MetaChat - Music lovers: What should I learn as cover tunes?

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

15 June 2006

Music lovers: What should I learn as cover tunes? →[More:]So at the end of the month, I've got my first solo gig in years. I'll do a bunch of stuff from the CD project, but it's not enough til 45 minutes. So I'm doing some Neil Young and Gillian Welch and a couple traditional songs; also maybe the Everyvbodyfields' Red Rose. My workable parameters - solo, acoustic, rootsy/simple, female, alto. Wondering what else you can think of that I might want to learn as a cover tune? Y'all have such good taste.

post by: Miko at: 09:20 | 64 comments

Maybe mix it up a little bit and throw in a rootsy arrangement of a song the indie rock kids will recognize. I'm thinking Mountain Goats. Or maybe even "Do You Realize" by the Flaming Lips. Stripping down a song that usually has a big arrangent, but is basically a very simple tune, could be kind of fun if you're into that kind of thing.

posted by matildaben 15 June | 09:25

I'm thinkin' "Where Eagles Dare," by the Misfits.

posted by jonmc 15 June | 09:29

Indoor Fireworks - Elvis Costello (I always thought that Emmylou Harris would rock covering this tune)

Essence, Lake Charles, Something About what Happens when we Talk - Lucinda Williams

Razor Valentine - Thea Gilmore

I'll think of more. . .

posted by danf 15 June | 09:30

Rock and Roll Suicide by David Bowie or To Shiela by The Smashing Pumpkins

posted by sciurus 15 June | 09:32

"The Dairy Queen" - Clem Snide

posted by black8 15 June | 09:36

Oh yeah, I'd love to hear Miko's pretty voice sing "Indoor Fireworks". (I sing that one to myself a lot and I think she and I have a similar range.)

posted by matildaben 15 June | 09:37

You could always sing the song I just posted. No joke, that'd be a nice surprise on stage, I'll bet.

posted by jonmc 15 June | 09:43

You Turn Me On I'm a Radio - Joni Mitchell

posted by betty 15 June | 09:49

Blood and Fire. . by the IG's (really amy ray). . .

posted by danf 15 June | 09:49

sorry I missed the alto part

posted by betty 15 June | 09:50

Anything from Opal's Early Recordings, especially Northern Line or She's A Diamond. (Damn, looking at the used prices on Amazon, I could YSI later if anyone wants.)

posted by danostuporstar 15 June | 09:50

I'm thinkin' "Where Eagles Dare," by the Misfits.

No you not really mean "Let the Eagle Soar" by John Ashcroft?

posted by danf 15 June | 09:51

How about Lou Reed? Sweet Jane, I Love You Suzanne, Fly Into The Sun?

posted by rainbaby 15 June | 09:52

(All kidding aside, I always thought Skynyrd's "I Know A Little," would sound great sung as a female smoky blues)

posted by jonmc 15 June | 09:54

Any of the songs that Jennifer Warnes covered on Famous Blue Raincoat would work.

Also, for slow and haunting (if you can pull it off)..

"If It Be Your Will" by Leonard Cohen.

posted by danf 15 June | 09:57

These are excellent, out-of-the-ordinary suggestions. Thanks. I knew I was asking the right crowd. Keep 'em comin'!

posted by Miko 15 June | 09:57

I will third "Indoor Fireworks". Brilliant choice. As for new suggestions...

Something by Big Star? "Thirteen" or "Ballad of El Goodo" are good choices, or maybe "Watch the Sunrise"?

Other ideas, and keep in mind, I am not a musician, so these could be not appropriate to your range, voice, etc....

"Ingrid Bergman" from Mermaid Avenue (Billy Bragg and Wilco doing Woody Guthrie songs, but I am sure you know that). How about "That Lucky Old Sun"? I have heard Ray Charles, Johnny Cash AND Willie Nelson do it, and think it's a beautiful song.

I dunno if it would work with a single acoustic, but Rod Stewart's "Lost Paraguayos" is a hell of a song. The lyrics are also a little male-centric too, but maybe you could make it work?

How about a Stones song? Maybe something absurdly male like "Under My Thumb" or "Back Street Girl"?

The Band? Maybe something from their second album, like "When you Awake" or "Unfaithful Servant"? Or "Lonesome Suzie"?

Last suggestion would be some Bob Marley. Might be a tough arrangement, but Annie Lennox did a lovely (for the most part) version of "Waiting In Vain".

Can you tell that I wish I could play my own covers? And also that I would LOVE to see you play live? Let me know if you want me to YSI anything!

posted by richat 15 June | 10:06

In my truncated musical career, doing a cover, I tried to come up with ones that would really surprise people.

How many times does one need to hear "get together," anyhow?

posted by danf 15 June | 10:07

Miko, maybe you could arrange to record this show? And, oh, I dunno, make said recording available to those of us who can't make it? Maybe?

posted by richat 15 June | 10:08

I remember one evening at Eddie's Attic, maybe nine years ago ... some alterna-folk girl with a guitar and a pierced nose broke the flow of her Ani Difranco tribute by breaking into the chorus of Heavy D's "Big Daddy."

Take it slowly, heaven hold me.
Rather be in your Caddie,
you could be my big daddy.

After, she carried right along with her original Ani like nothing had happen'd.

Pretty awesome, actually.

posted by grabbingsand 15 June | 10:19

How about some Mazzy Star? That's slow, acoustic, and in your range. Failing that, hm..

I'm fond of the Innocence Mission's first album, but the range is a little high for you.

ah, hell, i got nothing.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 15 June | 10:24

Help Me Rhonda by the Beach Boys
Just To Be Close To You by the Commodores
Poison Ivy by the Coasters
Hellhound On My Trail by Rob't Johnson

...these all make great cover songs, and they fit the criteria with a little stretching.

posted by Hugh Janus 15 June | 10:28

Hugh's a cool head.

And I hear he's makin' real good bread.

posted by danf 15 June | 10:47

Nowhere to Run by Martha and the Vandellas (from Good Morning Vietnam)

Runaway by Del Shannon

Bang, Bang (I Shot My Baby Down) by Nancy Sinatra (from Kill Bill, I absolutely adore this song)

Has anyone mentioned Rock Lobster by the B52's? That song makes me feel like I'm back in 8th grade at the dance again.

posted by fenriq 15 June | 10:54

- "The Metro" by Berlin.
- Just about any Violent Femms song would work.

posted by me3dia 15 June | 11:22

Er, Femmes that is.

posted by me3dia 15 June | 11:22

The Band?

Funny, I actually found a song of theirs called "Twilight" that I'm going to work up. It's an unusual take on the war theme.

The Femmes' 'Good Feeling' has always appealed. I used to do a couple of their songs, but more as party tricks than gig material. But man, do I love them.

posted by Miko 15 June | 11:24

"Broken Arrow" by Robbie Robertson just came to mind, 'cept Rod Stewart already crucified it. Maybe it's been purged from the public imagination by now... I'm sure you would do a heckuva job.

posted by santee cooper 15 June | 11:50

Oooh, also "I'm Not Going Anywhere" by Keren Ann or "Mercy Now" by Mary Gauthier.

posted by santee cooper 15 June | 11:53

I don't know if you can acosticize it well but Band of Gold by Freda Payne is a heart breaker. If you could do it you would win.

What about Spirit in the Sky by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band? you can strum the central blues riff and even hoot or sing the delay guitar effects, (hooo, hooo, hooo hooooo).

"I never been a sinner, I never sinned, I got a friend in Jesus..."

posted by Divine_Wino 15 June | 11:55

I fuckin' love Spirit in the Sky.

posted by Hugh Janus 15 June | 12:06

What about Spirit in the Sky by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band?

That was by Norman Greenbaum.

posted by jonmc 15 June | 12:09

I'm in love with Keren Ann.

and Spirit in the Sky is great.

You may proceed.

posted by overanxious ducksqueezer 15 June | 12:14

Jigsaw Puzzle by The Rolling Stones.. sing it as slow as you like.

This part kills me every time:

Me, I'm waiting so patiently

Lying on the floor

I'm just trying to do this jig-saw puzzle

Before it rains anymore

Oh the singer, he looks angry

At being thrown to the lions

And the bass player, he looks nervous

About the girls outside

And the drummer, he was shattered

Trying to keep up time

And the guitar players look damaged

They've been outcasts all thier lives

posted by Divine_Wino 15 June | 12:14

That was by Norman Greenbaum.

That's right it was you fucking insufferable music geek you.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 June | 12:15

Angel From Montgomery. My favorite version is sung by Bonnie Raitt and John Prine.

I would really like to hear this show!

posted by Specklet 15 June | 12:18

"I Don't want To Go Home" Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. I can see it as a slow acoustic blues. Also, maybe 'Operator," by Jim Croce, but maybe with a little dobro or lapsteel to make it more countrified.

posted by jonmc 15 June | 12:22

Miko, I love the song "Twilight". It's a great choice. And, Wino, I love "Jigsaw Puzzle" too. Nice choice.

posted by richat 15 June | 12:36

ooh, What about Shattered by Stones?

posted by Divine_Wino 15 June | 12:45

the stones, wino you freakin' wet brained hobo typo artist.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 June | 12:47

You can't give it away on Seventh Avenue.

posted by jonmc 15 June | 12:48

Ooop shadoobie

posted by richat 15 June | 12:52

So Lonely by the Police, you'd have to skip the guitar&bass&harmonica wackoff section (which is good, to skip and also good in the song) but you could do a total acoustic bug out in the part at the end where sting goes all Grover the Muppet (I feel lo-lo-lo, I feel lo-lo-lo, I feel lo-lo-lo, I feel lo, I feel so, LO, I feel LO, I feel LO, I FEEL SO LONELY LO I FEEL SO).

posted by Divine_Wino 15 June | 12:59

"If You Want To Get To Heaven," Ozark Mountain Daredevils

"Theme From An Imaginary Western" Mountain

posted by jonmc 15 June | 13:02

I fuckin' love Theme From An Imaginary Western.

posted by Hugh Janus 15 June | 13:06

One other suggestion I might make is to start the set off with some noodling on the acoustic, and slowly work into the opening theme to Sesame Street. I saw a guy do that once while playing a wicked gigantic white hollow body Gibson, and it was the coolest low key opening to a show I think I have ever seen.

Oh, and I was gonna suggest "So Lonely", but I wasn't sure if it was arrangable for a single player. Damn you Wino!

posted by richat 15 June | 13:09

Oooh, you could do an acoustic version of Big City Nights by the Scorps, it would be haunting and beautiful. No One Like You would kick ass, too.

posted by Hugh Janus 15 June | 13:10

Oooh! Oooh! Knock On Wood could be fucken great accoustic. You could do it all slow and sultry like Otis Redding does.

posted by Specklet 15 June | 13:15

Rainbow Connection by Kermit The Frog

posted by matildaben 15 June | 13:18

Also Love In Vain - Rolling Stones

posted by betty 15 June | 13:23

Fountains of Wayne does a great acoustic cover of Hit Me Baby that's awesome... might be good for a little humor. It's actually a well-written pop song, and they made it all angsty. YSI, anyone?

posted by Specklet 15 June | 13:35

Rainbow Connection by Kermit The Frog

The last time I heard that song sung was by a six foot dragqueen who tried to tweak my left nipple.

posted by jonmc 15 June | 13:48

Rainbow Connection, covered by Fifteen.

posted by cmonkey 15 June | 13:57

Clem Snide does an awesome angsty folkie cover of Christina Aguilera's song Beautiful. I believe I've posted it here at least once or twice before.

posted by matildaben 15 June | 14:11

"My Father's Gun" - Elton John
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" - The Police
"Kingdom Of Rain" - The The
(You would need to find a friend or tweak the lyrics a bit for that one.)
"True Love Waits" - Radiohead
"Song To The Siren" - This Mortal Coil (originally by Tim Buckley)
"Happier Than The Morning Sun" - Stevie Wonder

posted by grabbingsand 15 June | 14:17

Also Love In Vain - Rolling Stones

Oh, I LOVE that song. I was listening to that while running the other day and thinking "I should learn this".

Knock on Wood! Awesome!

posted by Miko 15 June | 14:19

Angel From Montgomery.

Just came up on my iPod's shuffle. Neat.

Add my vote for that one too.

posted by grabbingsand 15 June | 14:24

re: Love in Vain - I've been listening to the Let it Bleed albulm a lot lately. I love RyCooder on that track

posted by betty 15 June | 14:30

Ry Cooder's finest moment was on Jagger's solo track "Memo From Turner." Fuckin' amazing song.

posted by jonmc 15 June | 14:33

Memo From Turner is one of my favorites ever, ever. If you've never seen Performance, run right out oh brothers and sisters.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 June | 14:37

Miko, if you went into Memo from Turner, there would be more than a few blank stares. . .if you see some guy in the back rocking out to it, it's probably jon, made the trip.

posted by danf 15 June | 14:50

Do you loike flowahs 'arry?

posted by Divine_Wino 15 June | 14:55

I once heard one of my favorite Boston-area folk singers do David Gray's "Sail Away" and it was just really mesmerizing. She made it so yearning and vulnerable.

posted by occhiblu 15 June | 15:57

(Heh. I wonder if your recent sea adventures put that in my head? I haven't thought of that in years.)

posted by occhiblu 15 June | 15:58

← A Tribute To Our Four-Legged Friends || Where's the hate? →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN