Deep Covers

Lou Rawls "For What It's Worth"
From Feelin' Good (Capitol, 1968)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 "For What It's Worth"
From Stillness (A&M, 1970)

Damn, just when I thought I had come up with a nifty name for this post, I do a little searching on the internet to find this. As if I haven't bitten O-Dub's steez enough, I've gotta keep this title cause that's what this post is all about: great covers covering already great songs, in this case the immaculate "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield.

The idea stemmed from a recent "ipod on random" session when it flipped to Lou Rawls' version of "For What It's Worth" produced by the almighty David Axelrod. Taking the originally somber piece and flipping it completely, Axelrod provides Rawls with an upbeat funk backing to play with. For me, literally anything Axelrod touches is golden and this one is no exception.

Sergio Mendes' version is another fine example of a great cover, using a minimalistic soundscape and sultry female vocals. This track along with the break at the beginning makes this record one of Mendes' most sought after, even though it's a fairly easy find if you're a persistent digger.

Covering songs is tricky business cause it's easy to come off wack, but I think these two are wonderful examples of how artists can take already classic songs and remake them into something of their own. For a more in depth look at how dope covers can be, definitely try and track down O-Dub's Deep Covers mix CD as he drops a lot more knowledge than this measly post.