BAD COVER VERSION #71: WITH THE RADIO ON
Mar. 2nd, 2020 10:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
defrogPreviously on Bad Cover Version:
I neglected to mention that one of the covers in that project was Joan Jett covering “Science Fiction/Double Feature” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Which reminded me that I really ought to do a BCV episode about Jett at some point, because she’s no stranger to cover versions.
In fact, she’s built her career on them. Her breakthrough hit song “I Love Rock’n’Roll” was a cover originally recorded by UK band Arrows in 1975. And in fact, many of her hit singles during the 80s were cover songs – “Crimson and Clover”, “Everyday People”, “Do Ya Wanna Touch”, “Summertime Blues”, “I Love You Love Me”, etc.
So basically I'm spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a track for this post (apart from the above track), and of course I’m tempted to pick something less known – I’ve always liked her version of CCR’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”, which is about as straightforward as it gets but I really think it works. (It’s from her 1990 covers album The Hit List, which is ironically disappointing, mainly due to lacklustre production – “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” is one of the few good tracks on it.)
Anyway, I’m going to go with her take on the Modern Lovers’ “Roadrunner”, which benefits greatly from two things Joan brings to the table: (1) it’s louder and (2) her enthusiasm during the spoken word bits. She sounds like someone truly in love with the modern world.
Listen.
BONUS MATERIAL: Joan Jett actually played Columbia in the 2001 Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you know. You can see a bit of that here.
In love with the modern world,
This is dF
I have said harsh things about Spotify and I stand by them. But occasionally its recommendation engine sends me something delightful – like Shonen Knife doing a cover of Weird Al Yankovic’s parody of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”.
Even better, it’s part of a Dr Demento project called “Covered In Punk”, which came out last year completely under my radar – I didn’t even know of its existence until Spotify hipped me to it.
Even better, it’s part of a Dr Demento project called “Covered In Punk”, which came out last year completely under my radar – I didn’t even know of its existence until Spotify hipped me to it.
I neglected to mention that one of the covers in that project was Joan Jett covering “Science Fiction/Double Feature” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Which reminded me that I really ought to do a BCV episode about Jett at some point, because she’s no stranger to cover versions.
In fact, she’s built her career on them. Her breakthrough hit song “I Love Rock’n’Roll” was a cover originally recorded by UK band Arrows in 1975. And in fact, many of her hit singles during the 80s were cover songs – “Crimson and Clover”, “Everyday People”, “Do Ya Wanna Touch”, “Summertime Blues”, “I Love You Love Me”, etc.
So basically I'm spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a track for this post (apart from the above track), and of course I’m tempted to pick something less known – I’ve always liked her version of CCR’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”, which is about as straightforward as it gets but I really think it works. (It’s from her 1990 covers album The Hit List, which is ironically disappointing, mainly due to lacklustre production – “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” is one of the few good tracks on it.)
Anyway, I’m going to go with her take on the Modern Lovers’ “Roadrunner”, which benefits greatly from two things Joan brings to the table: (1) it’s louder and (2) her enthusiasm during the spoken word bits. She sounds like someone truly in love with the modern world.
Listen.
BONUS MATERIAL: Joan Jett actually played Columbia in the 2001 Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you know. You can see a bit of that here.
In love with the modern world,
This is dF
