Cover Up Properly or GO AWAY!

As a general rule, I don't like music covers. I don't enjoy many of the performances that happen on Australian Idol due to this fact. Whilst I can appreciate the difficulty to perform many songs that are a lot more challenging than they appear, I don't understand why it is NECESSARY to cover somebody else's work. It's like gaining fame and money through somebody else's hard work....

I am a big fan of song writing. There are some fabulous songwriters - past and present, some extremely famous, some not-so-well-known. Those songwriters deserve to have their songs presented in a way that truly represents their vision and talent.

The majority of covers simply don't do that. Most covers either try to do one of two things:

1. To be a direct copy of the original ie. has anyone noticed how incredibly similar Le-Ann Rimes and Trisha Yearwood's versions of 'How Do I Live' sound? That can't be a coincidence...did Diane Warren stipulate that every version of her song had to sound EXACTLY the same???.

Many songs that appear on 'Coverville' are exactly that - copies.... I don't want to hear some 3rd rate American garage band covering an REM or a Radiohead or a U2 song. Why do I want to listen to somebody doing a half-assed, C grade version of a great song when I can just listen to the original? Most offer nothing new or original or creative - just copycats. They don't understand or utilise the lyrical content, make good use of the melodic or harmonic contours and don't understand the sentiments under which the song was written. It's no better than singing along to a karaoke dvd.

2. Even worse than the first, they try to present the song as is but with an annoying whiny vocalist and even more irritating techno beat or thrashy '90s Punk Rock riff that is neither imaginative nor pleasant to listen to. As an example, take a look at the horribly grating 'Heaven' dance cover of Bryan Adams that appeared a few years ago. Now not only did they thrust a talentless teenybopper as a vocalist on us who had the diction of someone with a tennis ball shoved down her throat ("I'm trying hard to BUHHHlieve we're in heavuuuuuuuhhhhn!") but that beat just pissed me off! It's bad enough having to listen to Bryan Adams sing it but bloody hell! And let's not forget Madonna and her unspeakably awful version of Don McLean's 'American Pie'. Let's just say, just because you CAN cover it, doesn't mean you should. Just because you like the song and enjoy singing it in the shower, doesn't mean you should record it for all to be subjected to what is usually complete insensitivity to the original. How stupid was the dance cover version of 'Boys Of Summer' - did they even listen to the lyrics? They just don't make sense when a girl sings them....

BUT....

In amongst the mounds of crap, you do occasionally find gems and here is a list of some of my favourite cover versions of some great songs.

Regina Spektor's version of the late great John Lennon's song "Real Love" is, to put it simply, just gorgeous. Spektor's voice is full of simultaneous fragility and raw energy and she really does this song justice. I believe she tried this live and it was met with such enthusiasm that she recorded it for charity. It's a mean feat to cover Lennon but she does such a beautiful job of it.

There are actually two cover versions of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that I think are worthy of this list: the first is the gorgeous Tori Amos. I love her version of this song - very Tori in its simplicity - and I think that she made this her own with great sensitivity to the chordal structure - it has all the same darkness despite its more ethereal mood. Apparently Kurt Cobain called this 'the great breakfast cereal version.' LOL. The other is the version that the jazz trio The Bad Plus brought out. What I love about this cover and all the others that The Bad Plus tackle is that they mess with the chords, making it essentially jazz-based without destroying the integrity of the song. It is clearly and noticeably the same song but when the 'outside' chords infiltrate the song, it always makes me laugh. I love it.

Michael Jackson is a hard one to cover because of the massive energy and showmanship that he brings to every song - its not just about the song - its the video, the dancing, the orchestration. So I was rather impressed with Alien Ant Farm's version of Smooth Criminal. Not one of the most airplayed MJ songs but anybody who likes music videos will remember the clip. The riff lends itself to thrashy guitars and I think it works very well. It's such a fun version that holds interest all the way through which is a feat in itself. I also am a big fan of Jean Paul Wabotai's version of Billie Jean. Like the great Bobby McFerrin, Wabotai creates the whole Michael Jackson classic vocally - from percussive effects (done on his body) to booming vocal bass - but he maintains his distinctive French-Zairean accent throughout. I am a big fan of this man (and Bobby McFerrin, I might add) and the kind of energy and love he brings to all his performance and this stood out for me as a great but unfortunately little-known cover. You should check this guy out if he ever performs near you!

There aren't many covers that I think can do the Beatles' songs justice but Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers did a bloody good job with "Got To Get You Into My Life". In fact, I think I actually like this version better and clearly Paul McCartney thought it was worthy too as he produced it apparently. Cliff Bennett had a great voice and I love the fat horn sound in his version that the Beatles just lacked in their original, I think.

I love Metallica and have grown to love and appreciate their music so much as I've grown older. "Nothing Else Matters" is a fantastic song that you really couldn't imagine anybody else doing justice but Apocalyptica have taken this song to a completely new place. This Finnish cello quartet do an achingly beautiful job of this song - the most unlikely looking group of string players if ever I saw them but their arrangement is exquisite. I'm curious to know what the Metallica boys think of this version...and whether James Hetfield would consider singing it with them (if he hasn't already).

I am a huge fan of Simon and Garfunkel but not of their song 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'. As great songwriters, I am very impressed with their work but lyrically, this song sucked. It actually annoys me because I love the melody and chordal structure of the song. So then comes Aretha Franklin. She does an awesome gospel version of this song that is chock-full of soul and innovation. Listening to her version actually makes me forget about the lyrics and listen to the great songwriting that Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel brought to the world. She's amazing. What a goddess.

There are so many great songs that the beautiful late Eva Cassidy brought to the world of music. I am deeply saddened that her tragic death means we won't get to experience any more of her wonderful voice. One of my favourite songs is Sting's "Fields Of Gold". I love his version - so beautiful. But Eva's song equally gives me tingles down my spine. Actually, many of her versions do, but this particular song is so simple and pure that it will probably remain my favourite of all her performances. Check her out on the Live At Blues Alley album....just lovely!

The soundtrack to Moulin Rouge is, of course, the ultimate cover album but for the most part, the songs are not as interesting as the original. All but one - the version of The Police's Roxanne is AWESOME. "El Tango De Roxanne" is one of the cleverest versions of a popular song I have ever heard. Not only was it highly appropriate to the film content but WHAT a voice that came from Jose Feliciano...so Tom Waits-y and raw. The song works so well in a tango form because it has that lyrical content that is so indicative of the tango passion. And the violinist should be commended - excellent playing!

One of my favourite albums of all time is Zebra Crossing by the Soweto String Quartet. What I love about these four men is that they are classically trained performers who haven't forgotten where they come from. They are some of the most delightfully jubilant people who clearly live for their music. Africa, musically, has so much to offer and the Soweto String Quartet tap into that throughout this album. But they pay tribute to Paul Simon and his Graceland album for bringing African music to popular culture. Technically this is four snippets of covers, not one: "Homeless", "Graceland", "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" and "You Can Call Me Al". The songs, already based in African rhythms (and of course, lyrically and vocally) work so well with these performers who manage to muster so much energy to play these songs. I can't help but dance around the living room to this. I'm sure Paul Simon would have been most flattered to have heard this version.

Jazz versions of popular songs can go in different directions: either badly (aka any version by Michael Buble who takes out the character, energy and in a lot of cases, sexiness, of a song and squashes it flat) or done very well in the case of Harry Connick Jr's versions of Broadway show tunes on Songs I Heard- (so clever...you should check it out) or John Coltrane's famous version of "My Favourite Things". I think the latter two work because they AREN'T pop music. There's a certain element of rhythm, melody and harmony in Broadway and film music that doesn't appear in your average chart-appearing pop song. And I think that is why Miles Davis's "Someday My Prince Will Come" is so amazing. The basic elements of the song are there but Miles stamps his mark on it pretty quickly, complete with mutes. I love this whole album but that track is a real stand out for me.

Now anybody who knows me knows I live for Stevie. I love him - he is one of my favourite artists of all time. What a great songwriter, performer, idol.... And "Higher Ground" is one of my favourite songs of his. So you wouldn't expect me to actually accept covers of his music. But Red Hot Chili Peppers have done it. Their version of this song is outstanding. The Stevie-trademark keyed bass translates very well into Flea's slap technique and that is one of the stand out features of this song. Anthony Kiedis' wailing voice (which usually annoys me, actually) suits this song down to the ground as vocally, it isn't one of Stevie's strongest melodies. The character is in the bass riff and lyrics and both of these are exaggerated well in RHCP's version. I actually really love this version and will listen to both equally. And for anybody who hasn't seen it, check out the movie Centre Stage for a great dance sequence to this song...

I am not a big fan of Leonard Cohen, all doom and gloom and plain depressing. But I'll give him credit. He did create one hell of a good song: "Hallelujah", expertly covered by the late wonderful Jeff Buckley. Jeff Buckley makes this song sound so pensive and beautiful, unlike Cohen's version which sounds like music for a commercial. Buckley's version is stripped right back to sparce guitar and vocals, unlike Cohen's which is backed by choir. Whilst the biblical references and liturgical sentiments of the song are lost on me, I love that the song builds through the verses and then comes to rest again after the 'chorus'. Such masterful songwriting done so beautifully by Buckley - a sad reminder of what a tragic loss Buckley's death was to world music.

Of course, there are other covers that should make the list but these are the ones that stand out the most for me at the moment. Please feel free to comment if you feel that other covers should be added to the list....


Quote of the day: "Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art"
Charlie Parker