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        1st Floor >> Library >>  Thoughts on Covers
        
(Message started by: Chase on Dec 16th, 2003, 6:56am)
Title: Thoughts on Covers
Post by Chase on Dec 16th, 2003, 6:56am
Hey everyone.  After a quick little exchange with Obi-J, I got to thinking.  What is everyone's thoughts on covers, I mean in general.  I think a really well done cover is an awesome thing, but is it as deserving of merit as say a song a person writes on their own?  I've always kind of thought of covers as someone elses work, with a personal twist... and a really well done cover as a song you make your own, but with a history attached to it.

I guess my personal thought is, if it's really well done, and with an original twist, I think it's a good thing, as long as you give credit to where it came from.  So what do you all think?
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by obi-john on Dec 16th, 2003, 7:17am
i agree, i think covers are a great thing...when they are not comercialized.

"first cut is the deepest" by Sheryl Crow, "Boys of Summer" by the Ataris(sP?dont care), and No Doubts "It's my life"  all kind of irk me a little.  I think they are all great covers, don't get me wrong.  I just think its a little....i dunno...uncreative for an established artist to do a cover and actually release it.  And well Ataris....getting famous off a cover is pretty lame in my opinion.

As for Sarah Slean covers... she doesn't release them as singles (big plus), plays them at live shows (always fun to see) and does one hell of a job on everyone of them...bullet proof..climbing up walls...some jazz numbers that i forget the names to...butterfly...woodstock, ect.

And Tegan and Sara cover "I ran away" by flock of seaguls and "when you were mine" by prince.  Both are rockin covers and they go about it in the right way.

I think its fun as a fan to hear covers at a live show and what not but I think they have little place on mainstream radio mainly because I think it is an easy way out.

Also, alot of people are unaware that a song is actually a cover which bugs me a little bit.  "All Along the Watchtower" and "I Shot the Sheriff" come to mind.  So in that sense releasing them to the mainstream creates some confusion over who actually did it first.

gotta catch a bus... good discussion to start :)
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by obi-john on Dec 16th, 2003, 7:19am
one more thing.  Peace Songs double cd has a few covers on it.  Avril Lavinge "knockin on heavens door" chantal kreviazuk(sp, lazy) "redemption song".  Those are great mainly for the fact that they support a great cause.   Just making a point that this is an instance were covers are great to release as singles.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by Blizzob on Dec 16th, 2003, 8:18am
I think a good cover is an indication of good musicianship.  If the artist(s) is able to take the work of someone else and make it their own, then they have done a good job.  Some songs that come immediately to mind are:  

'I Will Survive' - Cake
'Smooth Criminal' - Alien Ant Farm
'Fight The Power' and 'Lovers in a Dangerous Time'- Barenaked Ladies
'Knocking on Heaven's Door' - Guns'n'Roses
'Blackbird' - Sarah McLachlan

Even the covers by the aforementioned artistis (i.e. No Doubt, Atari's, Sarah Slean - although I still have yet to hear Bulletproof - if it's a Sarah joint, it's gotta be good) are good.

Nobody knocks jazz musicians for playing 'Blue Train' or 'Caravan.'  Nor do they knock Yo-Yo Ma for covering Bach.  Me First and the Gimme Gimme's whole claim to fame are punk rock covers of popular music.

Credit should not be taken away from an artist for performing someone else's music.  Ultimately, if the cover sounds good, people will listen.

(Aside:  I must find that Bulletproof cover!)
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by alx59 on Dec 16th, 2003, 10:08am
Stina Nordenstam and Cat Power made covers albums and to my big surprise I didn't recognized some songs, even if I heard the original songs before!
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by obi-john on Dec 16th, 2003, 12:44pm
yes, sure they can be great to listen to, i agree.  I do actually like the no doubt and sheryl crow covers BUT i do think it lacks a lot of credibility since they did not have to write or really make any new music (in some cases yes, but not really here).  i don't mean this to sound negative or anything because i'm not.  I just don't give as much credit to the person who covers the song as the original artist, which seems very logical to me :/

bulletproof :  might be tricky to find.  haven't found it myself, but have seen her play it the three times she did in St. John's.  If you do find it...great! because it is an amazing cover, hell its Sarah, everything is amazing about her performing.

I still think doing covers to sell albums is a little weak.  Even though I think Emm Gryner is a great artist I dislike her covers album.  I don't want to pay for covers (Peace Songs one exception).

I won't get started on Cat Power after some of the things I've heard about her.  But i'm not doubting they are good covers.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by Clem on Dec 16th, 2003, 5:36pm
Pardon my ignorance in the matter, but this "Bulletproof" song you guys are talking about - is this the same track done by Radiohead off of "The Bends" album? I've never heard her play it live... though I've only seen her live twice.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by ProdigyBoy on Dec 16th, 2003, 7:20pm
^^ Clem, I'm not sure.
I read she has done "climbing up the walls" by radiohead.

I love covers.  One of my fave bands are the white stripes and they have brought out some great covers of loretta lyn, son house, brendan benson, and on + on.

Sometimes I really appreciate as more a live stunt and perhaps a bside.  I only want to have it on an album if they really transform it (and hopefully with justice).

Cameron Bay.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by lastyearswar on Dec 16th, 2003, 8:17pm
That would be "Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was" by Sarah's (still) favourite band, Radiohead.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by obi-john on Dec 17th, 2003, 7:38am
ya, what lastyearswar said

easily the best cover she's done just for the fact that she sung it not 3 feet away from me ;)
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by Clem on Dec 17th, 2003, 10:30pm
Thanks very much guys. Oh man, now I really really wanna hear this song. I love that album by Radiohead... probably one of my top 10 of all time. And to have Sarah do a cover of "Bulletproof" is so WOW. Does anyone have this song? Or is it just heard by those lucky ones who have witnessed it in concert?
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by JuliewithnoA on Feb 4th, 2004, 10:20am
I know what you guys mean, but sometimes I wish she'd release them. I loved her version of crossing jordan or something like that, the sunny side of the street and bullet proof. Then I wouldn't have to wait a year plus to hear them again.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by JuliewithnoA on Feb 4th, 2004, 10:25am
Obi John- wre you in the front row at the concert? Same!

Were you the guy she sang to?
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by obi-john on Feb 4th, 2004, 4:52pm
oh yes indeed, that was me  ;D i really thought I was going to faint (which sounds ridiculus i know)
never a better concert experience... i was the only one who whistled into her mic that night *beams with happiness*


thanks for bring that up again Julia. always pleasant to have on the mind
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by snuffy on Feb 9th, 2004, 12:54pm
i don't mind covers as long as they are done well, but i guess that's my opinion on all music :)


but i most like it when the artist has their own twist to the cover.

music that turns heads is a good thing.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by Nikolita on Feb 9th, 2004, 7:03pm
I sent members of my family a composite cd of my favourite indie Canadians, with of course, Sarah Slean on it (my intention was to try and turn them on to NON mainstream).  I was just talking to my cousin on the phone, and she said, "hey, by the way, thanks so much for that cd you made me!"  I asked her if she liked it and she said, "There were a few that really stood out for me, but man, that Radiohead cover ROCKED!"

She went on about how well it was done and so on... I told her that I think I prefer the Slean version to the original. I expected her to be offended (knowing how big of a Radiohead fan she is) but she was like, "oh totally!  I could see that!"

A great cover = appropriate emotion in the right amount and a different, unique and artistic interpretation of that emotion captured by the song.  

What's that recent cover of Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi??  TERRIBLE!  It was complete commercialism of the anti-establishment vibe surrounding the peak tension period (I don't even know that we've left it) during the Iraqi war... which completely goes against what the song stands for. Grr.  It almost makes me dislike the song... I cringe whenever I hear it... his version at least.

When it comes to covers, I think if you can't help the song (ie: give it a new light)... at least don't hurt it.  Sometimes the best stuff needs to be left alone for fear of butchering it.

~nicole
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by Krystof on Feb 16th, 2004, 5:42pm

on 12/17/03 at 22:30:14, Clem wrote:
Thanks very much guys. Oh man, now I really really wanna hear this song. I love that album by Radiohead... probably one of my top 10 of all time. And to have Sarah do a cover of "Bulletproof" is so WOW. Does anyone have this song? Or is it just heard by those lucky ones who have witnessed it in concert?


I want to hear her cover too  ;D
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by SweetOne on Mar 5th, 2004, 3:18pm
I really enjoy Sarah's covers of other artists. I'd love to hear the tape she sent Our Lady Peace with her cover of Julia...
I also really like Tori Amos' way of covering songs... she changes them (sometimes subtly, sometimes obviously) so that they become something different from what they once were. If you doubt that, listen to her version of Smells Like Teen Spirit. It's amazing, even Kurt liked it.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by obi-john on Mar 6th, 2004, 8:27am
amos' version of "smells like teen spirit" makes me want to tear my hair out.  probably just because i don't like her music though.


but i do really want to hear that tape she sent to olp as well.  Speaking of our lady peace, their cover of Imagine is pretty good.
Title: Re: Thoughts on Covers
Post by SweetOne on Mar 6th, 2004, 9:38am
Speaking of things that make me want to tear my hair out... I used to be a fan of Raine's but lately I just find him so whiny and cliched. "We are all innocent" "Life is waiting for you"... I listened to his cover of Imagine, and I don't think that I can ever again.
I *did* like it, though, when he played Sarah's 'version' of Julia... I actually liked it better than the original.
And I like Eva Cassidy's covers as well, although it's a shame that she doesn't seem to write much on her own.