Coverville is sponsored by iPodderX. Feed your iPod by getting your copy of the #1 podcasting Macintosh client today at iPodderX.com!
Tonight you’ll hear the original versions of songs that were more popular as cover versions. Can’t give you titles, but you’ll hear songs by The Four Lads, Gloria Jones, John Kongos, Dale Hawkins, The Clique and Joni Mitchell. These songs had popular cover versions by Happy Mondays, Counting Crows, Creedence Clearwater Revival, They Might Be Giants, Soft Cell, and R.E.M. (In no particular order.) Confused? You won’t be, after this episode of Coverville.
Thanks again for all your votes at Podcast Alley! Your support is what makes this show possible. If you’d like to cast a vote for me, you can use the link in the top right corner of this page.
As you so aptly stated on your podcast, “..and then again you know that there’s a younger generation out there that didn’t know that…” The Neighborhood had the first cover of “Big Yellow Taxi” back in 1970. It hit the charts in the summer of 1970 and peaked around August. Even though Joni recorded her version on the album Ladies of the Canyon in June of 1970, her live performance off the Miles of Aisles album became a hit almost five years later in January of 1975. Ironically, at the same time as Big Yellow Taxi was being covered, another Joni cover was being played – “Woodstock” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. A third cover off that album was “Circle Game” by Tom Rush. So you could have played any of those off Ladies of the Canyon or even defaulted to “Both Sides Now” made famous by Judy Collins off Joni’s previous album, Clouds.
Brian,
Great idea. I love the reverse-covers. How about Prince’s original of Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U or Otis Redding’s original of Respect, Springsteen’s Blinded by the Light,
or The Arrows original of I Love Rock and Roll.
Another good cover that’s more popular than the original is New York City by They Might Be Giants, from the John Henry album… it was originally recorded by Cub, a NY indie girl group, but it seems like only diehard TMBG fans know about the original. It’d certainly be an interesting thing to hear.
Hey Pat – Go back into the archives and check out shows #3 and #22. Everything but the Arrows.
I second the request for the original of TMBG’s “New York City”. They actually put it on their “Factory Showroom” album. I thought it was a cover but didn’t know from where.
Hey Brian!
Thanks so much for the get well note…we are FINALLY getting back up to speed.
I am playing catchup with Coverville this morning…listening to a lot of back issues. Gotta tell you, the Happy Mondays track rang some serious bells! When I was 16 I went to London with my parents and discovered that band and The Stone Roses. I also bought myself a fine acid green hoodie and some wide-leg raver jeans that i wore EVERYWHERE. I was SO COOOOOL! So European! So avant-garde! (i thought)
Thanks for bringing that all back to me…
Take good care and speak with you soon!
Lee Ann
Lascivious Biddy