Cover Wars March Madness: Round 1, Pt. 1


Matchup #2 (Gov’t Mule vs. Gov’t Mule):

Gov’t Mule – War Pigs (by Black Sabbath)

So, as I mentioned in the intro, 17-year-old DaveO saw Gov’t Mule destroy this tune. That concert was without a doubt a major influence during these formative musical years for me. I went out and immediately bought Mule’s Live…With A Little Help From Our Friends CD. Writing this piece and looking up the entry for War Pigs on MULEbase.com, I was surprised to see that the performance I saw in Boston was just the third time it had been played.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mulepigs.mp3]

Video from 12-31-1998, the first known performance and the version included in the audio above:

VS.

Gov’t Mule – Goin’ Out West (by Tom Waits)

Gov’t Mule debuted this cover on December 14th, 1995 at Savannah’s in Burlington, VT. When performed live by Mule, Goin’ Out West frequently contains teases of Get It On (Bang A Gong) by T. Rex.
Audio Source: 6-22-2010

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mulewest.mp3]

Video from 1996, RIP Allen Woody:

Video from 2010:


Matchup #3 (The Battle of M. Ward):

Beth Orton & M. Ward – Buckets of Rain (Bob Dylan)

Before hitting it big on his own, M. Ward was a member of Beth Orton’s touring band. The duo’s version finds Orton and Ward trading off on the verses, which was released as the B-side for the digital single of Heart Of Soul, a track that Ward co-wrote with Orton for her 2006 album Comfort Of Strangers.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/bucketsbeth.mp3]

VS.

She & Him – I Put A Spell On You (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins)

Though not recorded on either of their studio albums, She & Him (which features Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward) frequently covers the song in concert. An impressive vocal performance.

This video is from November of 2008 in Anaheim:

Matchup #4 (The Battle of Steely Dan Covers by Tim Palmieri):

Tim Palmieri – Any Major Dude Will Tell You (Steely Dan)

Tim Palmieri: We sing the praises of the solo Tim Palmieri show quite a bit here on Hidden Track, but it is always well deserved. Palmieri uses a little subtle looping of his guitar in this cover, and just look at the rest of the setlist from this show, it’s crazy. Source: 2-20-2009
[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/timmydude.mp3]

VS.

Kung Fu – Green Earrings (Steely Dan)

Kung Fu: This new jamband supergroup delivers a stellar 11+ minute rendition here. Todd Stoops, keyboardist of Kung Fu, also played this a few times in his other band RAQ. Source: 5-6-2010

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/kungfugreen.mp3]


Matchup #5 (Covers by My Morning Jacket):

My Morning Jacket – Across 110th Street (Bobby Womack) – A Play-In Game Selection

My Morning Jacket performing Across 110th Street by Bobby Womack at Bonnaroo 2008

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mmjmadness.mp3]

VS.

My Morning Jacket – It Makes No Difference (The Band)

My Morning Jacket had the pleasure of recording It Makes No Difference for the 2007 compilation Endless Highway: The Music Of The Band at Levon Helm’s studio in Woodstock, NY. In 2006, prior to the release of Endless Highway, My Morning Jacket frequently covered the song in concert including their Bonnaroo festival set as well as in opening slots for Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder frequently came out to trade verses with MMJ lead vocalist Jim James.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/diffmmj.mp3]

Eddie Vedder with MMJ:


Matchup #6 (Covers by The Band):

The Band – Baby Don’t You Do It (Marvin Gaye)

The Band released this under the name of simply Don’t Do It, not exactly sure why they dropped the “Baby Don’t You”, maybe one of our readers knows. This was first released on the live album Rock of Ages which was recorded during the last four days of 1971. Don’t Do it was also on the live release The Last Waltz recorded in 1976. A studio version was released by way of a bonus track for the 2000 Deluxe Edition of Cahoots, an album by The Band from 1971. Source: Rock Of Ages

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/dontband.mp3]

Happy Thanksgiving. The encore from The Last Waltz:

VS.

The Band – Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen)

Without a doubt the most famous cover of Atlantic City was done by The Band for their 1993 album Jericho.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/thebandac.mp3]


Matchup #7 (The Beatles Covers):

Wilson Pickett – Hey Jude (The Beatles)

And last but certainly not least, and I really mean that this week, is the definitive cover from Wilson Pickett. Just read the story about the recording over at raresoul.com. It’s a damn good thing Duane Allman was able to convince them to record it, that’s all I gotta say. Source: Hey Jude

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/wilsonjude.mp3]

If you want to kill even more time, I recommend reading the comments section of this YouTube of Wilson Pickett joined by The Bee Gees:

VS.

Jimmy Herring Band – Within You Without You (The Beatles)

The Jimmy Herring Band was the inspiration for this week’s Cover Wars. I included some live tracks in last Thursday’s edition of Last Week’s Sauce, and yesterday we had a great review of Jimmy’s NYC gig courtesy of Chad Berndtson. Audio Source: 11-14-2010

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/withinjimmy.mp3]


Matchup #8 (Covers by Widespread Panic):

Widespread Panic – Lawyers, Guns & Money (Warren Zevon)

Widespread Panic: According the Everyday Companion the Southern jam titans first covered LG&M all the back in 1987,  playing the song semi-regularly for a two-year period before shelving it for almost all of the ’90s – busting it out just twice for Halloween shows. The song returned back into rotation in 2000, and has stayed there since.  Source: 10-4-2010

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/wsplawyers.mp3]

VS.

Widespread Panic – Like A Hurricane (Neil Young)

Widespread Panic debuted this cover on Saturday in Alpharetta, GA. Among other Young covers, Walk On from the album On The Beach has been a staple in the WSP repertoire and was released on the mostly acoustic 2004 release Uber Cobra. WSP was also featured in the Cortez The Killer Cover Wars. This is another welcome addition to the band’s cover arsenal.
Source: 9-25-2010

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/hurricanewsp.mp3]


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6 Responses

  1. Wicked Messenger is one the best songs the Black Keys ever recorded, I really wish they played it live.

    It Makes No Difference done by MMJ is awesome, I was at Pearl Jam’s East Rutherford performance in the YouTube clip is from, great sets by both bands!

    The Band is my favorite band, and Don’t Do It is one of my favorite songs they play, a great match up would have been The Band – Don’t Do It vs. Black Crowes – Don’t Do It. The Crowes, do a great job, but The Band would def win.

  2. I believe that there was a studio recording of She & Him performing I Put a Spell on You included on Sweetheart, a compilation put out by and sold at Starbucks.

  3. I think you’re right Hadley, but I think it came out after we had already posted the I Put A Spell On You Cover Wars. So at the time of originally publishing that edition, there wasn’t any audio available…

  4. Michael Martelli Jr., your Band vs. Black Crowes comment. Look, I don’t say this that often in the comment sections of an online music blog but: I want to be in you.

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