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All Along the Watch Tower [Jimi Hendrix / Bob Dylan] DEEP COVER

From the Vault … Nov 16, 2012

Hey new semi regular feature of the blog. The “Deep Cover.” What’s “Deep Cover?” you ask? You didn’t? Can we pretend? Okay great … “Deep Cover” is a cover song that’s so well known that the original version is all but lost to the sands of time, or more often than not mistaken for the original version by people less edumicated than I.

So the first “Deep Cover?” All Along The Watch Tower. It was Jimi Hendrix’s only Top 40 hit. It’s one of the greatest rock songs of all time. VH1 put it in it’s top 3, Rolling Stone put it at number 47, shockingly low if you ask me. Guitar World said it had the #5 greatest guitar solo of all time. And Total Guitar magazine called it the greatest cover song of all time.

The original was of course by Bob Dylan. And who doesn’t do a Dylan cover? The legend is that Dylan liked Hendrix’s version so much, it’s what prompted him to pick back up the electric guitar, which he had previously sworn off. I’m sure this set off all sorts of hippie protests. I can’t find anything to “verify” this on Wikipedia, so maybe not. Anyway Dylan did say about the Hendrix cover ”It overwhelmed me, really. He had such talent, he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn’t think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually, and continue to do it to this day.”

Sure the song has been covered a billion times by a billion artists, but they all play it more in the style of Jimi than of the Dylan original. And yes, that now includes Dylan himself.

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Mandy [Barry Manilow / Scott English] DEEP COVER

From the vault … March 3, 2011

It’s been a while since I’ve gone all DEEP COVER on you, so let’s do it now shall we?

For those of you who failed to take notes last time, a Deep Cover is a cover song that has eclipsed the original version of the song in famousness. Is that a word? Famousness? Anyway often times in the case of a Deep Cover the original version is practically forgotten about.

That’s certainly the case of the Scott English song “Brandy.” Never heard of it right? The original Scott English cover was an upbeat bubble gum pop tune, the cover was a sad somber song which Clive Davis suggested a small lyrical change too. And the rest as they say is musical history.

Oh, yeah I almost forgot, that small lyrical change, Brandy became Mandy, and Barry Manilow had his first hit single. The true test between a Cover Lover and just someone who just is mildly interested in covers is their knowledge, or lack there of that bit of trivia.

Also worth noting before becoming a singer, Barry Manilow did jingles. He wrote the “I’m Stuck On Band Aid” and “Like a Good Neighbor” jingle and did the vocals for Mickey D’s “You deserve a Break Today” campaign. Yeah,

I fucking love Barry Manilow. My guilty pleasure.

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All Along the Watch Tower [Deep Cover]

Hey new semi regular feature of the blog. The "Deep Cover." What's "Deep Cover?" you ask? You didn't? Can we pretend? Okay great ... "Deep Cover" is a cover song that's so well known that the original version is all but lost to the sands of time, or more often than not mistaken for the original version by people less edumicated than I.


So the first "Deep Cover?" All Along The Watch Tower. It was Jimi Hendrix's only Top 40 hit.  It's one of the greatest rock songs of all time. VH1 put it in it's top 3, Rolling Stone put it at number 47, shockingly low if you ask me. Guitar World said it had the #5 greatest guitar solo of all time. And Total Guitar magazine called it the greatest cover song of all time.


The original was of course by Bob Dylan. And who doesn't do a Dylan cover? The legend is that Dylan liked Hendrix's version so much, it's what prompted him to pick back up the electric guitar, which he had previously sworn off. I'm sure this set off all sorts of hippie protests. I can't find anything to "verify" this on Wikipedia, so maybe not. Anyway Dylan did say about the Hendrix cover  "It overwhelmed me, really. He had such talent, he could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn't think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually, and continue to do it to this day."


Sure the song has been covered a billion times by a billion artists, but they all play it more in the style of Jimi than of the Dylan original. And yes, that now includes Dylan himself.

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Tainted Love [Soft Cell / Gloria Jones] DEEP COVER

From the Vault … April 10, 2011

Yes, Tainted Love is a very DEEP COVER. Best known as the signature song of Soft Cell in the 1980’s, it was originally recorded by Motown singer Gloria Jones in 1964 and failed to chart in the both the US and UK. Listening to the original it sounds more akin to “I Will Survive” than the Soft Cell version of the same song. Even the trademark “BUM BUM” is barely noticeable.

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Mandy [Deep Cover]

It's been a while since I've gone all Deep Cover on you, so let's do it now shall we?

For those of you who failed to take notes last time, a Deep Cover is a cover song that has eclipsed the original version of the song in famousness. Is that a word? Famousness? Anyway often times in the case of a Deep Cover the original version is practically forgotten about.

That's certainly the case of the Scott English song "Brandy." Never heard of it right?  The original Scott English cover was an upbeat bubble gum pop tune, the cover was a sad somber song which Clive Davis suggested a small lyrical change too. And the rest as they say is musical history.

Oh, yeah I almost forgot, that small lyrical change, Brandy became Mandy, and Barry Manilow had his first hit single. The true test between a Cover Lover and just someone who just is mildly interested in covers is their knowledge, or lack there of that bit of trivia.

Also worth noting before becoming a singer, Barry Manilow did jingles. He wrote the "I'm Stuck On Band Aid" and "Like a Good Neighbor" jingle and did the vocals for Mickey D's "You deserve a Break Today" campaign.

Yeah, I fucking love Barry Manilow. My guilty pleasure.

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Hanging On The Telephone [Blondie / Nerves] Deep Cover

A deep cover is a cover song, that’s so much more famous than the original, that the original is almost entirely forgotten. I figureed I’d showcase “Hanging On The Telephone” before you crazy kids almost entirely forget what a phonebooth is.

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32 Flavors [ Alana Davis / Ani DiFranco] DEEP COVER Normally I save the “Deep Cover" hashtag for covers that the cover version is way more famous than the original version. And while the cover version did get significantly more air play than the DiFranco original … it was just another song in the sea of late 90’s angry cooter music. Also not to disappoint anyone but this song is not about Ice Cream. Doh!

Hallelujah [Deep Cover / Cover to Cover]

You may be suprized to know that Hallelujah was originally recorded by Leonard Cohen. There have been so many other people to cover the song, that "owned" it, which is why today's entry is both a deep cover and a cover to cover.

According to http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/ there are 2,040 covers of Hallelujah. I think they count all 200 versions by American Idol contestants as one though so there might be more.


Jeff Buckley's cover is often mistaken for the original.



Rufus Wainwright's is perhaps the best known, having been featured in Shrek.




KD Lang did a version at the last winter Olympics




Allison Crowe is one of my top ten Hallelujah covers for sure.



Bon Jovi does a version too. Not great, but a little more rockin'



Il Divo sings it in Italian, making it sound all operatic. Thanks Simon Cowell!



If you're tired of the piano versions, try this one by Imogen Heap.



If you want to hear a god awful, techno spoken word version of this song, try Bono. Wait, what?

Blinded By The Light, manfred mann's earth band, Bruce Springsteen, tony danza, cover, cover song, deep cover

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Blinded by the Light [Manfred Mann’s Earth Band / Bruce Springsteen] DEEP COVER From the Vault February 23, 2012 Most people know “Blinded By The Light" as the Manfred Mann’s Earth Band version of the song, which makes it a Deep Cover. The original of the song was done by The Boss, Tony Danza. Er… I mean Bruce Springsteen. You can see how I get those two confused? Anyway it was the first single off the “Greetings From Ashbury Park" album and failed to chart. It wasn’t until later when, to paraphrase Springsteen, Mann rewrote the song to be about a feminine hygiene product that the song charted. There don’t you feel smarter for knowing that?

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I Swear [All 4 One / John Michael Montgomery] DEEP COVER

In the early 90’s R&B scene if Boyz II Men were the Beatles, and Color Me Badd were the Rolling Stones then All 4 One was without a doubt Strawberry Alarm Clock. What you didn’t know was that their big hit was a cover of country crooner John Michael Montgomery,

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Don’t Cha [Pussycat Dolls / Tori Alamaze] DEEP COVER

Never heard the original of “Don’t Cha?” Don’t worry no one else did either. Former Outkast backup singer Tori Alamaze recorded the song in in 2004 and then was promptly dropped by the label. A brief attempt was made to talk Paris Hilton into recording the song, before the Pussycat Dolls got their hands on it. It sounds basically the same as the original but sluttier and Busta Rhymesier.

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Mony Mony [ Billy Idol / Tommy James and the Shondells ] Deep Cover

Yeah bitches! This is such a deep cover, most people don’t realize it’s not a Billy Idol original. It’s in fact the second entry in to Tommy James week! Did you know Tommy James is from Dayton, Ohio? That’s where I’m from!

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With A Little Help From My Friends [Deep Cover]

It's time for another Deep Cover, a song so much identified by the cover version, that the original version is almost forgotten about. 


Sure "With A Little Help From My Friends" was a Beatles song, but it was a Ringo song. So when Joe Cocker took the song and sang it with every fiber of his being at Woodstock, he owned it from that moment on. 


From Wikipedia : 


There have been at least 50 cover versions of the song and it has achieved the number one position on the British singles charts three times: by Joe Cocker in 1968, Wet Wet Wet in 1988 and by Sam & Mark in 2004.


Joe Cocker's version was a radical re-arrangement of the original, in a slower, 6/8 meter, using different chords in the middle eight, and a lengthy instrumental introduction. It was used as the opening theme song of the American television series The Wonder Years and is one of Cocker's most famous songs. His cover was ranked number two in UpVenue's top 10 best music covers of all time in 2009.

I Will Always Love You [I Love Covers / Deep Cover]

Okay, I'm posting this just so I never have to post this cover again. How can you compile a list of love cover songs and not include the most famous of them all Whitney Houston covering Dolly Parton.

Bet you didn't know it's a cover? Well it is, and that makes it a Deep Cover.

Istanbul (Not Constantinople) [Deep Cover]

A Deep Cover is a cover song so well known, most people don't know it's a cover. Such is the case for this This Might Be Giants classic. Originally done by the Four Lads, Istanbul (Not Constantinople) has become popular enough to get it's own segement in a Tiny Toons Adventure. If that's not big time, I don't know what is.

If you're not familiar with the Four Lads, not worries. I have no idea who they are either, other than Candian Music Hall Of Famers, eh?

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Crimson and Clover [ Joan Jett and The Blackhearts / Tommy James and The Shondells ] Deep Cover

Everyone remembers Joan Jett, but you forget about the Blackhearts. Same with Tommy James and the Shondells. Anyway this here cover rounds out Tommy James week. I hope you enjoyed it, as much as I enjoyed blogging it for you. Or something. Bite me.

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I Think We’re Alone Now [ Tiffany / Tommy James and the Shondells ] Deep Cover

Entry number three in Tommy James week, is Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now.” Interestingly enough it’s also the second Tommy James song “Weird Al” Yankovic did a parody of, putting Tommy James in league with Micheal Jackson.

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Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) [12 Days Of Covers / Deep Cover]

Without a doubt, the most well known version of Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) is U2's version. Making today's cover also a Deep Cover.


If you listen carefully, you can hear the background vocals of the original artist in their version. Darlene Love recorded the song first in 1963 with a full compliment of Phil Spector wall of sound. It's been covered by everyone from Hanson, Smashmouth, Sh Na Na, R.E.M., Cher and Joey Ramone. Not too shabby.

Me And Bobby McGee [Deep Cover]

While this song is pretty much Janis Joplin's signature song, yes, it's a Deep Cover. Originally written by Kris Kristofferson and originally recorded by Rodger Miller (Who?). Yes, Bobbi had a sex change and became Bobby for Janis. The song was actually covered by Kenny Rogers, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Gordon Lightfoot, Bill Haley and The Comets, Sam Sham and the Pharaohs and Jerry Lee Lewis before Ms. Joplin ever got her mitts on it.

It's been covered by like a million other people since then as well, including a surprisingly good take by Jennifer Love Hewitt. Let's face it, this song is like the town floozy. Everyone takes a turn at it, but everyone only talks about the one who did it best.

Blinded By The Light [Deep Cover]

Most people know "Blinded By The Light" as the Manfred Mann's Earth Band version of the song, which makes it a Deep Cover. The original of the song was done by The Boss, Tony Danza. Er... I mean Bruce Springsteen. You can see how I get those two confused? Anyway it was the first single off the "Greetings From Ashbury Park" album and failed to chart. It wasn't until later when, to paraphrase Springsteen, Mann rewrote the song to be about a feminine hygiene product that the song charted. There don't you feel smarter for knowing that?