Cover songs

[lukedavo]

Do yall think a cover should be done true to the original, or as a guide in addition to your own ideas for the song. I'm all about authenticity, I think the best and most appreciative way to do a cover is an exact replica of the original. How do you view this issue?

[dagosto]

I like it when a band does a song a lttle different. It sort of speaks to my affinity towads musical efficiency. Taking old material and making a new experience out of it is something I like.

[Professor Riffs]

Originally Posted by lukedavo

Do yall think a cover should be done true to the original, or as a guide in addition to your own ideas for the song. I'm all about authenticity, I think the best and most appreciative way to do a cover is an exact replica of the original. How do you view this issue?

I personally would like to hear a completely different version. If it sounds the same I'd probably just listen to the original. Peace 'til you die from it.

[GearJunkie]

when a band can put their own nitch on a song and have it include things that are characteristic of their band but put it into someone elses' song, then I'd say that's a good cover.

Bands who record faithful covers are called cover bands. I'm sure there's a number of them playing this weekend. There's no musicallity to that. You can't put your own flavor onto a song... then it would be "WRONG".

Lame.

[Bellringer]

I do appreciate when a band takes a song that hasn't been heard in a while and they make it fresh. They can sometimes do that being pretty faithful to the original if they have a similar style themselves. It's can be fun if they are able to put an original twist on the tune. Either different instruments or a change in vibe. This does seperate the cover band feel from the tune.

[Whoopysnorp]

Devo's cover of 'Satisfaction' is probably my favorite cover ever. The Residents also did a pretty awesome version of it. Other standout covers that I've heard include:

Oingo Boingo - You Really Got Me
The Bad Plus - Heart of Glass, Iron Man, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Velouria
Goldfinger - Feel Like Makin' Love, 99 Luftballoons
Devo - Secret Agent Man (this hardly counts, though, because they only kept the chorus and wrote entirely different music and verses)

[lukedavo]

So your telling me you work really hard on a song for a long time, record it, press it, and sell it. It becomes popular and all your hard work comes full circle when a band covers this song. So it begins and continues to destroy all feeling, emotion, and musical integrity you took so much time to put into the song. A non faithful reproduction of what an artist is trying acomplish might even become more popular, that would piss me off. I guess I should be happy that someone liked my song enough to cover it, but for christ sake take the virtues of the song and hold them true, it really is the least you could do. Just saying is all.

[Whoopysnorp]

Originally Posted by lukedavo

So your telling me you work really hard on a song for a long time, record it, press it, and sell it. It becomes popular and all your hard work comes full circle when a band covers this song. So it begins and continues to destroy all feeling, emotion, and musical integrity you took so much time to put into the song. A non faithful reproduction of what an artist is trying acomplish might even become more popular, that would piss me off. I guess I should be happy that someone liked my song enough to cover it, but for christ sake take the virtues of the song and hold them true, it really is the least you could do. Just saying is all.

That's not how I see it at all--if I heard a radically different interpretation of one of my songs, I would be amazed at hearing things I never thought possible from it. When Mick Jagger heard Devo's herky-jerky cover of 'Satisfaction', he was heard to remark 'That's the best version of that song I've ever heard!'

[Bellringer]

Originally Posted by Whoopysnorp

That's not how I see it at all--if I heard a radically different interpretation of one of my songs, I would be amazed at hearing things I never thought possible from it. When Mick Jagger heard Devo's herky-jerky cover of 'Satisfaction', he was heard to remark 'That's the best version of that song I've ever heard!'

Another example is Dylan being influenced by Hendrix' version of "All Along the Watchtower". After hearing it done Jimi's way, Dylan began playing it more like the Hendrix version. The Beatles were also excited by Hendrix doing Sgt. Pepper in a club the day after their Sgt. Pepper record was released. So in some cases artists will enjoy an interesting cover.

[lukedavo]

Well in the case of Satisfaction which keeps coming up, of course the Devo version is better, Rolling stones need all the help they can get especially in 78' when those Ohio boys record hit the scene(dodging e-punches and kicks). Are we not men...we r devo, are we not men..D.E.V.O.
Jimi, he gathers the heart and soul from each song he covers and portrays it accruately, unlike a lot of bands out there. I mean even Wild thing was a good cover for him.