UNDER THE COVERS CANADIAN STYLE

Thanks once more to our resident "Robin Hood" and his series of Original vs.Cover posts it inspired my own but with a Twist.. I myself did Two different series of posts when on AFF, both featuring the Top 30 Canadian Bands in my own opinion, along with a separate series of the Top 30 single Canadian singers/ artists. This one, I shall be "Uncovering" some of my personal favourite songs by Canadian artists that were either Covered by other Canadian artists/bands or from major artists the world over in the music Industry. Among these though will also be Canadians who covered famous songs outside of Canada and made them their own with as much success as the original one. # 1 - Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen How could I not start with one of the most iconic, covered songs of all time,by Canadian Leonard Cohen. I was no fan as he could not sing a note, yet his lyrics and story telling with his songs and music, made him famous..

It was not until K.D.Lang, another Canadian artist covered it, that I myself preferred the Cover over the original. I have to go with this video, when she sang it at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver during the opening ceremonies..

#2 - If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lightfoot

In my mind, no cover of Gordon Lightfoots songs even comes close but when Stars On 54 did it as more of a Dance tune, I did not mind it.. (Editors Note: When writing this,I had the "Stars On 45" at first in my mind who I thought covered "If You Could Read My Mind" not Stars On 54. Back in 1981, "Stars On 45" did an album that I had bought when I first moved to B.C. at 18 which had combined the Beatles, The Archies, Madness, The Buggles, Shocking Blue, Lipps Inc. and so many others. A Mashup of sorts, back in the day.. It was not until 1998 when the "Stars On 54" covered "If You Could Read My Mind" for the movie about the famous Studio 54, which I have never seen, and is the video below..

# 3 - Cotton Jenny by Gordon Lightfoot

Even though Gordon released this song in 1971 on his album "Summer Side Of Life" , another favourite Canadian artist of mine Anne Murray did a cover of it in 1972 which also became a hit..

# 4 - Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

Canadian music legend Joni Mitchell both wrote and sang "Big Yellow Taxi" in 1970 and it has been covered by others such as Bob Dylan in 1973..

I am no Dylan fan either for his singing, much like Leonard Cohen. It was not until the Counting Crows with Vanessa Carlton came out with "Big Yellow Taxi" that I thought they did Joni Mitchell justice with their cover of it.

# 5 Into The Mystic by Van Morrison (this one is for Deb.)

Such an amazing song and I am a huge Van Morrison fan. I did not think anyone could cover this song well, up until my fellow Canadian Colin James did and I was lucky enough lat November, to hear Colin do it Live. It gave me chills and in my honest opinion, has surpassed Van Morrisons original of it..The first is an interview Colin did about capturing the essence of how doing his cover of "Into The Mystic" came about, along with Colin's Cover of it..

( He did the above version Live in Toronto's Rock Station Q107 and one I listen to the most.) I have quite a few more songs I want to add, either done by Canadian artists and or bands that have been covered by others, or ones Canadians have covered themselves from the originals that became a huge success also in their own right. That will wait for another post.. I hope you enjoy these covers and their originals also..