as my baseline for the original, and I have to say Priest knocked this one out of the park

 

TITLE: Seven Bridges Road
BAND: Firehouse
ALBUM: Good Acoustics
YEAR: 1996
Good acoustics isn’t really one of those unplugged or covers albums, it’s kind of more unplugged in the studio with one cover, this being that cover.  But really it’s a cover of a cover.  Written originally by Steve Young (not the QB) and then recorded by The Eagles.  Eagle’s fans will appreciate that they didn’t really mess around with the arrangement and feel of that version but they really gave the track an upbeat feel.

TITLE: Lonely Nights
BAND: Uriah Heep
ALBUM: Head First
YEAR: 1983
A Bryan Adams cover, pretty common actually, especially for this easily recognized tune.  Maybe an attempt to hit the charts.  This period for the Heep was actually pretty good, I liked their output from Abominog and Head First a lot.

TITLE: Since You’ve Been Gone
BAND: Head East
ALBUM: Head East
YEAR: 1978
Everyone knows the Rainbow version.  But this was first recorded by Russ Ballard from the band Argent and then remade famously by Rainbow.  Less famously, and around the same time, Head East tried to score with the same song.  No such luck!  But not such a bad version.

---

BONUS SECTION...
So in putting this together I ran across some real cool tracks of bands re-working their own songs.  Not the re-mixed and re-recorded CD's that have come out with the Wal-Mart editions lately, but more honest re-workings.  Here’s a few really cool ones...

TITLE: Kenny Loggins
BAND: A Love Song
ALBUM: How About Now
YEAR: 2008
Not sure what possessed him to redo this near perfect love song, but he did, and boy am I glad!

 

 

TITLE: Silly Love Songs
BAND:  Paul McCartney
ALBUM: Give My Regards to Broad Street
YEAR: 1984
I like this version; it’s more modern and sounds true to the original, but not sure why he did this album except to make a really cool soundtrack to a really bad movie.  Not mastered well so sound may be a little low.

TITLE: Dirty
BAND: Earth Wind and Fire
ALBUM: The Promise
YEAR: 2003
Dirty first appeared on their blockbuster I Am release in 1979.  I guess they didn’t considered it finished.  And even if you don’t like EWF, this is a really slick jam!

 

 

HERES YOUR LINK

http://www.podsnack.com/playlists/5b84a566c667263fc3a76fa2ea260943

 

 

[Jon]

Bummer you didn't pick "21st Century Schizoid Man" from April Wine instead. But it's your list, so ignore everything I say.  

[Scott]

Would've been a good choice and I actually looked at it when I was thinking through this topic.  Was surprised at the number of covers April Wine did after the First Glance...  To your point though...  I picked I Am A Rock mostly because of its obscurity and well, I liked it...

[Jon]

Judas Priest, Krokus and Pat Benatar for me. The rest I could leave behind, especially the Gamma cover which just stunk.

 

Did like the inclusion of the bonus 3, especially the Earth Wind And Fire. Never picked up anything by them, maybe I shall find me a comp disc or something. As long as it doesn't have their cover of that Beatles song from the awesome movie starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees.