10. It's a relay sport
The fine line between creative play and creative plagiarism is arbitrary and negotiable.
Hi kids, welcome back.
I work at an art museum and I could not define what art is if you put a gun to my head. I think the problem here is that my understanding of creative merit is shaped by my big, fat love affair with what I’ve come to think of as creative play— I’m really into when artists take a thing that they love and love it some more until it’s something entirely its own. Genre films, references, self-aware tropes, pastiche, amateur fanworks, narrative revisionism, I adore all of it. To me, there is nothing more charming or more human or more gorgeous than seeing the fingerprints of a creative lineage— we all just want to play with each other’s toys.
Basically, I think artistic originality is overrated and the line between creative play and creative plagiarism is how much your love and respect your sources. On the spectrum from Pablo Picasso to Plato, I like the way Hayao Miyazaki frames creativity as a kind of relay sport:
“In our work, the question is, how much you absorb from others. So for me, creativity is really like a relay race. As children we are handed a baton. Rather than passing it onto the next generation as is, first we need to digest it and make it our own.”
So, covers— when a cover really knocks it out of the park, it’s the best kind of creative play there is. In my book, a great cover is recognizable but transformative, which is truly a kind of magic. Here are twenty of my favorites:
10.1 Here Comes The Sun, Richie Havens (original by The Beatles)
Sorry to start with a repeat. Richie Havens is the undisputed king of covers, at least in my heart. My favorite thing he does here, other than take his time building up this beautiful, gorgeous rhythm before slow rolling into the lyrics, is to change up the final chorus slightly to “here goes the sun, here comes the sun”. It’s cyclical, yeah?
10.2 Your Song, Leo Nocentelli (original by Elton John)
You know Leo Nocentelli as the lead guitarist of The Meters, and while he backed a lot of other artists, he wasn’t very successful doing his own thing and this album of demos almost didn’t see the light of day. Informal poll:
10.3 My Sweet Lord, The Belmonts (original by George Harrison)
This is the first of several really self-aware covers included in this week’s playlist— the cliff notes version is that George Harrison’s original steals very obviously from He’s So Fine by The Chiffons, an all-black, all-female pop group, which they successfully sued him over. This version of Harrison’s My Sweet Lord intersperses lyrics from He’s So Fine with the chord progression and key from Harrison’s track.
Bonus: The Chiffons also covered My Sweet Lord in 1975, because pettiness is the ultimate revenge.
10.4 Don’t Take My Sunshine Away, Sensational Saints (original by Jimmie Davis)
I cannot stress how much this cover improves upon the original, which was sung by two-time Louisiana state governor and firm opponent of desegregation, Jimmie Davis.
10.5 Nobody but You, Noonday Underground (original by The Turtles)
In this house we do not respect The Turtles or contribute to their residuals.
10.6 You Are My Sunshine, Dyke & The Blazers (original by Jimmie Davis)
Oh you wanted another cover of the song we sing to children written and recorded by the super racist guy? Heard, Chef. I’ve featured Dyke & The Blazers before on my soul playlist, 02. None of the will be new to you.
10.7 For What It’s Worth, Miriam Makeba (original by Buffalo Springfield)
There’s something about this song, I think. I adore the original and it’s also been a starting point for some truly phenomenal covers— this one by the inimitable Miriam Makeba is my favorite. Her life was tragic and incredible in equal measure, and the track takes on a totally different meaning when she sings it.
10.8 Love the One You’re With, The Isley Brothers (original by Crosby, Stills, and Nash)
As previously mentioned, I actually have a lot of love for Stephen Stills, but this is one of those covers that’s just objectively a massive step up from the original. Is Givin’ It Back (1971) the best covers album of all time? I think so. If you’re not already aware, The Isley Brothers were rightfully pissed that a bunch of white guys had covered their songs and gotten a level of press and praise the originals never saw— so they covered a bunch of already-famous white guys and unilaterally put them to shame. It’s impeccable from start to finish.
Bonus trivia, Stephen Stills wrote this song after hearing Billy Preston drop the chorus line in conversation at a Laurel Canyon party. Billy Preston was definitely gay and very much closeted, which does make this song sort of sad. Still a bop, though.
10.9 Mighty Mighty, Baby Huey (original by The Impressions)
My goal for acquired taste is to slowly parcel out every song Baby Huey ever released as proof that you can put this album on in any context, any time. Anyway, Baby Huey’s version of The Impressions’ original removes the “spade and whitey” pro-integration message from the song, which makes it more contemporary to my ear. He also takes a solid minute to wax poetic about the red beans and rice at a random soul food restaurant on Chicago’s south side, plus there’s a random kid singing along throughout the recording and a bunch of people just vibing in the background. Basically this cover checks absolutely every one of my personal boxes. I love it! I love Baby Huey!
10.10 Respect, Rotary Connection (original by Aretha Franklin)
I’m obsessed with Rotary Connection lately, which was a relatively short-lived psych soul/rock/funk band recording at Chicago’s Chess Records in the late sixties and early seventies. They also backed Muddy Waters, and if you’re hearing a familiar voice, it’s because that’s Minnie Riperton. The album Songs (1969) includes a bunch of absolutely killer covers and I can’t recommend it enough!
10.11 Lay Lady Lay, The Brothers and Sisters & Edna Wright (original by Bob Dylan)
Similar to The Beatles, I feel like everyone who’s ever covered Bob Dylan has done it better than he did— which is, in itself, testament to Dylan’s monumental songwriting talent. Anyway, this gospel cover fucks. It’s impeccable.
10.12 Sunshine of Your Love, Rotary Connection (original by Cream)
Please listen to this album, I am begging you. Please note that if you ever think there’s someone whistling in the back of this song, it’s actually Minnie Riperton singing a superhuman note that I’m almost certain could summon dogs from a cold slumber (see 1:30 and 4:18).
10.13 Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, Led Zeppelin (original by Joan Baez)
Award for most transformed cover goes to this one— it’s sooooo very nasty and I adore that. I love and admire Joan Baez but the original is the kind of music I just can’t listen to, I’m so very very sorry. I just can’t imagine hearing that track and thinking, without even an ounce of irony, “my hard rock band should fuck this up”.
Do we think that last little chord is a reference to Ennio Morricone?? Please discuss.
10.14 Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Ananda Shankar (original by The Rolling Stones)
Is this too weird? I don’t care. Enjoy!
10.15 Paint it Black, Africa (original by The Rolling Stones)
I’ve already discussed this song in 01. I’m desperately trying to impress you— it’s easily my favorite cover of all time and possibly one of my favorite songs. It’s chaotic, it’s aggressively low-fi, it’s almost eight minutes long, and it’s almost kind of scary. I want it played at my funeral. I can’t stop thinking about this comment from the YouTube upload:
10.16 Ain’t No Sunshine, Stone Coal White (original by Bill Withers)
The YouTube upload for this one has just one comment:
10.17 Somebody to Love, Barbara & Ernie (original by Jefferson Airplane)
This is another one where I adore the original, and this track does an excellent job of paying homage to Grace Slick’s vocals and still switching up the overall feel, trading out the razor-sharp edges of the original with Barbara & Ernie’s trademark smoothness.
10.18 Today, Tom Scott & The California Honeydrops (original by Jefferson Airplane)
Another repeat, from 08. Lately, pt ii.
10.19 Walk On By, Isaac Hayes (original by Dionne Warwick)
The original is by Dionne Warwick via Burt Bacharach, and you should listen to it a.) to appreciate how much the Isaac Hayes cover slaps and b.) for the Doja Cat sample. Anyway, Isaac Hayes ate, left no crumbs, etc etc etc. It’s one of the best of the best.
10.20 Can’t Find My Way Back Home, Ellen McIlwaine (original by Blind Faith)
I like the Blind Faith original so much. Is it better sang by a woman? Maybe. Probably. Helen McIlwaine’s voice is so bittersweet and beautiful, and I adore that little broken chord at the very end.
Surprise! It’s Wednesday. I’m pushing this one out a little early since I have an easter edition of the newsletter queued up for Friday. I’m sorry about all the sideways Beatles references— I’m trying to do better, I promise. Love you.
xoxo em