Re: The Only Thing to Cover is Your Ears!
by
thingsfallapart
07/24/2008, 11:46 AM #
I have to disagree with you. While often cover songs turn out horribly, there are a great number of examples of cover songs that are quite terrific. I think it can be explained like this: when a group decides to cover a song by an artist with absolutely nothing in common to the artist borrowing their song, the product becomes a sort of novelty, a project that's not really thought out or given much effort. But when a band chooses to record a cover of a song that they respect and enjoy in the first place, the process becomes just as passionate as if the band were writing and recording an original track. One of the most prominent examples of a band that had the propensity to produce great covers is Galaxie 500. Probably most notable for their terrific version of George Harrison's "Isn't It A Pity", the band covered artists ranging from The Velvet Underground to Jonathan Richman. The common bond between their covers was that they weren't trying to make a mockery of some over-produced pop star--rather, they were taking songs by venerated artists that already had strong structures and reworked them so that they were still recognizable but now had the Galaxie 500 sound.
I think it can be a sign of great respect when an artist chooses to cover the work of someone else. After all, musicians are fond of saying that once they're put out a great song it no longer is the property of the artist-rather, it belongs to everyone who has listened to and enjoyed the song. It is all too easy to highlight the ridiculous, condescending covers that have been produced over the years. But look beneath the surface and I think you'll find some valuable material.
