I'm just back from 8 days in sunny Florida. Well, at least 5 days could be classified as sunny, but it beats the 7 degrees we have right now! But I digress. So I'm listening to my new favorite Web radio station (the one run by a 14 year old girl that I posted about a couple weeks ago and can be found at http://www.fistfulayen.com/MT/), and this cover song comes on. It was a pretty nice rendition, and by two bands I would never expect to collaborate, but what the hey.

I guess my question to you is, how do you feel about covers in general? Do you think bands do them mostly as a tribute to the original artist or because they think they can do them better or add something to the song?

I don't normally like them, especially when I hear someone like Jimmy Buffet (sorry JC) doing a Bruce Cockburn song less than 1 year from the original release! Ok, it may have been a little more than a year for all I know, but Pacing the Cage is the song I'm referring to and J.B. did nothing to improve it nor nothing to change it, although he certainly didn't sound as good as Bruce. I heard it on a local radio station and couldn't believe my ears. It just sounded like someone capitalizing on another's work.

Your thoughts?
Swish