Rock And Roll Remakes Wednesday #8

Last week's rock and roll remake was an in-depth look at one song.

This week we'll keep it simple.

The Concretes contributed their version of The Rolling Stones' "Miss You" to the tribute album We Love You. It later appeared on The Concretes' Layyourbattleaxdown, a compilation of rarities and B-sides.

You can hear their sedated take of the Stones' last #1 US hit (topping the chart in 1978).

Rock And Roll Remakes Wednesday #7

You may be as shocked as I was as to the number of cover versions of the Burt Bacharach and Hal David classic "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me".

I was most familiar with the version done in the 1980s by Naked Eyes, and was under the impression it was originally done by Sandie Shaw. Her version was one of the earliest and went to #1 in her native England and hit the Top 100 in the US.

However, the first released version was done by Lou Johnson, and charted a few notches higher than Shaw's later version.

So, in a nutshell...

Lou Johnson recorded it first and charted higher than Shaw in the US. But Shaw had the biggest hit with it in the UK. However, Naked Eyes had the highest charting US version, though they didn't chart with it in their native England.

Here are each of the above-mentioned versions, as well as a few others for good measure.


Lou Johnson's original:




Club mix by Tin Tin Out featuring Espiritu:




The "almost original" by Sandie Shaw:




An acoustic Latin take by Jose Feliciano:




The highest charting US version by Naked Eyes:




Modern rock (ska) version by The Hippos:

Rock And Roll Remakes Wednesday #6

It's Wednesday and that means another cover song.

The song this week has a more laid-back country feel. It is a remake of the Top 10 Grand Funk Railroad song "Bad Time", as done by The Jayhawks. It appeared on their 1995 album, Tomorrow The Green Grass (which also included the semi-hit "Blue").



And here is the original, more upbeat Grand Funk Railroad version from 1974.

They...asked me how I knew...

The Platters took their mellow doo wop version of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" to the top of the Billboard chart in 1958. The song was originally written in the 1930s and recorded by several artists before the Platters' hit #1.

While modern ears may not hear it as a rock and roll song, it has several hallmarks that qualify it as such. As a side note, the widow of one of its writers was dismayed that one of her late husband's songs would be turned into a rock song. Ooh! The horror!

Anyway, you can hear the lump in the throat as the song is sung. Our singer isn't crying, his eyes are reacting to the smoke in the air. Yet, the lyric also tells us where that smoke comes from.

Kick back and enjoy this 1950s' song for the lovelorn.

Rock And Roll Remakes Wednesday #5

Okay, I messed up. With my zany schedule I thought yesterday was Tuesday, but now that it's Thursday I realize it was Wednesday...the day we get to hear a cool rock and roll remake.

It only seemed logical to poke a little good-natured fun at myself by selecting the song "Saturday Night Special". Originally done in 1977 by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and covered here by 1980s heavy metal band Armored Saint. For a metal band, they stick pretty close to the original but crank it up a notch or two.

However, even though it was done by Armored Saint, I think the original is more rockin'. Listen to both versions, and see what you think...

"For twenty dollars you can buy yourself one, too."

Hopefully my mistaking Wednesday for Tuesday on Thursday is forgiven with a song about Saturday.

Rock And Roll Remakes Wednesday #4

Aaahrrroooo! Man alive cats and chicks, do we got a classic rock and roll remake going out to all corners of the globe tonight!

It's Wednesday here at Rock and Roll Decades and that means a cover song. But today we are going to do it in reverse. We will play the original first, then the remake.

What blast from the past are talking about? None other than Big Mama Thornton's 1952 version of "Hound Dog" which was covered by some guy named Elvis Presley in 1956. The song was written by Leiber and Stoller and the original lyrics are a bit more racy than the watered down remake.

You made me feel so blue

Well you made me weep and moan

'Cause you ain't lookin' for a woman

All you're lookin' is for a home

The original...



And the remake...

Rock and Roll Remakes Wednesday #2

It's another Wednesday here at Rock and Roll Decades and that means you get to hear a cover version of a rock song. It may be odd, in a different genre, or very close to the original. The only rule is that they have to be remakes. So, open your ears and open your mind, you never know what you'll discover here.

We got a nice slab of hard rock today, boys and girls! A remake of Chris Isaak's haunting 1989 hit "Wicked Game". It is done by the Finnish band HIM. This is their earlier version from 1998(?) and is a bit heavier than the US release.



For the sake of comparison, here is the original.

Who Was Jimi Hendrix' Favorite Guitarist?

Though he left us almost 40 years ago, Jimi Hendrix is still regarded as one of the best guitarists of all time. His ability to get sounds out of the quintessential rock and roll instrument is legendary.

Yet, the question of who his favorite guitarist was is an interesting one. A few logical guesses would include B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Bob Dylan, or maybe Eric Clapton; all great in their own right.

But it turns out that Jimi's favorite guitarist was a member of The Moving Sidewalks. They opened for Hendrix during a leg of his 1968 tour. The musician in question became part of a rock trio that formed in 1969 and still plays with the same line-up today.

And that guitarist is none other than Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top!

Here they are covering the Hendrix classic rock and roll song, "Foxey Lady".

Way to go New Orleans Saints!

The Saints just won Super Bowl XLIV. It was an awesome game!

If there's one song that's associated with New Orleans, it has to be When The Saints Go Marching In. Here is an early rock and roll song by Bill Haley that is based on it.

Rock and Roll Remakes Wednesday

Each Wednesday you will get to hear a cover version of a rock and roll song. Some of these may be odd, a different genre, or very close to the original. The only rule is that they have to be remakes. So, open your ears and open your mind, you never know what you'll discover here.

This week's remake is former Velvet Underground member John Cale's version of "Heartbreak Hotel". It was the first #1 song for Elvis Presley. John Cale puts more of a dark, plodding spin on the more upbeat Presley version. But, considering the context of the song, one could argue that while Cale's take on the song may not be better, it is emotionally accurate.

Rock on!