Comments on: The Thinking Man’s Take On: Covers

By: Britney Spears Womanizer Challenge: Knatterjak + MGMT Cover at Pretty Much Amazing!

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:45:15 +0000

[...] After this cover, I’m retiring my Womanizer Challenge for good. This particular cover is pretty fantastic and, better yet, it follows those oh, so sacred cover rules. [...]

By: Khizar

Khizar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:05:43 +0000

I wanna hear Kanye do a cover of Britney’s “Circus” Holy s**t! Would that ever be something!

By: genevieve

genevieve — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:20:10 +0000

vampire weekend’s cover of exit music (radiohead) is probably why i really like vampire weekend. the way they do the drums in it is mind-blowing.

By: randi

randi — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:46:40 +0000

isn’t that fleet foxes cover great? you should check out all 10 of the covers in my best of, i’m pretty positive they all followed your rules.

By: Chris Barth

Chris Barth — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:20:36 +0000

Some really great covers called out here in the comments. For sure on Mark Ronson covering Just, Rodrigo and Gabriela’s version of Stairway to Heaven, and Obadiah Parker’s Hey Ya.

and @ Arnold, I definitely agree about live covers losing something on record. Some of my favorite concert moments are covers, but it’s rare that a live bootleg mp3 will get me going.

Other favorite covers of mine that are worth checking out:
Jens Lekman – You Can Call Me Al (Paul Simon Cover)
Spoon – Bring It On Home To Me (Sam Cooke Cover)
Jose Gonzalez – Heartbeats (The Knife Cover)
Schneider TM – The Light 3000 (The Smiths Cover)
TV On The Radio – Mr. Grieves (Pixies Cover)

By: J

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:51:30 +0000

The Kooks’ song is pretty awful… their take on “Kids” was much better. Bon Iver’s “Your Love” and Kate Nash’s “Men’s Needs” are easily the best ones to come out in the past year or so.

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:39:30 +0000

SHOOPS is a Montreal based duo that is about to kill the scene with all of their upcoming stuffâ€¦. theyâ€™re FRESH, BRAND NEW and ready to hit the decks with their upcoming album release in the next few months. They just recently remixed/covered Manu Chaoâ€™s greatest hit â€œKing of The Bongoâ€ and it is ready to travel through the blogosphere.. check it out:

http://myspace.com/shoops (pictures, more info)

We have 2 exclusive promo tracks for you to download and to share, just to give a lilâ€™ teaserâ€¦yâ€™know?

Shoops – Coming To Town (RMX)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5312161742e4e98f/

Shoops – Dance 4 Me (RMX)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/53121625cfedf50c/

BONUS:

Shoops – King of the Bongo (Cover)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5364528364570151/

Let me know,

By: Jaddams

Jaddams — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:48:10 +0000

obadiah parker’s hey ya (outkast) is incredible

By: prin

prin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:54:42 +0000

i love covers! agree completely!
loved madonna’s “hung up” by montefiori cocktail! fun fun fun~

By: lady_wraith

lady_wraith — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:47:14 +0000

don’t: cover radiohead or nirvana for fun or otherwise, it’s painful to listen to. (john mayer’s cover of kid a was pretty decent, he must be the devil hee)

goodies:
- knife (grizzly bear) – css
- feelin’ good (nina simone) – muse
- stairway to heaven (led zeppelin) – rodrigo & gabriela (GREAT)
- Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order) – Jewel
- it’s not over yet (klaxons/paul o) – goldfrapp

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:18:38 +0000

Do: Cover Talking Heads live.
Don’t: Record Talking Heads covers.

By: Mur

Mur — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:42:06 +0000

final fantasy – this modern love (bloc party)

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:11:46 +0000

Beck did a cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Some Things Last a Long Time” during a live studio session on KCRW in California a few years ago. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time. Definitely something to check out if you can find it.

Beach House covered the same song on their recent album Devotion, and I much prefer Beck’s stripped down, piano-only take on the song.

By: Sophie

Sophie — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:11:59 +0000

the magic numbers covers crazy in love (beyonce)

the polyphonic spree covers lithium (nirvana)

mark ronson and phantom planet covers just (radiohead)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:48:23 +0000

i LOVE covers! I want all bands to read this post! I hate whenever great bands make a shitty cover.

By: Arnold

Arnold — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:47:43 +0000

@jello: sadly live heartbreaking gorgeousness doesnt translate very well. another example is Prince covering Radiohead’s Creep.

I saw it live at Coachella last year it was bloody brilliant!.. and when I heard the mp3 here on PMA, i wasn’t satisfied!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:45:28 +0000

great article! this is one of my favorites from you, Chris!

By: jello

jello — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:27:06 +0000

Isaw Grizzly Bear perform that paul simon COver and it was f*****g heartbreakingly gorgeous….not sure what you are talking about. Ihate covers with teh exact same tempo. boring.

By: Half Note

Half Note — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:19:29 +0000

Nice. I too am a huge fan of covers. They can be tricky though. A bad cover is worse than a bad original song. At least if you f**k up an original you’ll upset only your own fans. If you f**k up a cover you upset yours and the fans of the artist your covering.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:16:56 +0000

I like the ones posted on this post

By: Kay

Kay — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:59:19 +0000

Good cover? Ben Fold’s cover of Dr Dre’s Bitches Ain’t S**t. It follows the rules.