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The most overplayed cover tune EVER.
- Thread starter Fingerpickingood
- Start date
Not a damn one. I get to play my favorite instrument through my favorite amp with my friends, on stage and in front of people. And they pay me to do it, in both cash and often drinks. I get to watch girls dance and people have fun, and get a compliment or two during the days after a show.
I couldn't care less if we were playing Mustang Sally (we do), CCR (we do), or Mary Had a Little Lamb.
I couldn't care less if we were playing Mustang Sally (we do), CCR (we do), or Mary Had a Little Lamb.
In my youth, Johnny B Goode, then Smoke on the water, Then Stairway to Heaven had their decades of overplay. However, after a long period of rest and recuperation, one of my bands dragged Smoke on the water out, and people really dug it - albeit with more of a Van Halen sensibility/vibe.
I really like our band's version of MS, based on The Commitments version, I don't get tired of playing it (I'm the keys player in that band, so I get to do the keys and horn parts)
But it's astonishing to me that in some places/bars people love it, and the next time we gig in that bar, crickets. really depends on the audience.
I agree with the other poster, I've never heard a cover band attempt Free Bird, I think everyone's petrified to even attempt it.
oh, and since there is only one original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd that is touring in the band these days, are they not required to call themselves a tribute band?
But it's astonishing to me that in some places/bars people love it, and the next time we gig in that bar, crickets. really depends on the audience.
I agree with the other poster, I've never heard a cover band attempt Free Bird, I think everyone's petrified to even attempt it.
oh, and since there is only one original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd that is touring in the band these days, are they not required to call themselves a tribute band?
Now, I would just LOVE to hear or cover "Willin".
The rest of the covers I have played too many time and would be alright to never cover them again.
I did a 2 year stint in an Allman Brothers cover band and I could go for never playing "One way out" again.
On the R&B/Soul end.....
Two Chaka Khan tunes, Sweet Thing and Ain't Nobody
Boogie Oogie Oogie
Mr. Magic
Disco Inferno
Purple Rain
What's Going On
Billy Jean
Bad Girls
Good Times
Two Chaka Khan tunes, Sweet Thing and Ain't Nobody
Boogie Oogie Oogie
Mr. Magic
Disco Inferno
Purple Rain
What's Going On
Billy Jean
Bad Girls
Good Times
Hate this song. I know many complain about Mustang Sally and Gimme Three Steps, but I'd gladly play those 20 times, versus this one.
The sad thing is most bands don't even get the song right. The guitards always forget to drop out and let the drums and bass carry the one verse. Nope, they just keep playing power chords the whole way through, no dynamics at all.
Back in the day it was Johnny B Good, which I hated to play because its too fast and doesn't groove.
In the last 20 years or so it seems like Mustang Sally has taken over the number one spot. One of the bands I'm in plays MS. I'ts actually a great groove if played right with a good drummer and the right tempo...and people seem to love it - especially after they've had a few drinks. We do the usual audience sing-along part and crowd never let us down because it is so well-known.
In the last 20 years or so it seems like Mustang Sally has taken over the number one spot. One of the bands I'm in plays MS. I'ts actually a great groove if played right with a good drummer and the right tempo...and people seem to love it - especially after they've had a few drinks. We do the usual audience sing-along part and crowd never let us down because it is so well-known.
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Only time I played it we pulled it out of our butts at a campground gig. It ain't a hard song to fake if you have a decent rhythm player (quite rare) and the audience is well lubricated LOL. We also faked "In A Gadda Da Veda" - but our drummer knew the solo 100%. Drunkest audience ever LOL - and we got paid extra to do another set.
How can a boogie-woogie not groove? My gripe with that song is most folks (especially at open mics and jams) don't play the chord progression correctly.
Correct ( unfortunately ) but it is avoidable. It`s more of a conditioning thing. These songs are " perceived" to be popular because everybody plays them, and all cover band musicians know them so they get played AGAIN if there is a stand in for the night or they cant be bothered learning new songs, a compounding problem.
The best nights we`ve had, and got the most referrals, is when we played "other" popular songs that are a bit outside the box. Way better for my sanity too !
The screwed up thing is that all these songs are way overplayed but THEY WORK everytime!! People just want to hang out and hear what's familiar to them played well. That being said - I have never played Taking Care of Business. Sweet Home Alabama about 3000 times!
Stevie Ray Vaughn rocked Mary Had A Little Lamb!
