Cover Wars: Cortez The Killer Edition

Dave Matthews Band: The first time DMB played it, it was with Neil Young at the Bridge School Benefit in 2000. Dave & Band have played it a few times since without any guests, but it normally involves either Neil or Warren Haynes sitting in. The audio below is from a show in 2000 and the video is from Central Park 2003, which was released on DVD. Warren plays on both. Source: 12-13-2000

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/dmbcortez.mp3]

Gov’t Mule: Speaking of Warren, he’s been singing about Cortez since the late ’90s and the song is still in the Mule repertoire (normally involving guest sit-ins). Source: 7-2-1999

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/mulecortez.mp3]

Grace Potter w/Steve Kimock, Joe Satriani, Reed Mathis, Willie Waldman, and Stephen Perkins: With a great lead vocalist and two living guitar legends onstage, some might say that having a trumpet player is a bit of overkill – but isn’t that what the Jammy’s are all about? I was there and this was definitely one of the top performances of the nights. How about the crazy eyes on Joe Satriani circa the four minute mark? Overall it’s a pretty hectic interpretation and they somehow still omit two verses. Grace has since played the song with her own band as well.

Matthew Sweet: The man that brought us Girlfriend makes his Cover Wars debut with a little help from Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls. This was a bonus track on the 2006 Legacy Edition of the album. Source: Girlfriend

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/matthewcortez.mp3]

Widespread Panic: Widespread has played the tune four times starting with Halloween 2001 featured below. It’s a solid enough interpretation, but John Bell definitely has some problems with lyrics…
I think he said something about “colored horses” in there. Source: 10-31-2001

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/wspcortez.mp3]

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19 Responses

  1. As soon as I saw the headline, Gov’t Mule popped into my head. Then you reminded me of Built to Spill, and I can’t decide. Let’s give it to BTS, since they don’t really “do” covers like Mule does.

  2. loved the Grace Potter version – she has such passion!
    a close second – DMB w/ Warren from Central park…..
    one not listed I like even better – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals doing the song live in Flagstaff, Az, Nov 2007 – gives me the goosers!

  3. BtS really nails the songs true intent and design in their own way. the meltdown is just a dirty blissful mess of guitar noise/effects/loops.

    not flies on the others, but it is simple grime I that best represents that particular work from Mr. Young.

  4. You should have included The Bottle Rockets! Check out their version on the Lice From Heilbronn album. Saw them crush Cortez at Brownies in NYC in the late 90s with Warren sitting in…epic.

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