The question is, why?
Why risk destroying a perfectly decent song?
Are our precious talents running out of ideas for new songs,
or talent for that matter?
Could it be writer's block?
Are cover songs a form of distraction for the bands procrastinating their new material?
Or is it simply a form of mockery?
This is open to interpretation.
Truth be told, it is not easy to make a cover song that’s worth listening to. If a listener has made up his or her mind about a particular song, it is difficult to change ones perceptive. This is especially true if the song chosen is one that is popular, or one that is done by an artist/band with a large and rather aggressively protective fan base.
Take for instance, the song “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones. I was browsing videos on YouTube and came across the highly talented, Jason Mraz, doing a cover of that song on “Smash for Yahoo! Music”. For the record, I happen to be a Ramones fan. But Jason’s full on acoustic rendition of the song really made an impact on me. It was…different. I felt he did a great job making the song, his own. (A phrase way overused by the judges at "X-Factor" but hey, it still holds powerful meaning behind it.) However, majority of the youtubers on the comment space just down right hated it. There, I found myself fighting, cyber style, for my Mr. A-Z, later on figuring that my efforts would all be a waste of finger strength. Mraz’s attempt to be ORIGINAL made Ramones fans absolutely furious and saw it as an attack or some kind of mockery. Like as if originality was a mortal sin. But hey ho, as I mentioned earlier, if a listener feels strongly for the song or band, no matter how good someone’s cover of a song is, it will never be as good as the original. Call it biased, or closed-mindedness, everyone has the right to defend their beliefs. Hey, it's nothing personal. It's just music.
On the other hand, some covers are so beautifully done, that you just refuse to digest the fact that the artist did not originally write the song. That the oh-so-lovely melody and every lyric sung by your favourite front man/woman, was not in fact theirs. Some artists have had the ability to turn an unknown song into a total classic.
And then there is the ever famous punk rock covers. This involves punk rock/pop punk bands remaking popular songs that you would have never thought would sound good, as a rock song. Case in point the song, “Umbrella”, originally by R&B singer Rihanna. About 4 punk/hardcore/rock bands have covered this song. My personal favourite would be Vanilla Sky’s rendition, despite the incredibly disturbing music video.
With increasing demands for compilation albums like “Pop goes Punk”, my spidey senses tell me that it will be awhile until cover songs run out in style. As long as musicians and writers exist to write more hit records, there will simultaneously be an army of bands, who are ready to make a hit cover out of another hit single.
* Umbrella - Vanilla Sky, Lillasyter (originally by Rihanna)
* Kiss me - New Found Glory ( originally by Sixpence None The Richer )
* Summer Of '69 - MXPX( originally by Bryan Adams )
* Holy Diver - Killswitch Engage ( originally by DIO )
* Walk - Avenged Sevenfold ( originally by Pantera )
* To Be With You - Allister ( originally by Mr. Big )
* Mercy - OneRepublic ( originally by Duffy )
* Eyeless - Bring Me The Horizon ( originally by Slipknot )
* Strangers In The Night - Cake ( originally by Frank Sinatra )
* Born In A Casket - Dying Fetus( originally by Slipknot )
* Ring Of Fire - Social Distortion ( originally by Johnny Cash )
* Dancing With Myself - The Donnas ( originally by Billy Idol )
* Die Die My Darling - Metallica,Aiden ( originally by Misfits )
* Sweet Dreams - Marilyn Manson ( originally by Eurythimics )
* My Way - Sid Vicious ( originally by Frank Sinatra )
* You Give Love A Bad Name - Atreyu ( originally by Bon Jovi )
* Master Of Puppets - Trivium ( originally by Metallica )
* Hero - Paramore ( originally by Foo Fighters )
* Beat It - Fall Out Boy feat John Mayer ( originally by Micheal Jackson )
