Tag Archives: cover versions

robyn hitchcock – the ghost in you

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Another wonderfully pared-down, intimate cover by Robyn Hitchcock, this one of the Psychedelic Furs’ hit from 1984. It appears on Hitchcock’s 2014 album, The Man Upstairs.

“Hitchcock has a thing for ghosts, and it’s indicative of his knack for interpreting other artists, and storytelling in general, that he’s able to funnel his own obsessions through songs he didn’t compose.” (Pitchfork)

rainy day – rainy day (full album, 1984)

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The Paisley Underground scene of L.A. bands of the 1980s — of which David Roback’s bands Rain Parade, Clay Allison, Opal, and Mazzy Star were a part — was in part inspired by 1960s rock/psychedelia. This Rainy Day album was David’s project. It contains covers of nine of his favourite songs from the 1960s, and one from the 1970s (“Holocaust”). He enlisted musicians and singers from a variety of Paisley Underground bands to collaborate on the album.

Tracklisting
A1 – “I’ll Keep It With Mine” (Bob Dylan)
Guitar, Tambourine, Vocals – David Roback; Violin – Will Glenn; Bass – Michael Quercio; Lead Vocals – Susanna Hoffs
A2 – “John Riley” (B. Gibson, R. Neff. A folk song covered by The Byrds in 1966)
Drums – Dennis Duck; Guitar [Acoustic 12-string] – Matthew Piucci; Guitar [Electric 12-string], Vocals – David Roback; Violin, Vocals – Will Glenn; Lead Vocals, Bass – Michael Quercio
A3 – “Flying On The Ground Is Wrong” (Neil Young/Buffalo Springfield)
Guitar – David Roback; Lead and Background Vocals – Kendra Smith; Background Vocals – Susanna Hoffs
A4 – “Sloop John B.” (Traditional. The Beach Boys had a 1966 hit with their arrangement)
Drums – Dennis Duck; Guitar, Congas – David Roback; Keyboards – Ethan James; Lead Vocals, Bass, Percussion – Michael Quercio
A5 – Soon Be Home (Pete Townshend/The Who)
Bass, Drums – Michael Quercio; Tambourine – “Spock”; Background Vocals – Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson; Lead Vocals, Guitar – David Roback
B1 – “Holocaust” (Alex Chilton/Big Star)
Cello, Violin – Will Glenn; Guitar – David Roback; Piano – Steven Roback; Piano [Backwards] – Ethan James; Vocals – Kendra Smith
B2 – “On The Way Home” (Neil Young/Buffalo Springfield)
Vocals, Guitar – David Roback
B3 – “I’ll Be Your Mirror” (Lou Reed/Velvet Underground)
Guitar, Bass, Tambourine – David Roback; Lead and Background Vocals – Kendra Smith; Lead Vocals, Guitar – Susanna Hoffs
B4 – “Rainy Day, Dream Away” (Jimi Hendrix)
Bass, Keyboards – Ethan James; Drums – Dennis Duck; Guitar – Karl Precoda; Congas – David Roback; Lead Vocals – Michael Quercio Continue reading →

ros sereysothea – who’ll stop the rain?

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Cambodian cover by Ros Sereysothea and Sinn Sisamouth of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Who’ll Stop The Rain?”. They died under unknown circumstances during the Khmer Rouge reign of terror,  as did countless other artists and intellectuals murdered in Pol Pot’s Killing Fields, and this recording only survived on tapes smuggled out of the country.

“Long as I remember the rain been comin’ down.
Clouds of mystery pourin’ confusion on the ground.
Good men through the ages, tryin’ to find the sun;
And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain.”

Read more of their story HERE.

tori amos – if 6 was 9

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http://youtu.be/bLXT_3QhQjw

A Jimi Hendrix cover, released on the limited edition UK CD single of “Cornflake Girl” in 1994. To date it is one of the few Amos recordings that has not been re-released in a collection or boxed set, or made available digitally — which is a shame, because it’s one of my favourite things she’s done.

marie laforêt – la voix du silence

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A cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” on Laforêt’s Album 3 (Disques Festival, 1967). The video contains footage from the film, The Graduate (1967), in which this and other Simon and Garfunkel songs feature prominently during pivotal montage scenes.