Right!! That's enough seriousness, what's your favourite...

Mark Mothersburg also does all the soundtracks for Wes Anderson's movies. The backing to the beach assault scene in The Life Aquatic is inspired.

My personal favourite cover version is undoubtedly this

As a side challenge, how many pairs of artists who have covered each other can you name?

Don't know that I've got a favourite, but John Cale's 'Heartbreak Hotel' is worth a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Bn0Kq7rls

Or maybe not.

I think that would have to be Sid Vicious doing 'My Way'. One of those 'so bad it's good' things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jAZ7DXrB40

Which reminded me, in a strange roundabout way, of 1000 Homo DJs cover of Sabbath's Supernaut (rather brilliantly set to some explosions by a random youtube user there) - which is precisely the sort of song that gets me through long, boring Friday afternoon's at work when the sun is shining outside.

Which in return reminded me of Revolting Cock's cover of Do Ya Think I'm Sexy - which is the sort of song that won't get you through anything, ever.

I quite like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go

HA! That's more like it. I do confess to a sneaking admiration, on Chuck's so bad it's good principle, for Rolf Harris' Stairway to Heaven.

This one by Paul Young... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7Wtx5Q_jJ4&feature=related

The Animals' 'House of the Rising Sun' or Jeff Buckley's 'Hallelujah'.

jude

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7imqO-OBVk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-ybZRp9sMg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFOV78Pi358

and while I'm at it, a little promo for my home boyz at www.dirtymitten.com

Rock on!

AAh, off the top of my head, I'd say two covers of different Fred Neil songs. The first, Dolphins (Tim Buckley), the second, Everybody's Talkin' (Harry Nilsson). Sonic Youth's version of Karen & Richard's Superstar is also pretty magnificent.

ah, I don't know, there are quite a few. Just can't think of anything else right now. Oh, The Light 3000's version of the Smiths' There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. And any cover of a Buddy Holly song, so long as it's not Chesney Hawkes.

Probably Marilyn Manson's version of 'Tainted Love'...

Janis Joplin version of 'Me and Bobby McGee' or Thin Lizzy with 'Whiskey in the jar'.

Some good examples here – and I commend those who could choose as I seem to like so many of the chocolates in the box. I agree with the chuck rule on Sid Vicious’ ‘My Way’ , though sadly it’s perhaps less anarchic with the passing of time. For a cover of ‘My Way’ from the other end of the spectrum try Alma Ritano’s ‘A Mi Manera’ .
Cassandra Wilson does some excellent covers (Tupelo Honey and Harvest Moon to name but 2) Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah’ for sure and whilst on the theme of Cohen how about Marianne Faithful’s ‘Tower of Song’ and Anthoy & the Johnsons’ ‘If it be Your Will’.
For a bit of cheese but a wonderful voice I love Liam Neeson’ s 'Coney Island', then, because the tempo is so much better suited to the lyric than the original and for the giggle at the end – Goldie Hawn, ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Maybe the Pogues/MacColl 'Miss Otis'? And finally, at the time of it's release I really liked Jagger and Bowie on 'Dancin in the Street'.
Margot

The Byrds doing Mr Tambourine Man has to be up there - but I'm with Sean on Sonic Youth's Superstar - that is wonderful - but surely the one and only best of all time has to be Jimi Hendrix doing All Along The Watchtower.

Otis Redding storming through The Beatles Daytripper.
Otis Redding storming through The Stones Satisfaction.
Marvin Gaye singing I Heard It Through The Grapevine.
Now that's a bit of a cheat as Marvin recorded it first but Motown in their wisdom thought it wasn't right for him (?????????) and put Gladys Knight and The Pips' version out first which really was the cover version. By the way her version is very different, up-tempo and punchy. Doesn't Kelly Rowland look like a young Gladys Knight? Oh Marvin Gaye's version of Grapevine became the biggest selling record in Motown's history selling 4,000,000 records.

Why so ashamed Ewan? I saw Devo perform Satisfaction live at the Rainbow in Finsbury Park, North London in 79 or 80 I think. They blew me away. They were consumate showmen, it was superb. Were you there by any chance?

More great seventies covers for me are :

Bowie's cover of Jaques Brel's Port of Amsterdam
Bowie : www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejQS9kQDXmk&fmt=18
Brel : www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZFr2Fh66zs&fmt=18
(a must hear for the word sound junkies here I feel sure ;) )

and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's cover of Jaques Brel's Next
SAHB : www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vaLi9W6HRc&fmt=18
Brel : www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpcFEe7NMmA&fmt=18

(but I thoroughly recommend the originals too!)

More recently, I think the Jonny Cash version of the Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails song Hurt is excellent
Cash : www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go&fmt=18
9" Nails : www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjwgYvzQWS4&fmt=18

as is the Mark Ronson/Amy Winehouse version of the Zutons Valerie.
Mark/Amy : www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikz5nx3dVqE&feature=related&fmt=18
Zutons : www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8glxMAJFAU&fmt=18

But I think one of my all time favourite cover must be Charlie Parker's cover of Billie Holiday's Lover Man - although his versions are obviously instrumental they are far more haunting/exciting/original than the original imho especially when you take into account that he was creating in the midst of a heroin haze. How many of us could do that? ;), Not me!
Charlie Parker - Loverman

(Just in case anyone is remotely interested :
"Recorded in Hollywood for Dial during a West Coast trip, "Lover Man" marks a turning point in Parker’s career. High as a kite on narcotics, Parker was barely able to squeeze off the tune’s notes. Yet despite Parker’s self-destructive streak, his playing here was still far more impassioned than musicians who were sober. Listen as Bird misses the intro but then manages to turn in a heartfelt effort... Following this session, Parker returned to his hotel, set fire to the room, was arrested and placed in Camarillo State Hospital’s psychiatric ward, where he remained until January 1947."

Now that's what I call one hell of a night out ;D

Sounds like an ABC tales get together? ;)

this is the best thing I've heard for ages. Ignore the subtitles - it was the clearest version they had on youtube. Turn the volume up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eglOHphhpcg

I've got to say Echo And The Bunnymen's "People Are Strange". I first heard the cover during the end credits of 'The Lost Boys' when I was 15. The song introduced me to The Doors, Hendrix, the whole sixties scene, and totally changed the way I sourced and listened to music and formed my identity. :)

~It's a maze for rats to try, it's a race for rats to die.~

Johnny Cash doing the Nine Inch Nails' 'Hurt'

seriously amazing! His voice is sooo sexy and gravellley and expressive!

J x

I am now of an age where its seems that 9 out of 10 songs seem to be covers,

My favourites at the moment would be:-

Shirley Bassey’s rendition of Pink’s “Get the party started”
And Leona Lewis’s version of Snow Patrols “Run”

Worst Cover EVER has to be Madonna’s “American Pie”

Biggus, have you never experienced the toe-curling delight of anything covered by William Shatner?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQwXOCKNLY&feature=related

Take your pick from the listings, :-)

Lucy in the Sky for me...

There is no doubt that William Shatner has an awful lot to answer for, TJ Hokker to name but one, but in his defence he didn;t know any better.
Madge on the other hand should have.

To go back to Mark Mothersbaugh, I love the Fu Manchu version of the Devo classic 'Freedom Of Choice'. And my favourite version of 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' would have to be the one done by Credence Clearwater Revival.

While everyone acknowledges Jeff Buckley's version of 'Hallelujah' as a classic (and rightly so), I adore his version of 'Lilac Wine' - it is so sublime.

I agree, his version of Lilac Wine is awesome!

J x

I agree with Biggus on Leona Lewis's version of Run, why this has not been released in the States is beyond me, it's a 'nailed on' no. 1. And my fillings melt at Madonna's version of American Pie. Jennifer you're obviously a very nice person but the over-use of awesome usually by Americans cheapens what is awesome. The Niagra Falls are awesome a hurricane is awesome but a song by a very talented person is, I don't know, lovely, beautiful or even sublime. Using awesome at every turn just cheapens what really is awesome. Now, Otis Redding singing I've Been Loving You To Long To Stop Now now that's AWESOME!

I spend my life with teenagers, you're lucky I'm not using 'sick', 'wicked', or 'safe'!

J x

I think Jennifer is AWESOME!!!!!
Sorry did I say that out loud?

PS - Jen as you are an expert on teenagers can you explain what Random means?

It's an exclamation they utter when new knowledge happens or they find out something that is slightly beyond their comprehension or experience, or when something suddenly occurs to them which connects two thoughts together,

e.g.

Student: What? You live on a boat Miss, innit?

Me: Yes, I do.

Student: Random!

J x

Thanks Jen I have three teenage sons and they all say random, though quite randomly so I have never fathomed what they mean by it.

Paul

Well I'm still in the dark on random, though I must admit I do like safe.

I know Sick and Wicked but safe is a mystery to me.

If you're 'safe', you're cool, I think. In fact, I think it replaces 'cool' completely.

e.g.

Teacher: We're going on a trip next week

Kid: Safe, Miss!

Random means many things. I think they just add it when they feel like it. My favourite word is shank. Do you know, we have a million teen-speak words for knifing someone, and the States they have none - it's all guns there so they don't need to talk about knives so much.

Safe.

awesome!

Random.

Surely it's just short-hand for be safe. When people say to me when signing off a conversation on the telephone or in real life "take care." I say "why? Do you know something I don't?" But my big 'bugaboo' (sorry that's my American influences coming into play.) is 'jnarda mean?' At the end of every sentence.

Did someone mention bugaboos? How about 'like'? It's starting to like hurt my ears.

ooh the one i hate most is when you say hello and someone replies "what's up" - nothing is up I am just saying hello

Ahhh, you damn' pedants! Are none aware that language is alive? A pox on your neologic antipathy!

Innit.

Wot me!!?! I blame poncey liberal elitistes for letting the rot in.

Ewan I would threaten to shank you for using long words only I am trying to finish something. alright?

It would have to be a long knife to reach me though, wouldn't it?

Innit isn't very long.

you don't actually need a knife, or proximity to threaten though do you, so distance is no object. It's the thought that counts

This thread's well good!

Ah yes, your words wound though uttered from afar.
All the same, I'm now feeling quite glad about the distance.
LOL

I am laughing now. I promise I will never knife you, ok?

Phew! I'll keep you to that one, though. You can't be too careful on here, you know.

Maybe the turn this well good thread is taking could be the subject of an inspiration point? How random would that be? Margot

IP: Shanking?

Or modern language? / teenspeak?

Or threats?

Good idea!

J x

i like the sound of Spanking

Oh, let me spank you
if just to thank you
if you say no, I'll shank you
err.....

end of rhyme

J x

Youve made me blush

You started it though!

I know but I’m all talk and no action.

Then be very wary of women who are more action and less talk ;)

Jennifer! like OMG! That is awesome! I bet Ewan would give you a cherry for that if you put it on the site proper

"... and less talk"
Do they exist? ;-D lol

Sorry Jen - just been looking for an opportunity to join in so I could turn off the million follow-up comment emails I'm getting from this page ;-). Didn't mean to stop the fun - I've managed to switch them off now ;-) Cheers

Sound, blood, innit.

I've just received the comment from an Arab Baker 'take care now - be lucky.' This confused me somewhat.

That's so un-rubbish! (Brilliant)