Excellent Covers

[bostonman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQmxLr5IYLk

 

 

Brian Stokes Mitchell, "This Nearly was Mine" from South Pacific. Originally sung by Ezio Pinza"

 

I saw this concert version of the musical, which also starred Reba McEntire

 

I would debate that these recordings - i.e. Stokes doing this song, or Martin doing "Hello, Dolly," are not "covers." A "cover" is ordinarily purely a record industry term, not a term for someone else who plays the same role in a later stage production of a show. Sometimes the word "cover" is used to mean "understudy" (especially in opera, where any big company will have "covers" for the lead roles of a major production), but it's not used the same way it is in the recording industry.

 

However, one would certainly classify the songs on Streisand's "Broadway Album" (and its sequel) to be covers, because they are simply recordings, not stage performances.

 

Also - to me, a "cover" version most often implies a new and different arrangement of the song - which is not true for either the Stokes or Martin versions posted here. (It is true for the Streisand albums, sometimes to the songs' detriments, like her horrid, synth-laden goopy rendition of "Somewhere.")

 

Famous cover versions of showtunes include the Beatles' "Till There Was You," The 5th Dimension's "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" and Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life." But I'm also quite partial to this rather surprising cover of one of my favorite standards (originally from the Kern/Hammerstein show Very Warm For May). Dig the groovy 1970's sound on this, lol:

 

[+ WilliamM]

I would debate that these recordings - i.e. Stokes doing this song, or Martin doing "Hello, Dolly," are not "covers." A "cover" is ordinarily purely a record industry term, not a term for someone else who plays the same role in a later stage production of a show. Sometimes the word "cover" is used to mean "understudy" (especially in opera, where any big company will have "covers" for the lead roles of a major production), but it's not used the same way it is in the recording industry.

 

It's more complicated, in the 1950s did Elvis Presley or Pat Boone cover black singers version of the same songs? My answer would be yes. But, female singers like Kitty Kallen, Joni James and others in the 1950s sometimes released the same songs. ("Little Things Mean A Lot" is just one example of many.) The arrangements might have been slightly different, but the singers often sounded alike. I have no answer to this situation.

 

Although I tend to believe you are correct about Martin and Mitchell.

Edited July 20, 2017 by WilliamM

[+ purplekow]

Indeed, and she was apparently the first artist to have a song chart at #1 twice with I Will Always Love You. I think you're right, it probably is the greatest cover. I can't think of a more successful one off the top of my head, and it doesn't diminish the original.

I believe Chubby Checker and The Twist hit #1 in 1960 and 1962. I did not check so no brickbats.

[bostonman]

It's more complicated, in the 1950s did Elvis Presley or Pat Boone cover black singers version of the same songs? My answer would be yes. But, female singers like Kitty Kallen, Joni James and others in the 1950s sometimes released the same songs. ("Little Things Mean A Lot" is just one example of many.) The arrangements might have been slightly different, but the singers often sounded alike. I have no answer to this situation.

 

Well, lol, I did say that a new arrangement is most often implied - but there are certainly degrees of that. For instance, the Whitney Houston cover of "The Greatest Love Of All" is still very much in the same spirit as the George Benson original - they are different arrangements, but in the same essential vein. But take the 1980's cover of the Burt Bacharach "Always Something There To Remind Me" (as sung by Dionne Warwick), reimagined in new-wave style by a band called Naked Eyes (which was a major hit at the time) - virtually a whole different song, lol. So there really are no rules in terms of how the arrangement differs or not.

[BabyBoomer]

"Always Something There To Remind Me"

 

Don't forget the original recording was by British singer Sandie Shaw in 1964.

 

~Boomer ~

[+ purplekow]

Well, lol, I did say that a new arrangement is most often implied - but there are certainly degrees of that. For instance, the Whitney Houston cover of "The Greatest Love Of All" is still very much in the same spirit as the George Benson original - they are different arrangements, but in the same essential vein. But take the 1980's cover of the Burt Bacharach "Always Something There To Remind Me" (as sung by Dionne Warwick), reimagined in new-wave style by a band called Naked Eyes (which was a major hit at the time) - virtually a whole different song, lol. So there really are no rules in terms of how the arrangement differs or not.

Going to see Scott Bradlee's Post Modern Jukebox tomorrow. They do nothing but covers with arrangements which defy the original style of the song and instead mimic a typlical example of another style.

[+ WilliamM]

Well, lol, I did say that a new arrangement is most often implied - but there are certainly degrees of that.

 

I have no problem deleting the two posts in question. People enjoyed my others selection more, especially Dietrich and Springsteen.

[+ WilliamM]

 

Enjoy

[bostonman]

Don't forget the original recording was by British singer Sandie Shaw in 1964.

 

Thank you!!

[bostonman]

I have no problem deleting the two posts in question. People enjoyed my others selection more, especially Dietrich and Springsteen.

 

No need to delete anything, my friend. It's all part of a valid discussion.

[LoveNDino]

7/20/17 (Somewhere Over The Rainbow)

 

Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole

 

Judy Garland

 

8/12/17 edit...to add Eva Cassidy's version

Edited August 12, 2017 by LoveNDino

[+ WilliamM]

 

 

 

I was so impressed with Maurice Chavalier & Sophie Tucker, the exact right age for the song

from "Gigi." -- hope it fits

Edited July 20, 2017 by WilliamM

[bostonman]

 

 

 

I was so impressed with Maurice Chavalier & Sophie Tucker, the exact right age for the song

from "Gigi." -- hope it fits

 

That milquetoast revival of Gigi last season with Ms. Hudgens should never have happened, even with tried-and-true pros like Clark and McGillin in the cast. Actually, it never should have been made into a stage show, period. (It was a flop in 1973, and it was flop this time.) It's not really a truly favorite film of mine either lol, but the film is miles superior to the stage show, and yes, Chevalier and Tucker are well-matched. (But again, I don't think the Clark/McGillin version qualifies as a "cover" - it's just the wrong terminology. But at this point it seems we're opening this up to alternate performances of songs in general, so fine by me lol.)

Edited July 20, 2017 by bostonman

[bostonman]

7/20/17 (Somewhere Over The Rainbow)

 

Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole

 

Judy Garland

 

A truly astounding version (along with the rest of his fast-forward adaptation of the film), by a truly astounding artist:

[LoveNDino]

Nothing Compares 2U

 

Sinead O'Connor

 

The Family (Original)

 

Prince (with Rosie Gaines)

Edited July 21, 2017 by LoveNDino

[kewtex]

 

[kewtex]

 

[kewtex]

The Pet Shop Boys have done some interesting covers, including "Always On My Mind," and "Where The Streets Have No Name."

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX3Zpks05Ns

[+ quoththeraven]

Two covers of "What a/Whatta Man," originally sung by Lynda Lyndell. (I was surprised to learn that the Salt n Pepa/En Vogue version wasn't the original.)

 

Salt n Pepa featuring En Vogue (1993/94)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-WFNbMohTQ

I.O.I (2016)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOn5tSagerY

The original by Lynda Lyndell (1968)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1bVMW2XVNI

[+ quoththeraven]

When someone says "cover," this is the first one I think of: Johnny Cash singing "Hurt" by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt1Pwfnh5pc

Live performance by NIN and David Bowie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7_Te7iDojA

[+ WilliamM]

@quoththeraven, thanks so much for NIN and Johnny Cash!

[+ quoththeraven]

Ike and Tina Turner, "Proud Mary"

The Creedence Clearwater Revival original

[+ nycman]

Ok....

 

@quoththeraven just slammed the fuck out of this catagory.

 

I never knew the Salt-n-Pepa song was cover. Thank you.

 

Johnny Cash near the end of his magnificent life....singing NIN....holy fuck...Thank you!

 

And the amazing Tina....Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[+ WilliamM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KLNwPppKTM

 

 

 

I know that Dietrich sang "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" in German in Israel. But, it must not be available on YouTube. She was told specifically not to sing in German, but Dietrich went ahead anyway with not one, but seven or eight songs in German.

[kewtex]

I know that Dietrich sang "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" in German in Israel. But, it must not be available on YouTube. She was told specifically not to sing in German, but Dietrich went ahead anyway with not one, but seven or eight songs in German.

 

Dietrich sang "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" in German in Tel Aviv while touring in 1960. I couldn't find any clips on YouTube, but there is footage and some discussion about that concert in the documentary "Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song."