Top 5 Covers

Sorry for the somewhat late post, I try to keep up at least a ratio of something (if at least an apology) every week. This week, however, I have been as sick as a dog.

Considering I just completed a very long list (in word count, not items), I decided I'd do a short list. A while ago I read a cracked article about (some number) of covers which were better than the originals. I can't remember who was on it, but I recall I was familiar with about three of them, and agreed wholeheartedly.

As the title of the post suggests, I'll be looking at my five favourite covers. Rules:
1. I must be familiar with both versions of the song.
2. It can't be a parody. Now, my rules of parody covers about anything which seems to be making fun of the original. For example, I won't include Jonathan Coulton's fantastic cover of "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot, because the style of the song seems designed to point out the ridiculousness of the song. If you don't agree, this is my number 6 pick.
3. I must think the cover is better than the original. No "both were good". The newer cover must be superior.
Let us begin:

5. "Sweet Escape" by Kasabian (originally by Gwen Stefani)
The magic of this cover is how easily the song becomes Kasabian's. Anyone hearing Kasabian's version before Stefani's would have no difficulty believing that the song came straight off of "West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum". It just really has that ring to it. An honourable mention should go to Franz Ferdinand, who covered another Gwen Stefani song, "What You Waiting For?". The song didn't make this list both because Franz Ferdinand threw in parts of other songs in the cover and that it just wasn't as much fun to listen to as Kasabian.

4. "Hotel California" by The Cat Empire (originally by The Eagles)
I've probably mentioned it somewhere that I really got into the Cat Empire for the first time by hearing this cover. The cover has a very interesting twist: It's in French. Now, I love the French language. I'm nowhere near fluent in it, but I know a few phrases. Someone once told me that people listen to people just speaking French, just recordings of conversations or people reading books. I sorta get it. French just sounds so musical and mysterious, and Hotel California does have that mysterious tone all over it. I think that knowing the regular lyrics and not knowing French is the best way to enjoy this cover, which is easily better than the original. I'm afraid I don't know any other groups who have covered Eagles songs.

3. "Disco 2000" by Nick Cave (originally by Pulp)
The original Pulp version of this song irritated me. The subject matter was regret and pretty much misery, yet the group sounded like they were having fun singing it (although Pulp does have a vocalist who doesn't seem to be suited to sad songs). Nick Cave changed that. Hole-y shit. During the recording of this song, the studio technicians must have been making sure Cave couldn't grab any sharp objects. The entire song just changes for me. Having someone actually inject misery into this song is just common sense. I absolutely adore this song. Interestingly, this is the only song on the list where the cover is more miserable than the original (probably debate-ably, but no-one fucking comments, so I can say whatever the hell I want). An honourable mention should go to William Shatner, who did a cover of the only other Pulp song, "Common People". Many people think the cover here is superior, but I'd like someone to give it another try. Get Nick Cave again, then I'll believe he truly hates the wealthy idiot.

2. "Lost In The Supermarket" by Ben Folds (originally by The Clash)
This is the first cover on the list where I've really enjoyed the original and respect the artist who created the original (yeah, of the previous three original artists, none were really my kind of music. Maybe Pulp, but they're yet to give me a reason to give a shit about their music. They write good songs, but can't sing them. That's kind of a deal breaker for me). One of the real hits from "London Calling", the actual meaning of the song is open to interpretation. Seeing as The Clash is the group behind it, I think we can rule out the literal interpretation, and trust it's some sort of commentary on superficiality, commercialism and/or society in general. I'm not going to do symbolism in a list of cover songs. Anyway, this, in my opinion, is the only song Folds could really do better than The Clash, of all the The Clash songs. What I think this song originally was meant to be was a jingle, or at least the kind of music that would be played in a supermarket. This meant The Clash had to sound like a pop group. The Clash cannot sound like a pop group. Ben Folds, however, can sound like a pop group, and this song demonstrates it perfectly. As long as you try to forget the cover was made for a movie in which William Shatner voices an untrustworthy raccoon, this song is fantastic. There are a hell of a lot of Folds covers to choose from. Two great examples are "Sleazy" by Keesha and "Bitches Ain't Shit" by Dr. Dre. To be perfectly honest, there are a number of reasons these songs aren't in this list, and Folds cover of them has noting to do with it. Firstly, based on the songs titles alone, I have never familiarised myself with the artists. Secondly, I can imagine no way in which songs with those titles, those artists and, as revealed by Folds covers, ridiculous lyrics, can no be considered parodies in their original forms. Dear God, I hope they are legitimately jokes. Moving on, an honourable mention should go to Urthboy, who covered the famous "London Calling". I think an artist I'm familiar with also did a cover of "Rock The Casbah", but no names are springing to mind.

1. "I Was Only 19" by The Herd (originally by Redgum)
When I started this list, I didn't really order the songs in anyway, I just thought that this song had to be no. 1. As it happens, the songs have sorted themselves into the order I enjoy the most. Anyway, one Friday, The Herd turned up on Triple J for the weekly segment "Like A Version", in which a well known band, normally plugging something, covers a well known song. "I Was Only 19", for anyone who is unfamiliar, is a powerful anti-war song detailing a young soldier surviving Vietnam. This is the first Australian original song, and has received world-wide fame (i.e. I've read about it in one book by an American. That counts!). The Herd absolutely redefined the meaning of the song, making it their own, much like Kasabian with "Sweet Escape". The Herd's cover has since become their best-known song, a massive hit and something that has completely redefined the band's image. This song was put on The Herd's third album, "The Sun Never Sets", in a reissue. I bought the version released before that reissue. I went out and bought "Like A Version 2" which, besides this cover and a lovely cover of "Yellow Brick Road" by Sarah Blasco, has noting I like. That is how much I like this song. The Herd, with some guests, recently covered Sam Cooke, but the song was neither better than the original nor better than this cover. The main reason no other group has covered Redgum is the fact that Redgum really never had another hit. They had a career making folk-ish songs, but then after this just sort of spent the rest of their career trying to replicate it. The wrote a great song called ASIO, but it wasn't very successful. If you get a chance check it out. Also, they're that group who put music to a Lawson poem in one of my 3 Songs posts.

Yeah, so that's my list. I'd love to hear any suggestions for other great covers. Please excuse me while I spend the next 48 hours kicking myself for not including other great covers.

Feedback welcome.

H. Rourke