In Defense of Covers
The question “Is the cover better than the original?” usually lies in the realm of arguments about movie remakes and quickly stirs the pot no matter what. However, instead of focusing on a value statement, we should look at covers as individual works of art, surely influenced by their precursors but still with the ability to stand on their own. Instead of sparking anger, I hope this list inspires wonder and awe at the possibility of transforming a few chord changes and words into an entirely different work of art. Edits like these should ideally give new life and meaning to the original, and covers, when done well, can even make you appreciate the original song more.
Let’s take a look at a few examples:
“Sweet Jane” by Cowboy Junkies (originally by The Velvet Underground)
“Sweet Jane” single cover, image sourced from https://www.discogs.com/release/422213-Cowboy-Junkies-Sweet-Jane
This is a classic cover song for a reason. It strips down the original to its simplest elements and slows it down, overlaid with a far more soothing voice than Lou Reed could ever accomplish. I actually listened to the Cowboy Junkies’ version before I heard the Velvet Underground one, as my family has a storied history with it, namely that my dad put it on one of the first mixes he ever made for my mom (whose middle name is Jane).
“Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Goops (originally by The Foundations)
Mallrats Soundtrack cover, image sourced from https://www.shazam.com/track/10106185/build-me-up-buttercup
“Build Me Up Buttercup,” along with other adjacent soul-like music from the 1960s and early 70s, is upbeat with lyrics about downtrodden love. The singer is waiting around for his partner to come home, to no avail. Without listening to the lyrics, you might get the wrong idea about the message of the song. However, the Goops, with their rendition, make the anguish and even anger of the singer clear. The beat picks up as you approach the chorus, further emphasizing how they are being walked all over, time and time again.
“Top of the World” by Shonen Knife (originally by The Carpenters)
If I Were a Carpenter tribute album cover, image sourced from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Were_a_Carpenter_%28tribute_album%29
Shonen Knife have been known to play quite a few covers, which, depending on who you ask, can give a band a bad rep. However, I think they have perfected the art of replicating a certain sound while adding their own tweaks. Their album Osaka Ramones might be one of the best records that attempts to recreate one of the most iconic sounds in rock history. Their cover of Carpenters’ “Top of the World,” however, diverges enormously from the song’s original sound and emphasizes the message. Karen Carpenter surely was happy about being on top of the world and in love with this person, but Shonen Knife is prepared to really sing and yell about it.
“Landslide” by The Smashing Pumpkins (originally by Fleetwood Mac)
Greatest Hits, The Smashing Pumpkins, image sourced from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotten_Apples
The indie rock community at-large continues to be at odds about the status of the Smashing Pumpkins, who are miraculously (and mistakenly) still putting out records nearly 30 years after their breakthrough in the scene. One can only remember when Steve Albini (founding member of Big Black and Shellac and recording engineer of virtually every good rock record of the past 15 years) called them “pandering sluts” (along with Liz Phair… he caught a lot of flack for that). But, despite their later flaws, the Pumpkins hit the nail on the head with their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” I didn’t want to like it when I first listened to it, but something about Billy Corgan’s whiny voice really gets to me and even speaks to the message of the song… whatever it is (the meaning of the lyrics are ambiguous, which was apparently Stevie Nicks’ intent). Is it about lovers saying goodbye, or about moving away from home, or about regretting not taking a different path years ago? It is the lack of clarity that has made it last through the decades, and the various covers that followed only continued its eminence.
“I Wanna Be Your Dog” by Uncle Tupelo (originally by The Stooges)
“89/93: An Anthology” by Uncle Tupelo, image sourced from https://open.spotify.com/track/1oJXq65K86SpD8t6KERScG
A lot of Uncle Tupelo’s songs sound like you’re laying in a field of grass and it’s a bit scratchy and you’re a bit uncomfortable but not enough that you want to move. I’ve never listened to an album of theirs and been obsessed with it, but at the same time they’re pretty good. I found them a couple summers ago while I was on a car ride to visit family in Vermont. Up until that point, except for the Chicks, I had stayed away from anything that had the word ‘country’ in it. Alt-country is different, though. It takes everything I like about country music (the instruments) and removes everything else (the whole America bit). In their cover of the Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” Uncle Tupelo manages to take a very filthy song and turn it into an alt-country “I’m sad but also I want to dance around” jig. A couple of Uncle Tupelo’s members (including Jeff Tweedy) went on to found Wilco not long after this, how about that.
“I Am The Walrus” by Gray Matter (originally by the Beatles)
“I Am The Walrus,” Gray Matter, image sourced from https://graymatter.bandcamp.com/track/i-am-the-walrus
“I Am The Walrus” might be the silliest Beatles song. My uncle first introduced me to the original version of this when I was in elementary school, and I was obsessed. It was nonsensical but catchy, and little me loved it. I have since grown out of my Beatles obsession and started exploring the east coast hardcore scene in the 80s instead, listening to bands like Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and Fugazi. Gray Matter, a D.C.-based band, fits somewhere in here but were less acclaimed than some of the bigger names in hardcore. Despite this, they managed a resounding cover of “I Am The Walrus.” With cymbal hits on nearly every syllable, they turn this goofy song into a raucous wall of noise, making me wonder: “Does he hate being The Walrus?”
“Mama You’ve Been On My Mind” by Jeff Buckley (originally by Bob Dylan)
Grace, Jeff Buckley, image sourced by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_%28Jeff_Buckley_album%29
This Bob Dylan cover appears on the expanded version of Jeff Buckley’s Grace (close to a perfect album in my humble opinion). Along with studio outtakes and other additional songs, Buckley decided to cover Dylan, something that has been done before, yes, but still a ballsy move here. For many, Dylan’s version of this song is permanently marred by his indescribable (yet universally known) voice. And maybe this is coming from someone who is not necessarily a Dylan hater but more of a skeptic, but I think Buckley does the song justice and then some. His voice, also iconic in its own lane, does not necessarily change the meaning of the lyrics for the listener but gives it a somewhat warmer and more approachable tone. This cover represents the best of both worlds: Dylan’s songwriting expertise and the beauty of Buckley’s lilting voice.