This week's features Bruce Springsteen's brooding hit "I'm On Fire" with two covers by Bat For Lashes and Johnny Cash that, despite how different those artists are, don't stray too far from the mood of the original.
Also covered twice is Blondie's "Dreaming", with a countrified take by Amy Speace and a duet by Susanna Hoffs with Matthew Sweet. Instead of another version of the original, I've included a mash up of of their hit "Call Me" with "Get Ready" by The Temptations by DJ Lobsterdust.
The final song covered here twice is "Cool Water" by The Sons Of The Pioneers. They had so many different incarnations over the years that they recorded multiple versions of songs like this, but I have tracked down the earliest one I have. The Hank Williams cover I've also included comes from not the complete works, but a recent batch of unreleased tracks and I think this version is his best. Finally, a version by Bob Dylan with The Band during the Basement Tape sessions.
"That's The Way Love Is" was originally an uptempo Motown single for The Isley Brothers. Marvin Gaye's huge hit a couple years later slowed it down and made it more psychedelic soul. The other version besides Marvin's here is a reggae cover by The Uniques.
I found a cool mash up byh Tony Midget of Nas' Illmatic track "It Ain't Hard To Tell" over MF Doom's "Secret Herb #7". I've included the original tracks as well.
Other stuff: the dreamy "Voyage To Atlantis" by The Isley Brothers, the spooky "Mango Pickle Down The River" by The Wilcannia Mob off M.I.A.'s Kala album, The Grateful Dead's game attempt at "Good Lovin'" by The Young Rascals, Eddie Bo and Inez Cheatham with the funky "Lover And A Friend", John Lennon's wry "Nobody Told Me", the chipper "All Together Now" by The Beatles, the J Dilla-produced "Drop" by The Pharcyde, the bittersweet "I've Been Trying" by the Reggie Sadler Revue, an acoustic version of "Lovesong" by The Cure, and an acoustic take of Jesus & Mary Chain's "Drop".
