So I was sat tonight watching 'The Voice' tonight... what stood out were people singing songs in exactly the same way as the original - they may as well have been doing karaoke.... badly.... So that got me thinking about cover versions. Well there are plenty about but these days they tend to be for adverts rather than because a band just wants to do them. Now I like a good cover version, but don't see the point of them being exactly the same as the original - I like to hear a different interpretation of the song and that's what makes it interesting....
So anyway - I thought I'd do another top ten, this time for cover versions. As always this is according to my current mood so could be different tomorrow!
10. Somewhere Only We Know - Lily Allen
Originally by Keane and made popular by a cute rabbit waking a bear up for Xmas. Hated the advert, loved this version.
9. Don't Stop - Nina Nesbitt
Originally by Fleetwood Mac and another made popular by an advert - not too different from the original but sounds cleaner and fresher.
8. Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles
Originally by Simon and Garfunkle. I hadn't heard the original until after I heard the Bangles version. Don't know if that's why I think The Bangles do it better but they do!
7. Dear Prudence - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Originally by The Beatles - How dare a punk band do a cover version of The Beatles? Well they dared, got their biggest selling single and did a damn good job...
6. Hounds of Love - The Futureheads
Originally by Kate Bush. The start does it for me...
5. All Tomorrow's Parties - Japan
Originally by The Velvet Underground. Never liked the original version but then again I never liked anything by The Velvet Underground. A beautiful version by one of my favourite bands.
4. Police and Thieves - The Clash
Originally by Junior Murvin. There was always a link between punk and ska but The Clash stripped the song back and improved the original by about 1000 times
3. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Originally by Gloria Jones. Not many people even realise this is a cover. The original isn't much cop to be fair and Marc Almonds over the top (and pretty much out of tune) vocals made this a huge hit.
2. Walk On By - The Stranglers
Originally by Dionne Warwick. What can I say? The Stranglers totally turn a sickly sweet love song into bitterness and regret - and it works so well.... Go take a walk in the trees.....
1. I Second That Emotion - Japan
Originally by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Another Japan cover version. For a band who had their own original style it seemed strange that they did cover versions, and to do motown covers when they their roots were in glam rock seemed a bit strange. But this is an excellent cover, has been one of my favourites since I heard it and will probably always feature in my top ten!
