Once more in the name of love

[venta]

It's Friday, it's about 3 o'clock. It's time to go underneath the covers (with the lights out).

I always recommend listening to a cover version without knowing what or who it is, so click on the link before reading ahead...

Today's cover version [link expired]

That was Johnny Cash covering One, originally by U2.

This was intended to be the first in a short series of Glastonbury-themed covers, a plan which has been slightly botched by U2 being forced to pull out of Glastonbury this year. However, I love this cover[*], so you're getting it anyway.

I should put my cards on the table, and say I'm not a big U2 fan. I do inexplicably like All I Want Is You, which no one else ever seems to know, but really I don't care much for them in general. I've never liked One much because - well, it's a bit wet, innit ?

Enter Mr Cash, and his sidekick Mr Rubin, and the American... albums. Which are all brilliant, by the way, and you should buy all of them (I, II, III, IV, V, VI) right now. I'm a particular fan of IV; get III if you want this U2 cover.

Suddenly (to me, anyway) the tortured lyrics of One make sense, and probably sound how Bono intended them to, rather than a bit like someone whining annoyingly. Among other things, it suddenly seemed plausible that One could have been voted song of the century by Q magazine[**].

Regulars to this LJ will probably know than I can bang on about Johnny Cash pretty much indefinitely. But really, he is in many ways the King of the Cover version. How can you not admire a country and gospel singer who, in his 70s, suddenly covers Depeche Mode? While I feel it would have got a bit repetitive, I could have filled at least three months of UTC posts with Johnny Cash covers.

[*] Obviously not as much as I love Cash's cover of Hurt, originally by Nine Inch Nails. Which you do know, right ? Surely you do. If not, pop over and have a listen.

[**] Was it song of the century ? I can't remember. It/Bono was #1 in Q's top 100 songs, or top 50 songwriters, or best 237 singles, or favourite 99 lyrics or something. List-based journalism at its best.

Comments

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

All I Want Is You is one of my favourite U2 songs. But then, Rattle and Hum is my 2nd favourite album of theirs (Joshua Tree is the 1st), and I bought the single, back in 1989. :)

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

That was really nice. I keep meaning to investigate Johnny Cash further, as I like everything I hear.

When I saw Joan Baez live she introduced 'Long Black Veil' as a song taught her by Cash: "He was with his first wife, and that was how he introduced her."

[venta.livejournal.com]

If you want to investigate, but aren't too sure about all this country nonsense, I really do recommend something like American IV. Although it has Danny Boy on it which I hate with a passion, it's otherwise a very fine mix of covers where you'll know the originals and fairly mainstream countryish stuff.

[venta.livejournal.com]

"He was with his first wife, and that was how he introduced her."

Er... I guess that was at a point where he'd mostly given up on that relationship, then!

Hurt.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

I was stopped in my tracks the first time I saw it.

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

This week I was extra careful not even to look in the direction of the player just in case it might inadvertently tell me what the track was before I'd had a listen.
Then knew it from the first note. Oh well. It's great, anyway.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

Ooh, very good cover! Full marks to Mr Cash!

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Knew that one within a few bars. A great cover and a great singer. I also love Jonny ! Hurt is truely stunning and it still makes me smile that an industrial track made it to Country Music song of the year. Coruption of the populus =:-)

BTW for a wierd and *VERY* good U2 cover, try this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daghsiAx3c0 - You will know the song !

The harpsicord is awesome. The vocal style is maybe a bit raw, but it becomes oh so catchy !

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

Topical!

[zotz]

Very fine, yes.

One of my friends, Andrew Wilson, had picked up the third of his American Recordings albums and played it to me one day when I dropped round. I'd been aware of them from reviews, but no more. As it was every bit as good as I'd been led to expect, I got that and the earlier two as soon as I could. I have six currently (plus, due to an ordering mixup, a spare copy of number five). Apparently there's rafts of stuff from those sessions remaining, but (last I heard) no particular plans to release it.

[(Anonymous)]

Unearthed is great too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unearthed-Johnny-Cash/dp/B0000TLA9Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1276878152&sr=8-1-spell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unearthed_%28album%29

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

I'll be at Glastonbury again this year if you want to have tea, although am working my way so don't yet know what my shift pattern will be doing, there from the Tuesday though . . .

[venta.livejournal.com]

Ooh, it'd be lovely to see you - I'll be heading there some time during the day on Wednesday. Shall we arrange a speculative time, or shall we rely on phones/serendipity/the Batcall to meet up ?

Who are you working for?

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

maybe we should speculate (for the Thursday?) but use technology as a fall back, especially if my shifts preclude our plan; in theory I will have internet on my phone for as long as battery allows . . .

[venta.livejournal.com]

Er... ok... I speculate tea in the same place as last year (Tiny Tea Tent) at 4pm. Feel free to speculate differently/better/in a more creative way :)

Don't worry if your shifts have you tied down elsewhere, or we have technology-fail, the worst that can happen if you don't show up is that I'll have to have two mugs of tea...

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

okay, that sounds great! hope to see you there :-)

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

Hey, got my shifts now (I'm doing bar work)- I have one at five on thursday so maybe meeting slightly earlier would be better, 3.30? Can still do four though if that's better for you

[venta.livejournal.com]

No problem, half three is fine :)