Bilbo Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 My list of 'won't dos' is as follows (for starters): Watermelon Man, Canteloupe Island, Moondance, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Song For My Father, Chameleon, Mustang Sally and anything by James Brown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 [quote name='51m0n' post='718722' date='Jan 20 2010, 08:59 AM']Nothing should be so out of reach that it must never even be attempted, thats daft.[/quote] +1 If you're going to play covers, why limit your choice? If you can play it well... play it! [quote name='51m0n' post='718722' date='Jan 20 2010, 08:59 AM']Lastly I just dont get the whole Smiths thing, why are they considered SO good? The lyrics are reasonably entertaining, but thats about it, whilst the vocal delivery is at least an aquired taste, the guitar is fine, but not exceptional (it fits nicely with the song and all, but thats what guitar is supposed to do, nothing more, nothing less), and the bass and drums are reasonable but in no way exceptional, any more or less than the guitar. Can anyone explain to me why they are put on this unbelievable pedestal? I'm not just bashing, I honestly cant understand what makes people think they are so good, needless to say they really have never done it for me, and I am just the right age to be one of these odd blokes swooning over Morrisey as if he were the second coming....[/quote] As with so many bands (and genres), it either appeals to you or it doesn't. As a miserable teenager, I loved the Smiths and Morrissey's (early) solo stuff. I still love the Smiths, although I don't listen to them nearly as often as I used to. I won't put them on a pedestal, though. I think they were probably a real product of their times (although, being only 30 now, I came to them a decade after the fact). After all the balls-out, three-power-chord noise of the punk and post-punk scenes, here was a guitar-based band with harmonic complexity (I don't think I've ever heard Johnny Marr play a straight major or minor chord without extensions), lyrical wit and extravagantly foppish style. Like you say, the lyrics are entertaining, and Morrissey's delivery is Marmite. I'd argue that the guitar lines [i]are[/i] exceptional. There are quite often 4 or 5 separate guitar lines going on at the same time, playing rhythms and harmonies across each other, interlocking to create a Spector-style wall of sound. I'm gushing here, so I'll try to rein it in... but it's almost as much about the production as the musicianship and songwriting. Some lovely bits of guitar in here though: As for the bass, Andy Rourke usually just held down a firm, thudding bottom (and IMO he did it very well), but he'd often throw in some nice little touches: (I'd agree about the drums, though. Nowt special, although he had a good grasp of a lot of styles.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Not one of my favourite numbers but Africa, by Toto. Heard one band cover it and they were all very good players and tried to do a faithfull rendition. Sugary pop rock or not, very hard to reproduce properly if that's your intention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 [quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='718699' date='Jan 20 2010, 08:16 AM']Have you heard his old band ? Aphrodities Child.Demis played bass,and did the vocals.[/quote] ...with Vangelis (Papathanassiou) on keys. Check out their album '666'. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selfqEH-JnY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selfqEH-JnY[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 [quote name='leschirons' post='718830' date='Jan 20 2010, 11:31 AM']Not one of my favourite numbers but Africa, by Toto. Heard one band cover it and they were all very good players and tried to do a faithfull rendition. Sugary pop rock or not, very hard to reproduce properly if that's your intention.[/quote] I love Toto but I've never seen them do a decent live version of "Africa". If they can't do it justice what chance has anybody else got? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah5string Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 anthing that has ever featured on a 'pop party' album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmpires Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 I saw Pink do a great cover of Bohemian Rhapsody @ the O2 and Crazy by Gnarles Barkley too. Great great covers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 [quote name='RhysP' post='719213' date='Jan 20 2010, 05:30 PM']I love Toto but I've never seen them do a decent live version of "Africa". If they can't do it justice what chance has anybody else got?[/quote] Make you right there. Maybe it was one of those "only in the studio" numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 The Birdie Song. We will hunt you down................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 [quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='66812' date='Sep 28 2007, 10:44 AM']"Love will tear us apart" by Joy Division. The two versions i've heard (Paul Young, The Cure) make me want to rip my ears off[/quote] I dunno... I like this French take on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatboter Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Superstition - Stevie Wonder I've played with a lot of bands..it's always terrible and it doesn't have thé vibe. You just don't get that sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 [quote name='wombatboter' post='719840' date='Jan 21 2010, 09:35 AM']Superstition - Stevie Wonder I've played with a lot of bands..it's always terrible and it doesn't have thé vibe. You just don't get that sound.[/quote] It was suggested the other day in my band.... my heart says "yes", my head says "idiot, you're not good enough"!! To be fair, I have heard it done well but only on rare occasions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 [quote name='leschirons' post='719714' date='Jan 21 2010, 12:32 AM']Make you right there. Maybe it was one of those "only in the studio" numbers.[/quote] We used to do t'Africa..... though we also done Pamela which was one hell of a song to play.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 I think any song should be covered, just as long as it's not made to sound anything like the original. IMO a good cover is when someone takes a song & rewrites it in their own style. Anyone who covers a song the same way as the original should be banned from covering any songs at all (would put westlife out of business fully ) unless they are a function/tribute band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskimoBassist Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Blue Monday. It should NEVER be touched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keving Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='66876' date='Sep 28 2007, 12:01 PM']oh, what the hell - [i]Mustang Sally[/i].[/quote] Reminds me of a contract that a band I sometime dep with had. It was a standard contract with number and length of set etc, and then at the bottom it stated: YOU WILL NOT PLAY MUSTANG SALLY. More contracts should contain this clause Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 'FEVER'!!! Captain Smith and Pocahontas - what were they thinking!!!!??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 [quote name='Earbrass' post='719180' date='Jan 20 2010, 04:06 PM']...with Vangelis (Papathanassiou) on keys. Check out their album '666'. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selfqEH-JnY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selfqEH-JnY[/url][/quote] Great album IMO,i've had it for about 30 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 (edited) I think X Factor winners with pseudo-operatic voices should be discouraged from covering Wild Horses. Oh, and I'd ban covers of Hallelujah entirely. Edited January 21, 2010 by spinynorman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 [quote name='spinynorman' post='720154' date='Jan 21 2010, 02:34 PM']Oh, and I'd ban covers of Hallelujah entirely.[/quote] I think the original of this is my favourite Leonard Cohen song, but I really would not like to be without the Jeff Buckley version, so I have to disagree on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 [quote name='keving' post='719953' date='Jan 21 2010, 11:34 AM']Reminds me of a contract that a band I sometime dep with had. It was a standard contract with number and length of set etc, and then at the bottom it stated: YOU WILL NOT PLAY MUSTANG SALLY. More contracts should contain this clause [/quote] Although I've never played it personally, I wish people would lay off Mustang Sally. It is a victim of it's own success, but that success is because it's a fine song and audiences love it. I for one certainly wish I'd had the skill and foresight to write it and one or two other 'Standards', and if I had I would be very proud of it, not to mention considerably better off. Who here can honestly say that they would not have written such a successful song given half a chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 [quote name='Count Bassy' post='720346' date='Jan 21 2010, 05:48 PM']Although I've never played it personally, I wish people would lay off Mustang Sally. It is a victim of it's own success, but that success is because it's a fine song and audiences love it. I for one certainly wish I'd had the skill and foresight to write it and one or two other 'Standards', and if I had I would be very proud of it, not to mention considerably better off. Who here can honestly say that they would not have written such a successful song given half a chance?[/quote] Dead right. If you can't find something to enjoy in Mustang Sally, you're not playing it right. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COTchg91cv4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COTchg91cv4[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.