Artist	Song
Giant Sand	The Beat Goes On (Cover Magazine, 2002) [Sonny & Cher]
The Troggs	Good Vibrations (Archeology: 1966-1977, 1992) [The Beach Boys]
Hawkwind	Gimme Shelter (Anthology: 1967-1982, 1986) [The Rolling Stones]
Terry Manning	Savoy Truffle (Home Sweet Home, 1970) [The Beatles]
The Cure	Purple Haze (Psychedelic Mix) (Join The Dots: B-Sides & Rarities: 1978-2001, 2004) [Jimi Hendrix]
Spooky Tooth	I Am The Walrus (The Last Puff, 1970) [The Beatles]
The Ramones	Journey To The Center Of The Mind (Acid Eaters, 1993) [The Amboy Dukes]
Kaiser Chiefs	I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Help: A Day In The Life, 2005) [Marvin Gaye, etc.]
XTC	All Along The Watchtower (White Noise, 1978) [Bob Dylan]
Rotary Connection	Tales Of Brave Ulysses (Songs, 1969) [Cream]
Vanilla Fudge	Shotgun (Near The Beginning, 1969) [Jr. Walker & The All Stars]
Echo & The Bunnymen	In The Midnight Hour (Crystal Days: 1979-1999, 2001) [Wilson Pickett]
Hall & Oates	Standing In The Shadows Of Love (Our Kind Of Soul, 2004) [The Four Tops]
The Pretenders	Bold As Love (Pirate Radio Box Set, 2006) [Jimi Hendrix]
The Walkmen	Subterranean Homesick Blues (Pussy Cats Starring The Walkmen, 2006) [Bob Dylan]
Social Distortion	Under My Thumb (White Light White Heat White Trash, 1996) [The Rolling Stones]
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs	The Kids Are Alright (Under The Covers Vol. 1, 2006) [The Who]

Comment:

Another dreaded covers mix. Classic rock songs too. This could really be dreadful but the guys down at my brother's bar love their classic rock and they like these curveball mixes that mess with their familiar anthems.

Giant Sand starts things off with a cut off their own covers album deconstructing that Sonny & Cher chestnut. The Troggs aren't known for their covers but as they ran out of steam in the 70s they did a few. This is an awesome version of the Beach Boys classic that somehow manages to sound uniquely Troggs like.

Hawkwind. Not known for their covers either but they turn this rave up into a space rocker. Terry Manning, a Stax Records engineer, had one album from 1970. A joke or genius. This ten minute over the top psychedelia has to be heard to be believed. Includes the first studio appearance of Big Star guitarist Chris Bell and some very early Moog special effects.

The Cure doing Purple Haze. Hell yeah. Some of us must recall the first time hearing this incredible version of I Am The Walrus from Spooky Tooth. You were probably in a purple haze just like me. And nothing like kicking your ass out of that haze like The Ramones. I love their Acid Eaters cover album.

Another version of Grapevine. This time the Kaiser Chiefs doing the Slits. And another version of Dylan's All Along The Watchtower this time a very early XTC.
A couple of bands that did lots of covers. Rotary Connection with the fabulous Minnie Ripperton and the early metal Fudge rocking this Motown dance classic.

We know Echo & The Bunnymen had that Jim Morrison thing going but they could do the 60s soul music too and of course no one does that better than the boys from Philly.

The recently released Pretenders box set has a surprising number of cover songs including some great Hendrix versions. The Walkmen cover of that Nilsson album which itself had a bunch of covers was a bizarre album from last year but it worked. Social Distortion does a thrash trash cover of the Stones before a nice closing with one of my favorite Who songs.

Overall an interesting hour on the bar stool to keep the conversation going which of course is all about the Phillies right now.

Feedback: