Sweet Jane and friends
Wanna know why I think Cowboy Junkies' cover of "Sweet Jane" is better than The Velvet Underground's? Trot on over to Good Hodgkins for another collaborative post, this time on covers that outperform the original. (I am not afraid of disagreement. Bring it on!)
In addition to the tracks posted over there, I've got some prime extras: an earlier VU version that predates Loaded, Mott The Hoople's 1972 cover and a live cover from Gang of Four. If you listen closely, you'll hear Jon King and, I'm guessing here, Andy Gill, screw up the lyrics: "children always blink their eyes." Heh.
Sweet Jane (early version) - The Velvet Underground
Sweet Jane - Mott The Hoople
Sweet Jane - Gang of Four
Around the Web:
Can You See the Sunset From the Southside has listed his favorite songs of 2006 so far.
No Frontin', which for my money always has the best links (plus impeccable taste in music), points us to thoughtful articles from The Chronicle of Higher Education on "guy lit" (as opposed to the appalling chick lit genre) and, from The Guardian, a dissection of German humor. Apparently it exists.
The New York Times Book Review's food issue is out, and includes an excellent roundtable of food world luminaries on favorite out-of-print cookbooks. (Registration required.)
Also in Times Books, the best American novel of the last 25 years debate rages on. For the record, I don't have a problem with Beloved at number one. But does there have to be so much Philip Roth on the list?
Dusted's "Listed" series is one I love, but always forget to check. These are some of the good ones we've missed over the last few months: Eleventh Dream Day, Vetiver and Beirut.
Muzzle of Bees is running a series on summer songs.
If I had to submit something to the summer song sweepstakes, it would be this infectious number from power-pop band The Swims. That rave-up chorus! Those falsetto harmonies! Bliss.
We Need Lava - The Swims
From Ride of the Blueberry Winter (Prison Jazz Records)
In addition to the tracks posted over there, I've got some prime extras: an earlier VU version that predates Loaded, Mott The Hoople's 1972 cover and a live cover from Gang of Four. If you listen closely, you'll hear Jon King and, I'm guessing here, Andy Gill, screw up the lyrics: "children always blink their eyes." Heh.
Sweet Jane (early version) - The Velvet Underground
Sweet Jane - Mott The Hoople
Sweet Jane - Gang of Four
Around the Web:
Can You See the Sunset From the Southside has listed his favorite songs of 2006 so far.
No Frontin', which for my money always has the best links (plus impeccable taste in music), points us to thoughtful articles from The Chronicle of Higher Education on "guy lit" (as opposed to the appalling chick lit genre) and, from The Guardian, a dissection of German humor. Apparently it exists.
The New York Times Book Review's food issue is out, and includes an excellent roundtable of food world luminaries on favorite out-of-print cookbooks. (Registration required.)
Also in Times Books, the best American novel of the last 25 years debate rages on. For the record, I don't have a problem with Beloved at number one. But does there have to be so much Philip Roth on the list?
Dusted's "Listed" series is one I love, but always forget to check. These are some of the good ones we've missed over the last few months: Eleventh Dream Day, Vetiver and Beirut.
Muzzle of Bees is running a series on summer songs.
If I had to submit something to the summer song sweepstakes, it would be this infectious number from power-pop band The Swims. That rave-up chorus! Those falsetto harmonies! Bliss.
We Need Lava - The Swims
From Ride of the Blueberry Winter (Prison Jazz Records)
posted by Amy at 10:00 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
What about the 2 Nice Girls version that combines Sweet Jane with Joan Armatrading's Love and Affection? The result is, surprisingly, the favourite song of all time of my punk rocker mate Jonno.
Geez that was nice, thanks! I get a lot of my links from Arts & Letters Daily...just have to rummage through the dude's neo-conservative leanings.
Has anybody else noticed that Cake's "Short Skirt / Long Jacket" is a blatant rip-off of Sweet Jane, chord-wise?
CTM: Would be interested in hearing the 2 Nice Girls track if you care to send to me.
NF: Ok, now that I know your secret, I'll never be back :)
Anon: Unfamiliar with Cake, but I've heard that Sweet Jane riff ripped off many times, so it wouldn't surprise me at all.
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