I have just been flicking through the music channels on Sky and came across this unknown artist called Jamie West. She's only done a cover of one of my favourite songs. It's called Ride The White Swan by Marc Bolan. I wouldn't moan if it was decent, but her, her voice and the dance beat just ruined one of hellva good song. There is not an ounce of Bolan's guitar work it, it basically all dance beat.

If people are going to a cover version, why change it. It makes the song sound shit. Basically another cover version ruined. When are they going to realise.

You took the words right out of my mouth..

Covers should be banned from the Charts. Let the bloody artists write their own music.

Has anyone seen her 'This is an advertsing feature' advert on The Box? It's hilarious - the woman can't sing for toffee and it says that she's a model but she's not even remotely attractive!!

I wouldn't get too worried tho, it's on a small label and unlikely to make the Top 40, it's just another Rick Guard!

Rick who????

I've been listening to this track for months and i think it's great

But are you taking this track as a song in its own right, or judging it against the original? Dan and Micksea are judging it against the original, which maybe why they don't like it and you do.

I, however, haven't heard either version so I can't comment

I have both versions of the song and i think that the jamie west version adds that extra something that the original is missing,

it is a song in its own right imo as it is a completely different tune and beat to the original, the only similar thing are the lyrics

Most covers don't work - especially if they are just note for note copies of the original song but once in a while one comes along which improves on, or does something different to the original eg

A Little Help from my Friends - Joe Cocker
Mr Tambourine Man - The Byrds
Your Song - Billy Paul

So - while they usually don't work sometimes they do and should be allowed in the charts for that reason!!

The major problem I have with covers is 1) they are done by talentless fame-seeking "Pop Idols" and manufactured Teenyboppers, and 2) they do absolutly nothing to the songs.

All the examples you mentioned were performed by proper bands and artists who write their own songs and play their own musical instruments. They have the inspiration and love for music to add a little something to the song.

In these days of talentless teenagers destroying the talent levels required to get into the charts inspiration that existed for bands to write their own songs up until the mid 90s has evaporated. Thats why I think covers should be banned from charts, unless its for charity or something.

Its such a shame because there are some cracking proper bands who dont get the exposure when theres people like A1 and whoever else who get together for a couple of years, record other peoples songs, earn enough money to live off, then split up. That in my view is disgusting. [/rant off]

Despite the fact I dont like 90% of the covers out there, I have to disagree with this.. if an artist/band is going to cover something, at the very least they should make it there own - otherwise whats the point?

Will Young covers The Doors song Light My Fire, and when I first heard it, despite being a big Doors fan I quite liked it.. it gave it a different, relaxed feel about it... I thought 'fair enough, its not brilliant but its a change... they took the time to make it a different song more suited to Mr Young rather than just cashing in. I then later bought a Alternative 60s compilation and heard another cover version of the song by Jose Feliciano - virtually identical to Will Youngs (well, the other way around)...

whats the point in that? They've (Will Young and Co) brought nothing to the song. The same goes for:

A1 - Take on Me
Westlife - Uptown Girl
Atomic Kitten - Eternal Flame
.. and more.

As Rob the Don pointed out, making the song your own can quite often be worth it and actually improve the song.. although I'm a big Dylan fan and like Mr Tamourine Man in its original form, I have to agree that the Byrds version is better.. Muse did a cracking job on Feeling Good and there are so many more!

Hmmm.. this message was only meant to be a 'I disagree with the quoted remark'.. Doh!

Anyway, I like Ride The White Swan, so I hope they havent buggered it up to much.. only good dance cover I've heard is Oakenfolds remix of Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You by Led Zeplin.

One of the best cover versions ever imo,is Jimi Hendrixs version of Bob Dylans 'All along the watch tower'. Jimi turned an average(for Dylan) album song into a masterpiece and a classic.

I think we need to differentiate between 'Talentless' and 'being given crap songs to sing'.

Pop idol finalists had, on the whole, loads of Talent. They were all mostly fine singers, especially Zoe Birkett and Jessica Garlick. Will young has a good voice as well.
However, I agree with you about point 2, and think that is these 'pop idols' were given some decent new material, (I think wills next single is self penned, so lets see), then we would see they have talent.

I couldn't agree with you more there. I think Dylan even uses Hendrix's version/arrangement when performing now.

It may be a crap cover but she would certainly get it!

Sugababes version of Adamski's 'Killer' is pretty good.

It's on the new '1 Love' charity cover versions album.

I loved Billy Joels 'Uptown Girl' and love to sing along to it even today, but ppl think that I'm singing the cover version by some Boyband quite recently! So embarrasing

I hate it when classic songs are 'updated' with 180bpm Trance track backing...arghh!!!...

anyway..its not new Lalo schefren was doing stuff like that (ok maybe a bit slower 130BPM) with the 'jaws' theme tune in 1976 .

edited out

another cover version I loved was the Status Quo version of 'Wild side of life'. This was an old classic country and western song(quite slow and typically old style c&w) about 50 years old, turned into a typical Quo rocker.

They also covered 'Rocking all over the world' which was original done by John Fogerty, again, turning it into a Quo Classic.

One of my favourite recent covers is DJ Sammy's version of Heaven. It's different from the original, but great. The vocalist (Do.) is great too. On the cd i have, there is a slow mix of the song, and her talents really shine - i hope we hear more from her (shes very pretty too )

mmmm i had to think about this one.
I have to agree i usually cringe when i hear cover versions and i agree with whats been said on this topic, and i tried to think have i actually ever thought a cover version was good.
then i remembered hit me baby one more time, dire when sung by britney, but magic when sung by travis.
i never thought I would ever say a cover was heaps better than the original.
What really gets me is that a fair percentage of records covered were not much cop the first time round.

Sounds very early-90s does that cover of Heaven by DJ Sammy.

they can't write, that's why they do covers

ban the charts, i say