I’m not such a dogmatic old fart that I can’t occaisonally dig hearing a 3-minute rock ‘n roll chestnut elongated to an epic rock jam of some degree, but the era of Festival Rock coupled with excursions into The Power and Glory of Rock ‘n Roll kicked off a spate of these overblown, drawn-out cover jams. The bombast of The Who‘s version of “Summertime Blues” actually holds up over the course of its extended sections, but the Dead’s epic butchering of “Not Fade Away” and Quicksilver Messenger Service‘s similar drawing and quartering of “Who Do You Love” spring to mind when I think of cover versions of songs that have no business being longer than 3 minutes. The other night a Townsman dropped a jump drive’s worth of hairy rock obscurities on me. I’m just digging into these treats, and I’m trying to determine whether a 6:30 version of “You Can’t Judge a Book By the Cover” by Cactus has any business being committed to wax. It’s sure got the necessary bombast to even make it worth accepting!
While you’re thinking of covers that have no business being more than 3 minutes in length as well as those rare instances that justify the additional jamming, let me know what side of the ledger you place Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s version of “Suzy Q.”
I suggest we leave Vanilla Fudge out of this discussion.
I don’t know abut Suzy Q, but I do come down on the positive side for CCR’s Heard It Through the Grapevine.
I will come back to that 15+ minute long Dead cover of Dancing In The Streets, which I think I mentioned here before when I heard it twice in less than a week, and led to me confronting an otherwise innocent Deadhead friend.
Re: Vanilla Fudge and completely unnecessary, long covers…when is someone going to cover Season of the Witch and follow up on the “beatniks are out to make it rich”/”hippies are out to make it rich” change? Was there really no ’90s cover with “slackers are out to make it rich”?
John Lennon’s Rock And Roll album seems to be full of these, You Can’t Catch Me takes forever.
Mod, I am pretty damn sure I am found the worst offender here: Marilyn Manson. Someone has to get to this guy and tell him that slowing down a well known pop song and trying to sing “creepy” isn’t working. He simply will not stop doing it and the songs take forever.
See: “Tainted Love” “Iron Man” “The KKK took my baby away” “I Put a Spell on You” “Another Brick in the Wall” “Sweet Dreams are made of this” “Highway to Hell”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vB8jvDO0wA
Man, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Marilyn Manson song. I had no idea he trafficked in these kinds of covers.
Even though I really like it alot, perhaps others will agree with this suggestion:
Yes’s cover of Simon and Garfunkle’s “America.”
Depending on your tastes, it either has endless, unnecessary noodling, and ponderous additions to the song, or it’s a great jam.
I greatly prefer the Yes version of that S&G stinker. Does anyone think the original even has business doing business?
Oh man, I cannot stand that Yes cover. It’s everything I hate about prog in one nine-hour package. I’m fine with the S&G original, though I understand why people find it annoying.
i knew opinions would be split on “America.”
I’m a fan of both.
Another too long cover (and mind, I *like* long songs), the Doors’ version of “Who do you Love” from Absolutely Live.