The Jam - Move On Up

Bite your lip, and take a trip
Though there may be wet road ahead
And you cannot slip
So move on up for peace will find
Into the steeple of beautiful people
Where there's only one kind

Y'all, I could do this covers thing all damn day. Too many good cuts! So, today we're going to go with two legends. Paul Weller and The Jam doing the one and only, The Gentle Genius, Mr. Superfly Curtis Mayfield. "Move On Up" is one of my all-time favorite songs, and if I'm being honest, nothing beats the original. Having said that, I love, love, love this version. Growing up The Jam was one of my favorites and it was through their music, and Weller's later stuff, that I was introduced to greats like Mayfield. I'm pretty sure I heard this version first.

RIYL: Curtis Mayfield, The Style Council, The Housemartins, Squeeze, Crowded House

Nada Surf - Enjoy the Silence

Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can't you understand
Oh my little girl

All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm

Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable

Written by one of my all-time favorite songwriters, for one of my all-time favorite albums, listening to "Enjoy the Silence" brings back layers of awesome memories for me. I generally can't stand Depeche Mode covers - they are either too faithful to the original but lack the soul, or else they are too re-imagined and therefore nothing that I love remains. So it is really saying something that this "nerd rock" band could cover DM in a way that I truly appreciate. They made this song their own without killing it's soul. I think it has something to do with what Keith said last time he posted a Nada Surf song: they make pleasant interesting. Which sounds like a backhanded compliment of some sort, but it's honest praise.

RIYL : Weezer, The Lemonheads, The Shins, Silversun Pickups

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Beach Slang - Anything Anything

I'll give you candy, give you diamonds, give you pills
I'll give you anything you want, hundred dollar bills
I'll even let you watch the shows you want to see
Because you'll marry me, marry me, marry me
Marry me, marry me, marry me

I think I've mentioned here before that Beach Slang is one of my favorites and I can't recommend their live show enough. The last time I saw them they did a few cover songs. My favorite was The Replacements "Can't Hardly Wait" or maybe "Alex Chilton" another Replacements classic, anyway, I'd probably have posted one of those if I could have found a released version. Still, this epic cover of Dramarama's classic will do just fine. They've got several cover EPs that are fantastic. If you're into great rock covers, check 'em out.

BONUS. Here they are live with Craig Finn (of The Hold Steady) being awesome.

RIYL: The Hold Steady, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Cloud Nothings

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