Totally Tunes: Under The Covers

After doing this feature the last few weeks, I've come to the realization that many of us are quite fond of covers...the art of recording a song previously recorded by another artist/group.

Today we are going to focus on covers and share some of our favs with each other.

Stand By Me  - John Lennon

This song was written by Ben E King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and presented to The Drifters for recording. The Drifters passed on it and Ben E King decided to record it himself in 1961. The song has been covered by more than 400 different acts and was featured during the Harry/Meghan Royal Wedding at Windsor.  In 1975 Lennon included his cover on his album Rock 'n Roll which was recorded as settlement stemming from Leiber and Stoller suing over his use of Here comes Old Flattop in Come Together. Stand By Me was the only single released from that album.

Nothing comes close to the original by Mr King but Mr Lennon does get my attention with this one like no others who have covered the song have ever managed to do.





Twist And Shout - The Beatles

Originally recorded by The Top Notes in 1961 and covered by The Isley Brothers in 1962, it became the monster hit when covered by The Beatles in 1963. It reached #1 in the UK and #2 in the US when originally released. It hit the charts again in 1986 when Ferris Bueller's Day Off was released and one last time in 2010 when Apple Records allowed Apple to include The Beatles on iTunes.





One After 909 - Willie Nelson

The song was written by John Lennon when he was a teen and was recorded several times by The Beatles, as far back as March 1963, but never made it onto any of their albums until Let It Be. Mr Nelson did his cover of the song for 1995's Come Together America Salutes The Beatles.




Crazy - Patsy Cline & Willie Nelson

This one is a double entry of sorts. Willie Nelson wrote the song in early 1961 and was having trouble finding an artist interested in recording it for him. He recorded his demo and put it on the jukebox at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge (a Nashville honky tonk popular with the country recording artists), hoping to attract an interested party. Patsy Cline's husband heard the song there and knew it was the perfect song for her. Her version was released later that year and has been named as her signature song. Willie formally recorded it in 1962 for his first album, And Then I Wrote. I'm not sure if Patsy covered Willie or if Willie covered Patsy recording his song, but the song has been covered by countless others, although none do it justice like Ms Cline or Mr Nelson.








Bruce Springsteen - Jersey Girl

Tom Waits wrote and recorded this song for his then future wife. It originally appeared on his 1980 album Heartattack And Vine. Springsteen added one verse and recorded his cover as the B-side to 1984 single Cover Me.





Now it's your turn...let's hear your favorite covers.