One of my favorite series here @ Root Down in the Shadow by McGurkMusic is the Cover Song of the Week.
Most of the posts recently have been recent covers, with a rare archive look. In this week's installment, we're going to take a quick look at covers of a contemporary, with an obscure and obvious selection. At least in my opinion the first selection is obscure. In 1995, the year I graduated high school. I was musically very far a way from an adult contemporary solo guitar album by Bruce Springsteen, instead listening to Punk, Alternative, Metal, Ska and some Pop!
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE cover of 'Ghost of Tom Joad' original by Bruce Springsteen
EDITOR NOTE: I know this video didn't link properly, go watch it on YouTube, it's a pretty sweet unoffical video.. The song begins just after the minute mark
When "It Band" Rage Against The Machine covered 'Ghost of Tom Joad' I had never heard the original. In fact, I wouldn't have known the song was a cover, outside of the fact that Renegades was a complete covers album with Dylan's 'Maggie's Farm', Cypress Hill's 'How Could I just Kill A Man', and Afrika Bambaataa's 'Renegades of Funk'. As a teenager I don't think I would have felt the energy from Bruce's original. As I am older, I find both versions just as powerful.
Bruce Springsteen 'Ghost of Tom Joad' from Ghost of Tom Joad
The obvious Bruce cover was The Clarks covering 'The River'. This just felt like Bruce Springsteen from the first time I ever heard it, even though I had only heard the Clarks version for some time. The title track from the 1980 Springsteen album, charted in 1981 but had limited success, unlike the album of the same name.
The Clarks version was a live show only track for many years, but was released on B sides and rarities album Strikes & Gutters 2 - Doublewide. For the Clarks fans in my audience, I would suggest getting the deal from the Clarksonline.com site, packaging both Strikes & Gutters together, as 'The River' is a must have, but Vol 1. is a much better collection, with "Clarks" versions of 'Little Sanctuary' and 'Does Your Harbor Light Still Shine'
Most of the posts recently have been recent covers, with a rare archive look. In this week's installment, we're going to take a quick look at covers of a contemporary, with an obscure and obvious selection. At least in my opinion the first selection is obscure. In 1995, the year I graduated high school. I was musically very far a way from an adult contemporary solo guitar album by Bruce Springsteen, instead listening to Punk, Alternative, Metal, Ska and some Pop!
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE cover of 'Ghost of Tom Joad' original by Bruce Springsteen
EDITOR NOTE: I know this video didn't link properly, go watch it on YouTube, it's a pretty sweet unoffical video.. The song begins just after the minute mark
When "It Band" Rage Against The Machine covered 'Ghost of Tom Joad' I had never heard the original. In fact, I wouldn't have known the song was a cover, outside of the fact that Renegades was a complete covers album with Dylan's 'Maggie's Farm', Cypress Hill's 'How Could I just Kill A Man', and Afrika Bambaataa's 'Renegades of Funk'. As a teenager I don't think I would have felt the energy from Bruce's original. As I am older, I find both versions just as powerful.
Bruce Springsteen 'Ghost of Tom Joad' from Ghost of Tom Joad
The obvious Bruce cover was The Clarks covering 'The River'. This just felt like Bruce Springsteen from the first time I ever heard it, even though I had only heard the Clarks version for some time. The title track from the 1980 Springsteen album, charted in 1981 but had limited success, unlike the album of the same name.
The Clarks version was a live show only track for many years, but was released on B sides and rarities album Strikes & Gutters 2 - Doublewide. For the Clarks fans in my audience, I would suggest getting the deal from the Clarksonline.com site, packaging both Strikes & Gutters together, as 'The River' is a must have, but Vol 1. is a much better collection, with "Clarks" versions of 'Little Sanctuary' and 'Does Your Harbor Light Still Shine'
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