Anyone remember this riveting series that I started way back when? Honest, I hadn’t forgotten about it, just had too much else to write about.
Today’s bad cover version comes courtesy of the Manic Street Preachers. Now I’ve always had something of a soft spot for the Manics but there’s no denying that a fair percentage of their stuff is pretty dull. Try listening to ‘This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours’ all the way through.
But I honestly can’t imagine anyone worse to cover a song that I love as hopefully these tracks will illustrate;
Camper Van Beethoven – Take The Skinheads Bowling
Manic Street Preachers – Take The Skinheads Bowling
To be honest I don’t know much about CVB, I have just one other single by them, but honestly, which version do you prefer? By a mile?
The Manics ‘version is taken from the Australia CD single and remarkably there is at least one additional cover on that CD which is worse than the one above.
Buy Camper van Beethoven and Manic Street Preachers records here.
Manic Pop Thrills 
Hmm, I still stand by James’ solo cover of ‘Bright Eyes’ (yep, the Arrt Garfunkel one that featured in Watership Down all those years ago). Still, if it encourages people to investigate the original it may have served a purpose! ; )
Going Underground by Buffalo Tom gets my vote as the most pointless and shit cover version of all time.
Oh and while I worship at the altar of Nick Cave, his effort at Pulp’s Disco 2000 is rather dismal. But nothing compared to his busker’s take on Here Comes The Sun – which, to be fair, is a pissy song to begin with.
Test
I don’t think it likes my URL.
Anyway.
Ew ew ew ew ew. That’s horrible.
BTW Great minds think alike, huh?
And, isn’t it “Every day i get up and pray to Jah”, not John?
Stephen I was going to suggest it was just a Welsh accent, but, nah, I think you’re right. Not a good way to start.
I don’t know this music
I was not impressed by this cover when it was first released, but the re-recording by the manics (2002-03) was much better. I think they realised how bad it was first time around themselves.
They covered it again? Wow, never knew that. Was it ever released?
The original recording was released as a b-side for Australia. It was later re-recorded for Lipstick Traces, probably in the same sessions that they re-recorded Judge Y’rself, as they both have a similar sound.
Thanks, Andy, I hadn’t realised that they had re-done the song. I’d just assumed it was the same version.