Tune du Jour: “A House is Not a Home” – Love
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: The Chemistry Set vs. The Duke Spirit vs. Yo La Tengo
Everybody’s Dressin’ Funny … Cover Me Impressed!
Read it in the Sunday Papers:
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital have erected five arm-waving robots to help manage Kinshasa’s traffic-clogged roads. The 8-foot-tall, solar powered robots were built by a local association of female engineers and direct Kinshasa’s traffic flow using flashing red and green lights on their hands. Residents are optimistic that the aluminum robo-cops will bring order to the city’s congested and chaotic streets. “There are certain drivers who don’t respect the traffic police, but with the robot it will be different,” said cabbie Poro Zidane. “We should respect the robot.”
The Original
Love:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
The Chemistry Set vs. The Duke Spirit vs. Yo La Tengo
The Chemistry Set:
The Duke Spirit:
Yo La Tengo:
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. It is your solemn responsibility to decide which cover song prevails. In other words … Which Side Are You On?!!?
cover me impressed 
Correct song title: A House Is Not a Motel.
I don’t know why I insisted on typing Not a Home. I thought I had corrected before finalizing. This site’s editorial board sucks!
Cool song, and 3 good covers. Tough call here, as I could go with any of them. I like the harmony vocals of the Chemistry Set. And I also like their band name the best, which always makes for a good tie-breaker. So I’ll go with them.
Cuspid stole my thunder. I too thought all three covers were good and voted The Chemistry Set based on name alone. Furthermore, I’m tired of Yo La Tengo and Coach K’s team winning so many competitions!
Love’s “Forever Changes” is among my all-time favorite albums. When we were picking Desert Island Discs, I considered using something to represent this album, but I couldn’t decide which track to choose, and I ultimately took another path.
I never heard of The Chemistry Set, but that really blew me away. That’s the most I’ve enjoyed a song by an unheard-of band on this site in quite some time. Looks like I need to find out more about these guys.
The Duke Spirit- again, never heard of them, but another great rendition. Ordinarily, a cover this good would get the vote, but they failed to surpass the first act.
I like Yo La Tengo a lot, and I’ll usually vote for them if they’re among the choices. Yet another good version, but, hate to say it, they actually come in third place today against stiff opposition from a pair of upstarts.
I think The Duke Spirit was easily the weakest entry here but still respectable. I believe The Duke Spirit is what Coach Kzyzewski has been spraying on his hair for the last 25 years. The Chemistry Set did a great version with a concentration on the melody and excellent production, nailed the solo then added the explosion sound which Love’s Seven & Seven Is uses at the end but follows with a flamenco guitar sound rather than the more simple acoustic guitar fadeout. This version did lose the taut urgency which I think is one of the most important factors of this song and a reason why I chose it in my top 8. In a very tight race I make no bones about favoring Yo La Tengo. This Yo La Tengo cover is so old I think Ira is in sixth grade but still sings well, keeps the beautiful melody with a more intense rock sound before showing his nascent rock guitar god skills.
I came very late to the party in terms of this album. I know it’s considered a classic and has received countless plaudits, but I had never heard this album until about seven years ago. I liked it, of course, and this song is a standout from the album. I, too, went with The Chemistry Set. I love the music of this era, and their version was psychedelic and spooky and just great.