Earworm

Published on 30/08/2024.

I was recently rewatching How I Met Your Mother, and one of the joke set-ups of the season-six episode Architect of Destruction was the character of Barney obnoxiously claiming that ‘new is always better.’ Whilst this frivolous absolutism was played off for humour – expertly delivered by Neil Patrick Harris, mind you – it got me thinking about the doctrine to which a majority of people seem to subscribe: that nothing beats the original. Is that always true, especially in music?

There have been thousands, of covers, remixes, and reinterpretations of songs over the history of music, but are there any notable versions out there where the newer version has blown the old one out of the water? I thought for this week’s suggested playlist that I would explore my top five cover songs and give a little credit to the artists that were able to reimagine classic tunes.

Suggested Music Listening

1. Twist and Shout – The Beatles
2. I’d Rather Go Blind – Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa
3. You Need Loving – Small Faces
4. Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
5. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Guns N’ Roses

Twist and Shout

Whether you picture Matthew Broderick’s eponymous character dancing on a Chicago parade float in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or adoring fans screaming up the Ed Sullivan Show for The Beatles, the joy of this classic rendition is sure to come flooding back. This was the song that first started my obsession with The Beatles’ music, and it was only a year or two after discovering it that I realised it was a cover – despite even hearing both The Top Notes’ and The Isley Brothers’ versions prior to my epiphany.

The Beatles’ Twist and Shout has an incredible backstory to it, given that it was their first single to reach a top-20 position on the Billboard Hot 100 and it was all recorded in one take, with John Lennon’s raspy vocal after a 12-hour recording session for the album Please Please Me now being iconic.

I’d Rather Go Blind

Etta James’s 1967 soul hit I’d Rather Go Blind is a musical and lyrical paragon that shows off Ms James’s tremendous vocal abilities. I dare say for me, however, that the original composition is eclipsed by a stunning recording by Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa from their 2011 covers album Don’t Explain – in fact, it is the primary version to which I listen nowadays.

Beth Hart has an unmatched tone of sincerity in the quiet sections before she proves what a belter of a voice she has when the song reaches its climax. This, combined with Bonamassa’s sweet bluesy licks that leave the listener aurally drooling, is enough to make this cover a modern classic. There is also a fantastic live version of Beth Hart giving I’d Rather Go Blind some real welly, accompanied by Jeff Beck, from the 2012 Kenny Center Honors concert for Buddy Guy.

You Need Loving

You need cooling
And baby, I’m not fooling.
I’m gonna send you right back to school, all right!

Anybody that knows Led Zeppelin’s Whote Lotta Love will automatically know the lyrics to this one. That is because the first track from Led Zeppelin II is actually a reinterpretation of Small Faces’ song You Need Loving – which is in itself a cover of a cover. That is a lot of musical re-creation to consider!

Whilst the Steve Marriott-fronted band may be more known for teeny-bop hits such as 1967’s Itchycoo Park, Small Faces were already smashing out rock and roll ragers like You Need Loving on their debut album from a year before. The song itself was originally released by Willie Dixon, but it was Muddy Waters’ version that inspired the London lads to commit their translation of the song to musical history. The band’s version became so popular for its punchy guitar and Steve Marriott’s gruff vocals that the lead singer is quoted as saying it became ‘[their] opening number for all the years [Small Faces] were together.’

Hallelujah

It is odd to think, given the mass acclaim of Hallelujah in today’s world, that Leonard Cohen’s 1984 magnus opus was somewhat of a flop upon release – or at least did not enjoy the success it does today. The song picked up popularity in 1991 thanks to a cover by John Cale – a version the younger generations may remember from Shrek – but I would argue that the best version by far comes from Californian Jeff Buckley on his 1994 album Grace.

We may only have the one studio album from Mr Buckley due to his tragic early death by drowning at the age of 30, but Grace gave us so much from an incredible musician, with Hallelujah being a highlight. His nimble yet powerful vocal echoes in haunting beauty over the soft arpeggios, and this almost seven-minute rendition seems to cut to your very soul. Buckley’s recording is in fact so well admired that it made Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004) in 264^th position.

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

I have to admit that Eric Clapton’s 1975 reggae-inspired twist on Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door is actually my current favourite – pause for dramatic effect! Furthermore, it was a toss-up between this song and another fantastic GNR cover also from 1991, Live and Let Die. Listening to both again though, I had to go with Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.

The childhood memories of this version alone always make me smile: singing this with my mates at the top of our lungs from the warmth of my Mum’s car whilst all of the other Scouts at some sunrise ceremony otherwise forgotten froze outside. It is the reason that Guns N’ Roses’ Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door had to make the list, because as much as it is a tantalising tune in itself, it also still speaks to people; and whether it is mimicking Axl Rose’s signature shriek or giving it the ol’ Slash air guitar, I challenge anyone to try not to get involved when this song plays.

Written by Lewis Brown.