Bands that "make it" with cover songs
 

So what's your oppinion of bands such as this? Those bands that cover a song by another artist, release it and then become famous. Personally I don't like it and I probably wouldn't like it if it happened to me. It would be awful to know that I achieved my fame and fortune by using someone else's work. Anyways, a few bands from recent times that have done this

Alien Ant Farm - Annie Are You Ok (Originally by Michael Jackson)

Crazy Town - Butterfly (Riff from the song stolen from Red Hot Chili Pepper's Pretty Little Ditty)

Those are the only one's I can think of off the top of my head.

I think the Alient Ant Farm song you're talking about is smooth criminal. But anyway, i havent heard bands make it on covers, but one particular band that irks me with covers AFTER they've made it is A New Found Glory. They've covered everything from Aerosmith's I Dont Wanna Miss a Thing to Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go on. Sad, really.

Most bands don't enjoy long-lasting success based entirely on cover songs. If a band wants to cover another artists song--and goes through the proper legal channels to do it--I don't think anything is wrong with that.

Enjoy your 3:45 of success.


If you have the talent to do your own thing, show some creativity and write your own songs, perhaps that success will last longer than a few minutes.

Yeah smooth criminal was the song, not sure what I was thinking.

New Found Glory doing "The Glory of Love" - Karate Kid II. Funny band, bad song.

My favorites are almost all by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - a few guys from punk-lite bands doing showtunes and 80s pop with a punk sensibility.

What about The Byrds? They've covered tons of Dylan and Pete Seeger songs.

Nothing is wrong with a band becoming famous with a cover of a song. It just shows respect to the people that they grew up with. Man, I would love to be famous because I recorded someone elses song. Heck, most acts don't write their own music. thats what songwriters and producers are for.

A lot of musicians cover other musician's song, not to get popular, but cause they dig their music. When you see a band live, for instance, they might throw in a cover or two. But releasing a cover as a single on your debut album...um, step aside and let the pros work.

What comes first to my mind is Sixpence None the Richer. The last two songs they've released that have gotten radio play are cover songs--the first is "There She Goes" originally by the La's and the second is "Don't Dream It's Over" originally by Crowded House. I don't mind cover songs as long as people know they're just that--cover songs. It seems to me though that these days people take too much credit for a song that isn't theirs in the first place.

Orgy covering blue monday was their first single. Blue monday being a new order song.

Ahh, but children, how can we forget the terrible plague that engulfed the earth due to a cover song?

Sure, they had "Counterfeit" out and it was semi-popular, but we wouldn't have our good friends Limp Bizkit today if it wasn't for a cover they made of George Michael's "Faith."

And that, is proof that covers can be used for both good and horrible, horrible <font color=red>evil</font>.

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are a band that has built a career on covers... its all they doo. They've released four or so albums of cover music (each album covers a different decade, for the most part) by doing old songs in a punk way. Songs like Rocket Man, Fire and Rain, etc...

gentlemen, what we have to realize is that there is a distinct difference between playing songs that are covers and playing songs that are standards. All blues songs are standards, period. This includes House of the Rising Sun, which has been played by every musician ever to pick up a guitar. Traditional songs are standarads. I'm not sure, but I doubt whether Doc Watson has ever written a song in his life. "Covers" are acceptable under only a few circumstances: they are played to showcase musical ability, they are done out of respect for the original artist, the song has been in the culture that it has become a standard, or it has been covered by a substantially loarge number of artists. My blues band covers Hey Bulldog out of respect for the Beatles, Mojo Workin' because it's a standard, and House of the Risin' Sun becasue it has always been a great song. Don't hate the covers, just as long as they're acceptable

Me first isn't much of a "career band" it's just a side-project that members from other famous punk bands are involved in. They all have careers all ready, and Me First is just a way to have fun. They're pretty cool live, I might add. They have a bar on stage for other bands at the concert when they play.

Well bands that MAKE it with cover songs don't really go anywhere..for example the two examples you came with BulletBob were really one hit wonders....they aren't so popular as the people who originals who played the songs...But some covers i don't mind some just sound bad

I guess Quiet Riot would be another good example with Come On Feel The Noise or whatever the misspelling is supposed to be (for those who remember the 80's, anyway).

I know everclear dose a lot of covers...and they are good, but they are not a very widly known band..and i hate saying that being a diehard fan.