The Gamer's Quarter

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I really like cover songs. I don't quite know why, but I do. One of my favorite resources is Copy, Right? a blog about cover songs where the writer posts new covers (in)frequently of all kinds of genres. Right now there's this great lounge cover of Take On Me by A-Ha up there now, and some others. Here are some other covers I have (some from Copy, Right others I found on the web) that I particularly like.

Vyvienne Long covers Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes with just a cello.

A cover of Everytime by Britney Spears that made me think that maybe the song isn't so bad

Do As Infinity covering Rock and Roll All Night by KISS

Nina Persson (of the Cardigans) covering Losing My Religion by REM

Normaly I hate acapella covers that recreate music with vocals, but this cover of Karma Police is pretty good.

The White Stripes doing a cover of Jolene by Dolly Parton. They used to do this all the time live, but after they released their concert DVD I think they've backed off. They do a lot of covers of old blues and rock songs, and modern stuff too.

Tomoko Kawase (of The Brilliant Green) doing an engrishy cover of Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

Shiina Ringo has a two-disc cover album, which has some great songs on it, but my favorite is probably her cover of Yer Blues by The Beatles.

Another beatles song, I've got a Feeling, covered by the fictional band BECK (Mongolian Chop Squad) from the Beck anime, vocals done by one of the vocalists for Husking Bee.

I could go on for hours, but anyway, what cover songs do you like?

friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

Oh awesome! I love covers too, but I'm blanking on some of the ones I really like. But here are some:

Siouxsie and the Banshees covering Kraftwerk's "Hall of Mirrors"

...and covering Iggy's "the Passenger".

Um. I'll think of more.

Swimmy · . Joined: 16 Sep 2005 Posts: 990 Location: Fairfax, VA

I was totally going to start this thread the other day. It ended up slipping my mind.

Really I just wanted to talk about The Dirtbombs' Ultraglide in Black. It's basically a cover album of soul/funk songs. Unfortunately, most of the album doesn't stack up to the very first song, a cover of J. J. Barnes' "Chains of Love". This rocked out version is so much more forceful than the original that it shocking. Genres get blended every day, but how many songs really give you the distinct feeling that those two things could've been twins to begin with?

In my opinion a good cover's hard to pull off. It has to justify itself. Cover albums/cover bands usually fall short. Most bands I listen to don't even bother with them very much, except as a novelty. But one of them consistently works covers so flawlessly into their repertoire that I've gotta drop a rant: The Oblivians. (Yes, that's an a, not an o. I don't know why they spelled it wrong.) I nabbed an album off Soulseek called "Songs We Taught the Oblivians" that contains most of the songs they covered--30 of 'em! And it's not even complete. But if you don't know about it, you're not gonna notice, mostly because they liked to cover old blues songs. Some of them they just translated into the rockingest rock songs ever, but a few of were utterly transformed. For an instance of the former, compare Brownie McGhee's "Christina" with the Oblivians' version. For an example of the latter, check Mahalia Jackson's "I'm Going To Live The Life I Sing About In My Song" with the Oblivians' take.

And for pure awesomeness, compare The Leather Boy - On the Go with Motor Cycle Leather Boy. (Which Guitar Wolf went on to cover. But that's another story.)

Edit: I just checked the credit for that Jackson song. Apparently it's a traditional. Still.
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simplicio · . Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 1091

Susanna & the Magical Orchestra do a cover of Dolly Parton's Jolene that's much better than the original. Dolly always sounded too upbeat about it all, plus she's goddamn Dolly Parton, like anybody's ever gonna be able to steal her man anyway.

They just released a full cover album as well, all pretty much in the same mode.

Pijaibros · Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject:

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

I've got this amazing funk version of Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra by someone called Deodato which you should listen to.

The Leningrad Cowboys covering The Turtles' 'Happy Together' with the Russian Red Army Choir is pretty damn special, too. As is the Langley Schools Music Project.

Scratchmonkey · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1439

I don't think anything I've heard has ever topped Dinosaur Jr. doing "Just Like Heaven".

dessgeega · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 11:31 pm Post subject:

joan jett and the blackhearts - love is all around.
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wourme · . Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 362 Location: Maridia

Several of these I like primarily because I find them amusing.

Pet Shop Boys covering Go West by The Village People
Duran Duran covering Perfect Day by Lou Reed
Apoptygma Berzerk covering Electricity by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Tom Jones and The Cardigans covering Burning Down the House by Talking Heads
Panic on the Titanic covering Waiting for the Night by Depeche Mode
Martin Gore covering Coming Back to You by Leonard Cohen
Evil's Toy covering In the Army Now by Quo Status
Monolithic covering Deeper and Depper by The Fixx
Erasure covering Magic Moments by Perry Como
Richard Cheese covering Come Out and Play by The Offspring

And pretty much every song by Moog Cookbook, if those count as cover songs.

Mister Toups · Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 3:03 am Post subject:

The Dismemberment Plan's cover of Crush by uh... Mandy Moore (I think it's by her) is flat out amazing.
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Lackey · . Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 1107 Location: Canada

I really like Devo's cover of Satsifaction.
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Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I've been finding a bunch of these using Yahoo audio search which is surprisingly good at finding MP3s of songs online.

I also forgot to post the Eve's Plum cover of Save a Prayer (originally by Duran Duran).

OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

We can't have a cover song discussion on a videogame-related forum without mentioning the Tony Hawk's American Wasteland soundtrack. For something that should've been absolute crap there was a lot of good stuff on there. My Chemical Romance's cover of The Misfits's "Astro Zombies" and Thursday's cover of The Buzzcocks's "Ever Fallen in Love" stand out in particular, as do Alkaline Trio's version of TSOL's "Wash Away" and From Autumn to Ashes's cover of Fear's "Let's Have a War". The Dropkick Murphys track on the soundtrack lacks bagpipes or anything remotely Irish-sounding though, and Rise Against's version of Black Flag's "Fix Me" sounds really similar to every other cover of the song (save for one Iggy Pop did with Rollins Band a few years ago).

I'd also like to point out that anything by Richard Cheese is worth listening to at least once.

friedchicken · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 496 Location: Port Land, OR

There's an especially strange (but good!) cover of Bowie's Space Oddity by a barbershop quartet on a cover album I got my wife a few years back, but I'm unable to locate it to say exactly who it's by.

The Ashes to Ashes cover on it is by Tears for Fear though, and it brings absolutely nothing good to the table.

I always enjoyed Laibach's cover of Europe's Final Countdown, and of the Stones' Sympathy for the Devil. I'm sure someone here can confirm, but I think both of these are from an entire album of covers.

SuperWes · Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:41 pm Post subject:

Has everyone heard this Katamari Damacy theme song cover by Corey vs Corey?

-Wes
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FortNinety · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:20 am Post subject:

Call me crazy, or as someone who has poor taste, but I am obsessed with Black Hole Sun from Soundgarden (hey, I grew up in Washington State, so sue me). But I'm mostly interested in covers of the song. Chiba Matto did a great one, as did The Moog Cookbook. In fact, all their covers are pretty neat.

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

dhex · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:19 pm Post subject:

how's the tori amos cover of raining blood?
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wourme · . Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 362 Location: Maridia

OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

The Fear Factory cover of Cars is stunning.
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FortNinety · Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:53 am Post subject:

I... will have to check that out.

Also, Alien Ant Farm's rendition of Smooth Criminal was up there with war crimes in my estimation.

Mister Toups · Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:44 pm Post subject:

Has anyone mentioned Stubbs the Zombie yet?
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OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

The Tony Hawk soundtrack came out around the same time as the Stubbs the Zombie one, and I'm sad to admit that the Tony Hawk one was a lot better, in my opinion. I think it worked a lot better because the bands on the soundtrack were paying homage to older bands that had directly affected them whereas the Stubbs the Zombie soundtrack was just some bands playing songs from the 50s. Granted, there were some covers on the American Wasteland soundtrack that were completely uninspired (cough, Rise Against, cough), but overall I'm still surprised at the quality of the soundtrack, particularly because it should've just been a quick cash-in on a franchise that hasn't seen any innovation in a long time.

TheRumblefish · . Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 258 Location: Florida

The Bouncing Souls did an amazing cover of The Misfits "Mommy can I go out and Kill Tonight?" You have to hear Greg's vocals on it, it just makes you smile. Great stuff.
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FortNinety · Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:39 am Post subject:

I just listened to the Guns 'N Roses cover to Live or Let Die. I like it.

And yeah, I like G'NR. So sue me.

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Can someone explain to me what you're talking about Stubbs the Zombie and Tony Hawk?

OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

Last year soundtracks were released for the Stubbs the Zombie and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland games. The Stubbs the Zombie soundtrack featured indie rock bands covering 50's pop songs, and the Tony Hawk soundtrack featured newer punk, pop-punk, and screamo bands covering punk standards.

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I need ot check both of these out.

Edit: Hot damn. Is Stubbs the Zombie (the game) any good or should I just order the CD sountrack?

Redeye · . Joined: 02 Oct 2006 Posts: 986 Location: filth

Redeye · . Joined: 02 Oct 2006 Posts: 986 Location: filth

Err... um, going back to my 80's metalhead days: the Garage Days albums by Metallica.

Nothing but covers, many tards think those are originals.

For the win: William Shatner!

Mr. Tambourine Man
Strawberry Fields
etc.

Shatner is the subconcious Yankovic.
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dessgeega · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:45 am Post subject:

william shatner's cover of "common people" isn't half bad.
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OtakupunkX · . Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 730

I can't believe nobody's mentioned these yet (or maybe I missed that part of the thread), but Black Flag's version of "Louie, Louie" and this medley called "Golden Shower of Hits" by Circle Jerks (which contains part of the song "Afternoon Delight") pretty much started the whole "Punk covers of pop songs" trend.

Swimmy · . Joined: 16 Sep 2005 Posts: 990 Location: Fairfax, VA

The Gayrilla Biscuits do gay covers of punk songs. Totally awesome.
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Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

How did I forget... The Slits covering 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' is pretty damn swell.

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Redeye · . Joined: 02 Oct 2006 Posts: 986 Location: filth

Scratchmonkey · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1439

zebadayus · . Joined: 26 Nov 2006 Posts: 48 Location: Kentucky

Rud13 · . Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 130

Reel Big Fish always do great covers. Boys Don't Cry, Take on Me, Hungry Like the Wolf, and several others. Often they improve the song way beyond the original (particularly in Take on Me." Well, actually I retract that. It's more of a new take on the song.

The Blue Heart Tribute albums are both filled with great covers. The Japanese Weezer Tribute album just has some utterly bizarre stuff on it. The American Tribute is filled with covers that sound like the original and that is boring.

If you are going to cover a song, mix it up do cool stuff with it. Make the song you're own. Here's where I make my mention of China Drum's "Wuthering Heights" cover. Which is a total reenvention of a Kate Bush song. The original singer is dreadful (for me at least) women vocalist. It's filled with a lazy drum beat and piano. The cover is quite possibly the best punk song ever played. And it's a male singer singing from a female perspective.

There are a thousand ska covers out there that are mis-marked as reel big fish.

boojiboy7 · Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 10:31 am Post subject:

Yeah, I'm liking this.

So the Moog Cookbook are amazing. Not only od they do some of the best cover versions of songs on old keyboards, they have this immense respect for old synth. For example, in their cover of Green Day's Basket Case, not only to they totally make it a decent song, but they musically check Michael McDonald's What a Fool Believes. And it's awesome.

Their best, and the one I submitted back in the day for the first mixtape at IC, is their cover of Neil Young's Rockin' in the Free World. It is just an amazingly well done song, and even my friend who can't really stand the synth outside of Rush loves it. Interestingly, when they requested to cover it, Young wanted to play on it as well. I'm not sure if he ended up doing it, but yeah. The Moog Cookbook were in heaven due to this, simply because they have a love of Young's own Trans (a fucking amazing album, really).

Devo does some amazing covers. Secret Agent Man is one of my favorites by them, but that might be due to it being on what might be their darkest album. Their cover of Head Like a Hole is also pretty darn classy.

Nirvana covered a fairly rare Devo track, Turn Around (the B-side of the Whip It single), and I think put it on Incesticide. An excellent cover there.

Reel Big Fish's version of Take On Me is the version of that song. It is the song I play to get any other song out of my head when I find something stuck there.

Karoshi · . Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 43 Location: Philadelphia, PA

Everything by Richard Cheese.

On Stubbs:
It is ostensibly a Halo mod.
I'm not a Halo or FPS guy.
The cover songs are predominantly featured in a mid game boss fight.
I found a copy for $12 at Gamestop and it provided a fun weekend.
A few of the jabs at "Duck and Cover" Atomic Age 1950's are quite inspired.

internisus · . Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Posts: 354

Low & Dirty Three - Down By the River
Kid Koala - Why Don't You Do Right?

km · . Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Posts: 16

zeb, you stole mine Sad

(Also, is CAKE indie rock now, or something?)

I like The Donnas' cover of Strutter. It doesn't seem like anything special immediately, but it leaves me with the impression they are doing something they really enjoy, and are paying homage to one of their formative influences (at least, according to them; I'm not a huge KISS fan, so I wouldn't know).

Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt is regarded as legendary...

Oh, and I've only heard this one live, but the Suburban Legends had an amazing cover of Under the Sea.

Some people might take issue with this, but some of the covers in the first Guitar Hero I liked much better than the originals. I'm thinking Ziggy Stardust, specifically. However, the cover of Take It Off was one of the worst things I've ever heard.
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dessgeega · Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:51 pm Post subject:

the ziggy stardust cover was probably the most impressive sound-alike in either guitar hero game.
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Mister Toups · Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:53 pm Post subject:

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Of course, I totally forgot the Seu Jorge album of David Bowie covers in Portugese from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Mister Toups · Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject:

wankerwitson · . Joined: 16 Feb 2005 Posts: 199

I heard this amazing female sang version of Love will Tear Us Apart in a chinese restaurant recently. Any ideas?

Also Manic Street Preachers version of Last Christmas is pretty special

internisus · . Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Posts: 354