Covers

[stax on the mull]

Song: Season of the Witch

Original version by Donovan recorded in 1966




Lots of solid covers done over the years.

Julie Driscoll from 1968:



Great version also from 1968 by Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Stephen Stills




Donovan apparently loved this 1969 take by Lou Rawls




More recently: Lana Del Rey from 2019

Another version of same song by Luna from the soundtrack to the movie: "I Shot Andy Warhol" which has a bunch of 90's bands covering 60's songs.

 

[Jaymin]

This is a great cover of Nirvana’s Lithium.

 

[stax on the mull]

Donovan fan more knowlegeable than me ranked his top 50 Donovan Songs here:

Donovan - His 50 Greatest Songs – Ranked

by Stuart Penney We’re living in extraordinary and uncertain times. 2020 will probably be the most momentous year any of us will experie...

andnowitsallthis.blogspot.com

Doesn't include my favourite "Lullabye of Spring" so I guess this could be regarded as one of his dud songs, although I could do without ever hearing "Catch the Wind" again which comes in at No 18.

I'm only posting this because I'll be getting sales commission from my local op shop if they can shift enough of their fart encrusted purple cushions in the event of a Donovan revival.

First heard it via this cover by The Idatarod.

 

[stax on the mull]

One last Donovan one via Husker Du:

 

[stax on the mull]

Donovan fan more knowlegeable than me ranked his top 50 Donovan Songs here:

Donovan - His 50 Greatest Songs – Ranked

by Stuart Penney We’re living in extraordinary and uncertain times. 2020 will probably be the most momentous year any of us will experie...

andnowitsallthis.blogspot.com

Didn't include my favourite "Lullabye of Spring" so I guess its could be regarded as one of his dud songs, although could do without ever hearing "Catch the Wind" again.

First heard via this cover by The Iditarod.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

A great song written by James Brown. The Renee Geyer version is my favourite.

 

[Cruyff14]

For cover bands, these are exceptional

 

[deanc]

Probably easier to list the artists who 'have not covered' Richard Berry's original, here's just a few:

The Kingsmen


Otis Redding


Tina Turner


Motorhead


Tom Petty


Blondie


Bruce Springsteen


Australian Crawl

 

[Spearman]

Richard Berry, the guy that wrote Louie, Louie, also wrote this little ditty.


By far the best version was done by this mid 60s surf-punk group The Sonics.
I used to see them around Seattle in the 80s. Always good value.


The Black Keys did a version as well.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Probably easier to list the artists who 'have not covered' Richard Perry's original, here's just a few:

The Kingsmen

I didn't start buying records until I got a paper round. This record by the "Pink Finks" was one of my first purchases. What taste I had , this was the first band for Ross Wilson and Ross Hannaford. After the "Pink Finks" broke up the "Party Machine" was formed. This band not only had Hannaford and Wilson but also Mike Rudd who went on to form "Spectrum"

 

[LeakyValve]

A zippy, fun version of Jambalaya.

 

[WireHawk]

Tricky's version of Public Enemy's 'Black Steel' is great.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Money (That's What I Want). The original.

The covers.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Cat Power's take on the Rolling Stones' You Got The Silver

 

[LeakyValve]

A bit of cross-cultural collaboration.



Another version. These girls are talented.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Ken Boothe's reworking of The Supremes' You Keep Me Hanging On

 

[deanc]

A great song written by James Brown. The Renee Geyer version is my favourite.

At the risk of being pedantic James Brown co-wrote 'It's a Mans World' with his girlfriend at time Betty Newsome in late 1965...

Totally unrelated, but how about this D-D-D-D-C cover by Joan Jett. From what I've read this is almost a biopic tune for JJ given her known history of dirty deeds:

 

[Alberto_Magnifico]

Prince's solo almost brings me to tears everytime, so amazingly perfect.

 

[LeakyValve]

Usual disclaimer as I cannot recall if this has already been posted but it is always cool to hear it again.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Vanilla Fudge doing Led Zepplin - Vanilla Zepplin.

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

At the risk of being pendactic James Brown co-wrote 'It's a Mans World' with his girlfriend at time Betty Newsome in late 1965...

Totally unrelated, but how about this D-D-D-D-C cover by Joan Jett. From what I've read this is almost a biopic tune for JJ given her known history of dirty deeds:

At the risk of being pedantic it's not pendactic!

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

 

[stax on the mull]

This is more of a homage than a direct cover. Boredoms Super Roots 7 EP is constructed around the guitar/drumming intro and to The Mekons "Where Were You?".