By Nilpferd
A very enjoyable week all round, thanks to all contributors with loads of great suggestions. Of the resulting playlists, all but two were new to me. It's always a pleasure to be immersed in so much new music.
The Interpretative Adaptive A-List:
The Wailers – Like a Rolling Stone (MussoliniHeadkick)
The Wailers were themselves like a complete unknown in 1966, outside of Jamaica. Smart move to cover a Bob track which itself represented a genre schism (the other Bob not yet present on this recording).
Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding- A day in the life (magicman)
One of the more often covered Beatles titles given a unique twist by the sublime combination of Milton + Esperanza, from last year's release.
Amy Winehouse – The Girl From Ipanema (Loud Atlas)
From Brazil back to England with some select scat by the girl from Enfield, on what is apparently the second-most recorded pop song of all time (behind The Beatles' Yesterday).
Shirley Bassey – Light My Fire (pejepeine)
This girl from Cardiff always had a great feel for combustible material. That growl following "funeral pyre" might have made even Jim blush. Orchestral arrangement incidentally based on a chart by Johnny Harris, from his "Movements" album.
Malik Adouane – Shaft (Nicko)
This develops in similar fashion to the original –until the hook and the vocals kick in. "Harissa groove", Nicko calls this. Hit me.
Sachal Studios – Take five (Uncleben)
Meticulous arrangement by the Lahore based group of the famous Paul Desmond composition, focusing on three stellar soloists – Ballu Khan on tabla, Nafees Ahmed on sitar, and Asad Ali on guitar. The tabla playing in particular develops into a brilliant dialogue with Joe Morello's drumming on the original.
Oddjob – The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (untergunther)
Swedish jazzers' tribute to films featuring Clint Eastwood, in this case the Italo-Western finale of a trilogy scored by Ennio Morricone and based around a character originally inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo. Which itself (though not conclusively) is said to be derived from Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest.
No. 1 de No. 1 – Guajira Ven (magicman)
Cuba to Senegal via New York closes the circle of Afro-Cuban music. From fifties Cuba via bands like Trio Matamoros, a version was adapted by Willie Colon for Fania Records in New York. Orchestre No. 1 de Dakar pulls in psychedelic and samba influences and other Senegalese bands such as Orchestra Baobab have also covered this iconic track.
The Gourds – Gin and Juice (happyclapper)
Alt-country cover of a Snoop Dogg original which has become The Gourds' signature piece. Manic energy and mandolins replace the original's languid G-funk party feel.
The Slits – I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Vikingchild)
Gossip knows no genre boundaries as the Slits give the Motown classic a dub-punk makeover with the message carried through a shaking Tessa Pollitt bassline and Ari Up's edgy anguish. "I heard it through the bassline" indeed.
Melt Banana
Melt Banana – We Will Rock You (Traktor Albatrost)
Tokyo noise-rockers M-B with what starts out as a pretty quiet version of the stadium shaker, by their standards. That just makes the noise all the more effective when it arrives, of course.
Patti Smith – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Sara van O.)
One of the most suggested titles this week. I've gone with Patti Smith's slow burner. This is the way to make a cover version – dark, folk-infused, lyrics going off-piste as the banjos and fiddle churn, but in every sense a heartfelt tribute to the original. Just listen to that bridge...
Baby bombs blasting blue
Scavengers picking through the ashes
Children of the mills, children of the junkyards
Sleepy, illiterate, fuzzy little rats
Haunted, paint-sniffin'
Stoned out of their shaved heads
Forgotten, foraging, mystical children
Foul-mouthed, glassy eyed, hallucinating...
Becoming New Again B-List Playlist:
The Jesus and Mary Chain – Surfin' USA (happyclapper)
Beach boys get the fuzzbox treatment from the Reid Brothers.
The Ukrainians – Королева Не Померла (barbryn)
Smiths as heard from Dnipropetrovsk
Mexrrissey – Estuvo Bien (Suedehead) (severin)
And Morrissey as heard from Mexico City.
Prince Fatty ft. Soothsayers Horns – Smells like teen Spirit (untergunther)
Horns fit really well here, London's Soothsayers giving it their best.
Burning Spear – Estimated Prophet (Chris7572)
Two genres, one prophet preaching on the burning shore.
Hikashu – The Model (Traktor Albatrost)
Deadpan J-rock Kraftwerk interpretation.
Susanna & The Magical Orchestra – It's A Long Way To The Top (Uncleben)
Norwegian duo with a meditative take on AC/DC.
Hayseed Dixie – War Pigs (suzi)
Bluegrass Black Sabbath.
Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet – Taiyang Chulai (tincanman2010)
More bluegrass, this time interpreting a Chinese folk song complete with Mandarin lyrics.
Kristin Hersch – When The Levee Breaks (ShivSidecar)
From her debut solo release, a powerful performance looking back through Led. Z. to original performers/writers Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy.
Scott Walker – If You Go Away (Noodsy)
One of a number of sublime Jacques Brel tracks performed by the singer, with English language lyrics by Rod McKuen.
Joe Cocker – Cry Me A River (AltraEgo)
Downbeat lyrics but an irrepressibly upbeat performance by Cocker and choir from this 1970 performance.
Guru’s Wildcard List:
GhostMutts – I Only Said
Blue/Loveless saw Korean bands interpreting MBV's masterpiece in often compelling ways, following the Yellow/Loveless album from Japan.
Organ Eternal – Yazz Ahmed.
These new Puritans in truth already quite jazzily oriented, but this all-star London crew still transforms the piece.
The Clash – Justice Tonight/Kick it over
An extended reworking of Willie Williams' Armagideon Time, which was in turn based on a Jackie Mittoo riddim.
Grant Green – Sookie, Sookie
One of the greatest jazz-funk recordings, originally performed by Steppenwolf in blues-rock mode.
Extra Nilpf. Jr Wildcards. I haven't put these on the playlist but you will find them if you want them:
Hildegard von Blingin' – Holding Out For a Hero
Bonnie Tyler for the troubadour generation. "Bardcore" I think this is called.
My Chemical Romance – All I Want For Christmas Is You
Emo Mariah Carey. Nilp. Jr. had this on the christmas playlist for about 3 years. Enough said.
Orchestre No. 1 de Dakar
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Have song, will travel: cross-cultural cover versions. The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Fancy a turn behind the pumps at The Song Bar? Care to choose a playlist from songs nominated and write something about it? Then feel free to contact The Song Bar here, or try the usual email address. Also please follow us social media: Song Bar X, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.