Cover band Songs (A How To)

 9 Songs that every cover band should know.

   

And 4 that they should forget.

Ok this is going to be a weird list and a hard list to make sense of.  Keep in mind this is my own personal list, and these are my own personal feelings.  Some of these aren’t even  clearly about 1 song but I picked a song by certain   artists that cover bands should try to play at least one song by.

At the end of this I will also name a few songs that cover bands should stop doing. 

The Joker – Steve Miller Band

Why not? I mean it is a 3 chord song essentially, plus it features a great bass line that just stays true throughout the song. It’s heavy on the wah wah. And has a sweet solo.

Realistically you can change to any key to fit anyone’s vocal capabilities.

Not to mention something about the lyrics really turns on a lot of women. No joke. Next time you go out just walk up to a random girl and say “I really love your peaches I wanna shake your tree.” I swear on my life you will get a date.

And honestly, if a cover band does any song by The Steve Miller Band that is good enough for me.  The band as a whole has a great amount of hits: Jet Airliner, Take the Money and Run, Swingtown.  But with the simplicity of The Joker there is no excuse not to play it.

 Seriously!

Louie Louie – The Kingsmen

Another 3 chord song, this time with a minor thrown in, but nonetheless another very simple song.

The part that makes it ridiculously simple is that no one really knows the actual lyrics. There was an FBI case to find out the actual lyrics of the song.  But even the smart hard working men from Washington DC could not figure it out.  (There is a yelling of the word Fuck in the song too. But the FBI missed that as well)

This is a good thing because all you have to do is come close. Plus if you really want you can have anyone from the audience come and sing it when your vocalist has to pee or wants a cigarette.

Even me in the drunkest state of mind, do I still know the melody of Louie Louie, and as long as the Louie Louies hit at the right time. Then you will be fine.  Hell the lead singer of The Kingsmen doesn’t even start the third verse at the right time. (Extra brownie points to any cover band that recreates that moment.)

Ok Let’s give it to em Right Now!!

Rock N Roll all Night – Kiss

Still another fairly simple song. Are you beginning to see a pattern?

The drums on this song are the best part so why not let your drummer get wild for a while and play some nasty fills.

 The lyrics are simple but the cool thing about this song is that you can use it as homage to your audience. When the bass and guitar drop out, just let the audience sing the words, they are just on repeat at that point.

Sure most cover bands don’t have the funding to pull off all the theatrics that Kiss could afford.  But just wear some heels a little facepaint and maybe your crowd will get the idea.

Kiss is another band that you can really play any of their songs and have it go over well. (Except Beth- Fuck that pussy ass song!!)  If you are in a town with a 2 syllable name, you can always do Detroit rock City.  Calling Dr. Love is another good and easy one. As is Love Gun.  

But if you do Rock and Roll all night, try to emulate this, (except for Paul Stanley’s screeching!)

I’m a Believer – The Monkees

I say the Monkees version because realistically theirs was the most known version until Smash Mouth came along.  So if you know their version you can easily branch out onto other versions.

 But unless you are playing for a group of ten year olds, odds are your crowd will still remember this version.

Plus this version is the most soulful to the point that Mickey Dolenz almost sounds like Aretha Franklin at the end.  It is also relatively an easy song to learn and play, so there is no excuse.

The Monkees catalog of songs is so big, and so good that I think they are another band that every cover band should take a crack at. I mean realistically, look them up on your own time, but they were pretty huge in their day and have a lot of hit songs. (And if I ever hear a band play zilch that would be the coolest thing ever.)

Mungo Jerry – In the Summertime

So this is an awesome song and it is a lot of picking and playing but tons of fun.

I have no idea really why I have never heard a cover band do this, but I haven’t.   I really think they should.

Yes part of me just wanted to listen to this song and have a reason for you to see how cool of a song this is. Plus the guys are really good looking.

Seriously though if you are in a cover band, and don’t consider this song once in your career, then you are taking yourself way way too seriously, come on just bust out the bottle. 

 Yes I think this can be done without a banjo, plus most lead guitar players have some effect that they can use to sound like they are playing the banjo.

                Also, this song gives your drummer a break unless they are the only person in your band that knows how to make a ch sound.

This is a fun- very fun song and a happy tune. So learn it!!

Cheap Trick – Surrender

You probably are thinking why not I Want You to Want Me.  And that is a great question with a simple answer - I have heard too many bands butcher it.  If there is one thing I hate in the world more than anything it is hearing a cover band play a song horribly.

Not to mention, Surrender is a bad ass song that deserves to come to prominence.  I will tell you this, I don’t think every Cheap Trick song is worth covering but this is a great one that is. 

Cheap Trick has always been a great band in my mind, but they play kick ass simplistic yet epic songs.  I mean their cover of Ain’t That a Shame is awesome as sin.

The band is still truly popular in the Midwest, where they got their start, so if you live in the Midwest odds are your fans are going to love this song. If they don’t--- Fuck them!

Wild Thing – Sam Kinison

I have never heard any band try to touch this, but I honestly think it would be the coolest thing in the world if a band covered this version of the song.   I have heard a lot of bands do the Troggs version, and that is cute.

But hardly anybody does a cover of the version of the song by X which is the version associated with Rick Vaughn in the movies Major League and Major League 2.  So even that version would be appreciated.

The original song was just a 3 chord or so ditty, so realistically just add a little bit of a hard rock twist to it and you have this version of the song.

But Kinison’s version of the song is fucking incredible.  It is actually a pretty hard edge song and a total reworking of the lyrics. But in my opinion Kinison has the perfect voice to shout this thing out. And really that is one of the things that he was known for.

The video depicts his band as one of the greatest super groups of all time. I have no idea who actually plays the music on the song but the video makes it look like it was an incredibly awesome party.  Jon Bon Jovi and Rodney are great in the opening and then I don’t have time to name all the people that are hanging around for the song.

Seriously though if you have a singer that can scream and sound good, you should consider this song. And if you are in a band that decides to do it please invite me to one of your shows, I want to see it.

Until then I will just watch the video on repeat…

Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones

Well let’s stick with the loud stuff for a while.  Another simple song. The Ramones were never known for wildly difficult guitar parts.  But I will be damned if they didn’t fuck shit up with some of the greatest 3 chord punk of all time.

So listen first thing first. Don’t try to emulate Joey’s voice you won’t ever sound like him and it is sort of Punk Rock sacrilege to even try.  Everyone will hate you for it. Even if you do it perfectly.

But most people know this song; it is probably one of if not the most known Ramones song.  This song will turn even Grandma Ethyl and Grandpa Leroy’s 50^th anniversary into a wild mosh pit. (Can you imagine getting hit by a walker?)  

Lyrically the song doesn’t change and the whole crowd is ready to scream the Hey Ho Let’s Go part so seriously turn the volume up and knock this bitch out.  1-2-3-4

Free Bird - Lynard Skynard

I am absolutely serious.  Why the fuck not.  You know damn well that some drunken guy or group of them, or any one of my dad’s lame friends just trying to be funny is going to scream it out.

Maybe you are not interested in indulging them, and find it annoying. But what would really shut them up is if you not only play this song, but if you play the ever loving fuck out of it.  I mean especially when you get to the end, by that point the assholes will just be staring in awe.

The other thing to think about is, who are you there to entertain?  I mean after all as a cover band if you book yourself into the kind of gig where people are shouting Freebird at you, then you should be prepared for it.

I have only heard a few bands actually do it and most of them sucked at it.  Some bands can do the ending but not the beginning but mostly it seems no one has the patience to play what ends up being a 9 minute song at the least. (And if anyone plays it in less than 9 minutes then they are cheating)

So seriously, check it out. Learn it and if you are at a concert scream it out. 

 So there you have it the 9 songs that I think every cover band should be playing or at least know and be able to add to their set list on a whim.  Maybe you disagree, maybe you don’t want to learn any of those songs, but I highly suggest learning at least one of them.

Now onto the songs that I think every cover band should forget.  Or at least never play again.

Twist and Shout – The Beatles

Everyone knows this song and it jumped the shark when it was in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.  I mean that movie put the song back in the Hot 100.  That’s silly. I love the Beatles but the fact that one of their songs was in the top 25 of the Hot 100; 16 years after the band broke up, that’s messed up.

I mean first of all, The Beatles version is a cover version, and  beyond that it has been covered by so many artists and too many.  Seriously look it up, it is sad how many mainstream artists have done the song.

 And I don’t care what sort of spin you put on it; it will never be as cool as this….

Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Ok first of all, I am guilty of this one, but I will admit that when I do this song it is a softer slower version of the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes’ version.  And anyone else doing that version is allowed a pass, as is anyone covering Judy Garland’s version. (Realistically a lot of people have re done the Judy Garland version, and that’s ok by me.)

The key way to tell if someone is doing this version is listening to the tempo they sing at and you will notice the melody is a bit off. The even worse thing that some people do is they take off the s at the end of chimney tops.  Also listen to see how many syllables there are in Chimney

That really only works if you are a 700 pound man from Hawaii and let’s face it you aren’t.

Also, just because someone in your band knows how to play ukulele doesn’t mean they should get it out and play this song.  I once saw somebody do that the worst part was it was honestly right before they played like an 80’s hair rock song. I can’t remember if it was poison or Motley Crue, but you get the picture.

Either way, just stop. You can’t do it as good as IZ and you also are probably unable to do this…

Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard

I mean, come on, strippers don’t even dance to the song anymore.   The only people that want to hear it are the ladies in the back that nobody laid in the 80s and sure as hell no one would touch them with a 39 and a half foot pole now.

Another reason why I don’t particularly like hearing cover bands so it is because I have seen Def Leppard live and guess what I don’t care who you are, you cannot drum this thing with half the heart that Rick Allen has.  (The fucking guy only has 1 arm)  Sure it’s not crazy drumming but come on!

Really those are the main reasons.

I like the song I just prefer to hear the original. Maybe that’s a crazy preference; I just have never heard anyone really give the song any justice

Hell Def Leppard barely does the song justice anymore…

You Never Even Called Me by My Name – David Allan Coe

If you know who wrote this song then you have already heard it way too many times. (Some of you are trying to remember the talking part and remember who did write it)

First things first this is not the perfect country and western song, and if you really think so, then you need to broaden your musical horizons.  But that being said, it is a country song, and in my opinion like 65% of your set better be country if you plan on even trying this. (Most of the time it isn’t)

I hate when I hear cover artists do this, and mostly they are solo guys, I mean come on there are like 4 different guitar parts on the song. Not to mention, I hate when they do speak the spoken part as if they actually know Steve Goodman. 

The other thing that the cover artists try to do is match all the different vocal styling’s when mentioning all the other singers.  (You do a shitty Merle Haggard; please give me money back I just spit out all my beer.)

This is the only worthwhile cover of the song because of the appearance of the guys named….

So Please if you are in some sort of cover band and are looking for material, Learn the first set of songs and don’t you dare touch the last 4.

If you are thinking about starting a cover band, make sure you see enough of them. Make sure you are different enough from all of them but close enough to them that you will still get gigs.  

Have fun Rock On!!