BAD COVER VERSION 010: A FUNNY KIND OF YELLOW

[defrog]

Continuing our weekly coverage of cover songs through the ages, this week’s entry is a classic piece of bubblegum psychedelica from a band not really known for psychedelic music. Either way, it was their first single, and while they would go on to be institutions in the British pub-rock scene, it would end up being their only hit in the US.

THE SONG: “Pictures of Matchstick Men”

THE ORIGINAL: Status Quo

COMMENTS: It’s decent pop-psychedelic rock, but I’ve never gotten much out of the SQ version – I think it’s that lead guitar riff. It just sounds off to me.

THE COVER: Camper Van Beethoven

COMMENTS: Replace the wonky guitar riff with a violin, and it’s a big improvement. It’s an interesting choice of cover for CVB, and even more interesting that they play it relatively straight instead of turning it into a ska or polka number as they used to do to punk songs in their live shows.

WINNER: Camper  Van Beethoven by a mile. UK music fans might disagree, but I think CVB successfully pwned the song for themselves.

PRODUCTION NOTE: I was going to pit CVB against the Ozzy Osbourne/Type O Negative version of the song, but I didn’t want to waste yr time or yr bandwidth.

Next week: The Tubes vs Nina Hagen!

You make men cry,

This is dF