What cover should I play?

[Rob-M]

In a few weeks time I have to play something for my year at school (roughly 200 people), but I'm not really sure what I should play. I haven't been playing for long, and it will be my first time playing infront of a crowd this big (though will seem small to all of you). So I was wondering if anyone could recommend any songs that have simple bass aswell as simple guitar, or if not a song that would work with just bass, drums and vocals. I was thinking of doing something like Time Is RUnning Out by Muse, but I'm not sure if the guitarist will be able to play this properly. I was also thinking about doing Dragon Attack by Queen, but again I don't think the guitarist will be able to keep up. So preferably a song that would still sound good with just drums, bass and vocals.

Thanks, Rob

[Kosko]

Queen and Muse are two difficult shoes to fill right there. Now its kinda of a played out idea, but you can be the one to break it to your school. Take a pop song, rockify it, play it. I'm talking Britney, Christina, Timberlake. If you do it right, not only will the guys like the rock, but the girls will think its cute too. Rock it man, do it.

[tZer]

"Oh, Well" By Fleetwood Mac -

[chaosMK]

No brainer- Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice

[tycobb73]

What you describe has Nirvana written all over it.

[Rob-M]

Ok thanks guys, I don't know why i ever thought of Nirvana lol, but we are actualy thinkin about doin some Arctic Monkeys stuff, that all seems pretty easy, and thanks loads for the advice.

[Joe P]

Take Me to the River - Talking Heads

I remember this as being one of the best 'jam recordings' of me and buddies from way-back - a couple of them having almost-never played with other people before. Most of that casette tape oh-so sucked! ..But that song came-off sounding great - I mean even today; I heard the tape again just in the last couple years, and was once again surprised!

One that comes to mind that's just the opposite - like you'd think it would be simple to make it sound good, but NOT - was Rocky Mountain Way (Steve Miller, right?). It dragged and slowed terribly, and the vocal kept going flat... It was just a horrendous durge. Black Magic Woman fairly-sucked too.

Y'know: they all sucked, except for Take Me to the River. My second-to-last band, the Mole Patrol did it too - and now, twenty-some years later, I thumped the bassline in a more funky manner than the original, and then grabbed a pick, and did the organ (organ/guitar?) solo break in the middle (the "tweedle-dee-deet DEET! tweedle-dee-deet DEET! part).

Joe

[Jimbow]

Rage Against the Machine stuff is generally pretty simple. Killing in the Name would be a good choice.

[jive1]

Do something by the Sex Pistols. Very simple and fun music that goes over well.

Just about anything from Never Mind the Bollocks:
Holidays in the Sun
No Feelings
God Save the Queen
Seventeen
Anarchy in the UK
Pretty Vacant (one of my favs)