Collecting Song Versions

I was discussing the song St. James Infirmary (Blues) on the Louis Armstrong thread and it got me to thinking about song version collection for listening purposes. The above is one of my favourites and besides looking for a particular version by Armstrong, I have one live by Joe Cocker and hope to find more over time in hi-rez as I build my SACD collection.

Do you have any favourite songs that you would like to or are building collections of? Also, do you ever find yourself playing some of them "back to back" and enjoying the contrasts?

 

Well, there's always "Hey Joe."

-D

 

A friend of mine (a HUGE Beatles fan) is working on a project to put together all Beatles albums with other artists doing the songs. In some cases he has dozens of versions of some of the songs! A massive and some may say insane undertaking.

 

I've long had in mind to do a project called The Off-White Album with cover versions of all the songs from the Beatles White Album. Have nearly every track covered--some nutty group (can't recall who) even covered "Revolution #9"!!

 

Or just download set 2 of the 10/31/94 Phish concert. Well, okay, they didn't do Birthday nor Rev #9 but still ...

 

'You Go To My Head' - Larry Clinton & His Orch. featuring Bea Wain, Billy Holiday, Dinah Washington, Julie London and Linda Rondstadt

'Forever' - Little Dippers*, Anita Kerr Singers, Floyd Cramer, Pete Drake and Mercy

* according to most accounts the Anita Kerr Singers were the Little Dippers.

 

I've entertained with the idea of making a compilation of my favorite versions of a particular song, like Rhino did with "Louie Louie", and inspired by the Gong Show episode where every act did the song "The Way We Were".

But, what song to do? Hmmmm...

 

A friend and I are "collecting" versions of the song "Almost Persuaded".

If I remember correctly, we have versions by:

Charlie Rich
Merle Haggard
Louis Armstrong
Boxcar Wille
Jim Neighbors

I think we have a couple of others, but I am drawing a blank.

Tony

 

Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan have both done versions of the Beatles' "We Can Work It Out". Chaka's version wins out over all else, even the Beatles' version, IMO. It has power and energy, and a deep funk groove, expertly produced by Arif Mardin with a big brass section, strings, funky keyboards and guitars! It is worth hearing! Man, i'm jammin' just thinking about it!

 

Great idea, Jimbo! But you stole the album name from Dennis Miller, didn't you?!

 

Alone Again Or

I'm building a collection of all known versions of Love's "Alone Again Or." So far I've got Love, Bryan Maclean (2 demos), Sarah Brightman (!), The Damned, UFO, and The Chris Perez Band (in Spanish & English). I'm trying to find the Boo Radleys version now.

Supposedly there's a dance-techno version out there, but I've yet to come across it.

 

Got To Get You Into My Life:

The Beatles (obviously)
Paul McCartney
Earth Wind And Fire
Blood, Sweat and Tears
Cliff Bennett

Hot Rod Lincoln:

Charlie Ryan
Johnny Bond
Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Slightly O/T, I'm also collecting Elvis' Covers of The Beatles and vice-versa, so far I have;

Elvis:

Hey Jude
Get Back (w/ Little Sister)
Something (Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite)
Yesterday (live)

Also, heard he did 'Lady Madonna', but not been able to get hold of that.

The Beatles:

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)
I Forgot To Remember To Forget
That's Alright (Mama) (2 versions)
I Got A Woman
All Shook Up
Blue Suede Shoes
Good Rockin' Tonight (2 versions)
Don't Be Cruel
Milk Cow Blues
Lawdy Miss Clawdy

 

I've actually done a CD-R compilation called "Versions" that assembles various incarnations of these two songs, all by the original (or mostly original) artists:

Big Star, "In The Street":
Original from #1 Record
Single remake by original Big Star lineup
Live version from WLIR broadcast
Live version from WLIR rehearsals
Live version from Alex Chilton "Live in London"
Live version from Big Star reunion "Columbia"
Live version performed by reunited Big Star on the Tonight Show

It's actually great fun (ymmv) to listen to all these back to back. About a quarter-century of "In The Street."

And I guess I should break down and get the Cheap Trick revision of "In The Street" that's better known as the theme to "That 70's Show"

The other song I've tracked, so to speak, has fewer versions.

Beach Boys, ""Till I Die":
Original release on "Surf's Up"
Boot of longer rough mix
Boot of "finished" long version
"Finished" long version from "Endless Harmony"

The last two tracks are pretty much the same but I don't mind.

Gardo

 

Also, 'She Said Yeah'

Larry Willams
The Rolling Stones
The Animals
The Undertakers
Paul McCartney

 

JW, add Cliff Bennett to your list. It's on the "At Abbey Road" cd.

Mud-

 

JW, EP did Lady Madonna on ESSENTIAL 70S MASTERS - DISC 3 OF 5.

It's noted as an informal recording.

Mud-

 

David Houston

Tammy Wynette (and the epic CD of Tammy's first album "Your Good Girls Gonna Go Bad" has excellent sound).

 

Thanks mudbone, I'll try and pick up those two CDs.

 

Hahahahaha, to say the least! It's definitely a cool track, but Elvis screws up the lyrics (I swear he says "suitcake" instead of "suitcase") and then as the track fades out, you can hear him say:

"Tell you what, you guys hungry?"

Musta went out for some peanut butter and 'nanner sammiches after that.

 

Kym: No way! He stole it from me!

I suppose Christmas songs shouldn't count? As a big collector of Christmas music, I couldn't even guess how many recorded versions of "Silent Night" or "O Holy Night" I have.

 

Mud-