Recent media reports that Linda Ronstadt is privately
battling Parkinson’s Disease has been a genuine cause of concern for her many
fans around the globe. The extent of the disease has rendered Ronstadt unable
to sing, thus the music world will never hear her superb voice again.
Ronstadt is best known as an “interpreter” of other people’s
songs, and some say that she is the best in the business at this craft. Roy
Orbison had a smash hit with his self-penned “Blue Bayou” in 1963, however
Rondstadt’s 1977 cover version may be the apex of her 40 plus year singing
career. “Hurt So Bad”, “It’s So Easy”, “When Will I Be Loved”; these songs are
key components of her body of work however we often overlook that each song was
a hit in its previous life.
Rarely is a cover version of a song “better” than the
original version. Let’s outline a selection of Superior Cover Versions:
“Without You” – Harry Nilsson heard the 1970 original by
Beatles protégés Badfinger at a party, and made a mental note that this album
track held all of the ingredients of a hit song. Nilsson hit the top of the
charts in 1972 with his memorable re-work, and it is his version which still
gets regular airplay to this day.
“Jealous Guy” – rarely can anybody “out-Lennon” John Lennon,
however Roxy Music’s 1981 cover version surpassed the 1971 album cut from
“Imagine”. Notwithstanding the “tribute” aspect of the release of Roxy Music’s
version in the wake of Lennon’s assassination, Bryan Ferry’s vocal
sensitivities and seminal whistling outro make this song very special.
“With A Little Help From My Friends” – Lennon and McCartney
knocked out a catchy little ditty for Ringo Starr’s vocal debut on 1967’s
“Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, however Joe Cocker chose the
following year to transform the song into an unforgettable psychedelic soul
anthem. It’s also impossible to acknowledge that each version is one and the
same song.
“All Along The Watchtower” – plenty of artists have covered
Bob Dylan, ranging from The Byrds’ “Mr Tambourine Man” to Olivia Newton John’s
“If Not For You”. Jimi Hendrix waited 6 months to re-work Dylan’s 1968 release
of “Watchtower”, and in doing so he invented psychedelic rock.
The sure fire method of releasing a hit song is to release a
cover version of a popular song. The real art is “outdoing” the original
version of the song…
