While listening to the songs from our last post, I was again struck by the emotions and message of Johnny Cash’s Hurt. What a song! What a singer! But, as a curious spirit, I did some research and found out that this song wasn’t originally Cash’s idea at all, although it seems like written for and about him. It’s actually a cover of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails. Well, this band definitely doesn't play country… if you are not familiar with them to know what I mean. (But, to be fair, they record ballad-like songs also, yet… not exactly folk love songs not exactly folk love songs.
It made me wonder how many rock songs were transformed by country musicians into their genre and who won the competition then. And does somebody have to win? I personally like Hurt by Cash better, but does it mean the original is worse? Or just different? Or maybe the first version should remain the same and left alone, especially by musicians from opposite music sides?
Hurt
Now it’s for you to decide. After some further research, I present to you 10 country covers of rock songs, first the original, then the cover. Some of them are ballads (surprise!), so the difference between rock and country becomes somehow blurred for me then. But if you had to choose which one is country, I think you wouldn’t make a mistake.
10 country covers of rock songs
1. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
2. Fat Bottomed Girls
Queen – what else is left to say about them? I’m not surprised country musicians cover their songs. I’m not surprised anyone would cover their songs – they are always smash hits already, so you’re on the safe side. If only you have some vocal abilities to measure with Freddie...
3. Take It Easy
4. Shine
Dolly Parton doing the alternative rock song – nice!
5. Stairway to Heaven
Yes, I know! Calm down – yes, she’s singing it. Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven! Does the law allow it?! Wait, before you’re going to burn her alive, listen to her voice. Trust me, it’s good. Dolly Parton may seem to be the personification of tawdriness, but what a singer she is! She was always such – kitschy and awesome at the same time. Look at the video of one of her greatest hits. When you stop staring at her, you at last notice how well she sings. So, from now on no more jokes about Ms. Parton on this blog, please!
6. Piece of My Heart
Great cover of the classic (actually, Joplin wasn’t the first one to sing it, but her version is the most known). Or I suppose I just find female country singers better.
7. Life Is a Highway
The hit from 1991 became extreme popular Rascal Flatts' country song in 2006 as a part of the soundtrack of the animated movie Cars.
8. Lips of an Angel
Both not my style, but I must pretend some objectivity in this post..
9. Gotta Be Somebody
Same as above.
10. Summertime Blues
The best for the patient! I think I found my new favorite and his name is Eddie Cochran. Quoting from this page : “Though Eddie Cochran was only twenty-one when he died, he left a lasting mark as a rock and roll pioneer. Cochran zeroed in on teenage angst and desire with such classics as ‘C’mon Everybody,’ ‘Something Else,’ ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ and ‘Summertime Blues.’ A flashy stage dresser with a tough-sounding voice, Cochran epitomized the sound and the stance of the Fifties rebel rocker.”
And now this cover! Country from start to finish! Try how many redneck stereotypes you can find in this music video! Still, the song is pretty decent and nice, although from totally different genre. And maybe that’s what all this covering is about!
+ The Bonus and the Final Proof Dolly Parton Rocks
House of the Rising Sun
Led Zeppelin aside, this song by the Animals I adore, listen for years and would kill for it. Well, not literally, but still… Actually, many musicians played it, as it is a traditional American folk song. But come on, the Animals! Forget the neat sounds of the sixties, they were a promise of something new, playing in stupid suits new hard rock! At the same time, Dolly Parton really pulls it off in her own way.
One last thing, in my opinion some of you who know us personally realize that country isn’t exactly Kasia, Gosia and Alicja’s cup of tea. I, the author of this post about rock vs. country, should be particularly easy to recognize.. Enough said, I hope you enjoyed at least some part of the music I chose for you above, never mind what genre it’s been. And who knows what will be covered next? It also goes the other way around. You know that some rock bands actually change country into performances with a lot of drums, and guitars, and… Maybe I’ve just found my next topic!
Cash=king of cover versions ;) any song he touched, he made it his own, in totally different in style from the orginal, and this is what a cover version should be.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking about Hurt- even Trent, the lead singer of NIN, said that Hurt is not his song anymore.
But i think that trying to compare this song to trent reznors song is bad. Its two very different acts. trent reznor wrote song about lonelyness, drugs, depression etc., and his song is just perfect. and mr cash version is also amazing, because so many of the lyrics are true to his life, and this song gain completely new meaning.
Well, I agree that Parton's version of "The House of the Rising Sun" is really good. I guess there's less of mystery in this version, but I still like it. However, I don't like her version of "Stairway to Heaven". I preffered the cooler, more sterile original. And I only joked about her appearance!!! She really does have a great voice!
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to comparizons of covers, I think that they are justified. I know that usually a good cover is a new song, but still it's a kind of interpretation (even a radical one), a certain sentimet towards the orignal had to rise so that the new musician took it as an inspiration.
Kasia