1. "All Along the Watchtower" <BR>(Bob Dylan) by Jimi Hendrix <BR>Rock's greatest guitarist interprets rock's greatest songwriter and is paid the ultimate cover song compliment when, years later, Dylan starts performing the song Hendrix's way. Jimi's only Top 40 hit, "Watchtower" was a 1968 mindblower that led to the early '70s FM radio heyday. <P><BR>2. "Mystery Train" <BR>(Junior Parker) by Elvis Presley <BR>The term "cover" was first used in the early '50s to describe white versions of R&B hits, such as "Sh-Boom" by Canada's Crew-Cuts, which was originally recorded by the Chords. But this cover was anything but vanilla, as Presley and producer Sam Phillips put a driving beat to a blues song and made you want to come along on that "Train I ride, fifteen coaches long." <P><BR>3. "Proud Mary" <BR>(Creedence Clearwater Revival) <BR>by Ike and Tina Turner <BR>The original was pretty near perfect, but with a conspiracy of frenzied horns, that deep-voiced setup of an intro and Tina's soulful screech, the Turners transformed this into a whole 'nother animal. What does "Pumped a lot of tain down in New Orleans" mean? Who cares? <P><BR>4. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" <BR>(Gladys Knight & the Pips) <BR>by Marvin Gaye <BR>Even though G.K.'s version is untoppable, this one, built on a throwaway bass line on the original, is pretty terrific. <P><BR>5. "Gloria" <BR>(Them) by Patti Smith <BR>"Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine." It starts like a dirge, but then picks up, just like "Gloria" should. If you didn't instantly play this track again after hearing it the first time, you're probably an orthodontist or a Realtor or in insurance right now. <P><BR>6. "Twist & Shout" <BR>(Isley Bros) by the Beatles <BR>Perhaps John Lennon's greatest vocal shredding, this cover gave the Beatles major cred points. <P><BR>7. "Gin & Juice" <BR>(Snoop Dogg) by the Gourds <BR>The cover that swallowed the oeuvre, it's impossible to play this gangsta-grass rendition too much. <P><BR>8. "Take Me To the River" <BR>(Al Green) by Talking Heads <BR>A brilliant reconstruction -- a whole new song. <P><BR>9. "Nothing But Fine" <BR>(Rockin' Dopsie) by Rockpile <BR>Pure, clean rock 'n' roll that obliterates the zydeco roots. <P><BR>10. "Spanish Harlem" <BR>(Ben E. King) by Aretha Franklin <BR>In a close call over "I Say a Little Prayer" and "Respect," this one gets bonus points for Bernard Purdie's drumming, which is a revelation all in itself. (Amazingly, this track, which also features Donny Hathaway on organ and Cornell Dupree on guitar, was recorded the same day as "Rock Steady.") <P><BR>11. "Nutbush City Limits" <BR>(Tina Turner) by Bob Seger <BR>Even with the lame introduction and Detroit pandering, this live track just scorches. Better watch out for the po-lice, when you're pounding the dashboard, oblivious of the speed limit. <P><BR>12. "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" <BR>(Judy Garland/ Louis Armstrong) <BR>by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole <BR>Never has lyrical butchering sounded so gorgeous, uplifting, irresistible. <P><BR>13. "Twistin' the Night Away" <BR>(Sam Cooke) by Rod Stewart <BR>Just doing justice to a Sam Cooke song is impressive: snatching it from his cold, dead fingers and making it your own is almost miraculous. <P><BR>14. "Satisfaction" <BR>(Rolling Stones) by Devo <BR>This is where the Heads got the idea for "Take Me To the River." <P><BR>15. "Tears of a Clown" <BR>(Smokey Robinson) by English Beat <BR>The high-point of ska, before all the good groups started trying to get all arty like Lee Perry. <P><BR>16. "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" <BR>(Elvis Presley) by Travis Tritt <BR>Travis kicks Elvis' version all down the block. <P>17. "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" <BR>(John Prine) by Alabama 3 <BR>A kinda hippie techno thing with a marvelous harmonica break from the folks who brought us the "Sopranos" theme song. <P><BR>18. "Absolutely Sweet Marie" <BR>(Bob Dylan) <BR>by Jason and the Scorchers <BR>The only reason to own a Jason and the Scorchers album. <P><BR>19. "Get Rhythm" <BR>(Johnny Cash) by NRBQ <BR>For Al Anderson's guitar solo and a drum beat that pours the foundation. <P><BR>20. "Sweet Jane" <BR>(Velvet Underground) <BR>by Cowboy Junkies <BR>The Who stole the Velvets' riff for "Baba O'Riley," but Margo Timmins steals the song's inherent elegance and sprays that gutter clean. <P>21. "A Little Help From My Friends" <BR>(Beatles) by Joe Cocker <BR>As long as you don't have to look at him. <P><BR>22. "Any Way You Want It" <BR>(Dave Clark Five) by the Ramones <BR>It's heads. Tails and it was "Do You Wanna Dance?" <P><BR>23. "Move It On Over" <BR>(Hank Williams) <BR>by George Thorogood <BR>It's the late '70s, this comes on the radio and a whole generation of rock heads discovers there's more to Hank Williams than "Your Cheatin' Heart." <P><BR>24. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" <BR>(Bob Dylan) by Harry Nilsson <BR>and John Lennon <BR>The two drunkest men on the planet rip apart Dylan's wordy rewriting of Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business" and tape it back together as a tribal romp. <P><BR>25. "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" <BR>(Elvis Presley) by Bono of U2 <BR>"Honeymoon In Vegas" may have been a dog at the theaters, but the soundtrack is probably the best tribute album ever. Bono gets the nod over Bryan Ferry's "Are You Lonesome Tonight" and Dwight Yoakam's "Suspicious Minds" with the clever use of Elvis talking in the background and a cool vocal trick, where Bono starts the song with his lowest range and ends it in falsetto. <P><BR>26. "Runaway" <BR>(Del Shannon) by Bonnie Raitt <P>27. "My Way" <BR>(Frank Sinatra) by Sid Vicious <P>28. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" <BR>(Leadbelly) by Nirvana <P>29. "Let's Stick Together" <BR>(Wilbur Harrison) by Bryan Ferry <P>30. "Just Like Heaven" <BR>(the Cure) by Dinosaur Jr. <P>31. "Powderfinger" <BR>(Neil Young) by the Beat Farmers <P>32. "Light My Fire" <BR>(The Doors) by Jose Feliciano <P>33. "I Could Never Take the Place Of Your Man" <BR>(Prince) by Goo Goo Dolls <P>34. "Another Girl, Another Planet" <BR>(the Only Ones) by the Replacements <P>35. "Rock Island Line" <BR>(Leadbelly) by Little Richard and Fishbone <P>36. "Red Hot" <BR>(Billy Emerson) by Robert Gordon <P>37. "Cash On the Barrelhead" <BR>(Louvin Brothers) by Gram Parsons <P>38. "It's All In the Game" <BR>(Nat King Cole) by Freddy Fender <P>39. "I Am the Walrus" <BR>(Beatles) by Oasis <P>40. "You Really Got Me" <BR>(the Kinks) by Van Halen <P>41. "When You Were Mine" <BR>(Prince) by Mitch Ryder <P>42. "Blue Eyes Cryin' In the Rain" <BR>(Roy Acuff) by Willie Nelson <P>43. "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" <BR>(Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers) by the Heaters <P>44. "Take Me Home Country Roads" <BR>(John Denver) by Toots & the Maytals <P>45. "Steppin' Stone" <BR>(Monkees) by Minor Threat <P>46. "There Stands the Glass" <BR>(Webb Pierce) by Ted Hawkins <P>47. "Solitaire" <BR>(Neil Sedaka) by Jane Olivor <P>48. "To Daddy" <BR>(Dolly Parton) by Emmylou Harris <P>49. "Carmelita" <BR>(Warren Zevon) by Flaco Jimenez and Dwight Yoakam <P>50. "Working Class Hero" <BR>(John Lennon) by Marianne Faithful <P> <A HREF="http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/thursday/xlent_1.html" TARGET=_blank>
http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/thursday/xlent_1.html[/url] <p>[This message has been edited by ggw (edited 01-31-2003).]
