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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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?
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!
's biggest hit. It's also a Deep Cover. That's right, the protype for the Rock and Wrestling connection was not the original artist. It was in fact written and recorded first by Rick Ocasek
wanna be, Robert Hazard.
, I Drove All Night was a hit for Cyndi Lauper
. Most people fail to realize this, which is why it counts as a Deep Cover. I think both versions are much sexier than Celine Dion
's though.
. 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. contestants as one though so there might be more.
's cover is often mistaken for the original.
's is perhaps the best known, having been featured in Shrek.
did a version at the last winter Olympics
is one of my top ten Hallelujah covers for sure.
does a version too. Not great, but a little more rockin'
sings it in Italian, making it sound all operatic. Thanks Simon Cowell! .. Wait, what?. But who first recorded it?
. However Steinman threw a hissy fit claiming it could only be sung by a woman, sued Meat Loaf. Thus allowing Ms. Dion the opportunity to record it before Meat Loaf. So as you might have guessed, the original version was recorded by the girl group Pandora's Box
. Thus making both well known versions of the song, Deep Covers. I prefer meat myself.
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. 
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.
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." and "Like a Good Neighbor" jingle and did the vocals for Mickey D's "You deserve a Break Today" campaign.
covering Dolly Parton
. 
