The art of the cover tune

I've been noticing a lot of cover tunes on the radio in recent months: some great, some bland, some daring, and some just plain nostalgic. This morning I heard a new(?) version of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", which got me thinking about how this same song propelled Red Hot Chili Peppers into the mainstream a few years back (years, decades, whatever).

I think recording a cover can be a great way for a band to show who they are. When you put your mark on something familiar, the distinctiveness of your sound stands out. By the same token, if your sound lacks any disctinction, your cover recording will make it all the more apparent.

I love Perfect Circle's version of "Imagine", painted in darker shades than the original. Whoever did that Crowded House song last year somehow managed to make it even duller than the original. Someone's got a remake of an old Supertramp hit which is pretty well done but lacks any differentiating qualities.

Remember Devo doing "Satisfaction"? Great stuff!