[net.music] Covers

cdelliot@uokvax.UUCP (12/08/84)

/Bernie @ brl-tgr writes:

	> Joan Jett's version of "Crimson and Clover" is a note-for-note
	> remake of Tommy James'.  It is hard to say that the original is
	> better, since the remake is an EXACT copy.

It may be a note-for-note remake, but it is definitely not an EXACT copy.
Not only are the vocals different, but the whole mood of the song has
been changed.  The original is much preferable.  In fact, I can't think of
any remake of a classic song which I like better than the original.

Question:  When one artist writes a song, another artist records the song,
	   and then the writer records a version later, is the writers version
	   considered a cover?  I believe this has happened with some Bruce
	   Springsteen and Bob Dylan material.



				..!ctvax!uokvax!cdelliot

mfs@mhuxr.UUCP (SIMON) (12/11/84)

> 
> Question:  When one artist writes a song, another artist records the song,
> 	   and then the writer records a version later, is the writers version
> 	   considered a cover?  I believe this has happened with some Bruce
> 	   Springsteen and Bob Dylan material.
> 
> 
> 
> 				..!ctvax!uokvax!cdelliot

A cover is a song recorded  by someone other than the person who composed
it, regardless of whether the composer has recorded and issued it already.
Some covers are so great that they become associated with the person
who covered, rather than the writer. The Byrds' "Mr Tambourine Man",
Aretha Franklin's "Respect", Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" are three
disparate examples that come to my mind.

mfs@mhuxr.UUCP (SIMON) (12/13/84)

> Coverer             Title                   Original Artist
> ------------------  ----------------------  -----------------
> Jimi Hendrix        "Johnny B. Goode"       Chuck Berry
>      "              "The Killing Floor"     The Electric Flag

The original performer of Killing Floor was Howlin' Wolf!!!!!!
On the other hand, one of the absolute WORST covers in history is
the Yardbirds's so-called version of "Mannish Boy", which they retitled
"I'm a Man"

"I'm built for comfort, I ain't built for speed; but i got everything 
that all good women need"

Marcel Simon		{ihnp4!allegra}!mhuxr!mfs

dsg@mhuxi.UUCP (David S. Green) (12/13/84)

[]
> On the other hand, one of the absolute WORST covers in history is
> the Yardbirds's so-called version of "Mannish Boy", which they retitled
> "I'm a Man"
> 
> Marcel Simon		{ihnp4!allegra}!mhuxr!mfs

The Yardbirds "broke up" almost 20 years ago.  I happen to like their
version of "I'm a Man".   It is up-beat and you can dance to it (-:.
But seriously,  I think that the Yardbirds were one of the most important
groups to come out of England during the '60s because of the content of
their work and the members of their band who went on to bigger and perhaps
better things, specifically Eric Clapton.  I don't feel it is needed to
name-drop the rest of the Yardbirds alumni.  "I'm a Man" is just as good
as any other of their covers and originals.   The sixties was a time
for experimentation, cover versions of other songs that have popped
up in the seventies and eighties make me cringe, especially disco covers.

David S. Green   {ihnp4|allegra}!mhuxi!dsg   201-564-4468    Ninevah

mfs@mhuxr.UUCP (SIMON) (12/13/84)

> []
> > On the other hand, one of the absolute WORST covers in history is
> > the Yardbirds's so-called version of "Mannish Boy", which they retitled
> > "I'm a Man"
> > 
> 
> The Yardbirds "broke up" almost 20 years ago.  I happen to like their
> version of "I'm a Man".   It is up-beat and you can dance to it (-:.
> But seriously,  I think that the Yardbirds were one of the most important
> groups to come out of England during the '60s because of the content of
> their work and the members of their band who went on to bigger and perhaps
> better things, specifically Eric Clapton. <... Rest Deleted...>

I LOVE the Yardbirds. That does not change the fact that their desecration
of "Mannish Boy" is an affront in the face of the Universe


Marcel Simon		{ihnp4!allegra}!mhuxr!mfs

rob@ctvax.UUCP (12/17/84)

Re: Joan Jett's cover of Crimson and Clover:

But did you know that her manager (and keyboards player on a recent
tour when her guitarist got sick) was one of the Shondells!?
-------------------

	>... In fact, I can't think of
	>any remake of a classic song which I like better than the original.

Oh boy! What a can of worms you've opened! For starters (from 
senile memory):

Coverer             Title                   Original Artist
------------------  ----------------------  -----------------
Jimi Hendrix        "Johnny B. Goode"       Chuck Berry
     "              "The Killing Floor"     The Electric Flag
     "              "Wild Thing"            The Troggs
     "              "God Save the Queen"    ?
     "              "The Stars and Stripes" ?
The Rolling Stones  "Walking the Dog"       Rufus Thomas
Cream               "Crossroads"            Robert Johnson
The Beatles         "Money"                 ?
Zoot Money and 
  his Big Roll Band "Barefootin'"           Robert Parker

There must be hundreds of others, especially from the late sixties
when the British bands were covering all the R&B classics.

"Tire tracks across your back tell me you've had your fun!"

Rob Spray
...convex!ctvax!rob

Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@BRL-VLD.ARPA> (01/08/85)

I'm not sure of this, but I think Barrett Strong did "Money"
before the Beatles did.