The middle-aged dummies are forming a band called "Blanket"! It's a cover band. (8 Viewers)

[Uruk-Hai]

Uruk-Hai:

Little Wing - Stevie Ray Vaughan (Jimi Hendrix)
Song: two votes – Stevie Ray Vaughan (2)
Cover artist: five votes – Little Wing (2); Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (1); The Sky Is Crying (1); Superstition (1)
Original artist: five votes – Little Wing (2); Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (1); The Wind Cries Mary (1); Purple Haze (1)

I thought about taking the Dominoes version, but Stevie Ray's rings truer to me.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Val Rannous:

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience (Bob Dylan)

DrIanMalcolm:

Respect - Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding)

These were the two heavy-hitters I referenced, getting their first votes today.

Same. I mentioned my surprise that they hadn't shown a few days ago. I'm expecting a run on one or both. There's one I have coming that may give them a push, though.

 

[krista4]

krista4:

Chelsea Hotel No. 2 – Rufus Wainwright (Leonard Cohen)

I originally had Rufus's version of "Across the Universe" in here, but I already had a Beatles cover on my list (to come) and didn't want to double-up my original artists, so I switched to this one. Then I realized later I have another Leonard Cohen on my list (also to come), so there goes that.

Anyway, I love what he does with this, bringing so much longing to the way he sings it. And obviously his voice is spectacular. I do love the original more, and Leonard performs it with such bemusement rather than longing. I picture him smiling when he sings it. I always love the line "you preferred handsome men, but for me you would make an exception" when sung by either of them, since they both were/are ridiculously handsome men, while Janis Joplin wasn't super-attractive IMO.

 

[krista4]

Val Rannous:

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience (Bob Dylan)

DrIanMalcolm:

Respect - Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding)

These were the two heavy-hitters I referenced, getting their first votes today.

Same. I mentioned my surprise that they hadn't shown a few days ago. I'm expecting a run on one or both. There's one I have coming that may give them a push, though.

I figure you were talking about one of these two, but I wasn't sure which!

 

[krista4]

I originally had Rufus's version of "Across the Universe" in here, but I already had a Beatles cover on my list (to come) and didn't want to double-up my original artists, so I switched to this one. Then I realized later I have another Leonard Cohen on my list (also to come), so there goes that.

I just looked at my list and realized I have two Beatles covers, too.

 

[Charlie Steiner]

15. Take Me to the River - Talking Heads (Al Green)

February 2, 1979: The Talking Heads make their national debut on Saturday Night Live, performing a flawless reproduction of their album version of Take Me to the River, along with the lesser-known Artists Only in the latter half of the show. 13 year-old me was very confused by this band; they weren't rock, they weren't pop, they weren't even disco or punk and their music only spoke to me on a level I couldn't verbalize. Artists Only was pretty out there to me, but I didn't hate it. I enjoyed most of their songs that made it into the mainstream, yet I never dived into their work like other bands, a 'regret' I have to this day.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

higgins:

Moondance - Luba Mason with Al Jarreau (Van Morrison)
Song: first vote
Cover artist: first vote each
Original artist: three votes – Moondance (1); Tupelo Honey (1); Brown Eyed Girl (1)

No clue who Luba Mason is, but I know a little about Al Jarreau.

This is a fun song. Seems like something you'd hear in a small club in the Maldives and then tell your friends about it for the rest of your life. I think I may like this more than Van's original.

Thanks, @higgins

 

[Uruk-Hai]

She Came in through the Bathroom Window - Joe Cocker (The Beatles)

 

[Don Quixote]

Don Quixote:

Love in Vain - The Rolling Stones (Robert Johnson)

Loved The Rolling Stones’ version of this one from the first time that I listened to Let It Bleed. I think it is what made me check out Robert Johnson and then buy a CD of his stuff, and the original became probably my favorite Johnson song too. Lyrics are just timeless.

While my link is to the Let It Bleed version, here’s a bonus link to a live version showing Mick Taylor killing it on the guitar (electric as opposed to the more country-style version of the album version) (live version on Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out).

 

[Doug B]

Doug B:

She Came in through the Bathroom Window - Joe Cocker (The Beatles)

(Sorry krista)

 

[Doug B]

She Came in through the Bathroom Window - Joe Cocker (The Beatles)

You're in luck -- I went looking to see if Billy Joel ever did "She Came In". Came up empty.

 

[Mister CIA]

scorchy:

You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory - Ronnie Spector (Johnny Thunders)
Song: first vote
Cover artist: first vote
Original artist: first vote

This song racked up a lot of frequent flyer miles as it moved in and out of my top 31 list. Love it.

krista4:

Chelsea Hotel No. 2 – Rufus Wainwright (Leonard Cohen)
Song: first vote
Cover artist: first vote
Original artist: three votes – Hallelujah (2); Chelsea Hotel No. 2 (1)

Kind of regret not including any Rufus Wainwright with my picks, but I'm pretty sure he will get lots of love - as in top-5 love - in this thread before it's all over.

 

[titusbramble]

ANNOUNCE: I'm putting together tomorrow's list and realized I effed up @titusbramble 's pick in the last round. Instead of "Feeling Good," it should have been:

Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Muse (Frankie Valli)

Seemed just too good to be true.

It was too good to be true. My pick order should have gone White Stripes 14pts, Urge Overkill 15, Feeling Good 16, Can't Take My Eyes Off You 17, then Travis wasn't due until the 18 pointers. No idea what has gone on here

 

[Doug B]

She Came in through the Bathroom Window - Joe Cocker (The Beatles)

There should be a Last Waltz kind of show, just for FBG Music Nerds pleasure.

All on one stage:

- Joe Cocker and Geddy Lee trading off on vocals
- William M. Joel on the keys
- Don Henley on drums
- Don Felder, Joe Walsh, and Alex Lifeson with a full-frontal axe assault
- Timothy B. Schmit on bass

 

[Mister CIA]

She Came in through the Bathroom Window - Joe Cocker (The Beatles)

There should be a Last Waltz kind of show, just for FBG Music Nerds pleasure.

All on one stage:

- Joe Cocker and Geddy Lee trading off on vocals
- William M. Joel on the keys
- Don Henley on drums
- Don Felder, Joe Walsh, and Alex Lifeson with a full-frontal axe assault
- Timothy B. Schmit on bass

Reaction

 

[krista4]

ANNOUNCE: I'm putting together tomorrow's list and realized I effed up @titusbramble 's pick in the last round. Instead of "Feeling Good," it should have been:

Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Muse (Frankie Valli)

Seemed just too good to be true.

It was too good to be true. My pick order should have gone White Stripes 14pts, Urge Overkill 15, Feeling Good 16, Can't Take My Eyes Off You 17, then Travis wasn't due until the 18 pointers. No idea what has gone on here

Oh FFS, sorry.

I think when I put Feeling Good in a couple of days ago, I accidentally deleted it from your list instead of copying it from there. So then last night I didn't see it anymore.

@Hawks64 , please re-insert Feeling Good into the 16-point playlist in place of Can't Take My Eyes off of You
@Hawks64 , please replace the Travis song in the 17-point playlist with Can't Take My Eyes off of You
@everyone, please act surprised when you see the Travis song on Saturday.

 

[titusbramble]

Please act surprised when you see the Travis song on Saturday.

Do not for one minute hear it baby one more time

 

[Mister CIA]

ANNOUNCE: I'm putting together tomorrow's list and realized I effed up @titusbramble 's pick in the last round. Instead of "Feeling Good," it should have been:

Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Muse (Frankie Valli)

Seemed just too good to be true.

It was too good to be true. My pick order should have gone White Stripes 14pts, Urge Overkill 15, Feeling Good 16, Can't Take My Eyes Off You 17, then Travis wasn't due until the 18 pointers. No idea what has gone on here

Oh FFS, sorry.

I think when I put Feeling Good in a couple of days ago, I accidentally deleted it from your list instead of copying it from there. So then last night I didn't see it anymore.

@Hawks64 , please re-insert Feeling Good into the 16-point playlist in place of Can't Take My Eyes off of You
@Hawks64 , please replace the Travis song in the 17-point playlist with Can't Take My Eyes off of You
@everyone, please act surprised when you see the Travis song on Saturday.

Dramatization

 

[Hawks64]

ANNOUNCE: I'm putting together tomorrow's list and realized I effed up @titusbramble 's pick in the last round. Instead of "Feeling Good," it should have been:

Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Muse (Frankie Valli)

Seemed just too good to be true.

It was too good to be true. My pick order should have gone White Stripes 14pts, Urge Overkill 15, Feeling Good 16, Can't Take My Eyes Off You 17, then Travis wasn't due until the 18 pointers. No idea what has gone on here

Oh FFS, sorry.

I think when I put Feeling Good in a couple of days ago, I accidentally deleted it from your list instead of copying it from there. So then last night I didn't see it anymore.

@Hawks64 , please re-insert Feeling Good into the 16-point playlist in place of Can't Take My Eyes off of You
@Hawks64 , please replace the Travis song in the 17-point playlist with Can't Take My Eyes off of You
@everyone, please act surprised when you see the Travis song on Saturday.

Think I have the correct ones on the correct lists now.

 

[Raging weasel]

The 16 Pointers

Known and liked covers

Feeling Good
Star Spangled Banner
Mr Tambourine Man
Hound Dog
Crossroads
Mad World
Personal Jesus
Boys of Summer
Hanging on the Telephone
Sweet Jane
Signs -made my top 50
MacArthur Park
If not for You- didn't know it was a cover

Liked covers of known songs

Moon River- know it but probably the first time I heard it all the way through
Minha Vida
Tupelo Honey
Cortez the Killer- a little long but still awesome
Low spark of the high heeled Boys

New to me likes

This wheel's on Fire
Polk Salad Annie
A song for You
Lost Continent

 

[Eephus]

My favorite part of that version is when he talks about seeing a Black Flag sticker on a Cadillac.

We all get older, didn't we?

Black Flag is touring again. Greg Ginn is 69 years old and probably hasn't mellowed much.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

17 Points - Summer Night City - Therion (Abba)
Original

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

This song saw Abba return to the top of the Swedish charts, while it missed out in the US entirely. In the UK its #5 peak was the lowest since SOS 4 years earlier. It was one of only two non album singles, the other being Fernando, from the band. The band had a lot of trouble getting this love affair to their home city of Stockholm mixed right.

Cover

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

Talk about being blindsided, this cover blew my mind. Apart from the crunching Metallica style riff to open with, the film clip is amazingly cheap but effective. At least 4 different vocalists feature and Swedish metallists, another one, do a great job here. I would argue its better than the original.

Next up we have a medley featuring 4 Abba songs from 5 different artists as we start the serious portion of our rundown

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

17 Points - Kiss - The Art of Noise featuring Tom Jones (Prince)
Original

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

One of Princes greatest songs and I would argue his sexiest. So simplistic in structure, it just oozes lust and filth. You aint lived until youve woo’d a woman (or man) singing this song.

Cover

Tom Jones and Art Of Noise - Kiss (Official Video)

The official video for Kiss.Subscribe to the Art Of Noise channel here: smarturl.it/SubscribeToAON

m.youtube.com

Totally different in structure to the Prince version. This is much more bombastic, featuring the king of bombast himself Tom Jones. Art of Noise were always much more interesting however. Their arty style did find an audience, despite being well ahead of their time. Moments in Love, Paranoimia, Legs, Peter Gunn Theme and in particular, Close to the Edit are just wonderful constructed and performed. I think it would be impossible to screw this song up and there are other good covers out there.

Next Up we get a Four Seasons cover from one of the biggest boy bands of all time. Maybe not in the US, although they did have hits.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

17 Points - Summer Night City - Therion (Abba)
Original

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

This song saw Abba return to the top of the Swedish charts, while it missed out in the US entirely. In the UK its #5 peak was the lowest since SOS 4 years earlier. It was one of only two non album singles, the other being Fernando, from the band. The band had a lot of trouble getting this love affair to their home city of Stockholm mixed right.

Cover

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

Talk about being blindsided, this cover blew my mind. Apart from the crunching Metallica style riff to open with, the film clip is amazingly cheap but effective. At least 4 different vocalists feature and Swedish metallists, another one, do a great job here. I would argue its better than the original.

Next up we have a medley featuring 4 Abba songs from 5 different artists as we start the serious portion of our rundown

I was hoping you would include this. I like both the original and the cover.

 

[Val Rannous]

Val Rannous:

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience (Bob Dylan)

DrIanMalcolm:

Respect - Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding)

These were the two heavy-hitters I referenced, getting their first votes today.

Respect had at least been mentioned before, it was in my Last 5 Out. I am surprised I own Jimi doing All Along the Watchtower - I was sure somebody had already taken it, but apparently every version so far was non-Jimi.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I originally had Rufus's version of "Across the Universe" in here, but I already had a Beatles cover on my list (to come) and didn't want to double-up my original artists, so I switched to this one. Then I realized later I have another Leonard Cohen on my list (also to come), so there goes that.

I just looked at my list and realized I have two Beatles covers, too.

Inevitable.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

17 Points - Kiss - The Art of Noise featuring Tom Jones (Prince)
Original

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

One of Princes greatest songs and I would argue his sexiest.

It's "Cream" as far as I'm concerned. The video surely works.

 

[krista4]

Val Rannous:

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience (Bob Dylan)

DrIanMalcolm:

Respect - Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding)

These were the two heavy-hitters I referenced, getting their first votes today.

Respect had at least been mentioned before, it was in my Last 5 Out. I am surprised I own Jimi doing All Along the Watchtower - I was sure somebody had already taken it, but apparently every version so far was non-Jimi.

Right, we don't count Lasts Fives Outs for official purposes.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Neil Young with a quadruple-up today! Everything's coming up @Pip's Invitation !

Essay forthcoming!

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I originally had Rufus's version of "Across the Universe" in here, but I already had a Beatles cover on my list (to come) and didn't want to double-up my original artists, so I switched to this one. Then I realized later I have another Leonard Cohen on my list (also to come), so there goes that.

I just looked at my list and realized I have two Beatles covers, too.

So your list doesn't duplicate original artists, except when it does.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

She Came in through the Bathroom Window - Joe Cocker (The Beatles)

You're in luck -- I went looking to see if Billy Joel ever did "She Came In". Came up empty.

Did Joe Cocker ever cover Billy Joel? You could have pissed off Krista AND Uruk all at once!

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Val Rannous:

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience (Bob Dylan)

DrIanMalcolm:

Respect - Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding)

These were the two heavy-hitters I referenced, getting their first votes today.

Respect had at least been mentioned before, it was in my Last 5 Out. I am surprised I own Jimi doing All Along the Watchtower - I was sure somebody had already taken it, but apparently every version so far was non-Jimi.

The Jimi version had showed up in Last 5 Out, but not in the proper countdown until now.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Val Rannous:

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience (Bob Dylan)

DrIanMalcolm:

Respect - Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding)

These were the two heavy-hitters I referenced, getting their first votes today.

Respect had at least been mentioned before, it was in my Last 5 Out. I am surprised I own Jimi doing All Along the Watchtower - I was sure somebody had already taken it, but apparently every version so far was non-Jimi.

The Jimi version had showed up in Last 5 Out, but not in the proper countdown until now.

I know. I read Krista's posts. Doesn't everyone?

 

[Pip's Invitation]

ANNOUNCE: I'm putting together tomorrow's list and realized I effed up @titusbramble 's pick in the last round. Instead of "Feeling Good," it should have been:

Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Muse (Frankie Valli)

Seemed just too good to be true.

It was too good to be true. My pick order should have gone White Stripes 14pts, Urge Overkill 15, Feeling Good 16, Can't Take My Eyes Off You 17, then Travis wasn't due until the 18 pointers. No idea what has gone on here

Oh FFS, sorry.

I think when I put Feeling Good in a couple of days ago, I accidentally deleted it from your list instead of copying it from there. So then last night I didn't see it anymore.

@Hawks64 , please re-insert Feeling Good into the 16-point playlist in place of Can't Take My Eyes off of You
@Hawks64 , please replace the Travis song in the 17-point playlist with Can't Take My Eyes off of You
@everyone, please act surprised when you see the Travis song on Saturday.

Think I have the correct ones on the correct lists now.

The Can't Take My Eyes Off You on the 17-pointer playlist is Frankie Valli. The list krista posted says it's the original and Muse is the cover. Dunno if that's accurate.

 

[Doug B]

Did Joe Cocker ever cover Billy Joel? You could have pissed off Krista AND Uruk all at once!

I don’t know if Cocker ever covered Joel, but Joel covered Cocker.

EDIT: Joel covers more Cocker.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

OH tally:

OH cover songs I have heard of: 2
OH original songs I have heard of: 8
OH cover artists I have heard of: 10
OH original artists I have heard of: 14

I know who Big Black and Cheap Trick are, but I've definitely never heard the cover and I don't think I've heard the original. I am not surprised at all that Steve Albini found his way onto OH's list.

 

[Mt. Man]

#15 Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin (Joan Baez)
Original: Spotify ; Youtube

Placing #10 on Anarchy99's compiled list of songs according to the participating FBGs, this song doesn't need a lot of build-up. It was definitely covered back then in more depth and detail than I'll give here. I wasn't paying attention to this forum then (totally my bad there, considering Jan '22 wasn't THAT long ago), but that sounds about right to me. It's not that the Baez version (or a few other covers) didn't get fame, as much as that the LZ version eclipsed the rest.

LZ literally doubled down on Baez's version, with the latter running 3:12 and the former stretching to 6:41. A small intro was added, though of course the bulk of that extra time is made up of hard-rocking instrumental sections. I think it's the part around 2:22 in (including buildup that last about 35 seconds that does it most for me. But you know, hard to pick just one great part in a song I put this high. We haven't seen that much of LZ covering songs yet this countdown, though I expect that to change. I don't know whether it'll be this, another song that ranked high(er) on that countdown, or a mix. Only krista4 might know.

At #14, we have a song where the coverer really put their own flavor into the piece. I don't believe it's shown up yet, but if I'm wrong, I can live with that.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Cortez the Killer - Built to Spill (Neil Young)

@Hawks64 You have Dave Matthews' version of Cortez on the playlist instead of Built to Spill.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Covers from #15 that I know and like and have not mentioned before during the proper countdown or the Last 5 Out:

Voodoo Child (Slight Return) -- Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (Jimi Hendrix Experience) -- You'd expect Stevie Ray to rip this apart, and he does.
Love in Vain - The Rolling Stones (Robert Johnson) -- Mick's vocal is a little hokey for me, but he gives it his all.
Kiss - Art of Noise feat Tom Jones (Prince) -- Seems ridiculous on paper but actually works.
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin (Joan Baez) -- The provenance of this one is odd, as was the case for many Zep songs. Regardless, Zep's version is masterful and just missed my top 25 that I submitted to Anarchy for his Zep countdown. One could argue that this was where they developed the dynamics that eventually produced Stairway to Heaven.
Hard To Handle - Black Crowes (Otis Redding) -- My first introduction to the Crowes, as it was for many. I thought of this one a few days after I turned my list in. Would it have made it had I thought of it a few days earlier? We'll never know.
Loving Cup - Phish (The Rolling Stones) -- Phish began covering this in 1993 when Page McConnell was able to add a grand piano to his rig on tour. It has remained in regular setlist rotation ever since, and was, obviously, one of the highlights when Phish did Exile on Main Street for their "musical costume" one Halloween. Phish also performed this on The Late Show with David Letterman during their "tribute to the Stones" week. The original topped Doc Oc's Stones countdown.
She Came in through the Bathroom Window - Joe Cocker (The Beatles) -- I don't hate it. I like that it was elevated beyond fragment status. And I think Cocker's yowling is more egregious elsewhere.
Pump It Up - Mudhoney (Elvis Costello) -- I remember this getting play on "modern rock" stations after the PCU soundtrack came out. It fits their strengths very well. The original is my #1 Costello on most days.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Pip’s Invitation:

Birds – The Meters (Neil Young)

This is the one I told krista she should be anticipating, as the original was one of her favorites in my Neil countdown, and I know she is a fan of the Meters.

I ranked the original #35 in my Neil countdown and said: "Neil wrote many breakup songs, but this one is so much more than that. Using bird imagery, he is telling his ex that things will be better for her with someone else. The vocal is one of Neil's most compelling and the stark piano accompaniment suits it perfectly. This appeared in a few solo and CSNY sets in 1968-69 before being recorded for After the Gold Rush."

The Meters' version maintains the slow, stately tempo but has a fuller arrangement than the stark one featured in the original. The guitar is mildly psychedelic but never intrusive, and the rhythm shuffles a little more, as you might expect from a funk band. Art Neville, not the most talented singer in his family (that would be his brother Aaron), nonetheless does an excellent job, keeping the pathos' of Neil's vocal but smoothing it out. The overall result is a performance that matches the brilliance of the original but takes much different paths to get there.

Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4imn-swb34&feature=youtu.be

As for the other three Neils today, I have already discussed Built to Spill's Cortez the Killer (my #1 Neil song), while in the case of Dave and Tim's Down by the River and the Chromatics' Into the Black (actual title: Hey, Hey, My, My (Into the Black)), I linked them in my countdown entries for the original songs (#3 and #6, respectively) but I don't think I actually listened to them. I'll discuss them in the new-to-me post.

At #14, a song we have seen already in a version we have not seen already.

 

[krista4]

Only krista4 might know.

 

[krista4]

Only krista4 might know.

I don't know why that emoticon is so gigantic. It doesn't fit my perception of its importance.

 

[krista4]

Birds – The Meters (Neil Young)

This is the one I told krista she should be anticipating, as the original was one of her favorites in my Neil countdown, and I know she is a fan of the Meters.

Yep yep, excited to listen!

 

[rockaction]

15. Walk This Way - Run DMC (Aerosmith)

I picked this song because I find it both excellent and significant. I've written it up before on these boards, but here goes again.

The song came to fruition because of the urging of Rick Rubin, who counted Run DMC among the stable of acts on the burgeoning Def Jam label that he co-owned with Russell Simmons. Rubin, who also produced records for the label, often liked to sample rock records while producing songs, and he convinced '70s rockers Aerosmith to guest on a re-done version of their 1975 song "Walk This Way," which was re-imagined as a hip hop/rap track. But instead of merely sampling the Aerosmith track, Rubin asked both groups if they would cut the remake together, keeping the guitars in the track while adding a hip hop backbone courtesy of Jam Master Jay, the DJ for Run DMC who had been cutting and scratching over "Walk This Way" for years.

To make a long story short, Aerosmith and Run DMC recorded the song and it blew up and flew up the pop charts, peaking at number four on the main Billboard charts. It was instrumental in cementing rap//hip hop music as a viable and popular art form in the public's consciousness. Suburban households everywhere that had not been moved by hip hop prior to this moment adopted the track, and the entire shape of pop music consumption and appreciation was never quite the same after. If you fast forward to today, a genre almost viewed as a novelty back then—hip hop—now easily outpaces rock n' roll records in sales and in the popular consciousness of younger folks (at least in terms of contemporary releases).

"Walk This Way" was groundbreaking in that way and instrumental in solidifying hip hop's ascendancy within the culture. The allure of hip hop/rap proved so popular in both the suburbs and the cities that there has been a seismic shift away from '70s rock music and the attitudes that went with it to a more modern, dance-oriented type of pop single and the resultant consciousness that flows therefrom. The backbone of popular culture no longer centers around guitars, stages, and guys who play them and walk upon them. Instead, pop music is constantly pulsating with percussion and bass from machines that reproduce those sounds, and its practitioners are distributed more broadly across the national demographic spectrum.

Those seem like sweeping generalizations, and there's a huge role that disco and dance music plays here, but I think that saying "Walk This Way" paved the way for at least hip hop to become mainstream is largely true. Pretty much every article I can pull up about the track makes similar claims to what I've just said. Perhaps that's just a narrative. I don't think that "just a narrative" is the case here.

Here's a brief summary of the track and its impact on pop music history by Louder

Run DMC thought Walk This Way would ruin them: instead, it saved Aerosmith

When producer Rick Rubin talked Run DMC into recording the Aerosmith rocker, rap-rock was born

www.loudersound.com

Here's a longer summary and oral history behind the track, including a history of hip hop, radio play, and the participants instrumental in how the track came to be

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/lifestyle/walk-this-way/

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Muse
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - SRV
Take Me to the River - Talking Heads
Summer Night City - Therion
Into The Black - Chromatics
Istanbul - They Might Be Giants
Jolene - Left Hand Solution
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin
Wichita Lineman - Friends Of Dean Martinez
Pump It Up - Mudhoney

 

[simey]

- I had to watch the video of charismatic Tom Jones and Art of Noise's take on Prince's "Kiss," and they ace it with their music, Tom's coolness and voice, and his Welsh wiggles. I like it just as much as the original.
- The Offspring's cover of "Next To You" captures The Police's punk side great. Another cover I like just as much as the original, if not more.
- I think Led Zeppelin's cover of "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" is great. They took a simple folk song, and created an epic folkish hard rock song.
- Jimi's cover of "All Along the Watchtower" sizzles. That groovy guitar solo midway through is one of my all-time favorites, and I love the intro, too.
- Both SRV Hendrix covers are very good. A guitar great taking on another guitar great usually has great results.
- Friends of Dean Martinez do a cool instrumental of "Wichita Lineman." The lead singer in this song is the guitar, and it conveys the feeling in the song almost as good as Glen. Almost.
- Rufus Wainwright sounds wonderful on his live version of "Chelsea Hotel No. 2." I agree with k4's comparison of this cover vs the Leonard original.
- I like Muse's cover of "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You." I like how the verses are low and slow, and then they break out the fuzz guitars for the chorus.
- "Love in Vain" is a good ol' blues cover by The Rolling Stones. When Mick countrifies his voice it doesn't bother me. I don't think it makes his vocals any better or worse. He is placing himself in the roots of the song and singing from that place, and it works for me. I think their interpretation of Robert Johnson's original through their music is very well done. I love the "Let It Bleed" album.
- This cover of "Moondance" by Luba Mason and Al Jarreau is great. The music in it gives it a different sound than the original, but it keeps that jazzy feel. It's like a latin jazzy feel.
- The Chromatic's cover of "Into the Black" is great. The music and mood of this version, along with the words, make me think of someone getting ready to step into the black. forever.

more later

 

[Pip's Invitation]

New-to-me covers from #15 that I very much enjoyed:

Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Muse (Frankie Valli) -- Pretty restrained by their standards. I liked how the guitar was used.
A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall – Laura Martling (Robert Zimmerman) -- It's easy to go overboard on this one, but Martling didn't, while offering a compelling vocal.
Takin' It to the Streets - Take 6 (Doobie Brothers) -- This was fun.
Into the Black - Chromatics (Neil Young) -- This is a very cinematic approach to the song, which makes sense given how often it's been used in TV episodes. The immediacy and raw emotion of Neil's version isn't there, but the "haunted" factor is upped by a great degree, and the arrangement allows for more careful consideration of the lyrics, which are some of Neil's best.
Johnny B. Goode - Peter Tosh (Chuck Berry) -- This was also fun.
Next to You – The Offspring (The Police) -- I normally can't stand Offspring dude's voice, but it didn't bother me here. The original may be The Police's most punk track, so it's naturally a good fit for a latter-day punk band.
Down by the River - Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds (Neil Young) -- Depending on how you want to handle the lead guitar parts, this is another of the rare Neil songs that can be performed without sounding too much like Neil. Before we get into the extended instrumental passages, the song is a murder ballad, and its structure is very much in the tradition of them. Here, main part of the song is compellingly done, and Tim Reynolds has a different enough lead guitar style from Neil that you are not left wondering where Neil is.
You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory - Ronnie Spector (Johnny Thunders) -- I know this song via a different cover, which we could see later. It requires an emotional vocal to pull off and Spector definitely delivers that.
Wichita Lineman - Friends Of Dean Martinez (Glen Campbell) -- Freaky in a good way.
Moondance - Luba Mason with Al Jarreau (Van Morrison) -- Alluring and fascinating.
Chelsea Hotel No. 2 – Rufus Wainwright (Leonard Cohen) -- Draws you in.

As for this one:

Summer Night City - Therion (Abba) -- I did not like the group vocals, but I liked the individual vocals, especially from the first guy, who sounds like Bob Mould.

And this one:

He’s a Whore - Big Black (Cheap Trick) -- A little noisy for my tastes, but there are glimpses of what makes many Cheap Trick songs good. The cover art with the Big Black members dressed up as the Cheap Trick members was great. Poor Tom Petersson, he's so generic looking compared to the other Cheap Trick members that they didn't bother with him.

 

[zamboni]

I doubt this is spotlighting anyone, as it's brand new:

Slash covering Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor"

Brian Johnson on vocals, sounding pretty good deviating from his trademark growl/screech, along with Steven Tyler doing some mean harmonica work. Good stuff IMO.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I doubt this is spotlighting anyone, as it's brand new:

Slash covering Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor"

Brian Johnson on vocals, sounding pretty good deviating from his trademark growl/screech, along with Steven Tyler doing some mean harmonica work. Good stuff IMO.

Good stuff, even with Brian Johnson channeling Joe Crocker.

 

[zamboni]

I doubt this is spotlighting anyone, as it's brand new:

Slash covering Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor"

Brian Johnson on vocals, sounding pretty good deviating from his trademark growl/screech, along with Steven Tyler doing some mean harmonica work. Good stuff IMO.

Good stuff, even with Brian Johnson channeling Joe Crocker.

Without already knowing, I would never have guessed that was Johnson - I would have said it was Slash's tennis teacher or something.