I love cover versions! You may or may not know this :) Certainly, if you've heard about my project "Top Secret" then you know that! lol
Anyway, here are some of my favourite metal related cover songs:
Judas Priest - Cover of "The Green Manalishi (with the Two Pronged Crown)". Originally done by Fleetwood Mac.
This is a prime example of when a band takes a song and makes it their own. It keeps the essence of the original while owning it. They had enough respect for where the song was coming from to turn it towards their fans in a way that they would love and accept, so much so that many people don't realise it's a cover and can slip in to a Judas Priest live set at any time.
Please note ... this is a track by Fleetwood Mac when they were an amazing bluesy band and not commercial whores ;0)
Five Finger Death Punch - Cover of "Bad Company". Originally done by Bad Company
This is almost the polar opposite of the Judas Priest cover above, while still sticking to the same reasons I like it. They haven't really changed the arrangement/feel in any great way, but did it in their tone/sounds ... and for this song it works perfectly! It's still very much recognisable and the Bad Company original, but the version just works!
Kurt Nilsen - Cover of "Crazy Crazy Nights". Originally done by KISS
This is one of my all time favourite covers! It takes a great song, turns it on it's head ans makes it sound more than the original composers could have imagined. If I could do a cover half as good as this I wouldn't be sitting here giving my opinion on someone else doing it!
Skindred - Cover of "Electric Avenue". Originally done by Eddy Grant.
One of my newest favourite bands is Skindred! Brilliant stuff coming from them!
I remember growing up and my mum had a 7" of Eddy Grant's "Gimme Hope Jo'anna". I can't remember if the b-side was this or "Say Hello to Fidel", but I just remember loving his voice. "Electric Avenue" has always been one of the songs I can't skip.
Again, this is a straight cover but in the style of the covering band. I would love to hear Eddy's opinion on it. Benjis swagger comes though in this so well :0)
Killswitch Engage - Cover of "Holy Diver". Originally done by Dio.
This was a tough one. Not that the cover was tough to put in, but because there is more than one really good cover of this song. With this list I have taken the rule of mix tapes that my mate Wob drilled in to me. No mix tape should have more than one song by the same artist. For me, this list should have no more that one version of the same song. Ryan Adams almost made it, but the Killswitch Engage version just has so many memories for me and had such an immediate impact that I'm sure Ronnie loved it.
There's 5 for you. I'll post more another time :0)
Ross
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