TDOS Tropical Island IPOD Cover Draft - Round 20

[Larry89]

Love Hurts - Nazareth

"Love Hurts"
Single by Nazareth
from the album Hair of the Dog
B-side "Hair of the Dog" (U.S., Canada)
"Down" (Europe)
Released 1974 (Europe); 1975 (U.S.)
Recorded 1974
Genre Hard rock




Original

"Love Hurts"
Song by The Everly Brothers from the album A Date with The Everly Brothers
Released 1961
Recorded July 1960
Genre Country
Length 2:22
Label Warner Bros.

 

[funkykingston]

 

[NoBonus]

I second that.

 

[VF21]

As I posted above, Jespher has been on vacation without internet access. He is supposed to return sometime this afternoon.

 

[Jespher]

Alright. I'm back from the woods and ready to get this draft moving again. Thank you so much VF21 for updating the picks and keeping order around here! Kudos.

 

[Jespher]

I thought Killing Me Softly might fall to me at this spot, but Dime Dropper slipped in just in time to nab it. Rats!

This cover is a horror play on a classic 80s track, taking the basic melody and augmenting the tone minor and angry. I enjoy it as a change of pace track that can get me through some darker moods. Best played driving fast on a lonely road...

With my 2nd selection, I choose:

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Marilyn Manson (1995) - Smells Like Children

Lyrics only because the music video is not exactly family friendly...

Original: The Eurythmics (1983) - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Dreams_%28Are_Made_of_This%29

 

[Chubbs]

This cover is of a traditional American folk song that goes all the way back to the 1870's in Southern Appalachia, variously known as In The Pines, or Black Girl, but now best known as Where Did You Sleep Last Night. The original author is unknown.

The lyrics were first published in 1917 with just these four lines

"Black girl, black girl, don't lie to me
Where did you stay last night?
I stayed in the pines where the sun never shines
And shivered when the cold wind blows"

77 years later from the first published account, and 125 or so years from the songs birth, here is nirvana on MTV. Kurt specifically mentions in the intro they are covering the Leadbelly version, but the Leadbelly version was apparently far from the first version. Nirvana's version gives me chills every time and is the highlight and closing song from their transcendent MTV Unplugged in New York

Nirvana-Where Did You Sleep Last Night-MTV Unplugged in New York, 1994

"Original": Leadbelly (1944)

 

[Jespher]

I like the pick Chubbs, but I'm concerned about the origin of the original version. This looks like it violates rule #4 to me regarding traditional songs being covered.

This may be a special case as Cobain specifically references Leadbelly's version and the estate trying to sell him the original guitar...Any thoughts from the peanut gallery regarding traditional works and their covers?

 

[Chubbs]

I like the pick Chubbs, but I'm concerned about the origin of the original version. This looks like it violates rule #4 to me regarding traditional songs being covered.

This may be a special case as Cobain specifically references Leadbelly's version and the estate trying to sell him the original guitar...Any thoughts from the peanut gallery regarding traditional works and their covers?

If I hadn't mentioned the traditional origins, would anyone have known it wasn't a Leadbelly song? I didn't until I checked.

I'll pick again if I must. But I'll be sad. That's a good song and performance right there.

 

[funkykingston]

I like the pick Chubbs, but I'm concerned about the origin of the original version. This looks like it violates rule #4 to me regarding traditional songs being covered.

This may be a special case as Cobain specifically references Leadbelly's version and the estate trying to sell him the original guitar...Any thoughts from the peanut gallery regarding traditional works and their covers?

If I hadn't mentioned the traditional origins, would anyone have known it wasn't a Leadbelly song?

I can't imagine anyone really objecting. After all, this is going to be the case for countless blues songs that have existed in one iteration or another for decades. And with this particular song Leadbelly's version (to my knowledge) was the first one to actually be referenced as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". And since Cobain sings Ledbetter's lyrics word for word I'd say it's undoubtably a Leadbelly cover.

 

[VF21]

I like the pick Chubbs, but I'm concerned about the origin of the original version. This looks like it violates rule #4 to me regarding traditional songs being covered.

This may be a special case as Cobain specifically references Leadbelly's version and the estate trying to sell him the original guitar...Any thoughts from the peanut gallery regarding traditional works and their covers?

I think you should strive to make this draft as unrestricted as possible. What's the harm with allowing traditional works and their covers?

 

[Jespher]

I think you should strive to make this draft as unrestricted as possible. What's the harm with allowing traditional works and their covers?

The difficulty with that comes with the chronology. As long as there is an original version, the following version would be "covers" of that version. With traditional work, what is the original track?

Personally, I don't find fault with this pick, but I was hoping to define the term cover as to set the draftable material. I propose amending rule #4 to require reference of original track of the cover material, as Chubbs has done with his selection, and therefore allowing special circumstances for traditional material. Agreed?

 

[Chubbs]

I can't imagine anyone really objecting. After all, this is going to be the case for countless blues songs that have existed in one iteration or another for decades. And with this particular song Leadbelly's version (to my knowledge) was the first one to actually be referenced as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". And since Cobain sings Ledbetter's lyrics word for word I'd say it's undoubtably a Leadbelly cover.

He is correct in that the poem from 1917 was called "In the Pines", and where do you sleep last night seems to have started with the Leadbelly version, which Nirvana is very clearly covering here. The 1870's origination I thought was a fantastic piece of musical history that I should include.

Honestly, this will be true of almost any blues song and if that means we can't take blues covers, well, then that's no fun.

 

[VF21]

The difficulty with that comes with the chronology. As long as there is an original version, the following version would be "covers" of that version. With traditional work, what is the original track?

Personally, I don't find fault with this pick, but I was hoping to define the term cover as to set the draftable material. I propose amending rule #4 to require reference of original track of the cover material, as Chubbs has done with his selection, and therefore allowing special circumstances for traditional material. Agreed?

If it's a traditional song, whatever recorded version someone picks is going to be a cover since, by implied definition, the original version of the song predates recorded music.

 

[Jespher]

If it's a traditional song, whatever recorded version someone picks is going to be a cover since, by implied definition, the original version of the song predates recorded music.

This does make a lot of sense. Thanks VF21, I think you just helped rewrite rule #4 .

Here is the new rule #4, with does allow for versions of traditional songs to be covered:

4) If it's a traditional song, whatever recorded version someone picks is going to be a cover. By implied definition, the original version of the song predates recorded music. Therefore, they are fair game for all artists to record without being the composer. Please supply origins as able, and if the song goes back to antiquity, it may be referenced as "traditional" in origin.

Bricklayer is on the clock

 

[GoGoGadget]

I can't imagine anyone really objecting. After all, this is going to be the case for countless blues songs that have existed in one iteration or another for decades. And with this particular song Leadbelly's version (to my knowledge) was the first one to actually be referenced as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". And since Cobain sings Ledbetter's lyrics word for word I'd say it's undoubtably a Leadbelly cover.

Cobain also spoke about the song, which they played live often, as being a cover of the Leadbelly recording.

I know all this because it was literally my next pick and I was preparing my argument. Which is a subtle way of calling Chubbs a meaniehead.

Not related to Chubbs' status as a meaniehead, however, preparing this pick got me thinking about that 4th rule. I don't think it works. I understand the desire to narrow down some tangible definition of a cover, but ruling out traditional songs and standards puts the emphasis on a more modern version of music making, one that emphasizes singer/songwriters and original songs in a way that just wasn't the case in earlier musical traditions. I worry that such a definition may drastically limit the selections; difficult as a drafter, and less interesting as a reader/participant.

I wonder if it might not be worthwhile to go for a broader definition of a cover as anything other than a song's original recording. I've yet to find a song, no matter how obscure, for which I couldn't find that information.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Never mind. I see the traditional cover issue has been resolved already. Good.

Now for the issue of Chubbs being a meanie? Where do we stand on that one?

I vote for shunning, loud sighs, and disgusted sideways glances as punishment.

 

[VF21]

...I vote for shunning...

 

[Bricklayer]

Ok, well, I am in the impossible position of having 6 songs I desperately want to protect on this one little swing through the end of the snake, so I am going to invoke my moderator's privilege, and unilaterally declare the next 6 picks to be mine.

 

[Bricklayer]

First of the 6:

Wild Night - John Mellencamp & Me'Shell Ndegeocello (1994)

A cover of a Van Morrison original from 1971, while I liked the Morrison version, I think this cover really brings the song to its full potential. Powered by an iconic funky bassline by Me'Shell, its got a loose fun jangle to it and has always felt like a party song for its eponymous Wild Nights. It was too big and too popular a cover for me to just leave hanging out there for you animals to sniff around for another 28 picks on the snake, so I'm snapping it up while the snapping is good.

1971 Van Morrison original:

 

[GoGoGadget]

This end of the snake is rude, first pick or not. I'm too anxious a person to not freak out about there being 30+ picks before I get to do this again. Now that I'm actually putting together a list I want to protect everything. There are some things I know I'll be losing out on. Sigh. I feel good about this next one, though. Especially since I didn't at all expect to stick around so long. With my second pick, I'm taking:

"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" -- Al Green (on Let's Stay Together, 1972)
Originally written and recorded by The Bee Gees, 1971

All apologies to the brothers Gibb, but in my world there is no other version of this song. Al Green has been one of my music gods since I was a kid, and all of the reasons why are evident in his rendition here. Comparing this one to the original version makes clear how important an artist's and producer's interpretation are to a song's meaning and impact. I'm always surprised by how much soul there isn't in the Bee Gees' version compared to Green's.


Original recording:

 

[GoGoGadget]

And now for the pick that's really causing me grief. I know there are things on my list more likely than this one to get snatched by Chubbs and all the other meanies of the world before this thing gets back to me, things I'm just leaving dangling out there unprotected, and there's not a thing I can do about it. This next pick is obscure, though. And is therefore probably safe. But if someone else takes it, so help me, I'll cry. Or scream. Or be overly dramatic on a message board post. Or something like that. So, with much trepidation, my third pick is:

"Goin' Out West" -- Queens of the Stone Age (on Sick, Sick, Sick, 2007)
Originally written and recorded by Tom Waits, 1992

This is one of those covers that doesn't do much to change the original material, other than add a new voice, but I still absolutely love it. One of my favorite bands covering one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite artists. That's all I need, really.


Original recording:

 

[funkykingston]

As a huge Al Green fan (my primary triumvirate of soul is Reverend Al, The Big O and Toots Hibbert) "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" was one that I thought might slip under the radar. Yet even as a big QOTSA fan (and for that matter a big Them Crooked Vultures fan) I can't ever be onboard with any Tom Waits covers. No one yet has eclipsed the man himself with covers of his material, at least for me. YMMV.

I dig John "don't call me Cougar" Mellencamps version of Wild Nights, but it really is Me'Shell's bassline that sets the cover apart. For all of his reported douchey-ness I can't help but love Van Morrison. A-hole behavior can be forgiven in my mind when somebody gives the world a gift like the entire Astral Weeks album.

For anyone that doesn't know Me'Shell Ndegeocello here you go:

 

[GoGoGadget]

I can't ever be onboard with any Tom Waits covers. No one yet has eclipsed the man himself with covers of his material, at least for me. YMMV.

I am generally in the same boat, for what it's worth. QotSA's cover is one of only three covers of Waits' work that I don't hate; everyone tends to try way too hard and/or seems way too proud of themselves for knowing his catalog. This one feels appropriate, though.

I dig John "don't call me Cougar" Mellencamps version of Wild Nights, but it really is Me'Shell's bassline that sets the cover apart. For all of his reported douchey-ness I can't help but love Van Morrison. A-hole behavior can be forgiven in my mind when somebody gives the world a gift like the entire Astral Weeks album.

Agreed all the way around.

 

[Bricklayer]

Now I said I got the next 6 picks in a row, but I guess I can overlook GGG's transgression given that its more likely that Reggie Evans leads the Kings in scoring next year than it is that GGG stumble across a song I actually wanted to draft.

There are several more prominent things I would really like to have, but I don't want to let this one go so I'm going to take it now. Flipping the script on the man in black:

Ring of Fire - Social Distortion (1990)
I do miss the horns, but chunk up the guitars, plug in and punch up the pace, and Social D cranks out one of my favorite rock solid cover songs. One that I certainly listen to a lot more than the original, despite its charm.

Johnny Cash's iconic original:

 

[funkykingston]

Dammit.

 

[Bricklayer]

Dammit.

good thing I am paranoid apparently

but you've got like 200 other options. you'll live.

 

[Chubbs]

There are a few I could take here that I can't see coming back around again. This is the loudest of the three I considered.

Taking a Dolly Parton classic and stripping it down and turning it up to 11...

Jolene, The White Stripes, Under Blackpool Lights (2004)

And the original
Dolly Parton, Jolene (1973)

 

[funkykingston]

Nice pick.

I love that version I think it's just a notch below the original and the original played at 33 RPM. Seriously, check out the slowed down version.

.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Oh, come on!! Twice in a row??!?

SSIIIIIIIIGGHH. *side eyes*