I'm thinking that it's time for some covers with a very Billy Joel like twist. Yes, indeed. It seems that you have to either love or hate the Piano Man - but everyone should enjoy these covers.
[MP3] Jason Mraz - Piano Man (Live)
When Mraz first barraged the radio waves a few years ago, I wasn't a huge fan by any means. Yet, he managed to make songs that would get inside my head faster than a cheesy jingle for your local used car dealership. Mraz shows a different side of his musical ability by covering this song with that certain "Hey, I'm Jason Mraz" twist.
[MP3] Me First & The Gimme Gimmes - Uptown Girl
After realizing I had this song labeled incorrectly (definitely not Weezer, though it would've been cool) it all makes sense. I've heard many songs by Me First and must admit they're a damn fine band. I don't want to call them a cover band since they have original material, but they're craft lies within an almost endless catalogue of covering eveything from Broadway musicals to The Beatles. This energized garage band infused Billy Joel is a unique twist on the piano smash.
[MP3] Howie Day - Only The Good Die Young (Live)
Ok. This is one of my favorite Joel songs and Howie Day covers it nicely, but I just can't get that cheesy "Collide" song out of my head and the sad puppy dog video that came along with it. That "do do do do" backing vocal reminds me of Paula Cole. I guess that's a good thing, right? At least in this cover, Day displays more of a rock voice than his "love me, if you dare" whisper.
Since today was the day Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492 - enjoy yourself some Simon & Garfunkel.
Bonus [MP3] Simon & Garfunkel - America (Live)
7 comments:
the uptown girl cover is by me first and the gimme gimmes and not weezer. me first has a bunch of albums out that are strictly covers of older songs.
dude that doesn't even sound like weezer.
chill kids. mistakes happen. thanks for the music nat.
I have to say, I first saw Howie Day back in 2000 when he was less generic sad bastard and more, hey, how cool are these tape loops? (more Joseph Arthur than Rob Thomas, if you will.) His subsequent cover of Karma Police was pretty good to listen to, but awesome to watch him create. But word on the "Collide" suckage. It's really a shame.
Just when I think I couldn't hate Jason Mraz any more, he covers Billy fuckin' Joel. I love it when a plan comes together.
My only question is: Where's Ben Folds? I mean, that piano-playing uber-geek must have covered BJ at some point, right?
The Format covered "Movin' Out," but I don't think I have that mp3 anymore.
Yeah, the whole premise behind the Gimme Gimmes is that they are a punk cover band made up of guys from other original-music punk bands (NOFX, Swingin' Utters, No Use For A Name and Lagwagon).
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