ThaBombShelter UnderCover Day One: Retro Stylin'

Hello all, and Merry XXX-Mas from ThaBombShelter. I'm finally ready to unveil my XXX-Mas gift to the world wide webbernets. This first day will require a bit of an explanation, so that's how we'll start.

You see, a few weeks ago I was listening to my library on shuffle when I stumbled upon a song that I had never heard, but that was incredibly familiar. That song was "Strangers" as performed by Piebald, from their latest disc, "Accidental Gentlemen". The reason it was familiar was because of the original song's recent inclusion on the Darjeeling Limited soundtrack and my subsequent discovery of The Kinks as a whole. This got me thinking about how many cover songs I have on my computer (about 100 or so, by my count), and then it got me thinking about how fun it would be share them with all of you out there, which is how ThaBombShelter's UnderCover week began. Some of you may remember XXX-Mas week from last year, which I had a ton of fun putting together, but I didn't want to duplicate it two years in a row. For one thing, I didn't really come across too much new XXX-Mas music in this intervening year, but also because simply, it's been done. So I figured rather than rehashing the same stuff I posted last year, why not post a bunch of fun covers, a new set each night of the week, kind of an UnderCover Advent Calendar of sorts. Each night will have a theme, and tonight's theme is, "Retro Stylin' "

I mainly collect just the cover versions, but I think what will set my XXX-Mas gift apart from loads of other covers lists (Dodge over at MOKB and Liza at Copy, Right?) is that I managed to get copies of the originals (or as original as I could get) to go side by side with the covers. This way, you can be the judge as to which is better (I'll address which ones I prefer later in the week, I promise).

Anyway, here's the first batch, "Retro Stylin' " (in alphabetical order)

"54-46 Was My Number" Toots and the Maytals
"54-46/Ball and Chain" Sublime

This is one of many songs I didn't know was a cover song before I met Emily. She's a big Toots fan, and when the Sublime version came up in shuffle one day, she taught me the origins of this great song from my High School years (I unashamedly love Sublime. "40 oz to Freedom" and their self-titled album are so intimately tied to my coming of age, it's impossible for me to separate them from growing up.)

"Comfortably Numb" Pink Floyd
"Comfortably Numb" Scissor Sisters

Pothead idols covered by a big gay circus band, quite an interesting take, that's for sure (but certainly loads of fun!)

"Crimson and Clover" Tommy James and the Shondells
"Crimson and Clover" The Pretenders
"Crimson and Clover" Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Thanks, Anonymous!

I first heard this song when OK Go played it way back in 2001 or 2002 when they opened for They Might Be Giants. After the show (and much Googling), I tracked down the song (and just recently I found it on Vinyl, SCORE!). It's since become one of my favorite songs of all time.

"Freebird" Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Freebird" Tally Hall

You know, I really liked Tally Hall when I first heard "Banana Man", but when I heard that they regularly cover "Freebird" at shows, I almost cried. I'll admit, I'm that guy, you know, the one that shouts for "Freebird" at every concert. I'm not ashamed, and to be honest, if I ever actually hear it, I promise I'll stop asking. In the meantime, I'll just listen to Tally Hall's spot on cover of the rock n' roll classic.

"A Minha Menina" Os Mutantes
"A Minha Menina" The Bees

This was one of those "A-ha!" moments, when I heard Os Mutantes playing the original version, months after I had first heard The Bees' version. That's one of the things I love most about covers: the joy of discovery when you realize a tune is a cover. Love it!

"Ring Them Bells" Bob Dylan
"Ring Them Bells" Sufjan Stevens

Here's a perfect example of the cover being better than the original. I'm sorry, I've tried to get into Bob Dylan, but I just can't listen to him sing. That's one reason why the "I'm Not There" soundtrack is so f-ing amazing, so many great artists all improving his songs. Sufjan's take on "Ring Them Bells" is just epic.

"Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)" Bob Dylan
"Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)" Willie Nelson and Calexico

I mean come on, Willie Nelson AND Calexico, how could that not be fucking great?

"Song for my Father" Horace Silver
"Song for my Father" Madlib

Madlib's trip through the Blue Note back catalog sparked my interest in jazz, and his take on "Song for my Father" was particularly good, putting me on the hunt for my first jazz record ever.

"Venus in Furs" The Velvet Underground
"Vegan in Furs" Of Montreal
"Venus in Furs" Devotchka

Devotchka's version, from their EP, "Curse Your Little Heart", is easily one of the better cover songs I've ever heard, and all of these versions are great.

Many thanks to all of the blogs and friends etc that allowed me to track down the originals to match my covers.