El Monko and Son
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I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Shatner's version is superior to Dylan's and the Byrds. I think he is the only one who really got it.
"Sentimental Lady" by Fleetwood Mac "Black Magic Woman" by Fleetwood Mac "Lotta Love" by Neil Young "Mama Told Me Not to Come" by Randy Newman "Without You" by Badfinger "Strawberry Letter 23" by Sugie Otis "Respect" by Otis Redding
More to come, I'm sure.
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Ah some great ones there. Badfinger never get the recognition they deserve (Or deserved) very sad story if you look into it. Amazing to think that two other people had hits with this and yet very few people know who wrote it.
I'd be interested to see you list which versions you have heard?
Good post
CF
Well, the popular releases were by French Kiss, Santana, Nicolette Larson, Three Dog Night, Nilsson, The Brothers Johnson and Aretha Somebodyorother, respectively. I can't say I am familar with any other versions out there (although I feel a vague possibility that Bob Welch did a solo version of Sentimental Lady), and so I don't even know the second artist to hit with Without You that you speak of.
And on the subject of Badfinger, it came down to a fight between them and Skynard for the "hardest luck band of all time" post I did a few months ago. I went with Badfinger. Just got "Head First" this weekend, and so far it is quite awesome.
Over the years I've been shocked at the number of songs I thought were originals. "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell comes to mind....I know there's more but I can't think right now.
In retrospect, it was a Herculean undertaking. Making a six-hour drive with a four-year-old; attending an eight-hour concert the following day; running around San Francisco the following day; driving home the day after that. But, we did it. And damn, it was worth it. Not only is my son's life no longer bereft of concertgoing experience, but he has seen more top-line acts than most people twice his age.
This show puts Neil Young squarely behind the Dead family (and Phil in particular)on my concert leader board (GD six, one for "The Dead," and two for Phil and Friends, putting Phil at a personal total of nine)at six shows. Each of these shows has been different, too, as I have seen him with Crazy Horse, with Booker T and the MG's, with CSNY and solo acoustic. This show, however, was with an acoustic band, and, I was actually stunned by how great it was. I only recognized three songs, but the new stuff was better than any new songs I've heard since "Sleeps With Angels," including a mesmerizing fifteen minute jam on "The Way." All my companions agreed, as well, that Neil is in the best vocal fitness of his life. The pinch of gravel and ton of soul his age has added make his delivery on the slower tunes absolutely hypnotic.
Speaking of which, I saw Tom Waits. Holy Crap. And he was even better than I imagined. The tragic injustice of a showman of his calibre refusing to tour is truly incomprehensible. But screw it, I saw him, backed by the Kronos Quartet. I think Mrs. El Monko and Son actually cried.
Jerry Lee Lewis no longer moves any part of his body but his hands, but that was enough. Strangely, he played more Chuck Berry tunes than Jerry Lee tunes, but he still did Great Balls of Fire and Whole Lotta Shakin'. He has clearly lost a step or two, but not so much that he can't still knock his bench over. Anyway, it was good fun, and awesome to be in the presence of one of the four original cornerstones of rock.
John Mayer was also better than I thought he would be. Pretty soulful, really.
Regina Spektor was cool, although, to be honest, by the time she left, I was ready for her to go. A bit samey, and a bit staid for a crowd of thirty thousand. Basically same for My Morning Jacket, who filled in for the tragically absent Eddie Vedder and Flea (the Boy kept asking when the rock was going to start...).
Tegan and Sara, well, probably the less said, the better.
The rock started just after eight when Metallica took the stage. My friend James and I were trying to guess their opener, but they stumped us good. As James said, "I would have gone through about 14,000 songs before I got to 'I Just Want To Celebrate Another Day of Living.'" Their mood was downright buoyant, a far cry from the frightening vibe when I saw them in 89 and Hetfield was directing the crowd to abuse people who were sitting down. The next few tunes, "Veteran of the Psychic Wars," "Brothers in Arms" and "Don't Judas Me," definitely threw the crowd for a loop. A few were great (Celebrate, Judas), some were not (Brothers, Veteran), but by that point, someone was shouting "play something I can't download for free!" Hetfield then promised to "cover a band called Metallica," and they did a pretty good impression.
Highpoint moments:
Tom Waits: "Why don't shrimp and lobsters give to charity? They're shellfish."
Jerry Lee: "You ain't got nothin,' you ain't gonna get nothin'."
Hetfield coming onstage and addressing the crowd with a gleeful, chipper, falsetto "hello!"
Playing "fireball" with my son (he hits me with a Nerf football, I fall down)
Trader Joe's Blue Cheese Walnut Spread, washed down with the Jaegermeister that had been perfectly warmed by its stadiumward ride inside my right sock.
Low points:
Twelve dollar beer
Tegan and Sara
The guy who jumped in front of my car on the highway when I was doing seventy on the ride home. I was about six inches from killing a guy. Hooray for sobriety (by then)!
Well, I guess that is about it. I hate to end on a dower, so I'll just borrow this from Emo Phillips real quick.
What's the difference between a bowl of chili, and a urologist?
One is hot and spicy, and the other examines your urine.
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Tom Waits with the Kronos Quartet . . . holy fucking shit! (Turning green from envy...)
MOGs That Trust Me (8 of 70)
MOG Meter
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You can smell blood, can't you.... {http://mog.com/blog_post/view/165376#comment-621192}
Uh, that's quite a limb you're on there. I prefer the Byrds version myself. Although, I would support that argument for Shatner's version of "Rocket Man". Now that is high comedy.
Shatner really interpreted it in an interesting way....his Mr. Tambourine Man was more sinister and darker, with an agenda.