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The most overplayed cover tune EVER.

I'm probably gonna get bashed for this, but I LIKE and am happy to play all of the above.
In my own experience, Johnny B Goode has the lead, but there's not much in it.
Wipe Out I hardly ever hear - probably more an American favourite.
And it is really old. It was popular in the early 60s. When I started playing in 64, you had to play it at least once at every gig. It eventually became a joke.
 
Anything done by a cover band is overplayed.
It's why I don't do covers, unless it's a paid sub gig.
I have to agree with this in general.
I tend to avoid live bands at bars, fairs, and car shows because they all have the same tired playlist for octogenarian Boomers that think music stopped in 1979. They might throw the occasionally gag-worthy 90s Aerosmith cover in there, but that just makes me hate them more.
 
Around here, "Knock on Wood" seems to be pretty high on the list, as is "Stand By Me."

"Midnight Hour," "Sweet Home Chicago," "Brown-Eyed Girl" also never seem to leave the set list


Can only partially agree. Love "Knock on Wood," if we're doing it like Eddie Floyd (not that techno crap). "Midnight Hour" is another great Wicked Picket tune. And "Sweet Home Chicago" is a great shuffle with cool breaks. The other two you can keep.
 
That is very true. When I started out, there were a lot of people making a living playing clubs 6 nights a week. Now. I don't know anyone who makes a living just playing.
Yep, me too. I did pretty well through the late 70s. The it died out.
I do get tired of and irritated by the originals elitists. Sorry guys, but you are not superior musicians. Maybe it is that you aren't capable of learning others' material. I hear a lot of "original" material that sound just like all the other "original" material. And maybe they are just covering feeling inferior because the only gigs they can get are pay-to-play.
Please forgive the derail rant, but it is annoying when someone jumps into an otherwise fun thread and starts with this kind of crap.
 
Yep, me too. I did pretty well through the late 70s. The it died out.
I do get tired of and irritated by the originals elitists. Sorry guys, but you are not superior musicians. Maybe it is that you aren't capable of learning others' material. I hear a lot of "original" material that sound just like all the other "original" material. And maybe they are just covering feeling inferior because the only gigs they can get are pay-to-play.
Please forgive the derail rant, but it is annoying when someone jumps into an otherwise fun thread and starts with this kind of crap.
Most of these songs aren't overplayed, they are just played poorly. Too many people half-assing their way through an embarrassing version of a song that would make the tone-deaf cringe.
 
Most of these songs aren't overplayed, they are just played poorly. Too many people half-assing their way through an embarrassing version of a song that would make the tone-deaf cringe.
Very true, but we are musicians and hear it differently.
I would imagine a cordon belu chef hates making hamburgers and fries, but everybody loves hamburgers and fries.
 
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I have to agree with this in general.
I tend to avoid live bands at bars, fairs, and car shows because they all have the same tired playlist for octogenarian Boomers that think music stopped in 1979. They might throw the occasionally gag-worthy 90s Aerosmith cover in there, but that just makes me hate them more.


I know, I'm reading this thread and the only places that I hear most of these songs is at bars frequented mostly by bikers, of which I am one, but they're not heard all that much even there. Around here, the big money gigs, and in-demand bands, are playing lots of other stuff that rarely includes most of that stuff.

My dad, uncle and grandpa had a 3 piece that made money playing their ethnic music in bars/weddings back in the 50's and early 60's and my grandpa used to play virtually 7 nights a week after working a day job all day that paid less. Good musicians were everywhere, playing all sorts of music in many, many bars. Now corporate gigs/private affairs are the big cover band paydays and the bar gigs are just advertisement and gas money. That's my take around here.
 
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We've gone to this little Bavarian style town in Washington for Oktoberfest for the last two years. They rotate the bands every hour, so you typically see six bands in a row, one after the other, most of them Oom Pah bands playing Polkas with a few regular cover bands that have learned a few German drinking tunes ... Besides "The Chicken Dance", EVERY SINGLE BAND played "Sweet Caroline".
 
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