Overplayed Covers

[PennyroyalWe]

Exactly. My current band is doing just fine avoiding those over played songs. We refuse to play Mustang Sally and a few of those tunes and it's not a problem. I think some guys on this site are embarrassed they like those tunes so they throw out "you have to play ___" those and "what's the big deal" when the truth is, no you don't, and there is plenty of music to choose from without rolling out the same tired 40 songs. And in over a decade of playing (granted a portion of that I was only in Originals) no one has ever requested Mustang Sally, Brown Eyed Girl, or Gimme Three Steps. If the day comes that they do, we still ain't playing it.

Well, my band does know gimme three steps, but, seeing as we’re a three piece, it sure isn’t the best rendition.

 

[DWBass]

I will not play Sweet Home Alabama or any southern rock song. Personal choice.

Other than that, I'll play almost anything else and have. As mentioned above, great vocals can make or break a band. I work very hard to lend BGV's. We do a great version of Tennessee Whiskey. BGV's/harmonies are on point.

 

[john_g]

This! Are you a musician or just a freakin', lazy, live juke box?

The best band I was ever privileged to play with arranged EVERYTHING. We made medleys out of songs. We covered the hook on whatever instruments we had instead of whatever instrument played it on the radio. We sang harmony that highlighted our voices instead of theirs. We changed tempo, rhythm, style, arrangement, intro, bridge, ending ... whatever our (very talented) lead guitar player heard in his head and taught to us. And we played from our hearts.

We made music. Became local legends while having the times of our lives.

This is something I have wanted to do with my band, but alot of musicians ive played with havent been that receptive/arent good at pitching in ideas. So, it would mean me putting in tons of work recording basic structures only to have them go..."nah". In a previous band we played Billie Jean and it really never went over that well. One day i said what if we made Billie Jean sound like Enter Sandman a bit? It worked so well and that song went over so much better from then on. Ive been wanting to do this kind of thing with alot of songs.

 

[fdeck]

Not "covers" per se, but everything in the original Real Book is overplayed.