When the Titans Clash. Review on Five Best Cover Versions of English Songs

For diehards(like me) avowal of covers is highly sporadic. It takes at least a zillion listening before I vouch for a cover. To me, a cover is an individual-heteromorphic perception of an original. A very risky proposition, one could easily goof up trying to fiddle with an original classic.

The Man Who Sold the World – Bowie vs. Cobain

Bowie’s apostrophe from the acoustic sound of his first album “Space Oddity”(1969) to the newfangled semi heavy-metal tassel of “The man who.”(1971) was detrimental. Lyrically Bowie delivered(much inspired from a rhyme by William Hughes Mearns’, “The man who wasn’t there”).  To the contrary, Cobain’s version of MTV Unplugged in New York is magisterial. Cobain coup d'etats Bowie’s version in his bailiwick while Tony Visconti’s turned up bass in the earlier version was off color and vocally, Bowie toiled at times. My pick between the two is without doubt, Cobain’s.

All Along the Watch Tower – Dylan vs. Hendrix

Outside in the distance a wild cat did growl,

Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.

A lyrical masterpiece by Dylan. One common conjectured inspiration for the Watch Tower is the Book of Isaiah(21:8)(which happens to be my take on the song too). A conversation between a joker and a thief, Dylan’s version features only acoustic guitars, harmonica and drums, while Hendrix covered it with his signature whimpering electric guitar solos replacing Dylan’s harmonica interludes. He transformed Dylan’s epigrammatic prevision into an electric whirlwind. Hendrix’s version also featured in the Rolling Stone’s * 500 greatest songs of all time.

I Shot the Sheriff - Bob Marley vs. Clapton

One is the finest blues-rock musician the world has ever witnessed while the other was a wild Caribbean Rastafarian who universalized reggae beyond the purlieus of Jamaica. Marley’s original version of “I shot the sheriff”(1973) was his last recording with the original Wailers(Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer). While Marley’s take was quintessentially reggae, Clapton’s ‘74 version(backing vocals by Yvonne Elliman) was festooned with some brilliant guitar interludes that gave the song a poignant blues presence.

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye vs. Diana Ross

Twice a hit within three years, this R&B number was first recorded by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell in ’67 and then by Ross in ’70. Ross did a eulogistic cover with primarily spoken word passages and it also featured Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson(the original writers of the song) as the backup singers. The duet was a radiant, foot tapping love song which was an instant rage with young R&B habitués of the 60’s. My personal druthers of the two is in spades Marvin Gaye’s, for more soul and melody in his version.

Everybody Hurts – R.E.M vs. The Corrs

The song that many speculate Cobain was listening at the time of his death is about those who are excogitating suicide. Aesthetically written by REM’s ex drummer Bill Berry in ’93 was later covered by The Corrs in ’99 with Andrea Corr leading the vocals. The versions, one by Michael Stipe and the other by Andrea Corr generates a cognizant ambience to the song, though I find the Corrs’ version more haunting.