I really wanted to post a particular song this week and instead of conjuring up a theme to fit the song, I’m just posting some random covers that I like.
Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel “Besame Mucho” (Emilio Tuero and many others)
I was at Trigger Gospel‘s CD release show last weekend. A great band, and a truly phenomenal singer whose voice gives me the chills. Anna Fermin’s also a wonderful songwriter and a very charismatic performer. Buy all of her CDs and see her perform live if you ever get the chance.
In a way posting a cover does a disservice to Ms. Fermin’s gifts as a songwriter, but this is the song that totally blew me away the first time I heard them play live.
Albert Kuvezin and Yat-Kha “When the Levee Breaks” (Led Zeppelin)
Albert Kuvezin is a throat-singer from the tiny nation of Tuva. All of those weird buzzing and whistling noises you’re hearing are coming out of his throat. Simultaneously, without overdubs. He’s also a good guitarist.
Mr. Kuvezin has done a wonderful job of combining traditional Tuvan music and Western rock and roll to create something new and exciting. Watching him perform live is absolutely riveting. This song is one of the freakiest things I’ve ever heard. And that’s really saying something.
Sparks “Sixteen Tons” (Tennessee Ernie Ford)
This comes from a defunct (or at least comatose) website called Coverfight. The idea was that a song would be assigned and individuals or bands would submit covers of said song. The readers of the website would then vote on a winner. I don’t remember if this song won its competition or not, but it just speaks to me for some reason.
Tom Waits “Heigh Ho” (From Disney’s “Snow White”)
Sure, the songs from Disney cartoons can be sappy. That’s what makes this such a find. Mr. Waits really makes you realize that those dwarves aren’t stupid and would really rather be hanging out with Snow White than risking their lives digging in a diamond mine.
Baumann “Strangers In The Night” (Frank Sinatra)
In 1983, Peter Baumann from Tangerine Dream did this. I have the 12-inch single that the music director at my college radio station gave me because I loved it so.
As the years have gone by, I’ve grown to love it even more. This is really the only mid-80s synthpop song you ever have to hear. Well, maybe not the only one. “Sex Dwarf” by Soft Cell is also worth listening to. But this song’s got it all: monotonously throbbing synthesizers, a total lack of emotion, and the odd snippet of German for no apparent reason.
After releasing this, Mr. Baumann went on to found the New Age record label and foist Yanni on the world. If only this album would have sold better we might have been spared.