Covers you've not heard the original of

[Jah Womble]

Covers you've not heard the original of

It hasn't been covered that much, in fairness.

Sorry, I meant in terms of improving on The Beatles with a cover in general (ie, not just that tune).

[G-Man]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Ah, yeah. The great thing about much of the Beatles catalogue is how adaptable their songs are.

[Sits]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Embarrassing but true: it was only sitting in the audience at Jersey Boys that I discovered Bye Bye Baby was a Four Seasons song.

I'll get me coat.

[Gangster Octopus]

Covers you've not heard the original of

RobM wrote: I never got Roxy Music

To do so, you had to be watcing Top Of The Pops in 1972...

[RobW]

Covers you've not heard the original of

I hadn't realised that Arrows 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll' was originally done by Arrows until a couple of years ago.

[matt j]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Cal Alamein wrote: He does it well.

Should be another thread, but I am lazy this Saturday morning - can anyone think of a Hendrix cover that is superior to the original?

I think Stevie Ray Vaughan's version of Little Wing is superior, but mostly because: it's longer, has no lyrics, and has better production.

[wittoner]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Derek and the Dominoes cover of "Little Wing" on the Layla LP is astonishing. Recorded by Clapton and Allman as an instant reaction to the news of Hendrix's death it's emotion and passion bleeds through in a blizzard of noise and Clapton's first solo is probably my favourite guitar solo ever.

In keeping with the theme of this thread it was some time before I heard Hendrix's version and I was amazed at how understated and laid back it was in comparison.

[Tramp The Dirt Down]

Covers you've not heard the original of

First verion of Little Wing I heard was Sting on "Nothing Like The Sun" (Runs away very quickly)

[Cal Alamein]

Covers you've not heard the original of

SRV and D & the D's do a damned good Little Wing w/ lots of effort, but Hendrix's is much rawer, down to earth and that gives it the win.

[MsD]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Calvert wrote: He is indeed an absolute ballbag and it really is a pity Roxy Music are so fucking superb in every way because I'd like to detest him more.

He was fond of throwing covers in, Midnight Hour and Eight Miles High on Flesh and Blood, a decent attempt at Jealous Guy and even in solo mode It's My Party.
I think he even did an entire album of Dylan covers too.
Complete twatter, though, there's no escaping that.

New album out next week :-)

So what better way to celebrate and mark the 40th year anniversary of Ferry's incredible career as a singer and songwriter, than by rearranging his own compositions and have them performed in a 1920's style by his very own Jazz Orchestra?

www.bryanferry.com

[Lucia Lanigan]

Covers you've not heard the original of

One thing people who say they hate Bryan Ferry have in common is that they can never say why. He seems a pretty shy, unassuming chap. Perhaps they the art school eye is an inherently suspicious thing to possess.

'Hard Rain...' is a great example of a cover version that's far superior to the original. Years ago, I compared it on here to someone giving a mumbling tramp a makeover and uncovering dashing good looks no one would have suspected were hiding underneath the hair etc.

[Jon]

Covers you've not heard the original of

For me, Luther Vandross is the king of making other people's songs his own.

Here's a list of his songs that I'd never knowingly heard the original of:

A House is not a home - Dionne Warwick
Since I lost my Baby - The Temptations
If only for one night - Brenda Russell
If this world were mine - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

And I only found out Love won't let me wait was by Major Harris the other week as he'd died and G-Man started a thread about him.

I didn't even hear Superstar, by the Carpenters, until many years after Luther's version came out.

This is all very remiss of me not to have heard any of these songs. Embarassing too as I'm such a fan of soul music. But let me tell you, I've just heard all of them via youtube in the last few minutes and not one, not even one of them, is better than its Luther Vandross version.

[MsD]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Lucia Lanigan wrote: One thing people who say they hate Bryan Ferry have in common is that they can never say why. He seems a pretty shy, unassuming chap. Perhaps they the art school eye is an inherently suspicious thing to possess.

On here, people say it's his views (approving of hunting etc.) and perceived rightwingness.

I admire Ferry the artist very much (not as much as my beau does, he's sodding in love with him), as for his views, well he's not a politician and not influencing anyone, and AFAIK hasn't nonced anyone up, so who cares?

[MsD]

Covers you've not heard the original of

I've never been interested to hear the originals of It Ain't Easy and Fill Your Heart from the Ziggy and Hunky Dory albums, although I must have heard the Bowie versions tens of thousands of times, or nearto.

[Jon]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Exactly. And ditto many of the ones on his pin-Ups album. they are the only versions you really need.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Covers you've not heard the original of

One thing people who say they hate Bryan Ferry have in common is that they can never say why. He seems a pretty shy, unassuming chap.

He confesses to being attracted to elites of all types, perhaps that's what comes through. It was why he went to university instead of art college, feeling the type of student he'd meet there would be brighter, and smarter than yer average art school ted. Perhaps it also has something to do with, what sounds like, an almost thirties-type of working-class childhood.

'Hard Rain...' is a great example of a cover version that's far superior to the original.

This is so many degrees of wrong I'm not only speechless, but breathless.

[G-Man]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Jon wrote: For me, Luther Vandross is the king of making other people's songs his own.

Here's a list of his songs that I'd never knowingly heard the original of:

A House is not a home - Dionne Warwick
Since I lost my Baby - The Temptations
If only for one night - Brenda Russell
If this world were mine - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

And I only found out Love won't let me wait was by Major Harris the other week as he'd died and G-Man started a thread about him.

I didn't even hear Superstar, by the Carpenters, until many years after Luther's version came out.

This is all very remiss of me not to have heard any of these songs. Embarassing too as I'm such a fan of soul music. But let me tell you, I've just heard all of them via youtube in the last few minutes and not one, not even one of them, is better than its Luther Vandross version.

Much as I agree that Luther Vandross was a genius at cover versions, and much as I love his take on "Since I Lost My Baby", I regard the Temptations as unassailable. The "inclined to find my...baby" part and the interplay of the voices is unmatched.

On a pedantic note, the orginal of "Superstar" was by Delaney & Bonnie, though the title was "Groupie".

"A House Is Not A Home" was first released in Brook Benton's version; I don't know if Dionne Warwick's version of the same year was recorded first though.

Of course, Luther covered the versions of the Carpenters and Dionne Warwick, so your point stands. And he eclipsed both.

[G-Man]

Covers you've not heard the original of

As for Bryan Ferry, perhaps many people dislike the man we know now more than the guy on TOTP or the solo Ferry in his pastel suits and greasy hair who sang the unspeakably dull "Slave To Love" in millions of diffeent even more dull variations.

I think it's fair not to like pop stars who are Tories and supporters of fox hunting. And if one feels the artistic output has limited artistic value, then there is little to redeem the man by. Though Ferry seems a decent enouigh chap besides his dodgy politics.

For my part, I just don't like his mannered singing. Especially on "A Hard Rain..."

[Tramp The Dirt Down]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Jon wrote: For me, Luther Vandross is the king of making other people's songs his own.

Here's a list of his songs that I'd never knowingly heard the original of:

A House is not a home - Dionne Warwick
Since I lost my Baby - The Temptations
If only for one night - Brenda Russell
If this world were mine - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

And I only found out Love won't let me wait was by Major Harris the other week as he'd died and G-Man started a thread about him.

I didn't even hear Superstar, by the Carpenters, until many years after Luther's version came out.

This is all very remiss of me not to have heard any of these songs. Embarassing too as I'm such a fan of soul music. But let me tell you, I've just heard all of them via youtube in the last few minutes and not one, not even one of them, is better than its Luther Vandross version.

He does a more than passable version of "Creepin" by Stevie Wonder

[laverte]

Covers you've not heard the original of

I only recently heard the original of Fog on the Tyne. In a close contest between rubbish beardly alliteration and shellsuit footballer-dancing, I think I prefer Gazza's version.

[Lucia Lanigan]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Has Ferry ever voiced support for the Tories? (Or fox hunting, for that matter?) I know he married a toff and his son's a berk, but I have the impression he's pretty apolitical.

I don't see any problem with people being attracted to elites, inasfar as they want to access fun and find opportunities for a more interesting life (that looks like an extension of mod thinking to me). I doubt you'd find much of either with the English upper classes, to be honest, but then I don't know that Ferry's any more of a social climber than other rock stars of his generation. He did, however, wear a suit instead of jogging bottoms like Mick Jagger in the 80s, perhaps that's what caused so much confusion. His persona comes mainly from US influences (sci-fi, the jazz age, film noir) so there's not much there to suggest kinship with English Tory types really.

'Hard Rain...' is a great example of a cover version that's far superior to the original.

This is so many degrees of wrong I'm not only speechless, but breathless.

Hah! I like a lot of Dylan, but that one does nothing for me as a piece of music.

I love Ferry's mannered singing style there in particular. It's demented (who on earth is he supposed to be?!) and almost as far-fetched as Dylan's (who on earth is he supposed to be?!).

[Jah Womble]

Covers you've not heard the original of

While I like a few tracks here and there, I've never been a massive fan of Roxy. And Ferry sounds like Jake Thackeray on 'Hard Rain'. His family's politics suck, of course, but I've no opinion of him as an individual.

[Gangster Octopus]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Jah Womble wrote: Ferry sounds like Jake Thackeray on 'Hard Rain'.

Ha! Now that you mention it; it does!

[G-Man]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Lucia Lanigan wrote: Has Ferry ever voiced support for the Tories? (Or fox hunting, for that matter?) I know he married a toff and his son's a berk, but I have the impression he's pretty apolitical.

Wikipedia offers this:

In 2008 Ferry alluded to support for the Conservative Party, referring to himself as "conservative by nature," but essentially apolitical. Without elaborating, he stated he was "proud" of his son Otis and declared the ban on fox hunting "futile." He also alluded to an opposition to "left-wing bitterness" and the spectre of "political correctness," but the model of free speech he cited was the anarchic 1970s and not the Thatcher era or a more distant past.[49] In a 2009 interview, Ferry stated:

“I would support a Cameron government. I have met him, and he’s a bright guy. I hope they do well. I don’t like the way the present Government has done things, most of all putting my son in prison for four and a half months, totally unlawfully ... and that’s not just my opinion: judges, all sorts, have said it was a stitch-up. It was politically motivated. The poor lad just wants to live the traditional country life.”[50]

Ferry is a supporter of the Countryside Alliance and has played concerts to raise funds for the organisation.[51]

[MsD]

Covers you've not heard the original of

Polly Harvey supports fox-hunting too, (or she did), as she's from a farming background. Does that affect anyone's views on her?

Remake, Remodel (the Roxy Music book by Michael Bracewell) captures the aspirational nature of Ferry, the miner's son. It's in contrast to the self-confidence of the middle class boys who can afford to "slum it". It's an interesting and illuminating read.