Trav's Thoughts

Y'all know what a cover tune is, right?  Some covers go disastrously wrong.  Some are every bit as good as the original.  A few even surpass the original.

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite cover tunes for Set 123.  You up for it?

Enjoy!

I Can Hear Music is one of my all time favorite songs.  It was written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector.  It was originally released to little fanfare in 1966 by The Ronettes.  I much prefer the 1969 cover by The Beach Boys, with the late Carl Wilson's pure lead vocal and the excellent a cappella harmony toward the end.  The performance is from 1996, and Carl died of cancer just two years later.


Somebody That I Used to Know has been all over the place this year.  The song was written by Wally deBecker and Luiz Bonfa, released in 2011 by Gotye and featuring Kimbra.  The song made no impression on me the first time I heard it performed by Gotye.  Since then, I've heard it performed by so many different artists, that I've decided I like it.  This cover is by Pentatonix, and is my favorite version of the tune.


Mad World is a song written by Roland Orzabal, originally released by Tears for Fears in 1982.  I thought it was a great pop song at the time.  Then I heard the cover by Gary Jules, and I thought it was a haunting commentary on society.  Then I heard Adam Lambert cover the Gary Jules cover, and that became my favorite version of the tune.


With a Little Help from My Friends is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, originally released by The Beatles in 1967.  Of course it's a fantastic song featuring Ringo on vocals.  Equally fantastic is Joe Cocker's soulful cover.


I think it's safe to say that Over the Rainbow, music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by EY Harburg, has been covered about a bazillion times.  There have been very few covers that I haven't liked.  It all started in 1939 with Judy Garland's signature rendition in Wizard of Oz.  The cover I have for you today is from the late Eva Cassidy, recorded in 1992.


If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines:

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.
2. Go to Playlist.com to make your Set of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the Set, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.
2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.
3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.
4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.


Go forth and enjoy music!