Cover songs are always difficult. They could be terribly received by critics and fans, they could piss off the original artist for 'ruining' their song (you'll never get the respect you crave from your idols now). These are my criteria/rules. Many may will disagree. They are probably wrong.
- Make it different enough so that it cannot be confused with the
original song.
- Do NOT cover Teenage Kicks, as no-one can seem to make it any kind
of interesting.*
- It's way more interesting to do a less recent/lesser known song. No-one wants to hear your version. They want to hear the uber-popular.
- Do not attempt to sing in the same accent that the original
recording artist sang the song in. You will probably sound like a knob.
- You shouldn’t be able to tell that the song is a cover song.
- Before you start the song, don’t say, ‘I don’t like this song’. It makes
you sound like a pretentious twat (I have witnessed this). Why cover it then?
- Anything that’s been done on Glee now might have that ‘perky teen’ stigma.
You have been warned.
- Your first song is a cover version. What does that say about your music?
- Don’t cover a cover in the same style it’s already been done in. Unoriginal.
- Change the tempo. Change the gender. Completely change the style. Change anything.
*with the exception of Sahara Hotnights, who did a brilliant punk cover that sounded like a completely different song.
I've probably missed something vital out, and included something that you completely disagree with. Well don't keep it to yourself!
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