Favorite Cover Version of a Song Thread

[Mainstreet]

Regardless of the Ronstadt debate, I grew up on this and it's my favorite.

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Roy Orbison is the standard I use to measure other singers. He was an incredible and rare talent.

 

[Mainstreet]

I have to mention Harry Nilsson.

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[MrYeahBut]

I won't even search for a cover of this. There isn't one that could ever do it justice... the name Take 5 is because it's written in 5/4 time. If you count along with it you'll hear 5 beats per measure.

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[AzStevenCal]

I have to mention Harry Nilsson.

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Can't go wrong with Harry. It's interesting, he's known as a songwriter probably as much as a singer but his best songs were bigger hits by others and his biggest hits were actually covers. He was a computer operator at a bank in San Bernardino when he wrote songs for artists such as The Monkees and Three Dog Night.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I won't even search for a cover of this. There isn't one that could ever do it justice... the name Take 5 is because it's written in 5/4 time. If you count along with it you'll hear 5 beats per measure.

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Yeah, I'm sure there have been covers of this but this is the only version I'm familiar with unless you count the scat version that was popular in Germany when I was stationed there in the early/mid 70's. I don't recall who did that one but the bus we took into work seemed to only have 2 songs, we heard a strange version of Take 5 and Eres Tu (by Mocadedes) multiple times every day.

Like I said, I don't really understand or appreciate jazz music but even I liked this one.

 

[Mainstreet]

Can't go wrong with Harry. It's interesting, he's known as a songwriter probably as much as a singer but his best songs were bigger hits by others and his biggest hits were actually covers. He was a computer operator at a bank in San Bernardino when he wrote songs for artists such as The Monkees and Three Dog Night.

I've always liked Harry and thought he could have had a much bigger career. He never performed a live concert and spent a lot of time hanging out with the Beatles. Nilsson had a beautiful voice.

Listening to his album, Nilsson Schmilsson, he seemed absorbed with experimenting with sound and beat. I still have the "Coconut" song running around in my head. Also "Jump into the Fire."

 

[AzStevenCal]

I've always liked Harry and thought he could have had a much bigger career. He never performed a live concert and spent a lot of time hanging out with the Beatles. Nilsson had a beautiful voice.

Listening to his album, Nilsson Schmilsson, he seemed absorbed with experimenting with sound and beat. I still have the "Coconut" song running around in my head. Also "Jump into the Fire."

He also drank a lot, there's a story that's gone around for years that when Lennon moved to the same area in California that he committed himself to helping Harry get back on track (mid 70's?) but instead they ended up getting and staying drunk most of the time - so drunk they were tossed out of a night club for heckling the Smothers Brothers.

In addition to his hits I was very fond of Jesus Christ You're Tall and especially Six String Orchestra although they are obviously novelty songs.

 

[Mainstreet]

He also drank a lot, there's a story that's gone around for years that when Lennon moved to the same area in California that he committed himself to helping Harry get back on track (mid 70's?) but instead they ended up getting and staying drunk most of the time - so drunk they were tossed out of a night club for heckling the Smothers Brothers.

In addition to his hits I was very fond of Jesus Christ You're Tall and especially Six String Orchestra although they are obviously novelty songs.

I will give these songs a listen. With Harry's voice he can make most any song sound good.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I will give these songs a listen. With Harry's voice he can make most any song sound good.

Unfortunately neither song is designed to show off Harry's incredible voice or range. I suspect if I listened to JC You're Tall today it probably wouldn't hold up very well so I'd start with Six String Orchestra, if nothing else it should still be worth a chuckle. At the time it was probably my second favorite novelty song from that era (70's), trailing just Harry Chapin's 30,000 Pounds of Bananas.

 

[Mainstreet]

Unfortunately neither song is designed to show off Harry's incredible voice or range. I suspect if I listened to JC You're Tall today it probably wouldn't hold up very well so I'd start with Six String Orchestra, if nothing else it should still be worth a chuckle. At the time it was probably my second favorite novelty song from that era (70's), trailing just Harry Chapin's 30,000 Pounds of Bananas.

I think I will stick with Nilsson but Harry Chapin's "Taxi" is an all time classic.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think I will stick with Nilsson but Harry Chapin's "Taxi" is an all time classic.

And another man might have been angry, another man might have been hurt - but another man never would have let her go, I stashed the bill in my shirt. Great lyrics.

Yeah, the classic Taxi notwithstanding, I'd take Nilsson over Chapin any day of the week but the Bananas song is interesting. If you don't know it, give it a listen. It's not a song you'd put in your favorites playlist, more like one you'd dust off and listen to every decade or so. It's not pure fiction either. He wrote it after reading about an accident in the newspaper and despite the fact it was always requested, he agreed to no longer do the song when performing in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

 

[Mainstreet]

And another man might have been angry, another man might have been hurt - but another man never would have let her go, I stashed the bill in my shirt. Great lyrics.

Yeah, the classic Taxi notwithstanding, I'd take Nilsson over Chapin any day of the week but the Bananas song is interesting. If you don't know it, give it a listen. It's not a song you'd put in your favorites playlist, more like one you'd dust off and listen to every decade or so. It's not pure fiction either. He wrote it after reading about an accident in the newspaper and despite the fact it was always requested, he agreed to no longer do the song when performing in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

It sounds like the driver was calling the right names for help! Lots of mashed bananas.

I hope the driver was okay.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I was going to link to a cover of a Hank Williams song by Don McLean but apparently, You Tube doesn't have his version of Kaw Liga. Such a shame as it's the only version I've heard (including the original) that I actually like. So, instead, I'll link to a cover of a different Hank Williams classic.

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[AzStevenCal]

It sounds like the driver was calling the right names for help! Lots of mashed bananas.

I hope the driver was okay.

No, he died in the song and IRL. That's why he agreed to not perform it in Scranton out of respect to the widow.

 

[Mainstreet]

No, he died in the song and IRL. That's why he agreed to not perform it in Scranton out of respect to the widow.

I didn't take some of the lyrics regarding the driver in the literal sense. Admittedly it takes some fun out of an otherwise amusing song.

 

[puckhead]

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[AzStevenCal]

I was underwhelmed by that cover and a bit surprised it stands out for you. Maybe I'm influenced by the fact that I was in high school when this song first came out and every cover band tried miserably to copy the Steppenwolf version. Anyway, if I were to listen to another version I think I'd have to go with the one by Blue Oyster Cult.

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[puckhead]

I was underwhelmed by that cover and a bit surprised it stands out for you. Maybe I'm influenced by the fact that I was in high school when this song first came out and every cover band tried miserably to copy the Steppenwolf version. Anyway, if I were to listen to another version I think I'd have to go with the one by Blue Oyster Cult.

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I can understand that as I was in HS when The Cult's Electric album came out. Still one of my favorite bands from the era and likely why their version stands out to me. I wore that cassette out in the after-market deck of my super-dope-fly '78 re-sale red Honda Civic many times over before I finally got the CD version. This album was responsible for me eventually seeking out the original and Steppenwolf soon became one of my favorite bands.

The BOC version is fun too, thanks for adding it.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Speaking of Steppenwolf, The Pusher made 'famous' by them was written and recorded by Hoyt Axton. Hoyt struggled with cocaine addiction and also wrote the No No Song done by Ringo Starr. He also wrote Boney Fingers and for Ronstadt fans, she did back up vocals on When The Morning Comes, which you can search for if you want.

I do like the Steppenwolf version but here's the original of ******** The Pusher Man, which could only have been written by an addict. You can hear it in his voice.

RIP Hoyt.

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[AzStevenCal]

Speaking of Steppenwolf, The Pusher made 'famous' by them was written and recorded by Hoyt Axton. Hoyt struggled with cocaine addiction and also wrote the No No Song done by Ringo Starr. He also wrote Boney Fingers and for Ronstadt fans, she did back up vocals on When The Morning Comes, which you can search for if you want.

I do like the Steppenwolf version but here's the original of ******** The Pusher Man, which could only have been written by an addict. You can hear it in his voice.

RIP Hoyt.

Yeah, he's another one that died too young, only 61. I knew of him because DJs loved the mother/son songwriting angle and you'd hear about it anytime they'd play Joy To The World or Heartbreak Hotel but I didn't start buying his albums until the mid-70's. I bought a bunch of them but I'd have to say that "A Rusty Old Halo" is the only one I played regularly. Besides the title song, Della and the Dealer is a great tune but so was Evangelina, So Hard to Give it All Up and Wild Bull Rider. In fact, the whole album is excellent.

 

[puckhead]

Here is Shannon Hoon's take on it:

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Heavy rewrite, but I do love this version.

 

[MrYeahBut]

I still have the "Coconut" song running around in my head.

Hot dang, you reminded me of something I hadn't thought about in years..Stupid story.. back when this song was popular I was a hod carrier for a brick mason. If you know, the mud that bricklayers use (rich mortar) is a mixture of sand, water, cement and lime. While I was mixing mud I sang my own version of the song incessantly.

Here's MrYB's cover... (with half credit to my partner in crime, Big Al McCray)

You put the lime in the cement (See-meant)
And you mix them both together
You put the lime in the see-meant
and you add the water (wahh da)

When the lime's in the see-meant
And you add the wahh da
You shovel sand in the mixer
Then you load it for the boss

Repeat for 8 hrs/day

I think there was another verse but I can't remember from 40 years ago. I won't quit my day job.

.

 

[Mainstreet]

Hot dang, you reminded me of something I hadn't thought about in years..Stupid story.. back when this song was popular I was a hod carrier for a brick mason. If you know, the mud that bricklayers use (rich mortar) is a mixture of sand, water, cement and lime. While I was mixing mud I sang my own version of the song incessantly.

Here's MrYB's cover... (with half credit to my partner in crime, Big Al McCray)

You put the lime in the cement (See-meant)
And you mix them both together
You put the lime in the cement
and you add the water (wahh da)

When the lime's in the see-meant
And you add the wahh da
You shovel sand in the mixer
Then you load it for the boss

Repeat for 8 hrs/day

I think there was another verse but I can't remember from 40 years ago. I won't quit my day job.

.

This is great. You have a talent!

Oooh... you are such a silly fella.

 

[puckhead]

Hot dang, you reminded me of something I hadn't thought about in years..Stupid story.. back when this song was popular I was a hod carrier for a brick mason. If you know, the mud that bricklayers use (rich mortar) is a mixture of sand, water, cement and lime. While I was mixing mud I sang my own version of the song incessantly.

Here's MrYB's cover... (with half credit to my partner in crime, Big Al McCray)

You put the lime in the cement (See-meant)
And you mix them both together
You put the lime in the see-meant
and you add the water (wahh da)

When the lime's in the see-meant
And you add the wahh da
You shovel sand in the mixer
Then you load it for the boss

Repeat for 8 hrs/day

I think there was another verse but I can't remember from 40 years ago. I won't quit my day job.

.

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[MrYeahBut]

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