Overly Faithful Covers

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I just heard Calexico's cover of Alone Again Or (from their new EP), and I was bothered by how faithful it was to the original (with the excpetion of a few tex mex horn flourishes in the bridge). I can sort of understand faithful covers in the live context, but why RECORD a cover of a song that is essentially just a copy? Especially by a well known artist? If you don't have an interesting new take on the song (or at least a different take), what's the point? Other examples of recorded cover songs that are just copies of the original song? Thoughts on why people do this?

― Scott CE, Saturday, 27 March 2004 22:38 (twenty-two years ago)

For a different raison d'etre for the fatihful cover, check out Todd Rundgren's "Faithful" album, wherein he covers several songs, including "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Good Vibrations" , as close to the original as possible. However, he does it by playing and singing all of the parts himself (see also his version of The Persuasions' "Mighty Love" from the "Acapella" album).

As to the sort you mention, either misguided homage, lack of originality (eg: Quiet Riot 's versions of Slade covers), or attempts to be "ironic" (customarily misused term). Some of the latter can be quite interesting, such as Mr. Bungle's version of '70's soft-rock and '60's movie themes.

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Saturday, 27 March 2004 22:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i) attempt at positioning yrself as successor to old group
ii) attempt at bringing attention to older group
iii) thematic coherence in record (willie nelson?)
iv) filler

― tom west (thomp), Sunday, 28 March 2004 00:44 (twenty-two years ago)

This really pisses me off too, and I'm reminded of this every time No Doubt's note-for-note Talk Talk cover comes on the radio.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 28 March 2004 00:50 (twenty-two years ago)

This doesn't fit the "well known artist" criterion, but one Mark Cunningham recorded (but never released?) a cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, in its entirety. He sang and played all the parts and attempted to reproduce the original studio techniques as well.

I guess the "why" in this case is a bit like that of Todd Rundgren's Faithful -- to face the challenge of doing it all by himself.

Here's a link to a story that appeared in Sound on Sound about the project:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/jun97/sgtpepper.html

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Sunday, 28 March 2004 01:00 (twenty-two years ago)

and he went on to write a history of record production -- talk about hands-on research! his book was kinda wonky, but apparently he knows exactly what he's talking about.

― lovebug starski, Sunday, 28 March 2004 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

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