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Mutant Cover Versions

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theskunkymonkey

12:33 / 06.02.02

Just heard 'Gin & Juice' by the Gourds. Has to be one of the strangest and best covers EVER. Snoop Dogg's gangsta anthem mutated into a country-stylee punk rock hoedown!
Anyone else think of any covers that blow the originals to pieces?

13:04 / 06.02.02

Hey, Moderator:

Move this 'un here!

13:05 / 06.02.02

Oh, and the song sounds like it'd rule, by the way.

13:33 / 06.02.02

quote:Originally posted by grant:
Hey, Moderator:

Move this 'un here!

But, er, that thread's about imaginary cover versions and this one is about real ones.

Regrettable Juvenilia

13:43 / 06.02.02

Electrelane covered Bruce Springsteen's 'I'm On Fire' at the gig I saw last week. It was mighty - a surprisingly faithful cover in some ways, considering they're an all-girl mostly-instrumental krautrock band...

Fengs for the Memory

13:49 / 06.02.02

The Afgan Wigs do a Heartbreakingly good version of 'If I only had a heart' from the Wizard of Oz.

13:55 / 06.02.02

Ditto the Flaming Lips 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' which I haven't actually heard 'em sing, but it's nice enough just closing my eyes and thinking about the concept.

Matthew Fluxington

14:21 / 06.02.02

Guided By Voices' live version of "Baba O'Riley" does the unthinkable by being superior to The Who's original...

[ 06-02-2002: Message edited by: Flux = Genius of Love ]

Matthew Fluxington

14:22 / 06.02.02

quote:Originally posted by Rizla Year Zero:
Ditto the Flaming Lips 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'

I got to see them do it live - it was lovely, they had footage from the Wizard of Oz playing on all the screens around them.

I've been avoiding the covers stuff because a) I know so many good ones, that it's all blurring out and I suddenly can't think of any.

I would like to mention that I love Stephen Malkmus and Pavement's covers, SM has brilliant taste, and knows how to choose em...here's a few highlights:

Tale In Hard Time (originally by Fairport Convention, performed by The Jicks on tour)

The Classical (originally by The Fall, interpolated/re-written by Pavement)

The Killing Moon (originally by Echo & The Bunnymen, performed by Pavement)

Sinister Purpose (originally by Creedence Clearwater Revival, performed live by Pavement)

Alien Boy (originally by Wipers, performed live by The Jicks)

1979 (originally by The Smashing Pumpkins performed with tongue firmly in cheek by Pavement)

What Goes On (originally by Velvet Underground, performed live by Pavement)

Love Is Lies (originally by Buzzcocks, performed live by SM and Westy)

Heart of Glass (originally by Blondie, performed quasi-humorously by The Jicks)

two cents: I really hate when white people turn hip hop songs into folk/country/rock music for a cheap "ha, see we're white and they're black! we're mocking ourselves because we are SO WHITE!" laugh.

14:23 / 06.02.02

Fred Frith does a wigged-out version of Martha and the Vandellas' Dancing in the Street.

14:27 / 06.02.02

Rammstein has their version of Depeche Mode's "Stripped" on Sehnsucht. It works, somehow.

15:14 / 06.02.02

Therapy? did a great version of Judas Priest's Breaking the Law back in the Troublegum era...

16:06 / 06.02.02

Gridlock do a great industrial version of Berlin's 'Metro'. The keyboards are identical but Gridlock have turned a cutesy pop song into quite a menacing and atmospheric industrial ditty.

17:05 / 06.02.02

quote:Originally posted by Flux = Genius of Love:

two cents: I really hate when white people turn hip hop songs into folk/country/rock music for a cheap "ha, see we're white and they're black! we're mocking ourselves because we are SO WHITE!" laugh.

I don't think that's why The Gourds did "Gin & Juice" at all. The truth is, they're kind of a joke band. All of their songs are about flaky things like pickles, leather trucks & gettin' drunk. And The Supersuckers do a pretty smokin' version of Ice Cube's "Dead Homiez"

Matthew Fluxington

17:14 / 06.02.02

quote:Originally posted by Margin Walker:

The truth is, they're kind of a joke band. All of their songs are about flaky things like pickles, leather trucks & gettin' drunk. And The Supersuckers do a pretty smokin' version of Ice Cube's "Dead Homiez"

That supports my case nicely, thank you.

theskunkymonkey

06:57 / 07.02.02

Hmmm... I was thinking more along the lines of totally far out cross-genre leaps like Toots & the Maytals covering "Take me home Country Road". Or John Holt giving us "Alfie" in a lovers rock style.
Thanks anyway people...

07:34 / 07.02.02

Well, to continue ignoring the origional intent of this thread:

I have Heaven & Hell: A tribute to The Velvet Underground, Vol 1 which has Nirvana covering Here She Comes Now.

The Malkmus version of Alien Boy is dead-on. Thurston Moore & Kieth Nealy covered the Wipers' Pushing the Extreme was just ok and Nirvana did both Return of the Rat and D-7 which were both very good.

Flux sent me a cover of a Hole song (Credit in the straight world?) that was so good I didn't recognise it. I lost the track listings so maybe he can tell us who it was.

More Nirvana goodness (not really good covers just good entertainment for one or two listens): they changed the lyrics of Baba O'Riley to "Its only major label wasteland" and turned the Doors The End into a story about a wafflehouse that includes the line "this is the end, come and deface my grave my friends."

The Handsome Family did a real country version of Faraway Eyes that shits on the Stones version. Believe it.

No star here laces

11:09 / 07.02.02

Hah. I can step in with one of the oddest covers ever: ODB's re-make of "Sussudio" by Phil Collins. It could have been even better, one senses, but is still very worthwhile.

pointless and uncalled for

11:15 / 07.02.02

Well I have to say that in recent months I've been impressed by some punkish cover versions.

Me First and the Gimme Gimme's do some really good ones.

There's also a fantastic version of Turning Japanese out there but I forget the band name.

14:04 / 07.02.02

quote:Originally posted by theskunkymonkey:
Hmmm... I was thinking more along the lines of totally far out cross-genre leaps like Toots & the Maytals covering "Take me home Country Road". Or John Holt giving us "Alfie" in a lovers rock style.
Thanks anyway people...

I *know* there was another thread about weird covers that really existed somewhere in this forum's past...

* ... on which I mentioned Camper Van Beethoven's bluegrass hoedown cover of Sonic Youth's metal-machine-post-punk meltdown "I Love Her All The Time."

* There was also this album that came out in the mid 80s called "Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father" - different bands doing the songs on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Michelle Shocked did "Lovely Rita" (not a big leap) and the Fall doing "Day in the Life" (not a leap at all, really) but some (kinda forgettable) rapper did both instances of "Sgt. Pepper". The Wedding Present did "Getting Better". Billy Bragg was on it, too. And Sonic Youth did "Within You Without You." I'm gonna have to dig up that tape now....

* And this is all sidestepping the entire career of the mighty Dread Zeppelin.
Elvis impersonator + Reggae band + Led Zeppelin covers.

They've also done an album of other classic rock hits (the cover of Freebird is inspired) and, when I saw them once, Tortelvis wasn't with the band for some reason. Instead, the singer was silver-jumpsuited "Garry Bibb" and they did long medleys interweaving Zeppelin songs and the Bee Gees.
"Night Fever" + "Stairway to Heaven" = brain damage.
Tortelvis is back with the band and they're still fucking touring.

* Also, on the first Nuggets compilation, a psychedelic band called The Leaves do an awesome, high-speed cover of Hendrix's "Hey Joe." Instead of a creepy blues stomp, it sounds vaguely like "Paperback Writer" played at 45rpm when it should be at 33.

[ 07-02-2002: Message edited by: grant ]

20:35 / 07.02.02

The Dead Kennedys shred the hell out of "Take This Job & Shove It" fun stuff that is.

I'm pretty sure the punk band doing "Turning Japanese" may be the Vindictives, they have a whole cover album of annoying voiced pop punk covers.

Guns'N'Roses kicked the ever living shit out of the Wings version of "Live and Let Die."

22:16 / 07.02.02

If you cna find a copy of P.T. Grimm's version of "People are Strange" by the doors, it's pretty inspired.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

00:51 / 08.02.02

quote:Originally posted by Flux = Genius of Love:
Guided By Voices' live version of "Baba O'Riley" does the unthinkable by being superior to The Who's original...

By being completely tuneless?

12:18 / 08.02.02

My all-time favourite has still got to be the Jesus & Mary Chain's interpretation of 'Surfin' USA' - simply one of the greatest things EVER.

pointless and uncalled for

13:01 / 08.02.02

Ahhh but The Pixies version of Head On is the best cover version ever. They made it from a good track into an amazing track.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

13:51 / 08.02.02

You people are causing me - by way of audiogalaxy - to run my computer in to the ground...

14:32 / 08.02.02

hahah yeah winmx has nver had this many songs downloading at once !

14:40 / 08.02.02

You people are on crack. All the Mutant Cover versions you could ever want are found here.

"I heal very quickly..."

[ 08-02-2002: Message edited by: moriarty ]

19:27 / 08.02.02

I just heard 'Gin & Juice' by the Gourds on the CD (Sounds of the New West V.3) that came with this months Uncut magazine. Complete shit.

20:47 / 08.02.02

Pussy Galore covered the whole Exhile on Main St. album, which some of it is on Corpse Love, it's a lot of fun.

03:31 / 10.02.02

forgive the long post im going through my collection.

if any one here has not heard DEVO's cover of head liek a hole by NIN it's pretty fuckign amusing.

god lives underwater's cover of Fame by bowie is less than memorable but a worthwile download.

and i forget what industrial band ... fuck ! one wiht a female vocalist did a cover of GANGSTA'S PARADISE by coolio, which was actually very good.

System of a Down's metro by berlin. very fun.

and as gay as it sounds fiona apples cover version of criminal by the beatles is very good.

i think any barblither can appriciate anythign BY MC HAWKING. which is supposed ot be staphen hawking rapping voer old rap tunes. sometimes it goes wiht the song sometimes it doesn't whether you consider it a cover or not it's fucking ingenious.

personally i'm waiting for a heavier, punky, keyboarded whack cover of "dare to be stupid" by weird al. if anyone wants to cooraborate on something liek that shit, lemem know.

im going to end this post. I;ve already wasted to much webspace on it.

03:46 / 10.02.02

ok i suck i meant "across the universe"

some other covers i just thoguht of worthwile to check out.

Mindless Self Indulgence - Bring the Pain (originally method man)

Shonnen Knife - On top of the world by the carpenter (total camp value)

tom jones and the cardigans - burning down the house

WILLIAM SHANTER - LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS .. a personal favorite .. its so bad its wonderful.

03:58 / 10.02.02

1000 Mona Lisas cover of "You Oughta Know" is ACE! it makes me wanna molest Alanis songs on stage w/ my band

Devo's cover of the classic "Bread 'n Butter" is one of the best covers they do

the Mr. T Experice doing the Primatives "Crash" and Elton's "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" stand out as grand too

the Polysics (think Devo only more punky and a bit louder & crunchier) covering the Pizzicato 5's "GOOD !" is the best messed up cover i've ever heard! the speed they take it at alone makes the song half as long

and the Aquabat's tuning Op Ivy's classic "Knowledge" into a summer camp song always makes me laugh

Goldfinger doin' the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" is also fun as is Reel Big Fish doin' Lita Ford's "Kiss Me Deadly"

and Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies ONLY DO COVERS! don't say they've done some good cover songs, cuz that's all they do! and if they dinna do it well why would they sell records!?!

A

11:56 / 10.02.02

Atom And His Package do a whole bunch of really cool covers of (usually) crap old punk songs. The Atom version of "Where Eagles Dare" by the Misfits (quite probably THE worst punk band of all time) is an inspired piece of genius. Hearing a whiny voiced Jewish guy going "I ain't no god damn son-of-a-bitch. Yeah. You better think about that, baby." over a sequencer is a wonderful thing indeed.

19:53 / 10.02.02

Ethyl Meatplow do a great, fucked up, lounge-punk cover of 'Close to You' by the Carpenters.

Also worth mentioning the tigerbeat6 'Attitudes' album - covers of NWA songs by their roster of fucked up experimental glitchers (i.e., kid606, pisstank, whoever else...) It's good and they obviously mean it as a tribute, rather than just a joke, but gangsta covers are quickly turning into an annoying tigerbeat cliche (i.e., Cex's DMX cover, which just makes the song less interesting).

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