‘Daily Song’ Category

  1. Day 110 – Metallica – Astronomy (Blue Öyster Cult)

    July 23, 2011 by Ehsan

    Astronomy is a 1974 song by Blue Öyster Cult. The song’s lyrics are selected verses of Sandy Pearlman’s poem “The Soft Doctrines of Immaginos”, mainly covering aliens known as Les Invisibles guide an altered human named Imaginos, also called Desdinova, through history, playing key roles that eventually lead to the outbreak of World War I.

    The song was covered by Metallica in their 1998 cover compilation album Garage Inc., and the band twisted the original song’s theme to their own tone and rhythm, while maintaining the essence of the song, making it one of their best cover songs.

    And here’s the original:


  2. Day 109 – Bruce Springsteen – Jersey Girl (Tom Waits)

    July 22, 2011 by Farhang

    “Jersey Girl” is originally sung by Tom Waits from his 1980 album Heartattack and Vine. Waits wrote the song with his future wife Kathleen Brennan, who had been living in New Jersey. It is one of Waits’ most tender songs, and captures a feeling of romantic longing despite its somewhat gritty details.

    The cover is performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and released as the B-side of his 1984 hit single “Cover Me”.

    and here is the original


  3. Day 108 – Ane Brun / Guano Apes – Big in Japan (Alphaville)

    July 21, 2011 by Farhang

    “Big in Japan” is the debut single of the band Alphaville. It is from their 1984 album Forever Young. The title comes from a phrase Big in Japan, which was used to describe Western bands who are popular with Japanese audiences while garnering little attention in their home country.

    In 2008, Norwegian singer Ane Brun did her very own version of the song “Big in Japan”. The song was recorded to be part of the soundtrack for the Swedish TV-documentary “Stor i Japan” on TV6.

    In 2000, Guano Apes also covered the song in their second full-length album, Don’t Give Me Names.

    Here is Guano Apes’ cover:

    and the original version:


  4. Day 107 – Muse – Feeling Good (Cy Grant feat. Bill LeSage)

    July 20, 2011 by Farhang

    Written for the widely forgotten 1965 Broadway musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd, “Feeling Good” has been covered by Nina Simone, Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, George Michael and countless others. Muse recorded a popular version for their 2001 LP Origin of Symmetry, which has recently gotten a lot of play in America in a commercial for Virgin Airlines.

    and here is the original:

     

     


  5. Day 106 – Lissie – Bad Romance (Lady Gaga)

    July 18, 2011 by Farhang

    No Comments …

    and here is the original:


  6. Day 105 – They Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan)

    July 15, 2011 by Farhang

    “Mr. Tambourine Man” has been covered by many artists over the years, including at least 13 versions recorded in 1965 alone. The Byrds released it as their debut single on April 12, 1965. The single, along with the album of the same name, was influential in originating the musical style known as folk rock, with the single becoming the first folk rock smash hit.

    Bob Dylan started writing the song in February 1964 after attending Mardi Gras in New Orleans during a cross-country road trip with several friends, and completed it sometime between mid-March and late April after returning to New York.

    The song has a bright, expansive melody and has become famous in particular for its surrealistic imagery, influenced by artists as diverse as French poet Arthur Rimbaud and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. The lyrics call on the title character to play a song and the narrator will follow. Interpretations of the lyrics have included a paean to drugs such as LSD, a call to the singer’s muse, a reflection of the audience’s demands on the singer, and religious interpretations.

    and here is the original


  7. Day 104 – Live – I Walk The Line (Johnny Cash)

    July 14, 2011 by Farhang

    “I Walk the Line” was written by Johnny Cash and recorded in 1956. It was performed with the help of Marshall Grant and Luther Perkins, two mechanics that his brother introduced him to following his discharge from the Air Force. The unique chord progression for the song was inspired by an accidental backwards playback of guitar runs on Cash’s tape recorder while he was in the Air Force stationed in Germany.

    The cover was released by Live on November 2004 as part of their Greatest Hits compilation.

    and here’s the original

    P.S. This cover was posted before as a daily pick, we figured it approrpaite to re-post it as part of “Do Judge The Cover” month.


  8. Day 103 – Sinead O’Connor – Downpressor Man (Peter Tosh)

    July 13, 2011 by Farhang

    “Sinner Man” is an American traditional spiritual song that has been recorded by a number of performers. The song dates to the turn of the 20th century but most modern recorded versions derive from the 1956 recording by Les Baxter, further changes and additions were codified in 1959 by the folk music group the Weavers.

    A different version entitled “Downpressor Man” was recorded by Peter Tosh & The Wailers in 1971 (“downpressor” meaning “oppressor” in Rastafarian vocabulary). The song featured Tosh on lead vocals and Bunny Wailer on background.

    Sinéad O’Connor covered Peter Tosh’s single on her 2005 album Throw Down Your Arms. You judge her cover:

    and here is the original:


  9. Day 102 – Helter Skelter – U2 (The Beatles)

    July 12, 2011 by Ehsan

    Paul McCartney was inspired to write the song after reading a 1967 Guitar Player magazine interview with The Who’s Pete Townshend where he described their latest single, “I Can See for Miles,” as the loudest, rawest, dirtiest song the Who had ever recorded. McCartney then “wrote ‘Helter Skelter’ to be the most raucous vocal, the loudest drums, et cetera” and said he was “using the symbol of a helter skelter as a ride from the top to the bottom—the rise and fall of the Roman Empire—and this was the fall, the demise.”

    Helter Skelter has been covered by dozens or rock bands since then. One of the most notables of these cover version’s is U2’s:

    Here’s the original song:


  10. Day 101 – The White Stripes – Jolene (Dolly Parton)

    July 11, 2011 by Farhang

    One of the greatest songs of the modern times, Dolly Parton wrote and released this classic in ’73. It was a smash hit and became one of Dolly’s best-known songs. “Jolene” tells the tale of a housewife confronting a voluptuous seductress who she believes is trying to steal away her husband and begging her “please don’t take my man”.

    and here is the original:


  11. Do Judge The Cover Month

    July 11, 2011 by Farhang

    After one hundred days of randomness, we’re gonna give this baby a bit more structure. To start, for the remainder of the month of July, we will focus on cover songs and specifically those that we think are better than the original. If you have any suggestions, we love to hear from you!

    Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook


  12. Day 100 – David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World

    July 10, 2011 by Ehsan