Tag Archives: cover songs

By “Olivia” I mean Olivia Rodrigo, though it was my Olivia who first introduced me to the latter’s music. They share something in common besides their given name, and that’s a love of Billy Joel. My Olivia came back to … Continue reading →

Here’s Paul Simon performing one of his solo hits: Simon was a top-notch songwriter for over 20 years, and if you look at the trajectory of most artists, that’s a long time. Here’s Annie Lennox, in a recording someone took … Continue reading →

I feel like we could use a little sax music, so here are Al Cohn and Zoot Sims: I’m pretty sure it’s the law that you have to be a musician to be nicknamed “Zoot”. Where there’s jazz there’s western … Continue reading →

An all time classic from Peter Gabriel: No, I have no idea what the lettuce this is about. Apparently, the video was done much later, so who knows. Now here’s Jiggernaut: There’s a live version here but the audio quality … Continue reading →

Here’s national treasure Lyle Lovett: You’ll have to ask him if he wrote that about Julia Roberts. In the meantime, here’s Lou Rawls: Also a national treasure. You might be able to get away with having this song dedicated to … Continue reading →

Here’s Bruce Springsteen performing this classic American folk song: That’s from his Seeger Sessions album, which was basically aimed right at my sweet spot. For an every more growly-voiced take, here’s Tom Waits with Keith Richards: Hitch the horses to … Continue reading →

Fluff up your hair, put on your dancing shoes, turn your HiFi up to max volume, and get down to KC and the Sunshine Band: Now that, my friends, is what I’m talking about. It’s too much awesomeness for any … Continue reading →

The only thing that can rival the 80s for video awesomeness is the 70s, and when you think of the 70s, you should think of Earth, Wind & Fire: The glitter, the dashikis, the groovy video effects – it’s all … Continue reading →

Let’s start with The English Beat: Some day, when my kids ask me “Dad, what was it really like in the 80s?”, I’m going to show them that video. That, and maybe an episode of LA Law. Now for one … Continue reading →

Here’s Fleetwood Mac with one of their bigger post-Rumours hits: There isn’t a Fleetwood Mac video channel as far as I could tell, so that was the best-looking video I could find. Other than the lips not always synching with … Continue reading →

Hey, I just realized that I’ve never seen the video of the Men Without Hats classic “Safety Dance”. Let’s watch, shall we? Well, that was…um, yeah, I got nothing. Let’s just go to the Literal Video version, because there just … Continue reading →

Here’s Lorde’s global hit: She’s going to be in Houston for the 2017 Free Press Summerfest, which I will be unable to attend. One presume she isn’t coming all this way just to play a couple of days in Houston, … Continue reading →

A big hit from the Stray Cats: Am I the only one who thinks that the “real square cat” who “looks so 1974” kinds sorta resembles Weird Al Yankovic with a short haircut? It’s the mustache and the smirk, I … Continue reading →

Squeeze, circa 1980: Such an underrated band. I don’t think I heard any of their music on the radio back in the day – I’m not sure I’ve ever heard it on a “classic rock” station either, though I can’t … Continue reading →

Here’s Toots and the Maytalls: I have a live acoustic version of this from the KCBO in-studio series. Any way they do it sounds good. Now here are The Specials: That’s from the soundtrack to the movie Grosse Point Blank, … Continue reading →

It’s peak 80’s with the Go-Gos: I’m so old, I’m watching them drive around in that convertible and all I can think is “PUT YOUR SEAT BELTS ON! ARE YOU CRAZY?” Different times, they were. Now here are favored cover … Continue reading →

The classic gospel song by the great jazz/a capella group The Manhattan Transfer: Oh, those outfits. I confess, I don’t actually have a ManTran version of this song in my library right now, though I have owned this on cassette … Continue reading →

One of the more iconic songs by the Talking Heads: Who hasn’t asked himself these questions? Nobody does musical paranoia like David Byrne. This song was also used to great effect in the movie Down and Out in Beverly Hills. … Continue reading →

Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only John Lee Hooker: We should all achieve that level of coolness at least once in our lifetimes. Now here’s George Thorogood with the version you’ve probably heard: So, did Jersey party as good … Continue reading →

Let’s throw it back with Martha and the Vandellas: I love that music videos were being made in the 60s. MTV was a decade and a half away, something like this might get shown once on an “American Bandstand”-type show, … Continue reading →

Since today is actually New Year’s Eve, I thought it would be appropriate to break the pattern for this classic torch song. Here’s Kacey Musgraves asking you what are you doing New Year’s Eve: Props for the clarinet solo. there … Continue reading →

A classic from The Cars: Gotta love those period-era live videos, at least when the sound quality and production are reasonably good. Sometimes I wonder what the people who shot the video thought would happen to it. Getting uploaded to … Continue reading →

Let’s all sing along with Simon and Garfunkel: Here’s a video of the song playing over scenes from the movie with which it is closely identified, The Graduate. The audio is a little weird or I’d have used it instead, … Continue reading →

Here’s Lily Allen covering a classic rocker: I kind of love this version. She has the perfect voice for a song that always makes me happy to hear. Now here’s the Electric light Orchestra original: It’s good, and you have … Continue reading →

I have an acoustic Kris Kristofferson version of this classic that breaks my heart every time I hear it, and a version by the Modern barbershop Quartet that I can’t find on YouTube, so I’m just going to put a … Continue reading →

Yet another Bob Dylan song to be covered: Pretty good song, but that’s just like, my opinion, man. Now here are The Persuasions: It’s not just my opinion but solid, objective fact that Jerry Lawson has an excellent voice.