The Medusa Fora

NewJerseyRich wrote:I can't think of any successful first albums that contains a recent cover. Recent here being within the prior 10-12 years. I'm sure there is an exception somewhere...

...for example, The Clash's version of "Police and Thieves"...

My feeling (without doing any kind of research on it) is that in fact a lot of first albums contain a cover somewhere. I guess partly because most bands start off playing music that other people have written, until the time that they've written their own. And if they've done that live to begin with, the people that've come to see them live will expect to get some at least of the first songs they heard live on the first album. Those songs get to be sort of signature songs, even though not composed by the band.

firehazard wrote:

NewJerseyRich wrote:I can't think of any successful first albums that contains a recent cover. Recent here being within the prior 10-12 years. I'm sure there is an exception somewhere...

...for example, The Clash's version of "Police and Thieves"...

My feeling (without doing any kind of research on it) is that in fact a lot of first albums contain a cover somewhere. I guess partly because most bands start off playing music that other people have written, until the time that they've written their own. And if they've done that live to begin with, the people that've come to see them live will expect to get some at least of the first songs they heard live on the first album. Those songs get to be sort of signature songs, even though not composed by the band.

Think im right in saying 50% of the Beatles first three albums were covers

Fr. McGreer wrote:So, i hope i'm not being lumped in with "the provocateurs" purely for joining in in the best debate this ship has seen in a while. Don't forget, to have a debate you have to have opposite views.

Fr. McG, I'm pretty sure you're not. I don't think anybody on here has an issue with a good debate/arguement, as plenty of previous threads have proved, and none of us has 'ownership' of the forum anyway (except the moderators, obviously). Opposite views are fine and dandy and mine are no more or less valid than yours. I think the problem with this thread is that certain people's idea of arguing a point consisted simply of SHOUTING and abusing people and enldessly repeating the same statements over and over again in an attempt to bludgeon others into submission. Not to mention spewing a fair amoung of venom at one of the members of the band they claim to be a fan of. And before others point it out, I'm not proud of the fact that I stooped to that level on occasion as well (although at least I had the good grace to say I regretted it almost immediately).

As Mrs. Merton would say, "Let's have a heated debate". Let's just do it with a bit of respect for each other. Peace and love Fr. McG.

NewJerseyRich wrote:I can't think of any successful first albums that contains a recent cover. Recent here being within the prior 10-12 years. I'm sure there is an exception somewhere. The first album for any band is the "statement" album. "This is who we are"

I think quite a few first albums of great bands tend to have recent covers on them. No band for me springs out perfectly formed. It's an evolutionary thing

I think the first three Rolling Stones albums (UK):The Rolling Stones (one Jagger/ Richards out of 12 tracks), The Rolling Stones Number 2 (3/12) and Out of our Heads (4/12) kind of stated: "This is who we'd like to be".....Black American Blues and R&B artists.

The Beatles did a little better.... Please Please Me (8/14 Lennon & McCartney) and With the Beatles (7/14). By A Hard Day's Night they wrote 'em all (and weren't they fabulous at it?).

ooh look..soulfinger is a 'statto'....<smileything>

Just want to point out I'm not looking to take this thread in a new extended direction off the path already laid out. You gents do realise the Beatles and the Stones were 50 years ago. That may have been the model back in the day, covering old blues songs their main audience had never heard. Elvis did that as well.
I didn't mean there were no examples. I was thinking particularly of bands since the 80's. Contemporaries of "Red Roses".
The Clash is a good example though "Police and Theives" was a recent release at the time and likely not well known. At least that was my perception here in the states.

old barney greyheron wrote:ooh look..soulfinger is a 'statto'....<smileything>

Out 'n' proud.

NewJerseyRich wrote:Just want to point out I'm not looking to take this thread in a new extended direction off the path already laid out. You gents do realise the Beatles and the Stones were 50 years ago. That may have been the model back in the day, covering old blues songs their main audience had never heard. Elvis did that as well.
I didn't mean there were no examples. I was thinking particularly of bands since the 80's. Contemporaries of "Red Roses".
The Clash is a good example though "Police and Theives" was a recent release at the time and likely not well known. At least that was my perception here in the states.

Oh well, if you meant modern music.......

A few bands if said era that had covers on their debut albums (this is fun, and looks like it's developing into its own thread):

B-52's - "Downtown"

Bronski Beat - "I Feel Love" a medley with "Johhny Remember Me"

the Cure - "Foxy Lady"

Devo - "(Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

Soft Cell - "Tainted Love"

the Specials - "Monkey Man"

...Just some things noticed browsing my CDs

Ok there's a few. I looked through some of my discs nearby and posting those that aren't in that category would be a bit foolish

NewJerseyRich wrote:Ok there's a few. I looked through some of my discs nearby and posting those that aren't in that category would be a bit foolish

But then again the Velvet Underground, Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Tindersticks etc. etc. didn't...

Good work, Herr Doktor and SF. I was going to check through my albums this morning for that very statistical purpose. I won't need to now.

Dammit, I suppose I'll have to work instead.

Kilmichael wrote:

NewJerseyRich wrote:Ok there's a few. I looked through some of my discs nearby and posting those that aren't in that category would be a bit foolish

But then again the Velvet Underground, Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Tindersticks etc. etc. didn't...

I don't know if you can include the Pistols in that. They mightn't have made it to Bollocks but the early b-sides were littered with covers, drawn from the band's very early live set.

What You Gonna Do About It
I'm Not Your Stepping Stone
Substitute
No Fun
Don't You Give Me No Lip, Child

James wrote:

Kilmichael wrote:

NewJerseyRich wrote:Ok there's a few. I looked through some of my discs nearby and posting those that aren't in that category would be a bit foolish

But then again the Velvet Underground, Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Tindersticks etc. etc. didn't...

I don't know if you can include the Pistols in that. They mightn't have made it to Bollocks but the early b-sides were littered with covers, drawn from the band's very early live set.

What You Gonna Do About It
I'm Not Your Stepping Stone
Substitute
No Fun
Don't You Give Me No Lip, Child

Well, the only one that was released as a b-side in '76/'77 was 'No Fun', which was kind of classed as a 'punk' song anyway, but I take your point.

Which kind of brings us back to the question of image vs. reality - would the image people have of the Pistols as 'a punk rock band featuring Sid Vicious' have been different if 'Bollocks' had included a few of these tracks? To me the real Pistols ended the day Matlock left, but others may disagree. Or should we just not go there...

James wrote:

Kilmichael wrote:

NewJerseyRich wrote:Ok there's a few. I looked through some of my discs nearby and posting those that aren't in that category would be a bit foolish

But then again the Velvet Underground, Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Tindersticks etc. etc. didn't...

I don't know if you can include the Pistols in that. They mightn't have made it to Bollocks but the early b-sides were littered with covers, drawn from the band's very early live set.

What You Gonna Do About It
I'm Not Your Stepping Stone
Substitute
No Fun
Don't You Give Me No Lip, Child

Quite a few bands from the era had covers in their sets and some made it to singles, but we were talking about debut albums.

Quickly off the top of my head:

Sisters of Mercy, R.E.M., Bauhaus, Joy Division, Love and Rockets...


Back to the LP's - I just remembered:

(English) Beat - "Tears of a Clown"

Human League - (a terrible version of) "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"