Covers and Cover Albums: Wherein our author tries to muddle the difference.

Yeah, soooo...I'm obsessed with cover songs. Anyone who knows me is entirely aware of this, and yet they continue to allow me to listen to music in the vicinity of their ears. Fools.

Anyhoo, Ima try and answer a question that Dave of the North asked recently. He had the gall to ask me what my favorite Cover Album was! That's right, singular. That cheeky bastard, like I could pick just one even if I could generally define what a Cover Album was.

So, for the sake of everyone else and their sanity, I will concoct a somewhat scatterbrained reply.


You see, I run the gamut from Classic Cover Albums like "Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson" to "Burning London: Clash Tribute" to "12 Crass Songs" by Jeffrey Lewis to "Pin Ups" by David Bowie to "Dig" by the Coolies to "Hanky Panky" by The The...Yeah, I have a lot of covers to choose from.

For a sampling, I will include something from each album I choose along with a few covers that don't fill the niche of belonging on a cover album. I only hope you don't rethink that part of letting me play music in the vicinity of your ears...


My first pick: "Dig" by the coolies- The only thing holding this back from being the greatest Simon & Garfunkel cover album ever is the fact that a lone Paul Anka tune is thrown in. I choose to think of that song as a bonus track and just keep right on loving the Simon & Garfunkel greatness. I've loved this album from the first listen and that loved has not waned in the decades since.

the Coolies-Cecilia




"Robyn Sings" by Robyn Hitchcock- Mr. Hitchcock holds a place firmly on my list of great songwriters. One Mr. Bob Dylan also holds a place on that list. The fact that Hitchcock does an album of live Dylan covers? Yep, a pretty delicious disc to me. And to here Hitchcock claim that his favorite song, the one that got him to be a songwriter, is a Dylan tune...and then hear his take on it? Love.
Robyn Hitchcock-Visions of Johanna




"Apolyptica Plays Metallica by Four Cellos" by Apocalyptica- I'm definitely not a huge fan of Metallica, but I do like the cello. These songs are pretty awesome. To my ears, they sound much better than the originals.

Apocalyptica-Sad But True




"We Will Fall: the Iggy Pop Tribute" by V/A- There are definitely some gems on this one. Even if you aren't a fan of Iggy, I'm fairly certain you could find a song or two to like on here

Lunachicks-the Passenger




"Hanky Panky" by The The- I really like this band and I love Hank Williams. So it pretty much stands to reason I would like this.

The The- I Saw the Light




"Pin Ups" by David Bowie- Bowie is, to me, a very creative and talented man. I love his penchant for re-inventing himself and I love the way he re-invented some of these songs. I come back to this album quite a bit. Ray Davies, Syd Barrett, the Who...c'mon now, who wouldn't like this?
David Bowie-Where Have All The Good Times Gone?







So there you have a very wee tiny sampling of some of my favorites. There are a ton of others, but those will wait for another post on another day. As for now, please enjoy these cover songs that didn't come from a cover album...

the Morning Benders- He's A Rebel




the Spinto Band-Give Me Just A Little More Time