The most overplayed cover tune EVER.

[ZenG]

I'll tell you, the reason these songs get so overplayed is because apparently people never get sick of them. They work the majority of the time.

And that's why I never go to bars with bands anymore. I am so sick of that stuff.

 

[davidjbass]

Sweet Home Alabama is definitely one.

Yes this one but add in All Summer Long by Kid Rock and Werewolves of London which are all the same chord changes. PEUCK!

 

[waveman]

Mustang Sally
Brown Eyed Girl
Sweet Home Alabama
Folsom Prison Blues
Hard to Handle

 

[I Can't Dance]

On the chick singer side of things: Bobby McGee, that 4 non blondes song, and Black Velvet.

Ha! My band does all of these songs; but we put our own spin on 4-Non Blondes "What's Up". Goes over great with the crowds

 

[Hahaha]

Re: Stormy Monday

R\

Oh, but what great changes! And with players that can make it their own, blues heaven!

Most of the time it's played as a standard 12 bar blues (blues purists around here don't like the Almond Brothers version with the awkward jump to the 5 chord) but bands I've worked with have devised more interesting arrangements. There are likely other recorded versions with interesting changes that I haven't heard.

 

[JRA]

standin' on shaky ground

 

[Clef_de_fa]

All very tired old rock song kept alive by cover bands ... I wonder how many player in their 20's 30's play those songs as opposed to guys in their 40's 50's and up ?

I can't see myself play them on the top of the fact that I haven't heard of any of them before doing a research because everyone talks about them here.

I could see myself play this haha

 

[alack]

Re: Stormy Monday

R\

Most of the time it's played as a standard 12 bar blues (blues purists around here don't like the Almond Brothers version with the awkward jump to the 5 chord) but bands I've worked with have devised more interesting arrangements. There are likely other recorded versions with interesting changes that I haven't heard.

Can't say I've ever done a straight up cover of the ABB version. But I love the rising I7, ii-7, iii-7, on the way to the II V in bars 9 and 10. I've played with several musicians that will insert other interesting changes that draw from various jazz/blues contexts. Its one of those vehicles that can be taken as far as you're willing to go.

 

[Mike Sorr]

Judging from threads here on TB, it seems as though Mustang Sally is the clear and definitive winner.

What say you, O Cover Band Gods???

I was asked to join a cover band recently and I said sure, but there are two conditions...NO Mustang Sally and NO Bon Jovi. They reluctantly agreed.

 

[Bodeanly]

Does anybody make enough to offset GAS costs?

I don't own hella-expensive gear, but I only use gig money to buy it.

Ha! My band does all of these songs; but we put our own spin on 4-Non Blondes "What's Up". Goes over great with the crowds

I agree that they go over well with crowds. They are third set crowd pleasers for sure.

 

[Hahaha]

Can't say I've ever done a straight up cover of the ABB version. But I love the rising I7, ii-7, iii-7, on the way to the II V in bars 9 and 10. I've played with several musicians that will insert other interesting changes that draw from various jazz/blues contexts. Its one of those vehicles that can be taken as far as you're will to go.

I concocted a version that uses the rising chords by going /I7, ii-7/iii-7, bIII7/ ii-7 / iv-7, bVII(13)/ iii-7, VI(#9-b9)/ii-7,V7(or tritone sub)/ back to the beginning. I liked it, and the jazz players liked it, but the blues purists didn't like it. "Too many GD chords!" Maybe they're right. It's blues.

I don't think I've seen Mony Mony in this thread yet. That was overplayed to death for a few years. Pink Cadillac got tiresome, but it's a good slide, as is Mustang Sally if played with a relaxed groove. Gotta keep those sliders happy if you want a buy-back.

 

[asands]

Well there are 9 pages of replies so I am sure this has already been brought up by I would say Sweet Child O Mine. I may actually burst a blood vessel in my head if I have to play that one more time in my life. So if I don't reply again on TB after Friday nights gig, you all know what happened.

 

[Thir13teen]

Lol. I kfeeling. This was th


A generational gap if I ever saw one!

I guess. I'm 45 and have been playing bass for 25+ years. Never heard that song title before.

 

[Engle]

Absolutely Proud Mary. It was played enough up here for crowds of departing/returning servicemen during the war in Vietnam to easily outweigh any other tune anywhere ever. Five times a set sometimes, four times a night for seven years or so-- times I don't know how many bar bands--

We play the Ike & Tina version of Proud Mary - nice & fast!

 

[asands]

Holy cow, I actually took the time to look through all the replies and no one did mention GNRs sweet child. Maybe I'm the crazy one....

 

[Engle]

A horn section? A real live horn section? You are truly fortunate.

We have a tenor sax and a trumpet. I count myself as lucky. We may even get a trombone!

 

[Engle]

Holy cow, I actually took the time to look through all the replies and no one did mention GNRs sweet child. Maybe I'm the crazy one....

I just played Sweet Child on acoustic with my daughter on bass/vocals at a celebration of life a few weeks ago. - We rocked it!

 

[camartmor]

I'm more experienced with the younger, beginner cover bands, and the first to come up is generally Seven Nation Army. Then once the bands begin to get better, most of the time they try their hand at the more popular Metallica songs.

 

[DwaynieAD]

Keep em coming, this is going to be the set list for my new cover band

Around here they all do Santeria, what I got, and simple man

 

[klokker]

We still do Mustang Sally. Our singer does it so well that I don't hate it anymore. I think you need to smoke three packs a day to sing Mustang Sally right I guess. Out here in God Knows Where Nebraska, at some winery surrounded by corn fields it works great.