Author Topic: Worst cover versions of songs  (Read 7750 times)

octopus volcano

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Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #30 on: January 20, 2008, 11:36:04 AM »
In agreement with Sarah and Dave about the Shatner version of Common People.

Don Ho doing Shock the Monkey is one of my favorite bad covers.  It can be found on the truly strange comp "When Pigs Fly".  It's not really funny as much as plain weird, with successful, respected (at least within their genre) artists covering songs completely inappropriate to their style.  Like Billy Preston doing Girls on Film.  Jackie Chan duets with Ani DiFranco on Unforgettable, which is actually sort of... forgettable.

John Junk

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Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #31 on: January 20, 2008, 05:14:13 PM »
I think I just like the original Common People too much to even dare listen to the Shatner version.   I know that he gets the joke, but, as Morrissey once said "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore". 

I stand by my Santa Baby convictions.

Gilly

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Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #32 on: January 21, 2008, 03:41:32 PM »
'm not a big fan of any of REM's VU covers on Dead Letter Office. I like early REM a lot but I really dislike those covers.

Stan

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Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #33 on: January 21, 2008, 08:43:50 PM »
I really like Portastatic but when I heard their cover of St. Elmo's Fire, I just thought, why?  In my opinion, no one should ever cover anything off of Another Green World, Taking Tiger Mountain, or Here Come The Warm Jets.

 Have you ever heard Palomar's version of I'll Come Running? It's funny, but in a good way.
                                 "This must be where buffcoat left his pants."

jane

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Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #34 on: January 21, 2008, 10:35:39 PM »
I have to admit though, when I first heard Shatner's Rocket Man, I did think it was sort of funny - maybe because it was so unexpected.

Have you heard that This American Life, where Jon Langford put a band together from the Want Ads, and they covered Rocket Man?  It's pretty amazing (both the story and the version)...

I haven't heard that TAL, TL, but it sounds interesting. 
A friend of mine popped in a video tape of the Shatner doing Rocket Man years ago.  I had no idea what I was about to see.  It was great.  Merits a link:

[youtube]NN3MGN899yE[/youtube]   

jane

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Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #35 on: January 21, 2008, 10:40:16 PM »
I really like Portastatic but when I heard their cover of St. Elmo's Fire, I just thought, why?  In my opinion, no one should ever cover anything off of Another Green World, Taking Tiger Mountain, or Here Come The Warm Jets.

 Have you ever heard Palomar's version of I'll Come Running? It's funny, but in a good way.

No, I havent, but it sounds good.  I feel bad about mentioning Portastatic, now, a band I truly like.   Especially since they're in the company of William Shatner and Natalie Cole.