Friday Is Boss’ Day: Cover Me

We haven’t done this in a while and even though the Boss is barnstormin’ the country we’ve got nothing new.  So let’s do some covers, with Bruce returning the favor on one:

MP3: “Workin’ On The Highway” by Joe Ely

MP3: “I’m On Fire” by Bat For Lashes

MP3: “Highway Patrolman” by Johnny Cash

MP3: “I’m On Fire” by Coltrane Motion

MP3: “Atlantic City” by Kingsbury

MP3: “I’m On Fire” by the Chromatics

MP3: “American Skin (41 Shots)” (live) by Living Colour

MP3: “I’m On Fire” by Willie Nile

MP3: “Light Of Day” by Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers

MP3: “Then She Kissed Me” (live) by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

Bruce Springsteen official website (watch ’em do a cover of “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide”)

Cool Covers

 

Went to see this movie, The Watchmen, over the weekend.   So did a lot of other people, apparently – it’s the No. 1 movie right now.  This dark, violent superhero tale was pretty entertaining and had some fairly good choices of music on the soundtrack: “All Along The Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix, “The Sounds of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel and a hilariously elongated version of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A’ Changin’ ” over the opening credits montage.

But the most ear-catching tune is the one that plays as the closing credits roll: a rockin’ punk version of Dylan’s “Desolation Row” by My Chemical Romance.  The band is supposedly recording a followup to their hit album The Black Parade, and it’s been said the new work will be more “punk rock” than normal.   If their version of “Desolation Row” is any indication, it ought to be a fun listen.

MP3: “Desolation Row” by My Chemical Romance

Cool Covers: “Fortunate Son”

         

John Fogerty wrote the perfect statement of righteous rage in the late 1960s: “Fortunate Son.”  Creedence Clearwater Revival’s version of the song reached No. 4 on the pop charts in 1969; Fogerty has said it was inspired by watching David Eisenhower and Julie Nixon, the daughter and grandson of Presidents, living their privileged lives on TV.  The song appears on Willy and the Poor Boys, which has just been reissued (again) by Fantasy Records as part of a 40th anniversary celebration; the version included here is a live cut which appears as an extra on the new CD.

Todd Snider is a singer/songwriter from Oregon who’s been knocking around Austin lately; his new album Peace Queer features a stripped-down version of “Fortunate Son” that veers closer to raw blues – it’s just as angry as John Fogerty was four decades ago.  (You can download the entire Peace Queer EP at Snider’s website; just “buy” it for $0.00!)

And a footnote: David Eisenhower enlisted in the Navy reserves to escape Vietnam, and today Julie Nixon Eisenhower supports Barack Obama. 

MP3: “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival (live)

MP3: “Fortunate Son” by Todd Snider

John Fogerty official website

Todd Snider official website

Cool Covers

B.B. King’s One Kind Favor is one of the better albums of the year, and probably the best of King’s long career.  The album’s dozen songs were all popular blues tunes when King’s career was taking off in the 1940s and 1950s, and they were all great influences – hence the album’s title. 

Howlin' Wolf

As we said in our review of the album, it’s tough to pick out highlights on an album this strong.  But one song that jumped out at me was “How Many More Years,” originally by blues legend Howlin’ Wolf.  Although the song is a staple of compilations put out on Chicago-based Chess Records, “How Many More Years” was actually recorded in 1951 in Memphis.  The Wolf was working on Sun Records, and the song was produced by the legendary Sam Phillips.  That’s Ike Turner on piano!  The song was released as a single; it went to No. 4 on the R&B charts, and was instrumental in getting Howlin’ Wolf signed to Chess a few years later.

Howlin’ Wolf, whose real name was Chester Burnett, worked with the great songwriter Willie Dixon and produced a number of blues classics including “Smokestack Lightning,” “The Red Rooster” and “Spoonful,” covered by everyone from Cream to the Rolling Stones.  Howlin’ Wolf died in 1976, and Eric Clapton purchased a stone for his grave.

MP3: “How Many More Years” by Howlin’ Wolf

MP3: “How Many More Years” by B.B. King

YouTube: Howlin’ Wolf in 1966

Cool Covers

    

A couple of original Woodstock acts provide today’s songs, one old and one new.  The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is one of rock’s undisputed anthems, and anyone who dares to cover this classic is treading on holy ground.  But that’s no problem for eternal iconoclast Richie Havens, who opened 1969’s Woodstock Music and Arts Festival in memorable fashion (rent the movie).  Havens’ version of “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is from his upcoming Nobody Left To Crown.  And because the Who’s original studio recording of this song is so familiar, we’ve enclosed a live version from the 2006 tour.

MP3: “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (live) by the Who

MP3: “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by Richie Havens