Shirley Bassey, The Power of Love, Houses of Rising Suns and Jokers & Thieves

Ah, the cover song. When one band or singer takes the song of another and makes it their own. Many many times this can be a disaster (Guns n' Roses doing 'Sympathy for The Devil' for example), but on occasions ...the cover can better the original.


For your consideration, she of 'Goldfinger' / 'Diamonds are forever' fame, Shirley Bassey doing Pink's 'Get The Party Started':

http://www.deezer.com/track/1099834


The Early November doing 'The Power of Love' by Huey Lewis and The News. ...I think the tone of this is really beautiful.

(I'd actually forgotten how bad the original was, still.... Back to The Future - '88miles per hour Marty! You gotta go back into the past to stop your Dad from being a loser by kissing your Mother!!' ...ah, wholesome family entertainment.)

http://www.deezer.com/track/36200


Tracy Chapman's version of The Animals track 'House of The Rising Sun'. Tracy really makes this her own and to great effect.

http://www.deezer.com/track/2903


Finally, Jimi Hendrix's cover of the Dylan track 'All Along The Watchtower'. So good this, many people don't realise it's even a Bob Dylan song. Still, I have to say, I do like the original. The older I get, the more I love Dylan.

http://www.deezer.com/track/1462


And now, for the sake of contrast and awareness, the original versions:

http://www.deezer.com/track/969356

http://www.deezer.com/track/11385

http://www.deezer.com/track/8918

http://www.deezer.com/track/610000

...'there must be some way out of here, said the joker to the thief...' ...the joker would be me, the thief, an investment banker ...and here, here would be Luxembourg.

Toodle-pip!


*the lyrics below are for the original tracks, not the covers. Some of the lyrics vary slightly and the order in which they are song can also vary.


'Get The Party Started'

I'm coming up so you better get this party started
I'm coming up so you better get this party started

Get this party started, on a saturday night,
Everybody's waiting for me to arrive
Sending out the message to all of my friends
We'll be looking flashy in my Mercedes Benz
I got lots of style with my gold diamond rings
I can go for miles if you know what I mean

I'm coming up so you better get this party started
I'm coming up so you better get this party started

Pumpin up the volume,breaking down to the beat
Cruisin' through the west side I'll be checkin' the scene
Boulevard is freaking as I'm coming fast
I'll be burning rubber, you'll be kissin' my ass
Pull up to the bumper get out of the car
License plate says Number One Superstar

I'm coming up so you better get this party started
I'm coming up so you better get this party started
(get this party started)

Making my connection as I enter the room
Everybody is chillin' as I set up the groove
Pumpin up the volume with this brand new beat
Everybody's dancin' and they're dancin' for me
I'm the operator you can call anytime
I'll be your connection to the party line

I'm coming up so you better get this party started
I'm coming up so you better get this party started
I'm coming up so you better get this party started
I'm coming up so you better get this party started
(get this party started)
(ooooh, get this party started right now)
(get this party started)
(get this party started, right now)


'The Power of Love'

The power of love is a curious thing
Make a one man weep, make another man sing
Change a hawk to a little white dove
More than a feeling that's the power of love

Tougher than diamonds, rich like cream
Stronger and harder than a bad girls dream
Make a bad one good make a wrong one right
Power of love that keeps you home at night

Chorus 1 :You don't need money, don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
It's strong and its sudden and it's cruel sometimes
But it might just save your life
That's the power of love
That's the power of love

First time you feel it, it might make you sad
Next time you feel it it might make you mad
But you'll be glad baby when youve found
That's the power makes the world go round

Chorus 2 :And it don't take money, don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
It's strong and it's sudden it can be cruel sometimes
But it might just save your life

They say that all in love is fair
Yeah, but you don't care
But you know what to do
When it gets hold of you
And with a little help from above
You feel the power of love
You feel the power of love
Can you feel it ? Hmmm

Chorus 3 :It don't take money and it don't take fame
Don't need no credit card to ride this train
Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel
You won't feel nothin' till you feel
You feel the power, just the power of love
That's the power, that's the power of love
You feel the power of love
You feel the power of love
Feel the power of love


'The House of The Rising Sun'

There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one

My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans

Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk

------ organ solo ------

Oh mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun

Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain

Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one


'All Along The Watchtower'

There must be some way out of here, said the joker to the thief,
There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief.

Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth.

No reason to get excited, the thief, he kindly spoke,
There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and i, we've been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.

All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.
Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.