It's Covered: Cigarettes and Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women OR A Terrible Time for Birthdays

I'm keeping this one fairly short and sweet, as cakes and gifts await, children.

February 3-5 marks three birthdays in the Terrible household--my father's, my brother's and mine. You may recall a tribute i made to my bro, Cornbread, last year (he currently lives in Texas; they give each other those kinds of nicknames; don't look at me).

Well, this year, i'm doing one for the three of us. As we grew up, it was not uncommon for someone to bust out a guitar aty whatever family gathering and start a sing-a-long. Was booze often involved, too? Couldn't tell you, as i was just knee high to a grasshopper back then, but i think the fact that our favorite and preferred song was "Cigarettes and Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women" kind of speaks for itself, no?

And with that, kids, It's Covered.

mp3: Cigarettes and Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women (Jim Croce from The 50th Anniversary Collectoin)

mp3: Cigarettes and Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women (Sons of the Pioneers from Cigarettes and Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women/My Best to You)

mp3: Cigarettes and Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women (Paul Curerri and Devon Sproule from Duets 2)

mp3: Cigareets and Whiskey (Session Americana from Table Top People Vol. 2)

Feel free to start a thread wishing me many happy returns of the day or, better yet, send drugs and nude pictures of your ex's. It's all about the giving, right?

It's Covered: It's Beginning to Sound Too Much Like Xmas

i'm relatively positive there's a whole covered/wrapped/wrapping paper joke i should be making, but quite frankly, i've been so swamped 'round here lately, i just don't have time to think of what that line is. That being said, ain't no Scrooges at LET during the holidays, so let's delve into some tasty Christmas covers, shall we?

Now, if this first one wasn't listed as part of the A.V. Club's Holiday Undercover Series, i don't know if i'd even think of it as a Christmas song. i mean, let's be honest, this is the Vacation song, pure and simple, but who am i to argue with the Walkmen? Hell, they even wore Santa hats for the video, so clearly i am in the wrong. Except i'm not, but Xmas is a time for acceptance, right? So there you have it.

mp3: Holiday Road (The Walkmen from The A.V. Club's Undercover Series)

Quite possibly my most favoritest holiday classic penned in the 80s, Summer Camp does a pretty faithful cover of the Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping." Much like TNT's 24-hour Christmas Story marathon, this one is a comfy fit for the holidays.

mp3: Christmas Wrapping (Summer Camp from their MySpace)

It's Covered: Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear

i've got a big review of yesterday's DC stop for the Rock the Bells tour coming soon, but what's the point of co-owning a blog if you can't take time out to wish The Missus a happy second wedding anniversary? A lot of people lost money on that bet, i tell you what.

In honor of two years of wedded bliss, a quick It's Covered on the Randy Newman classic, "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear." The Missus and i have a running joke about getting eaten by bears, which probably isn't that funny if you were friends with this guy, but it's a laugh riot to us regardless. You go hang out in Alaska meeting your in-laws, and tell me the thought doesn't cross your mind. Then have your father-to-be draw a pistol on what turns out to be a leafy stump swaying in the breeze. It's a knee slapper, i tell you what.

While Newman penned it, it was first performed by Harpers Bizarre and, with the change of an article, was made classic overseas by Alan Price (though if you're from the States and about my age, you might credit its true international success to Scooter, Rowlf and Fozzie).

i'll let you decide for yourself.

mp3: Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear (Randy Newman from Sail Away)

mp3: Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear (Harpers Bizarre from The Platinum Collection)

mp3: Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear (Harry Nilsson from Harry)

mp3: Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear (Okkervil River from Golden Opportunities mixtape)

mp3: Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear (The Muppets from The Muppet Show - The 25th Anniversary Collection)

mp3: Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear (Alan Price from The Best Of)

mp3: Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear (The Animals from Perform Price)

(Ed. Note: Today's Blog-on-Blog love gets you sticky from She'll Grow Back, who longtime readers will remember inspired this column in the first place, thereby giving you the correct answer to the upcoming LET version of Trivial Pursuit.)

It's Covered: Summertime Blues

Mother Terrible recently mentioned that summer is about over, and that school is just around the corner. While her exaggeration is obvious, it got me to thinking that if i'm going to do an "It's Covered" on the classic "Summertime Blues," i better get off my duff and into action.

Originally penned by Eddie Cochran and his manager, Jerry Capehart, it started life as a B-side before eventually peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 29, 1958 and #18 on the UK Singles Chart. It's been covered by dozens of folks, and i've got more than a couple of versions for you to sample, from the original to a Japanese release only version by the greatest rock band playing today to the speed punk of the gods that were Guitar Wolf. i understand there's an Olivia Newton-John version out there i'm dying to get my hands on for reasons i can't even figure out myself, but there you have it.

Hopefully, it cures what ails ya.

mp3: Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran from The Very Best of Eddie Cochran)

mp3: Summertime Blues (The Black Keys from Rubber Factory (Japanese Release))

mp3: Summertime Blues (Guitar Wolf from Jet Generation)

mp3: Summertime Blues (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts from I Love Rock 'n Roll)

mp3: Summertime Blues (T. Rex from Electric Warriors Session)

It's Covered: The Star Spangled Banner

Many happy returns of the day, Uncle Sam, you daffy bastard, you. Who loves ya, baby?

And now, for our national anthem. As you'll shortly find out, however, these are not your daddy's versions.

mp3: The Star Spangled Banner (Jimi Hendrix from Live at Woodstock)

mp3: The Star Spangled Banner (Béla Fleck & The Flecktones from Flight of the Cosmic Hippo)

mp3: The Star Spangled Banner (Jaco Pastorius from Heavy 'N Jazz)

mp3: The Star Spangled Banner (Miri Ben-Ari ft. Doug E. Fresh from The Hip-Hop Violinist)

mp3: The Star Spangled Banner (Blues Traveler from Live: What You And I Have Been Through)

It's Covered: Sweet Home Chicago

'Tis truly a good day to be from Chicago, particularly for the hockey minded amongst us. To add to the celebrations undoubtedly taking place in my fair hometown, a quick It's Covered on the Windy City's unofficial anthem, Sweet Home Chicago.

Though there are probably more versions out there than a body could possibly count, the original is credited to Robert Johnson (though there is some dispute, as the song bears more than a passing resemblance to works by Scrapper Blackwell and Kokomo Arnold. Yes, in RJ's version, he does say, "...back to the land of California," but that's the only version today with that discrepancy. The others here for your listening pleasure have variations of their own, but clearly are talking about Chi-Town.

Congratulations to the 2010 Stanely Cup Champions, your Chicago Blackhawks!!!

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson from King of the Blues)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (The Blues Brothers from The Blues Brothers Soundtrack)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Buddy Guy from Ohne Filter, July 1991)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Lonnie Brooks from Essential Blues, Vol. II)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Luther Johnson, Jr. from Evidence Blues Sampler)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Satan and Adam from Harlem Blues)

It's Covered: Call It Stormy Monday

Sometimes, post topics speak for themselves. Today is Monday, and the weather has been pretty crappy all day.

Originally written by T-Bone Walker in 1947, "Call It Stormy Monday" remains one of the all-time great 12-bar blues standards. Today, we'll check out a couple of takes by some blues legends, as well as the long haired hippie version by some southern rock legends, and a take by Bowie local legend.

mp3: Call It Stormy Monday (Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughn from In Session (Live))

mp3: Stormy Monday (The Allman Brothers Band from Live At Fillmore East)

mp3: Stormy Monday Blues (Muddy Waters from Live (At Mr. Kelly's) )

mp3: Call It Stormy Monday (ft. Albert Collins) (B.B. King from Blues Summit)

mp3: Call It Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker from Swinging the Blues)

mp3: Stormy Monday (Eva Cassidy from Live at Blues Alley)

It's Covered: Hall & Oates

You're right, today's "It's Covered" is a bit of a departure from the norm. Sort of like your latest love interest. Boo yah!

While we normally discuss a single cover song, right now i'm going to wax rhapsodic about a band that's seemingly being covered by everyone. That's right, it appears that 2010 is the Year of the HallenOates. And i'm not the only one noticing, as our good friend at Berkeley Place recently has opined the same.

In the past few months alone, the world has been given full Darryl Hall and John Oates tribute albums by such indie stalwarts as The Bird and the Bee and such, um, freakazoids as Koot Hoomi. Now, B&B's CD is wonderfully named (Interpreting the Masters, Vol. 1) and is pretty much a straight cover affair, doing little to add to the originals. That being said, these faithful versions definitely are listenable. KH, on the other hand, takes an entirely different track. With their The Dark Side of Hall & Oates, in addition to sporting one of the best album covers of the year, the band "have chosen to re-imagine the music as it might exist in an alternate universe--replete with off-kilter harmonies, psychedelic swirl, minor-key digressions, and the occasional spot of Tuvan throat-singing; all recorded with cheap instruments on an old-school Tascam 488 analog tape recorder." Quite frankly, if that's not enough to spark your interest, well, you, sir/madam, are a fool.

Then i started thinking about it and quickly realized i had cover versions of various other H&O tracks from all over the place. Looking for a Quebecois version by an all 80s gypsy jazz cover band? Got it. How about a reinterpretation of the De La Soul track sampling the hell out of one of their biggest hits? You know we do, buddy. Hell, i'll even through in the original, just 'cuz i'm that type of guy. (Yes, the pudding is delicious, and a gajillion non-refundable LET Bonus Points (tm) to whoever gets that reference, good for nothing but white suburban street cred.) You know, i'm even going to throw the remix out there, too. Lords of Light, i am good to you people. i also had that Nina Simone track prior to BP's posting, but since i've already taken the trouble to link you over there, it would seem like cheating to do it here, too. We still need to fill your female fix, you say? Joan Osborne to the rescue, kids. How about an acoustic-y, bongo-y take from an album with a cover featuring large, albeit poorly covered, boobs? Uh hunh. Thanks, Ginger Rose. Too much blue eyed soul? Brian McKnight has our back. i don't really have a set-up for Mike Oldfield, but i do have the cover.

Quite frankly, that's enough for now, as i's got shit to do.

Ed. Note and Correction: It was brought to my attention by one of our readers, the possibly honorable Brett, that "Family Man" was written by Mike Oldfield, NOT the HallenOates Beast, so while it's still technically covered, i had it reversed. So, yeah, there you have it. While it's not exactly incriminating pictures of an ex-gf, the gesture still is appreciated. Doesn't sharing make us all feel good?

mp3: Private Eyes (The Bird and the Bee from Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates)

mp3: Kiss On My List (Koot Hoomi from The Dark Side of Hall & Oates)

mp3: Maneater (The Lost Fingers from Live In Brossard (CBC Radio 2) )

mp3: Say No Go (The Kickdrums f/ Esso & Chaundon) (Mick Boogie & Terry Urban from LE DA SOUL: 20 Years of De La Soul)

mp3: Say No Go (De La Soul from Three Feet High and Rising)

mp3: Say No Go (New Keys Vocal) (De La Soul from Three Feet High and Rising)

mp3: Sara Smile (Joan Osborne from Breakfast in Bed)

mp3: Kiss On My List (Ginger Rose from You'll Love It In the Morning)

mp3: I Can't Go for That (Brian McKnight from Brian McKnight)

mp3: Family Man (Mike Oldfield from The Best of Mike Oldfield: Elements)

It's Covered: Seven Nation Army

Sure, it won 2004's Grammy for Best Rock Song, and has been named a top 100 guitar rock track by everyone from Rolling Stone (21 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time) and Q (8 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks) to NME (5 in its list of the 50 Greatest Tracks Of The Decade) and VH1 ( 75th best hard rock song of all time). But we can all agree, i'm sure, no honor is the equivalent of being chosen for LET's "It's Covered." Today, Jack and Meg White, that accolade belongs to your "Seven Nation Army."

The mark of a good cover is reinterpretation while still maintaining the "core soul" of a track. Merely replaying a song is a waste of the listener's time. If you bring nothing new to the table, why wouldn't i just listen to the original.

Well, there's obviously something in "SNA," as today's covers are all over the board stylistically, ranging from bedroom acoustic to hardcore funk, electro to ska, coming in from multiple nations, don'tcha know.

First up, a ska interpretation by The Dynamics. If the reggae flavor entices you to spark up a spliff, well, i won't hold it against you. Of note, the only cover version i know of that chose not to spell out "seven." i have no idea what that portends. Perhaps more interesting still, though perhaps less, it is one of two French covers here today. For a nation not particularly known for its military prowess, it's an interesting track to receive so much local love. Thanks, Ben, L'Oncle Soul, for helping out here. We Uncles need to look out for one another.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Ben, L'Oncle Soul from Soul Wash)

(i'm sure you can find it somewhere in the US, but i could only find French links. If it's not one thing, it's another, right?)

mp3: 7 Nation Army (The Dynamics from Version Excursions)

And now, for something completely different, two bedroom-y takes from a couple of young ladies. Notice how each emphasize the recognizable bass line (actually, a semi-acoustic guitar filtered through a whammy pedal, but who's keeping score?) line. Dubliner Vyvienne Long opts for a cello to pick it up, while Nataly Dawn uses what an acoustic guitar, adding percussion by way of hand claps and the body of the aforementioned axe. Hell, see for yourself here. Both women take different approaches and offer slightly different sounds, but damnation, the results are fine either way you slice it. Oh, please note that Vyv's take was done for National Children's Hospital in Ireland. Feel free to donate here.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Nataly Dawn from her website)

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Vyvienne Long from Even Better Than The Real Thing Vol. 2)

In case you needed to get your freak on, the Flaming Lips have your back. Their "Harry Potter and George Bush's Severed Head Army Mix" is about what you'd expect from every one's favorite lovable weirdo band. Wayne Coyne does not disappoint, adding sirens and megaphones where no one had thought to before. Gotta love the Lips.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Harry Potter And George Bush's Severed Head Army Mix) (The Flaming Lips from LateNight Tales: The Flaming Lips)

And then there's Vivek Shraya's take, produced by Meghan Toohey of the So and So's fame, created to help drive interest to his then newly released If We're Not Talking. VS goes straight electro here, but he still manages to keep the balls of the tune intact, which is nice. You know, in case the song wants to have kids or something. What about Tomer G's even techno-ier version, you ask? Who is Tomer G, for that matter? Near as i can tell from the Interwebs, he brings us the only Israeli version we've got.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Vivek Shraya from his website)

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Tomer G from Seven Nation Army single)

But where's the local DC Metro Area angle, Uncle Terrible? Goddamn, but you are some picky bastards. How about this twangy guitar version by Her Next Friend, a Virginia trio? Oh, and in case you were wondering, in British law "next friend" is the phrase used for a person who represents in an action another person who is under disability or unable to maintain a suit on their own behalf. It's that kind of fucked-uppedness that endears a band to my heart before i listen to the first note. Well done, kids.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Her Next Friend from New #2)

Still not countrified enough for you? Well, lucky for you, i found this rollicking take by none other than Berlin's The BossHoss. Is that some accordion goodness in there? Yes. Yes, it is. Still not country enough for? BAM, motherfucker, here's some Oak Ridge Boys to soothe your cheatin' heart. The things i do for you people...

mp3: Seven Nation Army (The BossHoss from Internashville Urban Hymns)

mp3: Seven Nation Army (The Oak Ridge Boys from The Boys are Back)

Last up is probably my favorite version, arguably better than the original. Nostalgia 77 knocks this bastard out of the park. Alice Russell simply owns this thing, giving a soulful, funked out take vocally. Shit's so good it'll make you slap yo' mama. You've been forewarned, so don't blame me if you opt to listen to this with your Ma in slapping distance.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Nostalgia 77 from The Garden)

Oh, and i suppose we probably should throw the original in there, too, just for posterity's sake.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes from Elephant)

It's Covered: Joy to the World

You've probably noticed i've shied away from "traditional" Xmas tunes here at LET. Quite frankly, we've heard those songs a billion times before by a billion different artists, but hardly anybody ever does anything different or exciting with them.

Fortunately, we've got two artists today that have gone out of their way to prove me wrong. While you might not think of Joy to the World as an indie classic, here are a couple of cats who are trying to change your opinion on the matter. First published in 1719, the song has nothing to do with the birth of Baby Jesus. Instead, it's about his return following his death (or at least a very heavy three day nap). So while all of us think we're singing a birthday hymn of some sort, we're actually apparently trying to usher in Christian Ragnarok. Which is nice.

Indie fave Banjo or Freakout has just put out a FREE Xmas EP of classics that sound absolutely nothing like the originals. Clearly, if the band name is posing a question, the answer is definitely Freakout, as i have yet to hear any Banjo on this thing. Any way, here's his take on the track. It's a spacey, hazy affair that starts with what sounds like an old children's album sample stating the parts of the body. What that has to do with the price of potatoes is beyond me, but even if it weren't free, this thing is worth the price of admission.

Secondly, we have Eef Barzelay's plaintive version. The Clem Snide front man gives this a sparse arrangement, just vocals and soft vocals. And yet, it sounds all the more powerful for its lack of bombast. Personally, i dig it. And while its not blog-on-blog love, Rory, if you're reading this, thanks for turning me onto Eef in the first place.

Of course, the version that seems to stick the most in my mind comes from the Claymation Christmas Celebration. While this is the only song segment that didn't' feature dried out grapes or borderline sacrilegious camels, this clip does still contain the two very gay dinosaur hosts. So it's got that going for it. Man alive, cartoons back in the day were pretty fucked up.

mp3: Joy to the World (Banjo or Freakout from XA2009)

mp3: Joy to the World (Eef Barzelay from Bitter Honey)

It's Covered: When the River Meets the Sea

Every year, the networks trudge out the same old holiday specials. You've got your tried and true Chuck Brown and his pathetic tree and the Grinch fucking with the Whos, as well as some newer numbers, like Shrek, making a bid for "classic" status. Back when i was knee high to a grasshopper, there was a show that helped "make it" Christmas for me every year which, sadly, no longer sees the light of syndicated day. As any Gen Xer worth his salt would know, i'm obviously talking about Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. This is old school Muppetry at its finest--Jim was still live and kickin' and Walt Inc. hadn't gotten their nasty little fingers into that marionette puppet pie. HBO ran the show for a number of Christmases past, but hasn't in forever. i'm guessing it has something to do with the aforementioned Disney buy-out, but who knows?

Regardless, the show had a number of winner tracks. One might even be on the verge of that "classic" status. For those of you in the know, i'm obviously talking about "When the River Meets the Sea," though i wouldn't have faulted you if you thought i meant "Riverbottom Nightmare Band." While the track was written by Paul Williams for the Emmett Otter special and later covered by John Denver and the Muppets for that kick ass Christmas album, it actually isn't about Christmas or even the holidays at all. It's about dying and leaving this mortal coil, so you know the kids loved it immediately.

For your listening pleasure, we have two versions from Ma Otter herself, plus JD and the Muppets, AND a take by none other than Rose Polenzani (that's OK, i didn't know who she was, either). Whilst enjoying, i strongly recommend chowing down on some of Momma's barbecue, but that may just be me.

mp3: When the River Meets the Sea (Ma Otter from Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas)

mp3: When the River Meets the Sea (Ma Otter and Emmett Otter's Jug-Band from Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas)

mp3: When the River Meets the Sea (John Denver and the Muppets from A Christmas Together)

mp3: When the River Meets the Sea (Rose Polenzani, live on WERS, 3/13/07)

(Ed. note: continuing our blog-on-blog lovefest of late, a special shout out to another of our faves, She'll Grow Back, for assistance procuring the EOJB soundtrack. Longtime loiterers will recall that these are the cats that inspired It's Covered in the first place, so you can blame/thank Mark over there accordingly by checking out his blog. His Stagger Lee Saturdays alone are worth the price of admission.)

It's Covered: Gravity Rides Everything

Alright, i'm going to be upfront here and admit i can't really think of much to talk about today. Usually, a song or theme or something hits my radar, and then these little posts have a way of writing themselves. Today, i got nuthin'. No such celestial muse found its way towards me so far today, meaning i guess i'm going to have to fake it.

So i'm driving home last night, and i asked The Missus if we had a bucket at home. She asked what size, and i replied, "You know, the regular size." After a brief discussion detailing exactly how many and of what size buckets we had, The Missus queried as to why i needed a bucket in the first place. As chance would have it, i really felt like making a gravity bong last night. Don't ask me why because i have no answer. The mood just struck me is all, i guess. Unfortunately, i never got around to it, which might explain why i find myself less than motivated today. You can't build up that kind of excitement for yourself and then not deliver. That's like starting to rub one out and then stopping because of an alleged finger cramp. Not cool.

Fortunately, however, while lamenting the lack of self-fulfillment on my part, i recalled that i had a couple of kick ass versions of "Gravity Rides Everything," and here we are. The Mouse wrote the track for The Moon & Antarctica, though you may remember it from that Nissan Quest commercial. The cover is by Lenka, an Australian lass i know next to nothing about. Though she's since released a single version, this particular track is from the Woodstock Sessions. (Not sure what they're putting into the water Down Under, but between her and Sia, Australia seems to be cornering the world market on pixie-like lady singers with only one name.) Excellent versions, the both of them.

i have no idea what the hell is going on here, but i think it's obvious this chick has done more than her fair share of gravity bongs.

And thus, it all comes back to footwear.

mp3: Gravity Rides Everything (Modest Mouse from The Moon & Antarctica)

mp3: Gravity Rides Everything (Lenka from the Woodstock Sessions)

It's Covered: Abracadabra

i'm sure i could blow your mind away with a charming metaphorical simile comparing my blogging capabilities to that of a great wizard, a la Merlin or Brother Voodoo or somebody, but i don't think i'm medicated enough to make it worth either of our whiles. i figure it's enough that i referenced Dr. Strange's successor in a post that's really about Steve Miller.

Which brings us to today's actual topic, Abracadabra. Penned by Steve Miller for the eponymous album, i've loved this track since it first hit the airwaves back in '82. i distinctly recall my buddy playing it over and over again on what we used to call "record players." We ran around like madman screaming the chorus while hopped up on some candy that probably wouldn't pass FDA regulations today. There may or may not have been capes and wands involved, too, but we're going to move on before this becomes a questionably attractive post to pedophiles.

This was also when MTV was first gaining traction, and being 8 years old, the effects for the video impressed me. How the hell did they get that ball to spin backwards like that? Sure, it certainly ain't CGI, but it was good enough for us back then. You kids and your damn Lucas Arts--we were getting poorly executed shots played in reverse AND WE WERE HAPPY TO HAVE IT!

Steve's original pretty much speaks for itself. It's classic 80s rock with just the slightest hint of disco somewhere on the periphery. Martin Philadelphy slows things down considerably, adding a slow burn blues feel the song somehow deserves. Robin McKelle goes in a different direction, turning the track into a big band extravaganza. Both routes hold up more than well enough to the original. These tracks, quite frankly, are what good cover songs are all about--you take and respect the source material and then add your own signature touch. i did come across a number of poorly executed Euro dance versions, but i figured i'd spare us all the ignominy of listening to that.

You can see for yourself how good we had it back in the day, back when MTV actually played music.

mp3: Abracadabra (Steve Miller from Abracadabra)

mp3: Abracadabra (Martin Philadelphy from Death to the 80s)

mp3: Abracadabra (Robin McKelle from Modern Antique)

It's Covered: Brazil

Long weekends get me to thinking about taking a real vacation. Either that, or i'm really coming up short for a better segue for today's It's Covered.

Today's track is Brazil, written in 1939 by Ary Barroso. Go figure, it's a pretty beloved track in Brazil, where it was penned and goes by the full name of "Aquarela do Brasil."

But, of course, that's not what i'm here to talk about today. i'm going to tell a little story about my vacation down there a few years back. My second youngest brother, The World Traveler, and i moseyed down for Carnival. That brother has an ever expanding list of Things To Do, and i decided to tag along for that one.

We stayed in Ipanema, and yes, most of the locals were of Deity-like beauty. Other than that, i was not impressed. i've been more than a couple of places, but i've never been approached by more hookers and pan handlers in my life. In and of itself, OK, these things happen, it is practically a third world country, after all. If you're going to try to sell your body for ducats, though, can we all agree that there are things that are appropriate and things that are not during your sales pitch to me? Honestly, i'm not into working girls, but i see no reason why it should be illegal. That being said, i'm fairly confident no John wants to hear about your kids in the opening monologue. As if that weren't an uncomfortable incident to last me the entire vacation, it remains to this day the one time i actually saw a condom floating perilously close to me in a goddamn ocean. And i lived in South Jersey for a lot of the 80s, so that's really saying something. We had dolphin AIDS, for chrissakes, and i never once almost got flacked by a jimmy cap whilst doing some body surfing.* Finally, while it may seem nectar-like when you are first offered it by the natives, i'm telling you right now that caipirinha actually is the devil's semen. Pardon my French, but that shit will fuck your day up. i just referred to them as chupacabras and every single bartender knew immediately what i meant.

And that's enough pain med-induced rambling about that, i do believe.

Today's sample platter includes the following lunchtime specials:

1. Arcade Fire's version, which might be most least fave here. Don't get me wrong, AF is one of my top 10 bands of the past decade, but this one kind of just falls flat on my ears. i dunno. You tell me.

2. Conversely, Asylum Street Spanker's take might maybe be my most fave on this small smattering. That clarinet, quite frankly, is just money. And their old timey, small club jazz vibe simply nails it for me.

3. If ASS's version doesn't deserve top billing here, Pink Martini's does. They blow it up much larger than any of the others here, nearly opting for the big band route. And to further belabor my clearly mismatched and possibly contradictory use of metaphors, they, too, knock it out of the park.

4. Last but certainly not least, Geoff Muldaur's take from the movie of the same name by Terry Gilliam. Damnation, but i loves me some Terry Gilliam. For those of you not in the know, this is the second movie in his life of man trilogy, along with Time Bandits, this one and closing with The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. While they weren't billed as a trilogy as such, the way i heard it, each movie is meant to depict man in a certain stage of his life (youth, middle-age or "grown up" and old age. Seen in that lens, his already trippy works seem that much more incredible).

And that's all i gots for now. We'll see what happens after i take my next does of meds.

*Ed. note--i saw to Tummi Gummi, such a thing as dolphin AIDS existed. i had to do a report on it in the 8th grade. It's wasn't actually AIDS, but it was similar enough in symptoms and transmission that that's what the local media called it. Of course, Google is not backing my ass up at all here. Bastards. Just remember, though, your Uncle Terrible would never knowingly lie to your face. So there's that.

mp3: Brazil (Arcade Fire from Rebellion (Lies) Single)

mp3: Brazil (Asylum Street Spankers from Spanks for the Memories)

mp3: Brazil (Pink Martini from Sympathique)

mp3: Brazil (Geoff Muldaur from Brazil Soundtrack)

It's Covered: Lovefool

OK, at this point, even i'm tired of hearing about what a shitty, tiring week i'm having. So what do we all need in this instance? That's right, a little levity never hurt nothing, as my less than grammatically correct friends are apt to say.

With that, let's take a few listens to a few different takes on everyone's favorite song about the political collapse of third world micronauts during the decline of omniversal mining rights. No, i'm just fucking with you. Lovefool was written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson (gotta love those Scandinavian names) for the Cardigan's third studio album, First Band on the Moon, way back in 1996. Like most kids at the time, though, I was hipped to that track by the soundtrack for William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Whether you feel Claire Danes and Leo DeCrappy did the Bard's work justice, the OST had a number of money tracks, this one included.

We're going to start with the original and then follow that with a pretty kick ass acoustic take, again by the Cardigans, called "The Puck Version." Then we've got a slightly more techno/bossa nova take from Just Jack, followed by an even techno-ier version by Jolin Tsai. And to round things out, a kind of sing-along version by The Morning Benders.

And while we're enjoying the hell out of this thing, who remembers when Jim couldn't stop singing it on the Office?

mp3: Lovefool (The Cardigans from First Band on the Moon)

mp3: Lovefool (The Cardigans from Best Of)

mp3: Lovefool (Just Jack from Radio 1 Established 1967)

mp3: Lovefool (Jolin Tsai from Love Exercise)

mp3: Lovefool (The Morning Benders from The Bedroom Covers)

It's Covered: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?

Ed. Note--It's been brought to my attention there's a problem w/ the remix track below, and I'm afraid I don't know how to fix it. Hence, it has been removed, but I'm too lazy to go back and re-write the existing paragraph. Sorry about that.

While there are individual reasons for each "It's Covered" post, the one overarching theme seems to be songs from my early childhood, most notably those found in various cartoons. It is with this in mind that I bring today's offering, "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?" or, as I like to refer to it, "that song from Tom & Jerry."

"Is You Is" probably the first song I ever enjoyed specifically as a cover. When I first heard it outside of the T&J classic, I loved it for being a variation on a theme. Long story short, while I was raised on Joe Cocker and others who made entire careers out of cover songs, this was the first "cover tune" I appreciated for being itself.

Originally released as a B-side to "G.I. Jive" by Louis Jordan in 1944, the song enjoyed its own success before eventually being covered by everyone from B.B. King to Saffire, the Uppity Blues Women.

Today's versions include Louis' original, as well as takes by Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters (please pardon the few glitches; it's an OLD track) and Cab Calloway (for the criminally under-educated musically, that old dude in The Blues Brothers). To keep things interesting, we've also got Dinah Washington's original stab, as well as the Rae & Christian Remix of the same piece from the wonderful Verve Remixed series.

And, of course, the version that got this whole ball of wax started in the first place from Solid Serenade.





mp3: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Louis Jordan)

mp3: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters)

mp3: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Cab Calloway)

mp3: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Dinah Washington)

It's Covered: I Want a New Drug

I threw my back out again last week, and, seriously, I am far too young to be falling apart the way I am. I'm pretty sure my spine is in complete decay right now. I was pretty sure it was spina bifida before I knew what spina bifida actually was. Hey, it had "spine" in it and sounded pretty damn bad, so you obviously can see where I was coming from. I'm also a whiny baby when I'm not feeling 100%, so I suppose that should be taken into consideration, too.

Of course, I called the doc's office last week to get a refill on the pain meds, but couldn't get an appointment until tomorrow. All of which led me to today's track, "I Want a New Drug." Huey Lewis wrote the track, allegedly in just a few minutes, after a long night of having the good times, so to speak. On a more salacious note, Lewis sued Ray Parker, Jr. for plagiarism in the Ghostbusters theme song. They settled out of court, contingent upon Lewis not speaking about it publicly. Lewis later did on VH1, resulting in a counter suit by Parker. That's like a perfect pop triangle of utter minutiae right there, kids.

Side note, Huey Lewis and the News was the first concert I ever attended. My brother missed catching the harmonica ol' Hue threw to the crowd by mere inches. I haven't seen him since, but they put on a damn fine show at the time, if memory serves.

Enjoy the indie rock version by Apostle of Hustle, the industrial version by the Greenskeepers, the version that falls somewhere in-between by Mardo, and the alt-country version by Glenn Phillips (formerly of Toad the Wet Sprocket) while you're here. Now it's time for me to go suck down some more aspirin. If, however, you have any new drugs you think might help my cause, feel free to send me a smoke signal, and let's chat.

mp3: I Want a New Drug (Huey Lewis and the News from Sports)

mp3: I Want a New Drug (Apostle of Hustle from Are You Still With Me?!: A Tribute To Huey Lewis)

mp3: I Want a New Drug (The Greenskeepers from Polo Club)

mp3: I Want a New Drug (Glen Phillips from Mr. Lemons)

mp3: I Want a New Drug (Mardo from Mardo)