Sunday, May 16, 2010

5 (+1) Cover Songs I Like

Cover songs are a tricky thing. You either love them or hate them. I am a fan of artists taking someone else's song and making it their own. I think this important when covering somebody else's music. If you just try to recreate the song the way it was originally it is going to pale compared to the original.
If you can take a song, most likely that was already a hit and make it better than the original than you did something right.

So here they are. A list of 5 covers that I really enjoy.

Top cover songs:
1) Run D.M.C.: cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way".

I debated about this one for a while. For one thing is it really a cover? After all Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith actually perform on the Run D.M.C. Version. But I feel that they did such a great job making it their own that it had to be on the list. Also, the impact that it had on 80's music, rap in particular, was huge. This cover exposed the white teenage audience to rap for the very first time and paved the wave for some big 80's rap hits.

2) Aretha Franklin: Simon and Garfunkel's "A Bridge Over Troubled Water"

It wasn't until I was in college that I heard this version of "Bridge" and when I did I was blown away. She took this song and made it her own for sure.  Taking this song and making it funky is not something I thought was possible but Aretha pulls it off for sure.

3) Joe Cocker: The Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends".

Is this even the same song?


4) Cake: Gloria Gaynor’s "I Will Survive"

I think I might get an ear full about this one. But Cake took this song and made it there's. It is the one on the list that I can't tell you which I like better, the cover or original.

5) Sinead O’Conner:  Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”

A lot of people don’t even know that this was a cover song.  It is the only one on the list where the original was not a hit.  The Sinead O’Conner version is so awesome that it needs to be on the list.

+1) Alien Ant Farm: Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal”

I not a fan of Alien Ant Farm and I don’t know any of their other music.  I remember hearing their version of this song and really liking it.   They really make it rock.

Let me know what your favorites are.

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