Just Because

I'm in London for a couple of days and I didn't have time to do 3 posts on Sunday night.

But it is a brilliant song.

Bruce Springsteen - American Skin (41 Shots)

Covers Week

I know, I know lazy blogging featuring cover versions but I do like a good re-interpretation of a song, even if all it means is a different vocal and the rest of the track virtually sounds the same. As long as it is done well then it's alright by me although there are some rules, well one.

Rule number one: Do not cover classic soul tunes by the likes of Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Martha Reeves etc. Got that Michael Fucking Bolton, Phil Twat Collins and others of your ilk. If it is perfect don't bother.

I am aware that lots of soul singers such as Otis covered the likes of Sam Cooke and nearly everybody in the Motown stable did versions of the same song but that is allowed, not some arse of a drummer from a prog rock band or a twat with a ludicrous mullet trying to do Dock Of The Bay and don't get me started about the twat who sends his hat first class on aeroplanes and his band doing People Get Ready.

I realise the hypocrisy of the previous paragraph and that I have less than no authority to decide who is allowed to cover which songs, however it is my ball, sorry blog and I'll do what I like.

First up is a cover of a Springsteen song by a band who I have seen live incorporate this song and also, Folsom Prison Blues into one of their own tunes to great effect on more than one occasion. Come to think of it, it would be probably be possible to fill a whole month of posts with covers of Springsteen songs.

At the last count I had nine versions of I'm On Fire by other bands and I think that this is up there with the Catherine Feeny version as the best. To be honest I'm not that into Springsteen's version from Born In The USA but live it is the business.

A couple of years ago a load of indie bands got together and recorded Springsteen songs for a compilation called Play Some Pool, Skip Some School to varying degrees of success, the cover of My Hometown is one of the rankest things I've ever heard. I also have a full cd of covers called Play Some Pool by The Wave Pictures which came free with their split single with Darren Hyman released in conjunction with Play Some Pool, Skip Some School.

Airborne Toxic Event - I'm On Fire

Nothing tomorrow, as I'm in Manchester overnight and didn't have time to do two posts on Sunday night.

Everybody Loves A Cover, Right?

I've always been a fan of Springsteen apart from a couple of years in my late teens when it wasn't hip to admit to being a fan but secretly would still listen to the River or Nebraska but it took me quite a few years, upwards of 15 if I'm honest to revisit Born In The USA. When I thought of the album which was not very often what came to mind was that terrible video for Dancing In The Dark or my misinterpretation of the tub thumping title track.

When I did listen to the album again, if you take away the mid 80s production there are some great tracks on there,  in fact the album has three of my favourite Springsteen songs, My Hometown, I'm On Fire and Going Down all of which have been covered to varying degrees of success.

My favourite cover of a Springsteen song, well apart from FGTH's Born To Run, is by the American singer/songwriter Catherine Feeny.

Catherine Feeny - I'm On Fire

BTW - if anybody in the Glasgow area has nothing to do tonight why not pop along to the Flying Duck where 2 nearly and one definitely middle-aged men will be playing some of their favourite records.

Everybody Loves A Cover . . . Right?

A brace of contemporary covers for you, well from last year anyway.

First up are the Mystery Jets with their cover of a Leonna Lewis song, no wait, come back it is rather good. I hadn't heard the original or hadn't been aware that I had until fairly recently as I'm strictly a radio's 4 & 6 person. I caught it while at my parents house, who have Murdoch TV and when I'm there I tend to flick through the music channels much to the chagrin of both my parents and M who wants to watch Spongebob or the Clone Wars. I never thought that this would happen to me, shock horror, but I have to admit that I quite liked what I heard a track by a TV talentless show winner. Musical snobbery aside, it is a good track but whether it warrants being the biggest selling single worldwide in 2008 is an argument for another day. Anyway, I think that the Mystery Jets, an indie band from London do an ever better version.

Mystery Jets - Bleeding Love

Secondly we have a duet from Florence (without the Machine)and Kid Harpoon covering a Bruce Springsteen song.

In my spotty youth I loved Springsteen, The River and Nebraska were albums that my mate Ben would play all the time. Then came Born In The USA and I have to admit that even before Reagan appropriated the song for his re-election campaign I felt uncomfortable with the album. There was something about it that just put me off. From the first time I heard Born In The USA I didn't like the song. I was an earnest left wing anti Pershing and Cruise missile campaigner so anything that was so in your face proud to be an American ( or so I foolishly misinterpreted) as this song seemed, was guaranteed to get my blood boiling.

I think Born In The USA is the album that created stadium rock. I realise that there had been many stadium gigs before this but I do believe that this album was the blueprint for all those bands who have since sat down and intentionally written albums that would sound good in a stadium and for that I think Springsteen has a lot to answer for.

I'm digressing here but the point is that when I first heard I'm Going Down by Florence & Kid Harpoon the song was vaguely familiar but I would never have remembered that it came from Born In The USA, if it had not been pointed out by a friend. The reason being that even though I listen to Sprinsteen quite frequently, I think that I may have played I'm On Fire or My Hometown from that album but would never even think of playing the whole thing so had completely forgotten that there are indeed some great tracks on it.

The stripped down approach which Florence and Kid Harpoon take brings out the essence of the track and something you could imagine Springsteen himself approving of. Strangely enough, Catherine Feeny did something similar to I'm On Fire, another track from Born In The USA.

Florence & Kid Harpoon - I'm Going Down

Marathon Man

Last Friday, I stated that I didn't get Glastonbury and that I had only wished that I had been there twice. Well after watching Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band's headlining slot for the 2nd time I've just regretted not being there for the 3rd time. I thought that their set was outstanding. However if you were to read Dorien Lynksey's column on the Guardian's website, it was all self parody, broadway show type tunes and by the end of it all hardly anybody there. I think that I was watching a different gig.

I'm not the biggest Springsteen fan in the world and don't pretend to know his music inside out. I have quite a few of his albums but tend to prefer Nebraska and Devils & Dust to the rockier stuff. But the performance from that band was excellent, from what I could see all of them were having a ball and giving 100 %, which I know is as it should be but it wouldn't be the first time that I have seen headliners just going through the motions. They seemed to be able to anticipate Springsteen's frequent off stage wanderings, although I suppose when you've worked together for so long that would become second nature. Also with a set that was 2 1/2 hours long the crowd certainly got their money's worth.

Anyway, here are a couple of my favourite covers of Springsteen songs and my favourite track of his.

Catherine Feeny - I'm On Fire

Allo Darlin' - Atlantic City

Bruce Springsteen - Highway Patrolman

Ps The worst thing about the Glastonbury coverage, as usual Jo, bloody, Whiley.