I want to run a deathmatch based around different artists performing a single song. There should be at least 8 credible versions of the tune in question to put it in contention. Name a few fave versions, too, if you don't mind. Here are my ideas to start.
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (Leaving Hank's original out of it so nobody gets too badly stomped by the legendary, there's Elvis, Al Green, and Cassandra Wilson at the very least)
"Louie Louie" (Kingsmen, natch, but also Zappa, Stooges, Troggs, Headcoats, Toots etc.)
"Summertime" (Ella, Coltrane, Miles, Janis, etc.)
― Candy: tastes like chicken, if chicken was a candy. (Austin, Still), Friday, 12 January 2007 01:31 (eighteen years ago)
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction -- Stones, Otis, Devo, Cat Power, Britney, many more.
― Luke Stacks (lukeasaurus), Friday, 12 January 2007 01:42 (eighteen years ago)
How bout' "Strange Fruit"?
Great song, but also a cultural revolution.
How about debating the importance of Billie singing the tune at Cafe Society Vs. Nina Simone's, my favorite singers, version... about a billion people have done this tune.
― silence dogood (catcher), Friday, 12 January 2007 01:44 (eighteen years ago)
I think in a lotta cases we'll have to decide to omit a best-known "definitive" version under the Hank rule outlined in my header post. Billie's "Strange Gruit" and Stones' "Satisfaction" seem obvious examples.
― Candy: tastes like chicken, if chicken was a candy. (Austin, Still), Friday, 12 January 2007 01:50 (eighteen years ago)
Who did "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" besides Gladys, Marvin, and CCR?
― Candy: tastes like chicken, if chicken was a candy. (Austin, Still), Friday, 12 January 2007 01:55 (eighteen years ago)
four-year-old me was all about the california raisins. twenty years later, i'd rather listen to the slits' version of "i heard it through the grapevine."
― spastic heritage (spastic heritage), Friday, 12 January 2007 02:05 (eighteen years ago)
Damn, see, I knew there was an obvious one I forgot!
― Candy: tastes like chicken, if chicken was a candy. (Austin, Still), Friday, 12 January 2007 02:06 (eighteen years ago)
"Louie Louie" is a good one. Allmusic has 450 listings for the song, there have been entire albums of Louie Louie covers, etc. Black Flag's version is really good.
― do i have to draw you a diaphragm (Rock Hardy), Friday, 12 January 2007 03:32 (eighteen years ago)
Black Flag, yes!
I have never heard a cover version of "Take on Me."
― Candy: tastes like chicken, if chicken was a candy. (Austin, Still), Friday, 12 January 2007 03:35 (eighteen years ago)
I've only listened to one, but weren't there a lot of "Crazy" covers this year?
― Tape Store (Tape Store), Friday, 12 January 2007 03:41 (eighteen years ago)