THROUGH THE ARCHIVES (Day 3)

I've shoved up a lot of cover versions in the previous near-500 posts at TVV, many under the guise of a long-running series called, oddly enough, From Under The Covers (which I stole from a song title by The Beautiful South).

Some of these have proven quite popular, others have been more or less ignored, and here's a selection of some of the ones that are slightly more obscure:-

mp3 : The Wedding Present - Back For Good

This was shoved up in February 2008. It was to commemorate the fact that the original dance troupe who had performed the songs had been given the accolade of 'Best British Live Act' at the Brit Awards 2008, when in fact the band doing the cover would have been a far more worthy recipient.

mp3 : Carter USM - Rent

Ah....the very song that launched From Under The Covers away back in October 2006 - this has always been one of my all time favourite ever cover songs. It is, of course, a Pet Shop Boys original, and the Carter USM version first saw light of day in 1990 as the b-side to the Rubbish single.

mp3 : Belly - Trust In Me

The thing I most liked about the original posting of this back in April 2007 was the response it elicited from Matthew of Song By Toad fame (incidentally, I've long held an opinion that Matthew is one of the best bloggers out there, and I think its a crying shame that his talent for writing and provoking discussion and debate hasn't been rewarded with some sort of full-time contract....not that he'd neccessarily welcome that....)

Anyway, when Matthew first heard this particular cover he left a comment that said, 'Good grief - that's utterly, utterly filthy. Inspired, but filthy', and he then proceeded to use it in one his fabulous Toadcasts not long after. I think he was smitten by Tanya's sultry delivery that is a long way removed from the original that featured in The Jungle Book cartoon.

mp3 : Never Ending White Lights ft. Nick Hexum - Age of Consent

One of the great thing about making periodical visits to other blogs is that sometimes you find something that is simply thrilling honeys, as was the case in November 2006 when I found a most amazing cover of a most amazing New Order song, over at the now sadly defunct Copy, Right.

As I said at the time, this is a cover that takes one New Order track and makes it sound like a completely different New Order track - it certainly makes me think of Your Silent Face.

Talking of finding stuff that is thrilling, how about heading over to Mike at Manic Pop Thrills for the most amazing treat? He's converted a tape of a local radio station's broadcast of what I have gone on record as saying was the gig I've come the closest to ever passing out at - the Scottish debut gig of The Smiths at the Queen Margaret Union in Glasgow on Saturday 2nd March 1984.

Here's a taster with the opening track from that gig, and the song that made #7 on the 45s at 45 series:-

mp3 : The Smiths - Hand In Glove (live at the QMU)

I know that's an awful lot of stuff to throw at you on the one day, but you can regard it as an apology for the Clare Grogan stuff from yesterday.

Happy Listening