BAD COVER VERSION 013: I CAN’T SLEEP AT NIGHT

[defrog]

Resuming our coverage of the ongoing battle of cover songs vs originals.

Previously on Bad Cover Version:

Van Halen successfully defended its seminal song “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” against punk legends Minutemen. Ironically, one of Van Halen’s initial hits was a cover song as well, and in fact they released at least three singles in their Diamond Dave heyday that were covers – two of them by the same band. So Van Halen may be hard to cover, but how are they at covers themselves?

THE SONG: “You Really Got Me”

THE ORIGINAL: The Kinks

COMMENTS: Not only their breakthrough hit, but it’s also the song that basically invented rock music as you know it, what with its power chords and everything. Note also the last 45 seconds of the video – without the Kinks, THAT would be yr entertainment option today.

THE COVER: Van Halen

COMMENTS: It says a lot that this song not only broke The Kinks, but Van Halen as well. It also says a lot that Van Halen is the only band ever to make it their own hit single. Given that they take all the elements of the song and turn them up to 11, you can see why.

WINNER: Opinions will differ, but personally I’m giving this one to the Kinks – partly because they wrote a blueprint song and paved the way for Van Halen, and partly because their version charted higher. Sometimes numbers do matter.

FUN FACT: One of the great Rock’n’Roll Myths is that the solo on the Kinks version was actually played by Jimmy Page, not Dave Davies. It’s not true.

PRODUCTION NOTE: I’ll probably get to the other Van Halen covers eventually, but after two Van Halen episodes, it’s time to move on for a bit.

Next week: Austrian pop legend vs former prog-rock band!

Don’t ever set me free,

This is dF

Comments

[lorilori.livejournal.com]

Austrian pop legend vs former prog-rock band!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falco_(musician)?

[def-fr0g-42.livejournal.com]

Not to give it away or anything, but how many Austrian pop legends are there, exactly?

[lorilori.livejournal.com]

[bedsitter23.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with your summary, mainly because I am a bigger Kinks than VH fan, and that "YRGM" is pretty much one of the definitve rock songs, and as you said, it is the birth of hard rock.

I do give credit, though the VH made the song their own. That says something, so credit to them.