Tuesday, March 22, 2011: M.I.A. - Paper Airplanes

At this time last year, March 21, 2010, The United States House of Representatives passed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

It was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2010.

And where are we now?  I ask you, where are we now?

Well, I just can't help but imagine that politicians on both sides, Democrats and Republicans, Left and Right, Conservatives and Liberals, are all in some smoky back room somewhere sipping on brandy, brandishing firearms, patting each other on the back and, with all the lawyers and pharmaceutical companies and insurance executives on speaker phone, they are all singing in glorious unison to MIA's Paper Airplanes:

All I wanna do is

[ gun shots ]

And a

[load up, ka-ching]

And take your money

But, hey, that's just me and I might be wrong.

Monday, March 21, 2011: AC/DC - Thunderstruck

Covers Week was a blast. There has to be a Part II coming soon, I hardly even got started sharing all the cool covers I wanted to.

But, that's for another time.

Let's start this week, then, with a total opposite of Covers Week.

Here is a band that I don't think anyone has ever done decent cover versions of.

And, really, why would you want to?

It's Monday, people

If you are about to rock, I salute you!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

No blogging on a Sunday.

See you Monday!

Saturday, March 19, 2011: Goodbye, Covers Week

I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted.

But this was well worth the effort I think, there were some real magical moments this week.

Hopefully, we've either introduced you to some wonderful interpretations of popular material, or helped you rediscover some long lost gems. Or both.

We'll leave you with a double-down dose of cool, starting with the high energy thrash of Me First And The Gimme Gimme's (probably the choicest band name ever), and let you slide into the cool of the evening with the sweet sounds of Willis taking on Cameo's 80's classic Word Up.

We're about to go down, and you know just what to do

Have a great rest-of-your-weekend and we'll resume with our regularly scheduled blogging on Monday.

Keep on trucking, ya'll

Friday, March 18, 2011: The Dickies - Nights In White Satin

It's Friday, and Covers Week is slowly coming to a close.

So, let's crash through into the weekend with a stripped down and rawkus version of a really bloated, so-called classic.

Blast this loud enough to anger the neighbors, then pogo across the room to the window and scream this out from the top of your lungs - is there any better way to start the weekend?

I seriously doubt it.

CSOTD Bonus Edition: Tori Amos - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Here is another thoughtful re-imagining of a thunderous original.

Stripped of the overly familiar guitar riffs and Kurt Cobain's angst-riddled delivery, Tori Amos' cutting vocals and surgical sharp piano playing serves up the bleeding heart of this song while it is still pumping.

This is music made magic.

Enjoy.

Thursday, March 17, 2011: Johnny Cash - Hurt

I've said previously that Jimi Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower is the greatest cover ever.

I was just giving you the general consensus, the popular opinion, the default vote.

Here's the real deal.

Johnny Cash's take on Nine In Nail's Hurt is the greatest cover ever.

He is 71 years old in this video, he died 7 months after it was made.

If this haunting, poignant and heartwrenching exploration of regret set in the twilight of a man's years doesn't give you a Mike Tyson sized punch to the chest, then I don't know what to tell you friend.

Other than, maybe you have no soul.