26 March 2020 - Hole - Gold Dust Woman

I was not sure I would like this version of "Gold Dust Woman" before I heard it. 

Wow, was I wrong. Courtney Love brings even more anger to an already angry classic, owning it herself - and this was originally from the genius of Stevie Nicks!!!! 
 

25 March 2020 - Patty Loveless - Don't Toss Us Away

This song, a very faithful cover of a Lone Justice ballad, is full of emotion and poignancy.   She became a really big star, but in 1989, she was a rising star of country music, and this song - written by original vocalist Maria McKee's BROTHER - fit well with her vocal range and her sound - a fact even McKee admitted to Loveless personally during the recording session for this song.

Anyway, it was a top five hit for Loveless.  And it is beautifully performed.

6 February 2020 - fIREHOSE - Walking The Cow

When the album Flyin' The Flannel came out, I never did think this sounded like a fIREHOSE song.  I just thought it was Mike Watt being econo or something. 

Turns out it was a cover of a Daniel Johnston song.  Inspired by a Blue Bell ice cream wrapper, the late Johnston recorded the original on a tape recorder in his Austin home.  This version is only slightly more hi-fi than that - replacing chord organ with boom stick - and a fitting tribute.

5 February 2020 - Shawn Colvin - Crazy

I first heard this amazingly understated cover several years ago.... but I forgot about it......

3 February 2020 - Dana Williams and Leighton Meester - Dreams

Let's not bury the lede.  Yes.  That's Blair Waldorf singing a Fleetwood Mac cover.  And playing a guitar.  We're having some trouble reconciling that with the thing she did with Cobra Starship and especially the thing she did with Robin Thicke, but this is really good

We kid.  We know Leighton Meester can sing.  Anyone who saw Country Strong knows this.

I also don't want to ignore Dana Williams, who is equally strong on this track.  She's not as well known as her co-singer (having been in an Apple commercial and the reality show Rising Star) but that's not a reflection of her talent, as the two ladies harmonize quite well.

1 February 2020 - R.E.M. - Wichita Lineman

I know, it's been awhile.  I'm glad to be back at this.

Many of you know my favorite song is "Wichita Lineman" by Glen Campbell.  I said as much here.  It's become more meaningful to me as I have aged. 

"Wichita Lineman" was a song by Jimmy Webb, written for Campbell but also recorded by Webb.  This version, for an R.E.M. concert film, is a beautiful and haunting version of an already beautiful and haunting song.  This version captures the simplicity of the song as well. 

23 September 2019 - Emmylou Harris - If I Could Only Win Your Love

This is a song that a lot of people probably think is all Emmylou, because she owned this song like no other. 

But it was a cover of a song by The Louvin Brothers in 1958.  Emmylou's version, unlike the original, charted and became her first hit in 1975.  She went on from there, of course, to become THE Emmylou Harris.