Radio KBwD is on the air (the covers edition)

Hearing the first song below on the radio the other day sprung an idea in our mind. First Friday of every month, we will do a covers edition of Radio KBwD where we play a song by the original artist first and then follow it up with what we feel is a worthy cover of that song and let you all decide which you like better in the comment(s) section.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, from St. Albans, England, it's The Zombies performing "She's Not There".









And now, from San Francisco, California, it's Santana.




(Having difficulties with the embed. Please go here.)



OK. Who ya got?

Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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First Friday of the month, so it's gotta be, right?




As a result of some Pandora mining, we were formerly unaware that these dudes performed the song first. (As an added bonus, we don't think we've ever done a covers edition with such contrasting styles)


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First up: The Foundations performing "Now That I've Found You"










Yeah, that sounds familiar, now don't it? Here's the version with which you are more aquainted and being performed by Alison Krauss and Union Station:


(Fellas, for the fact that Ms. Krauss is rather easy on the eyes, we apologize for the video quality. But you just read this magazine for the articles, right?)

Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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High time we got back on track with our first Friday of the month covers edition.


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First up, it's Lou Reed performing "Sweet Jane" (and because we love you guys so much, we chose the version off of Rock and Roll Animal, the one with the kick-ass duo guitar intro virtuoso by Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter.

"Anyone who ever had a heart wouldn't turn around and break it"

And now, the worthy challenger: from Toronto, Canada (and our mid-90s cow trip phase), it's the Cowboy Junkies performing their version of "Sweet Jane".




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Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

Well, whaddya know? Today is the first day of the month and also the first Friday of the month so it's time to do a covers edition of KBwD. Kind of snuck up on us but we think you're going to enjoy this one.
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First up, it's the Beatles from Abbey Road performing, "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window"








And now for the cover and someone who made a living playing other people's music. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Joe Cocker, take it away...




By the way, that's Leon Russell looking completely stoned playing guitar.

Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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Getting back on track for our first Friday of the month covers challenge.


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First up, the Zombies doing "She's Not There"

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And now, from Tijuana, BC by way of San Francisco, CA, it's Carlos Santana who will blow your mind with the same song.




(4:10: Late 70s Timex first-generation digital watch warning)

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Radio KBwD is on the air (the covers edition)

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We'll just chalk it up to being a leap year for being unable to get on-track for doing our covers challenges on the first Friday of the month:

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First up, ? and The Mysterians performing "Can't Get Enough of You, Baby".

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(did you all catch the organ noodling to their big hit "96 Tears" in the verse of the song?)

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Next up, The Coulorfield, with their faithful rendering of the song from the mid-80s.




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Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

If it's the first Friday of the month, must mean it's time for a covers competition where we pit the original artist against a worthy cover artist.



We did not know that this particular person was the original artist until just a few years ago.



Let's start with Marving Gaye performing "Don't Do It."










And now for the cover...

Totally worthy of a listen is The Who's cover... if we could find it... but The Band's version below recorded in concert and which would become one of the tracks on their outstanding Rock of Ages album towers.

I go down to the river and there I be

I wanna jump in, girl, but you don't care about me!

Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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A match-up like this will not wait for anything as pedestrian as a scheduled first Friday of the month appointment.



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First up, from Minneapolis, MN, it’s Prince performing “Raspberry Beret”:


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A few years later, say 1990, 1991, the members of R.E.M. sans lead singer Michael Stipe got together with the late, great Warren Zevon to form Hindu Love Gods. They put together a one-off, self-titled album of blues and R&B covers and which also included “Raspberry Beret”. Have a listen:





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Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

First Friday of the month so, it's gotta be.


From the man who needs no introduction but is straight outta Tupelo, Mississippi performing one of our favorite ballads of his.









Now, while we love Willie's version, we thought we'd mix it up a little by going with the Pet Shop Boys' cover.

Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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We know, we know... it's not the first Friday Saturday of the month but enough is enough... time to get on with it.

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First up, The Byrds and their take on the state and nature of pop phenom, "So You Want To Be a Rock and Roll Star":

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And now, from the US Festival up near San Berdoo back in 1982, it's a youthful Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers:

Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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We haven't done one of these in a while and despite it not being the first Friday weekend of the month, we call the shots here and we'll just be on with it, right?


First up, it's The Searchers performing "Needles and Pins".

Uhhhh....

"Embedding disabled by request"

If you're still interested, you can hit it up here.




OK. Now, we think we can embed.

Here's Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty doing it during their collaborative period back in the early 80s.

Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

First Friday of every month we'll put the song's original artist against someone whom we feel has covered the same tune in worthy fashion and let you decide which is better.




Given the 3 or 4 options we were mulling, our buddy Jerry prevailed upon us to choose this match-up.*

It's a classic and in our mind, depite some other huge hits, this remains he and his band's signature tune.

Ladies and Gentlemen, from Asbury Park, New Jersey, it's Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performing "Born to Run"








And now, the cover. These guys had their 15 minutes back in the mid-80s with a handful of hits and a certain, errr, flamboyance.



Ladies and Gentelmen, from England, it's Frankie Goes to Hollywood...






* To even things out a bit we went with live cuts for both tunes as we couldn't locate the superior studio version of Frankie's cover.

Radio KBwD is on the air (the covers edition)

Happy Oktoberfest, everybody!



Let's get to it, shall we?









First up is the Grateful Dead from 1972 performing "I Know You Rider":












Followed by bluegrass legends The Seldom Scene back in 1979.



This one's for you 'Dawg!










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Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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Yeah, yeah... we know. It's the last Friday of the month rather than the first but we're calling the shots around here so just relax.


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First out of the box, from Kingsland, Arkansas, it's Johnny Cash performing "Big River":

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And now for the cover, from deep in intergalactic space, it's the Grateful Dead doing it live in 1991:




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Yes, that is Bruce Hornsby on the piano.


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Radio KBwD is on the air: covers edition

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Cannot believe we've never matched up this song before as it's a classic tune done by two rock legends from two different eras.

Let's call it a Boomer vs. Gen X throwdown (which, because of the quality of music, should not influence your vote)


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Ladies and Gentlemen, from North London, England, it's The Kinks performing "Where Have All the Good Times Gone".




(dig the vocal harmony in the chorus)






And now, from Pasadena, California, it's Van Halen doing their turn on the same song.





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Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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Let's get right to it, shall we?



First up, the Allman Brothers performing their classic "Midnight Rider".








And from back in 1989, here's Allison Krauss and Union Station with their bluegrass-infused take on the same song.

Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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We're going to mix this up a bit. Normally we do the original versus a later cover but since we are not too familiar with Chuck Berry's original of the song we'll go with the two takes that we are.


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First up: Johnny Rivers and his cover of Berry's "Memphis" that charted back in 1964:





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And just over 20 years later, George Thorogood put his own touch on the classic in 1985:

... Information, please!...

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Radio KBwD is on the air: the covers edition

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It's the first, second, third Friday of the month so it's gotta be, right?


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First up, from Newcastle upon Tyne, it's one of the greatest voices in rock'n'roll Eric Burdon and The Animals performing "Don't Bring Me Down".

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And now, stateside, hailing from Gainesville, Florida, it's Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers from FarmAid in 1985 doin' it live.




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Radio KBwD is on the air (the covers edition)

Lou Reed passed away last Saturday. He was 71 years old.


His passing and this being the first Saturday of the month kind of makes the following a bit of a no-brainer.



Written by Reed while he was with the Velvet Underground this version of "Sweet Jane" appears on Rock'n'Roll Animal and which also contains the highly awesome guitar intro by guitarists Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner.








The song has been covered by countless artists and bands but the following has always been our favorite as it has a decidedly different vibe from what you just heard.



Off their excellent Trinity Sessions album, here's The Cowboy Junkies and their version of Reed's classic:

Radio KBwD is on the air

Happy Friday, everybody!


No back story or heavy intro, so let's get to it, shall we?


Just a prime cut off one of the greatest albums of all-time: the Beach Boys performing "Hang On To Your Ego" from Pet Sounds.







Local flavor: the Boys are at the San Diego Zoo for the album cover shot.



Bonus round option: Many people only know this song from the 1993 cover version done by Frank Black (formerly of The Pixies). If you click and listen, you'll understand why we didn't want to embarrass Frank with a covers edition competition.