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Cover Me Impressed
With a focus on the 60's-90's music scene, CMI is a Paradiso for Lovers Cover Songs! Each post focuses on a particular song and provides its original and most popular recordings as well as covers versions. Patrons of CMI vote on the most deserving cover version, which will then live to compete again, battling other cover songs in a future post.
Bands, musicians, troubadours, and their ilk, submit your cover songs for future CMI competitions.
CMI welcomes the opportunity to introduce new artists.
Contact RDubbs at covermeimpressed@yahoo.com
Music Genres?
We've Got 'em Covered ...
Rock / Alt-Rock / Rock 'n Roll / Rockabilly / Indie Pop / New Wave / Old Wave / Surf / Reggae / Ska / Punk Rock / Psychobilly / Cowpunk / Alt-Country / Bluegrass / Folk / Croon-Tunes / A Cappella / Motown / Gospel / Blues / Rhythm & Blues / Jazz / Big Band / Lounge / Classical / Celtic / Bossa Nova / Worldbeat / Show Tunes / Cartoons / Bizarro / Musical Calamities
Tune du Jour: “Straight to You” – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Adalitavs. Emm Gryner vs. Dee Madden
Everybody’s Dressin’ Funny … Cover Me Impressed!
“A man doesn’t know what happiness is until he’s married. By then it’s too late.”
Frank Sinatra
The Original
If I’m ever crazy enough to get married again this will be my wedding song.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds:
I decided to include this cover just as a frame of reference of what could happen when some muttonhead gets it in his head to cover a great song. I will warn you, this is ugly to the point of profanity. (I shudder to think of what the Caveman might do if he ever got his claws into this character.)
Josh Groben:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Adalita vs. Emm Gryner vs. Dee Madden
Adalita:
Emm Gryner:
Dee Madden:
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?!!?
Broccoli Had A Child, Bam-Ba-Lam, Damn Thing Went Wild, Bam-Ba-Lam.
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The Original
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Huddie Ledbetter (aka Lead Belly):
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The Most Popular
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Ram Jam:
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THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
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Nick Cave vs. Young Fresh Fellows vs. Tom Jones
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Nick Cave:
Young Fresh Fellows:
Tom Jones:
Okay, when I saw Tom Jones covered Black Betty I felt I had to include it for comical purposes only. But, damn, I have to admit that Jones (aka TJ) actually does a credible job on it.
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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?!!?
SPACE
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
“Free markets will not prevail without unfettered competition among cover songs.” – Milton Friedbyrd
Moritat von Mackie Messer is a song written by Bertolt Brecht and composed by Kurt Weill for their play Die Dreigroschenoper. Die Dreigroschenoper premiered in Berlin in 1928. The opening song, Moritat von Mackie Messer, was originally sung by actor Kurt Gerron.
In 1954 Marc Blitzstein translated Die Dreigroschenoper into English (i.e. The Threepenny Opera) and the play enjoyed a six-year run Off-Broadway. It is Blitzstein’s translation that became the basis for the popularized American song, Mack the Knife.
In 1954, Louis Armstrong was the first musician to score a hit with Mack the Knife. Of course, Bobby Darrin’s Mack the Knife, recorded in 1959, set an unparalleled standard of excellence for the song. Another popular version of Mack the Knife is Ella Fitzgerald’s 1960 live version. After the first verse poor Ella forgot the rest of the song. Yet Ella’s amazing improvisation thereafter earned her a Grammy for the performance.
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat von Mackie Messer
Kurt Gerron (1928):
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Mack the Knife
Louis Armstrong (1954):
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Bobby Darrin (1959):
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Ella Fitzgerald (1960):
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THE CLASH of Cover Songs
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Nick Cave vs. Lyle Lovett
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Nick Cave (1995):
Nick Cave holds the distinction of being CMI’s Reigning Exultant Virtuosic Performer of “Mack the Knife“. Additionally, Nick Cave is a recipient of CMI’s universally coveted title of Bi-Victor Melodious Maximus in Adversarial Replication. Among the title’s myriad of rewards and benefits, perhaps most desirous is that it bestows upon the recipient the eminently yearned for privilege of having one’s name appear in print media in orange.
Nick Cave’s triumphal exploits in CMI’s THE CLASH of Cover Tunes competitions are detailed below:
11/9/2013 – “Moritat von Mackie Messer” (Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weil) – Nick Cave (86%)shellacks The Psychedelic Furs (14%)
10/6/2013 – “Suzanne” (Leonard Cohen) – Nick Cave with Perla Batella & Julie Christenson (83%) quash Geoffrey Oryema (17%)
This is shortened version of Nick Cave’s rendition that I included solely for the Caveman’s stellar choreography:
Lyle Lovett (1994):
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?
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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
Moritat von Mackie Messer is a song written by Bertolt Brecht and composed by Kurt Weil for their play Die Dreigrosohenoper. Die Dreigrosohenoper premiered in Berlin in 1928. The opening song, Moritat von Mackie Messer, was originally sung by actor Kurt Gerron.
In 1954 Marc Blitzstein translated Die Dreigrosohenoper into English (i.e. The Threepenny Opera) and the play enjoyed a six-year run Off-Broadway. It is Blitzstein’s translation that became the basis for the popularized American song, Mack the Knife.
In 1954, Louis Armstrong was the first musician to score a hit with Mack the Knife. Of course, Bobby Darrin’s Mack the Knife, recorded in 1959, set an unparalleled standard of excellence for the song. Another popular version of Mack the Knife is Ella Fitzgerald’s 1960 live version. After the first verse poor Ella forgot the rest of the song. Yet Ella’s amazing improvisation thereafter earned her a Grammy for the performance.
Die Dreigrosohenoper: Moritat von Mackie Messer
Kurt Gerron (1928):
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Mack the Knife
Louis Armstrong (1954):
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Bobby Darrin (1959):
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Ella Fitzgerald (1960):
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The Cover Songs Competition
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Nick Cave vs. The Psychedelic Furs
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Nick Cave (1995):
This is shortened version of Nick’s rendition that I included solely for the Caveman’s stellar choreography:
The Psychedelic Furs (1981):
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?
Also, keep in mind that if you should spontaneously self-actualize while playing a cover then you could – and probably should – nominate it for Top 10 (i.e. “Impeccable”) consideration.
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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
Broccoli For Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles And Miles … Oh Yeah!
Got home around midnight tonight after seeing The Waterboys (Amazing Show). I had not heard about Lou Reed’s exit until Mike Scott talked about his admiration for the man before launching into an obviously, hastily put-together tribute of VU songs, the rawness of which only served to endear. Anyway, I thought I had tomorrow’s blog “covered” before leaving for the show but now find myself putting together a late-night replacement Lou Reed blog. I don’t want to sound like a whiner but I do wish revered musicians would give me a day or two notice before checking out. It would sure make it a lot easier on an old, tired blogger …
The Original
The Velvet Underground & Nico:
Thanks Lou, this world was never meant for someone as beautiful as you.
(Could you imagine how disgusted Lou would be seeing a line that ridiculous offered up as an epithet?)
Somewhere Jonathan Richman is inconsolable …
The Cover Songs Competition
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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds vs. June Tabor & Oysterband
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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds:
June Tabor & Oysterband:
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. Only one cover tune will live to play another day and it is your solemn responsibility to decide which one prevails. So tell me … Which Side Are You On?!!?
Also, keep in mind that if you should spontaneously self-actualize while playing a cover then you could – and probably should – nominate it for Top 10 (i.e. “Impeccable”) consideration.
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Votes can be cast up to seven days from the day and time of the original post.
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.