Liberace covering The Who.
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Unusual covers
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Musings on the byways of popular culture
Musings on the byways of popular culture
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Jim Davidson – Karn Evil 9
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/VHCPF95g26zLKAG67
How many seconds can you last?
Didn’t know he’d recorded with Brave Combo.
Ooh there’s a whole album and it has Stairway to Heaven, Hurrah,
Is that the album with Tiny’s version of Bye Bye Blackbird? Brilliant.
It is.
Vic Reeves – Vienna
Very unusual version – mad as a box of frogs …
I still think it’s less terrible than the original.
He did some good covers and some very poor ones throughout his career. Across the Universe is absolutely dire, but maybe this is his nadir:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOadV_CPT_k
Still not as bad as Working Class Hero. “PIck a CREER!”
Not sure Rog was expecting a version like this – probably didn’t say no to the royalties though:
Wish you were here has hosts of covers of surprise. OK, so you want reggae AND bagpipes
This cover version is a joke(?)
Duran Duran – 911 Is A Joke.
Rumours of Public Enemy returning the compliment by covering Rio are (sadly) untrue.
I’ve never actually had the nerve to listen to this. Still haven’t.
Fear Of A Black Planet Earth
“You’re about as easy as a nuclear war at 33 1/3”
And, for those, like me, who were going through puberty when the *other* Girls On Film video came out – Party For Your Right To Pillow Fight..
Re-flex Without a Pause?
Wild Boyeeeeeeeees?
….that’s enough…
Lucy. In the. Sky. With. Diamonds
His recent blues album makes that lot sound like Aretha’s Amazing Grace.
all worthy additions to the musical canon.
Pat Boone re-made a host of Metal songs in a croony swinging jazz stylee.
Its A Long Way To The Top (If you want to do A cover of an AC/DC track from 1976)
including the inevitable Stairway – this one or Rolf? The jury is still out
The jury has returned, and Rolf is duly convicted.
The orchestration though! I love it!
Stairway to Heaven? ROCK LOBSTER!!!
This was actually a hit for Dolly Parton.
Can we keep this thread really quiet so that KFD doesn’t see it?
TOOOOOO LAAAAATE FOR THAT YOUNG MOOSE!
Did you honestly imagine that I would not notice Zep being given a brilliant Aussie, B52s make over?
On the recent one-hit-wonders thread, Swiss duo, Double, and this gorgeous song were mentioned.
I was surprised to see that the wonderful Randy Crawford had done a cover. A shimmering, smooth jazz gem, but then again, the original is already perfect.
Carlos Cabezas from Chile taksa lot more liberties!
Nothing is sacred for Carlos! He’s done a whole album of covers: Deja Vu.
No longer considered unusual
One of our greatest singers takes on a magnificent song. What’s not to love?
Kim Wilde does Todd Rundgren….. Really
Black Sabbath as it would have sounded in the 14th century. In Latin!!
Genuinely, this is brilliant
Also a Dylan cover and familiar now. But if you try to listen to this afresh it is a pretty left-field idea
Here we have a Mrs Miller tribute act…
Mustn’t forget this.
And they say conservatives have no sense of humour…
Gladys says “Not as good as mine, but at least she didn’t Othala Rune it”
https://youtu.be/pXACI7Cu7Ro
That whole album is ace. Almost worth sitting through that tiresome “kooky” film for.
Yeah agreed, I like Wes Anderson films, but that is one of his worst.
One last one from me
Given that the original is so easily identified by its fuzzy riff, it’s interesting how well this works with the riff left out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96I2CWHa_-A
One of Mark Strong’s choices on this week’s Desert Island Discs
Canny fettle, Tosker!
Just when I thought I’d got the image of Toyah’s Enter Sandman out of my mind, someone has to bring up unusual cover versions. I’m off for a cold shower.
Toyah’s lockdown vids have me requiring a cold shower, too.
Spotify thought I’d like to hear this in my Discover Weekly list…
How about a Cantopop version of the Cocteau Twins……
Hong Kong singer Faye Wong with her cover of the Cocteau’s ‘Bluebird” (retitled as “Random Thoughts”)
There’s actually a few Cocteau Twins covers by Faye Wong and they actually collaborated also with original songs written by them for her.
That reminds me, Japancakes covered the whole of My Bloody Valentine’s album Loveless in an acoustic stylee. Soon:
This is rather fabulesque.
On Broadway – Gary Numan and Leo Sayer
One of the most hated men in English pop together at last.
Would you like another go at that Bri 😉
Here’s one for you…
Classy!
I’d never heard of those two: -Paul Weston and Jo Stattord, a couple who were extremely popular in the 1950s.
Here they are as themselves on the Jack Benny Show.
And here is “Darlene” duetting with Ella Fitzgerald.
Brucie does Blood, Sweat and Tears – didn’t he do well?! etc. I own this record.
And this – Sammy’s ace version of “Shaft”.
I wonder who thought this was a good idea?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cw2PeikVgo
His old boss?
(Well it’s credited to Lydon/Jones/Cook/Matlock)
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band have form snuggling up to the Punky kids
Do Anything You Wanna Do
and Going Underground
Celine Dion rocking out like a drunk Aunt at a wedding, Just when you think it can’t get any worse out comes Anastacia. To add extra warbles.
And while im here. The worst thing ever recorded by anybody of anything.
Itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini..
given a German, pirate-metal makeover.
You don’t hear those every day.
Does this count as a cover?
An indie band covering Randy Newman you say? Here you go;
Mystery Jets – Short People
Early 90s dancer cover of Kate Bush more your thing? Here you go;
Blue Pearl – Running Up That Hill
Rufus covering Stevie maybe? Here you go;
Rufus Wainwright – Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Reggae Beatles. Surely you want this? Here you go;
Something – Phyllis Dillon
Grunge meats The Who perchance? Here you go;
Pearl Jam – Love Reign O’er Me
Maybe Muse covering Duran Duran? Here you go;
Muse – Hungry Like The Wolf
Plenty more where these came from, I am a fan of the odd cover (if they are good)
That Phyllis Dillon album is really good, but Something is – unfortunately – not as reggae as you promised..
A very fair point & I mis sold that one. It is a great album though as you rightly state. It was only brought to my attention by Stella McCartneys Desert Island Discs I think.
Two for the price of one from Frank Zappa.
.
..and for a bonus point
He actually put Stairway out as a single.
A jazz piano trio version of Smells Like Teen Spirit.
And another on the big organ. Pleasure Beach.
Lee Perry gives the Bee Gees a dub makeover.
Splendid stuff, Mike!
Surely Peter Glaze’s version of Bowie’s “Golden Years” has a place in this thread?
(apologies if you’ve seen this clip hundreds of times before).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-ZtpYfNq74
He may have massacred XTC’s ‘Making Plans For Nigel’, too.
Never forget his Ashes to Ashes.
“Major Tom’s a cheeky monkey” etc
Many of you will have heard Susanna and the Magical Orchestra’s magnificent Dolly Parton reboot.
The White Strips have also covered it.
Bluegrass BoRap? Hmm. Not quite sure. They do lay well and all look so wonderfully wholesome and enthusiastic.
Bluegrass Snoop? Magnificent!
The Gourds really hit the nail on the head.
Great, I get to post Elaine Page’s Bo Rap for the second time in as many weeks. If you think the original was a bit underplayed, this includes the full kitchen sink.
I find Susanna & The Magic Orchestra’s version of Love Will Tear Us Apart more haunting and chilling than the original:
This is awesome (naturally)
And so is this:
Thanks, Dai.
What a wonderfully playful sense of fun he has. A whole new side of Bruce for me.
I think that was the tour where Bruce opened the set every night with a cover version of an artist with connections to the city/area they were playing. Somewhere on the Tube of You there is a video of him playing Lorde’s ‘Royals’ somewhere in New Zealand (probably Auckland).
And ‘London Calling’ when he played Hyde Park. And ‘You Never Can Tell’ when he played Leipzig. And ‘Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs’ when he played Salford.
You’re probably all waiting for a few weird ones from Germany: here’s Nena, and the mighty Adam & Eve!
Cindy und Bert never surpassed their encounter with the hellhound.
Here they are going squeamishly Greek.
Salma and Sabina’s Abba in Hindi album has not aged.
Sweden only, it says here?!
Unusual in so much its so far from Moby’s original, but I think this is one of my favourite cover versions:
That is excellent @James Taylor..It makes me very keen to hear more of her.
As regards German artists doing covers, Fatima, my main man is Senör Coconut.
Deep Purple, Sade, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Kraftwerk: his choice of material is wonderfully broad.
We can’t have a covers thread without mentioning the magnificently entertaining Postmodern Jukebox.
Sure I have posted this before, but anyway….
Ludicrously bombastic goth synth anthem recast as a pop soul gospel stomper:
and this is just as wonderful, the
You can never hear Diane Birch too often. That’s the Phenomenal Handclap Band backing her up.
I am really taken by Diane. I want to hear more.
I hadn’t heard the original by the Sisters of Mercy. Magnificently bombastic video.
And as for that Schneider TM track. I was bowled over. The video certainly contributed a lot.
When I saw Morrissey (and then a few years later Johnny Marr) in the Arena Tent at the Roskilde Festival and they played that song , the entire audience of 10, 000 sung along with gusto. A true anthem of our times.
Sisters of Mercy covers? There are loads – Knocking On Heaven’s Door, Gimme Shelter, Ghost Rider, Louie Louie, Sister Ray, Jolene, 1969, Gimme Gimme Gimme. Emma is a good one to be going on with:
For more Diane Birch, KFD, start with the album Bible Belt from 2009 (but so Laurel Canyon it could be 1974). She did a 7-track EP, The Velveteen Age, in 2010 with The Phenomenal Handclap Band. I didn’t much like her second album.
Track 2 of the covers EP, Diane covers Siouxsie:
A brilliant spooky version of a classic.
Gosh we got this far and no one has posted this chap?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaTHoy-0HCU&list=RDSDBPXE45zzk&index=8
You and I were writing at the same time, BJB. That track is an unstoppable floorfiller.
So I see KF. Great minds, eh? Also, just remembered this Dead Kennedys cover:
I Can See For Miles (all the way to the Indian subcontinent)
No joke this is my favourite cover version
One of Mark Strong’s choices on this week’s Desert Island Discs
My thanks to Rigid Digit for posting this recently.
Sorry Vincent. We’ve moved on to rather excellent covers. Unusual but very good.
Mr Hudson and the Library’s version of this song from My Fair Lady is a cracker.
Songhoy Blues from Mali are a stupendous live band and they do a magnificent cover of this Clash song.
People are Strange. Tiny Tim knew what he was singing about.
Here are a few more from Tiny.
An extraordinary entertainer!
From the If I Were A Carpenter album (grunge acts cover Karen & Richard) here’s Dishwalla (nope, me neither) doing It’s Going To Take Some Time:
Clare and the Reasons did a Genesis reboot which is a treat.
When they played a small cellar gig in Stockholm, they brought in local musicians just to do this song justice. Respect!
And now, their chanber-poppy take on Tears for Fears.
Another Afterword favorite – featuring Mahavishnu bass player Rick Laird:
Nice one, Fatima.
King Crimson covers don’t grow on trees and Annie does it very well.
Well I never! I just found this glittery, glamorous, techno Frippery.
Another one talking to the wind
Made me muse over how few Zappa covers there are
That’s very true.
I googled and discovered a whole album by the Harmonia Ensemble, a chamber ensemble from Italy. They worked with Roger Eno.on that one.
They’ve also done an album of Nino Rota compositions.
They look interesting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonia_Ensemble
Gotan Project.
And of course one of the earliest Zappa covers comes from Sweden:
No better way to kick start your career than an idiosyncratic cover version….
It worked for the Scissor Sisters.
Can I just say, as a fan of “Tommy”, that the performance in the original post is the bar-none laziest cover version I’ve ever heard?
This is properly brilliant.
Great find, Moose!
Here is another clip with a little more explanation about this fab combo:
“6 French musicians dressed as Mongols touring Russia playing Led Zeppelin covers .”
They’ve also done an ACDC tribute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_0G4fuUARs
Immigrant song -completely bonkers!
Miles Davis covered both Michael Jackson and Cindi Lauper in his later years.
Two extremes. The utterly dismal…
And the weirdly brilliant…
Bryan Ferry doing his best Bryan Ferry impression there.
Bryan Ferry dismal? That’s great!
Lots of beauties there. This one? Not so much.
Wurzels go Dub with Kate Bush
Cover versions of Waterboys songs are rare. I just stumbled across this very intense version of Whole of the Moon by Fiona Apple..
I’m not sure I don’t prefer the Killers’ version though. There’s more joy and wonder there.
Karine Polwart’s version of WOTM on Her Great Scottish Songbook album is an absolute dozy.
I do like Celtos Cortos’ version of Blues del Pescador.. It rattles along very agreeably.
From the first Cardigans album
Lon dubh
If we are going full on foreign, here’s the always excellent Ukrainians.
Bit o’ brass?
That reminds me… Cubik:
Thought this had posted last night,but OUCH.
Maybe not unusual but probably meta.
A Rutling tribute tribute band.
I was looking on YouTube for a version of The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down” that I’d heard recently from a Ghanaian band with a female vocalist. Couldn’t find it, but I did find this rather good (pretty straight) version by a band called Prabhav from Nepal.
An oddity from the Peel Archives: Cud do Hot Chocolate ,,,,,
Not as odd as Hot Chocolate do Elvis….
Went to see a Carpenters tribute show last night and was reminded of this oddity – a band written off by the hip and groovy of the time as vanilla, white-bread corniness (though since “rehabilitated” – gee, thanks!) doing a cover of a song by a mystery band some people thought might be the Beatles…and the subject is UFOs! How could it lose?
PS Any Australian correspondents getting the chance to see The Carpenters From Kempsey, I can recommend ’em)
Clash of cultures.