27 November 2023 - Three Dog Night - Shambala

And so this is the main blog post today.  That's right.  Totally Covered rises again, with a song that was originally meant to be our Wicked Guilty Pleasure. 

The song was originally written and performed by Daniel Moore, and previously - like a WEEK previously - covered by country-rock artist B.J. Stevenson.  It was this version, however, that went to the upper stratosphere.  

Ten albums into their catalog, this would end up being one of the band's biggest hits, by far.  From the Cyan album, the song, although rooted in Eastern religion, really fits in with the Christian/gospel feel of the album as a whole.  

You are also going to have this song stuck in your head all day.

 

30 October 2023 - Suzanne Vega - All Apologies

I found this great cover by Suzanne Vega when I was looking for posts for the other blog.  Of course, this was originally done by Nirvana.

You see, there was a benefit remembering Sinead O'Connor, who did a great cover of this song, in New York City.  Suzanne Vega was one of the performers.

It was last night.

LAST NIGHT.

I was the 11th view of this, and I want us to at least triple that, because it's THAT good.

2 October 2023 - The Muffs - Kids In America

If you had the soundtrack to the 1995 movie Clueless, you know that the opening track is a Kim Wilde cover by The Muffs.  It is probably the best known song by The Muffs, and got the band a lot of exposure.

If you've seen the movie, you know the song is the first :45 seconds of the movie.

If you were lucky enough to see The Muffs live, you know they rocked the hell out of the song.

29 September 2023 - Reba McEntire - Fancy (with a Kelly Clarkson bonus)

You didn't know Reba's biggest hit was a cover, did you?

It is.  Of a Bobbie Gentry classic..... but Reba made it an even bigger hit.

Reba was finally able to record the song in 1990, six years after she first proposed to her producer that she do so..... but her producer was too afraid of being overshadowed by the ghost of Bobbie Gentry.  Well, she changed producers, and finally got her wish.  She was right, by the way.  

This version of the song was a top 10 country hit - one of Reba's biggest and certainly her most enduring hit song to this day - and a dance remix even made a small splash in the clubs.  

It was a rare modern country song that I enjoyed - and at the time of its release, I didn't know it was a cover, either.  Actually, that explains a lot.  

Plus, the video tells a story.

So, what does Bobbie Gentry think of Reba McEntire's version?

No one knows.  Gentry completely disappeared after the 1982 ACM awards - just prior to Reba's rise.  They never crossed paths.  They've never met.  They've never spoken.  Reba's tried.  Bobbie's cashed the royalty checks, so she can't be too upset.... but it's strange.  Gentry owes Reba nothing.... but wouldn't it be nice?

Reba HAS performed the song with Kelly Clarkson, though.  And it was damn good.

Of course, Kelly Clarkson is perfectly capable of performing the song herself....

21 September 2023 - Kerry Livgren/AD - Portrait II

Kerry Livgren left Kansas in 1983 after his conversion to Christianity.  

He then entered the Christian Rock world wth his new band, AD.  

He rewrote the lyrics of "Portrait (He Knew)", and some of the music as well, to reflect Jesus Christ, rather than that heathen Albert Einstein.  

It's actually not bad.  

19 September 2023 - St. Vincent - Funkytown

We swear that Annie Clark makes the BEST covers. 

She did THIS Metallica cover.

She covered "Lithium" WITH Nirvana.

And now she's got a really funky cover of the best known Lipps Inc. song.  

We're a fan.   And so is your kid.

21 August 2023 - Lukas Rossi - Hello

Lukas Rossi is a Canadian musician and game show contestant was the lead vocalist of rock supergroup Supernova.  He won the latter by winning, deservedly, a competetion show called Rock Star: Supernova.  

Nowadays, he's a solo artist and this Adele cover is amazing.