Beech Tree News Network

I’m always interested in other artists’ take on a song.  It’s sometimes iffy.  You don’t know if it’s going to be good or bad.  I get a lot of these covers, the ones of which I wasn’t aware, from Michael De Barres Daily Doubletake on Little Steven’s Underground Garage-Sirius XM channel 21.  For instance, I figured “Daddy Rolling Stone” by the Who was a Who original.  Wrong.  John Davenport(stage name Otis Blackwell) recorded the song as a 78 RPM in 1954.  The Who released their cover of the song in 1965.  As with many songs, there are several other covers.  For example, and most notably, Bob Dylan covered the song in 1970. 

Let’s continue with a couple of Hendrix covers.  “Voodoo Chile(Slight Return)” might be Jimi’s most famous song. The song was released in 1968.  It was a single in the U.K in 1970.  The song was developed from “Voodoo Chile, recorded May 2, 1968 during a studio jam with Steve Winwood on organ and Jack Casady on bass.  The B side was “Hey Joe” and “All Along The Watchtower”.  Pretty good, huh? Stevie Ray Vaughan’s cover of “Voodoo Chile(Slight Return) for his 1986 Live Alive album.  I love both versions.  I couldn’t pick if you asked me.  Luckily, it’s not necessary. 

Another Hendrix cover is “Bold As Love”.  Jimi recorded the song Axis: Bold As Love was an album by Jimi Hendrix released December 1, 1967.  John Mayer covered the song for his 2006 Continuum album.  I can never go against Hendrix but John’s version is pretty good.

“Blinded By The Light” was a 1973 Bruce Springsteen song.  He wrote it as well.  Bruce’s version was commercially unsuccessful and didn’t appear on any charts.  Travelling forward just a few years to 1977 and the cover by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.  Mann’s version went to #1.  By the way, Manfred is a DJ on LSUG. 

I’ll wrap up with a couple of 1973 songs.  Dylan wrote and recorded “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” that year.  He wrote it for the film Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid.  The song reached #12.  Clapton’s version two years later reached #38.  In 1990, Guns N Roses recorded a version for the Days Of Thunder soundtrack.  Their version reached #18.  Though it would later peak at #2 for GNR in the U.K. 

I’ve got more but I’ll likely do something else next week.  Wouldn’t want to burn out on the subject.