# Pointless Cover Versions



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Was inspired by Cheryl Crow's completely worthless cover of 'First Cut is the deepest'. Why do artistes do crap cover versions that add nothing and make no improvement on original, merely offering an exercise in commercial self-vanity?

All time pointless crap covers:

Cheryl Crow - First Cut....
All Saints - Under the Bridge
Stereophonics - Handbags and Gladrags
Annie Lennox - Whiter shade of Pale
Rod Stewart - Have I told you lately
Maddona Ameriacan Pie and Don't Cry for Me Argentina
Roan Keating - Father and Son

and I can't even remember half the names of the worthless calculating boy/girl/will young acts who have raped, fcked up and otherwise destroyed good songs 

You get the idea - what's yours?

Just for balance - ones that work for me

Rod Stewart - First Cut.....
Patti Smith - Because the Night
Stranglers - Walk on By
Tindersticks - If You're Looking for a Way Out
Natalie Umbruglia - Torn
George Michael - I Can't Make you love me
RHCP - search and destroy
David Bowie - China Girl
Placebo - Daddy Cool
Jeff Buckley - Lilac Wine
Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding
Jimi Hendrix - All along the Watchtower
Black Crowes - Hard to handle

ps If you can name the originals of all above without Google - I'm impressed.


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## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

agree with most of the above, but like The 'Phonics version.. but that might be because it sounds so like the original - hence your point, QED..


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> agree with most of the above, but like The 'Phonics version.. but that might be because it sounds so like the original - hence your point, QED.. Â


Well the original ( by Mike D'abo) featured a quality vocalist. 

Rod Stewart's version is also a good one.


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## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

Don't pick on him.. he's only little..

and he just sacked his mate


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Don't pick on him.. he's only little..
> 
> and he just sacked his mate


He just needs to gargle some asprin. Whereas Rods gravel voice is (or was) intersting, our Kelly's can really fucking irritate! Â I do like that last single "Maybe tomorrow" or something like that.


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## Steve_Mc (May 6, 2002)

The All Saints version of Under the Bridge is just the pits. A poignant song about the death of a band member from a smack overdose sung with real passion by the chillies, turned into disposable bugglegum pop.

I'll add Robbie Williams "Faith" onto the pointless list.

And I'll add the Lemonheads "Different Drum" to the good list (so good in fact, I'd say it is the finest 3 minutes in the history of music, my vinyl copy is all but worn out from repeat plays)

(My guesses at the original artists:

Search and destroy - Ramones?
All along the watchtower - Bob dylan?
Torn - some Norwegian band?)


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## StuarTT (May 7, 2002)

Bad cover:

Fugees - the one with Wycliff going "one time" all the f*****g time. Â [smiley=dizzy2.gif]

Good cover:

Guns 'n Roses: Knocking on heaven's door. Â [smiley=dude.gif]


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> The All Saints version of Under the Bridge is just the pits. A poignant song about the death of a band member from Â a smack overdose sung with real passion by the chillies, turned into disposable bugglegum pop.
> 
> I'll add Robbie Williams "Faith" onto the pointless list.
> 
> ...


Ahhh Lemonheads - how could I forget ;D Â Robbie - I try to.  :-X

Anyway one out of three for Bob.

Iggy and the Stooges blasted Search and Destroy

Phil Thornally wrote Torn which was recorded by some Norwegian Pop outfit before our Nat got hold of it.( and who wouldn't like to get hold of her? )


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

oh. Natalie Imbruglia.. Lovely.

There's a line in torn that goes - lying naked on the floor - ooh, I bet you are you dirty little minx you.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> oh. Â Natalie Imbruglia.. Â Lovely.
> 
> There's a line in torn that goes - lying naked on the floor - ooh, I bet you are you dirty little minx you.


"......lying *shamed* and naked on the floor."

OMG ;D


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## Sim (Mar 7, 2003)

> There's a line in torn that goes - lying naked on the floor - ooh, I bet you are you dirty little minx you.


Which is it to be?:
[smiley=devil.gif] [smiley=pimp2.gif] [smiley=sweetheart.gif]


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## vagman (Sep 6, 2002)

Can't think of any bad ones at the moment, but I can think of a couple of good ones, as follows :

a. Ziggy Stardust by Bauhaus

b. Tainted Love by Soft Cell


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Gotta say "pointless cover versions" is a waste of typing. Virtually all cover versions are by definition pointless. Even when done by talented bands. There are few, very few exceptions. As stated above, Tainted Love, absolutely anything by Hendrix adds something special.

As for the Bauhaus version of Ziggy Stardust, nah, its too like the original. BUT their version of Telegram Sam is pure sonic Gold. And who can forget the Sisters of Mercy doing Hot Chocolate's Emmaline. Class.


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## mike_bailey (May 7, 2002)

George Michael's replica of Elton's "Don't let the sun go down on me" would have fitted into this category if Elton hadn't stepped on stage to sing the bloody song with him. Who can tell the difference between the two queens on the song except Elton raised his eyebrow a few times?


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## Lisa. (May 7, 2002)

Bad
Jenniifer Ellison cover of Transvision Vamps " Baby I don't care" ........You'd better tell that girl to shut up


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> George Michael's replica of Elton's "Don't let the sun go down on me" would have fitted into this category if Elton hadn't stepped on stage to sing the bloody song with him. Who can tell the difference between the two queens on the song except Elton raised his eyebrow a few times?


I always thought George sang, "I won't let your son go down on me."


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Gotta say "pointless cover versions" is a waste of typing. Virtually all cover versions are by definition pointless. Even when done by talented bands. There are few, very few exceptions. As stated above, Tainted Love, absolutely anything by Hendrix adds something special.
> 
> As for the Bauhaus version of Ziggy Stardust, nah, its too like the original. BUT their version of Telegram Sam is pure sonic Gold. And who can forget the Sisters of Mercy doing Hot Chocolate's Emmaline. Class.


I'd forgotten about Bauhaus, but never heard SOM Emma. 8)


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

..and Soft Cell Tainted Love is one of the_the _ great covers.


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## droopsnoot (Sep 5, 2002)

Back to 'torn' for a second, personally I always hear the line "you're a little late, I'm already torn" and can't help thinking "bet you are, love". Sorry, I don't get out much.

Walk on By was a Burt Bacharach song (with Hal David?) but first recorded by Dionne Warwick.

I thought David Bowie _was_ the original artist for China Girl, but it's written by someone else (Nile Rodgers, I seem to recall) - he was on the telly just recently complaining because he thought up the twangy bit at the very start but never got any thanks for it.

Same for Robert Wyatt and Shipbuilding - I know Elvis Costello did a version of it but I thought the RW version was first.

Perhaps I just remember things the wrong way round.

I think some of these artists do covers just because they like the song, or they've got to the point in their career where they can just put out singles because they feel like it. Or sometimes because they need a quick single.

The Stranglers cover of 'Walk on By' dates back to their pub-band career in the mid 1970s, where they used to play a lot of cover versions mixed in with their own songs, including "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" and "Fun, Fun, Fun". The commercial success of the single was not as great as it might have been had it not been given away with the first 20,000 copies of their "Black and White" album. Whereas their later cover of "All Day and All of the Night" was because their covers are usually successful singles and they needed something to release around the time of a live album. I read somewhere that there has been countless cover versions of this track and this is the only one that's had any chart success.

Stranglers trivia? Bring it on....


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Back to 'torn' for a second, personally I always hear the line "you're a little late, I'm already torn" and can't help thinking "bet you are, love". Sorry, I don't get out much.
> 
> Walk on By was a Burt Bacharach song (with Hal David?) but first recorded by Dionne Warwick.
> 
> ...


Not bad Theos. 

David Bowie co-wrote 'China Girl' with Iggy Pop and it first appeared on Iggy's The Idiot 1977 tome. Nile Rodgers produced and arranged Bowie's version in 1983, but bever felt he got due credit.

Costello wrote 'Shipbuilding' but Wyatt released his recording first.

'Tie a Yellow Ribbon' by the Stranglers? The mind boggles.


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## paulatt (Oct 28, 2002)

Cover versions make me feel old. 
The kids are raving about this new great song and I can remember the original.


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## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

The Marilyn (sp) Manson version of 'Tainted Love' is also excellent imho.. don't like much of his stuff at all, but thought that was a cracker (and don't get me started on the video for it!!!!!)

Mart.


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## kctt (Nov 10, 2002)

> The Marilyn (sp) Manson version of 'Tainted Love' is also excellent imho.. don't like much of his stuff at all, but thought that was a cracker (and don't get me started on the video for it!!!!!)
> 
> Mart.


I agree, but the original is good too (video is also fantastic ).Jeff buckley............did he do a bad cover ever?
I agree with all of ya' - unity on the forum, ain't it great.
the best cover EVER has to be Carnival in coal's version of Maniac from Flashdance. It is truely awesome

Worst is truely American Pie..........

:-X


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## s3_lurker (May 6, 2002)

> Gotta say "pointless cover versions" is a waste of typing. Virtually all cover versions are by definition pointless. .


Oh I dunno .. Warren Zevon doing "Knockin on Heaven's Door" when he knew he was dying of lung cancer (and has since died) is fairly poignant.

:'(


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Oh I dunno .. Warren Zevon doing "Knockin on Heaven's Door" when he knew he was dying of lung cancer (and has since died) is fairly poignant.
> 
> :'(


Ditto Johnny Cash's plaintive versions of Nine Inch Nails' 'Hurt' and Depeche Mode's 'Personal Jesus'.

Stunning and suddenly very poignant and sad.


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## kctt (Nov 10, 2002)

pointless cover albums have to be the most utterly pointless.................the most having to be the Metallica one........Whisky in the jar...GDA


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## kingcutter (Aug 1, 2003)

the wurzels combined harvester brand new key :-/


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

David Bowie - 'Waterloo Sunset' :
Westlife - 'Mandy' 
Some fukwits - 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered'

It gets worse.    

DB particularly should be ashamed.


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## SteveS (Oct 20, 2003)

Good: Santana - She's not there.
Bad: The Far Corporation or even worse, Rolf Harris - Stairway to Heaven.


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## andytt (Sep 25, 2002)

> The Marilyn (sp) Manson version of 'Tainted Love' is also excellent imho.. don't like much of his stuff at all, but thought that was a cracker (and don't get me started on the video for it!!!!!)
> 
> Mart.


video - wow.. how much do you want to be in that hot tub!! grrrr. 

i'm surprised that no-one has mentioned the bufftyest men in pop Â -

Gareth Gates - hmm, all his songs!!

Will young - light my fire..

i'why oh why did people buy the songs?!!!

And gareth gates sings badly, and is going to buy a porsche or a ferrari and he's only just passed his test.

My band play original material and are much better than that little sprog.. incidentally - anyone in the record industry want a demo cd?! 

Bad cover- vanessa carlton - paint it black

good cover - i think it's the darkness Â - street spirit

also the song from 10 things I hate about you - that goes... " didnt i didnt i didn't i see you crying" please please please tell me who it is!!


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## SteveS (Oct 20, 2003)

> also the song from 10 things I hate about you - that goes... " didnt i didnt i didn't i see you crying" please please please tell me who it is!!


Not seen it, but at a guess from your lyrics....

I want you to want me - Cheap Trick.


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## andytt (Sep 25, 2002)

) kudos!.. cheers!..


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## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

_posted in Off Topic too_

Anyone help?

The tune that plays when Hugh Jackman is creating the hydra on John Travolta's computers.

Has the main line '50 thousand watts of funkin'

Please, please can anyone tell me who/what it is?

Mart


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## andytt (Sep 25, 2002)

what film is it? check on amazon.com for soundtracks and find it there?


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Tell you what I do like and that's the new No Doubt version of the Talk Talk song.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Tell you what I do like and that's the new No Doubt version of the Talk Talk song.


Hmmm. Talk Talk's is preferable. But Gwen is OK.


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## vagman (Sep 6, 2002)

Tell ya what's shite. That version of the Tears fur Fears classic, Mad World. ???


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## kingcutter (Aug 1, 2003)

> Tell ya what's shite. That version of the Tears fur Fears classic, Mad World. ???


 totally agree why are people raving about it it's crap. :-/


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## kingcutter (Aug 1, 2003)

> Â totally agree why are people raving about it it's crap. :-/


 ladies night atomic kitten great vid and a floor filler


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

> Â ladies night atomic kitten great vid and a floor filler


I love this track on their recent album, It is so lively and good to jiggy to ;D.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Â ladies night atomic kitten great vid and a floor filler


'Agadoo's' a floor filler too - at Butlins. :-/


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## stowexile (May 13, 2002)

Other good covers
Respect - Aretha Franklin - Originall an Otis Redding song
I heard it through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye - originally Martha and the Vandella's

I also heard the Foo Fighters version of Baker Street. It's Class!


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## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

> I love this track on their recent album, Â It is so lively and good to jiggy to ;D.


Out of interest, how many original manufactured songs have they produced, rather than the blatent plagiarism they seem to do so often.

Also, does anybody else find it a bit of an insult that three (is it three?) half-wits better suited to a life of porn or prostitution are now in a position of significant fame & fortune? Lots of people deserve lots of success, but they are no such people...

Oh, & where can I join their fan-club?


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## LerxsTT (Jul 18, 2003)

Good:

Crossoads by Cream
Feeling Good by Muse
Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Nirvana
Higher Ground by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Bad:

Saturday Night's alright for fighting by Nickleback


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