I’ve long been a fan of cover songs, and I’m proud of it. I guess it stems from my embarrassing roots as a pseudo-hardcore Dave Matthews Band fan.  It began, most likely sometime in during those awkward, braces + flannel + voice-crack Middle School years, when “Dave” personally introduced me to Lyle Lovett (If I Had A Boat), Willie Nelson (Ain’t It Funny How Time Slips Away), and the great Johnny Cash (Ring Of Fire). As shameful as admitting to once being a Dave Matthews fan can be, if it led to me loving covers I’m willing to do it.  Hi my name is Chris, and I love covers.

There’s something about a good cover song that is just perfect – and difficult to capture. Some people hate covers with a passion, while others hunt them down like it’s their job. Some uphold them as worthy endeavors, others bemoan them as commercial pandering. Covers, like remixes, provide upstart musicians with a chance to prove their mettle in the context of a familiar tune. On the flip side, they allow established artists to take a step back, mess around in the studio one day, and release a song that is held under a smaller magnifying glass than usual. They exist on the fringe of the sphere of music criticism, and often seem more frivolously hobby-ish than painstakingly business-like.

Which is, of course, probably why we like them. Covers capture the essence of making music – the first time you hummed a tune that you heard on the radio, the strumming of some Nirvana chords on your first acoustic guitar, the complete freedom to do whatever you want with a song. But as with all good things, there is a method to the madness. Not all covers are created equal, and some suck pretty majorly. In my mind, here are the dos and don’ts of making a great cover:

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