Battle Of the Covers: House of the Rising Sun

"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
08/20/2014 at 12:30 • Filed to: Battle of the Covers, BOTC, musiclopnik

There is... a house... near Cincinatti... and in this house resides an automotive photoshoop artist and his strange mustachioed dog. This may sound like me going off on a strange tangent due to a head injury suffered in my last rally, but it's all relevant(ish), because this next cover battle was suggested by Arch Duke Maxyenko. Ha! Relevancy!

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of Battle of the Covers we had seven variations of the Iggy and the Stooges classic "Search and Destroy" (and man was it tough picking just seven versions of that). I said before the voting started I had no idea which way it would go, but it didn't take long for Red Hot Chili Peppers to take control of the voting with their Californicated cover, ultimately taking nearly half of the votes. The battle for second remained tight all the way through, ending in a three-way tie between the Sex Pistols, Def Leppard, and (my favorite version) Skunk Anansie. The battle for the worst cover was more lively, with Guitar Hero taking an early three vote lead, then being eclipsed by Def Leppard and Kid Loco. Kid Loco ultimately won with eleven votes, as Guitar Hero and Def Leppard tied for second with six votes each. Def Leppard managed to earn the title of being both second best and second worst. Impressive!

And with our third round we once again have a song with origins much older than it's introduction to mainstream music. The House Of The Rising Sun was first recorded in 1934, and before that was a folk song often sung on front porches and in taverns. It was known by multiple names, including "The Rising Sun Blues," "In New Orleans," and simply "Rising Sun." Bob Dylan lent his voice to the song in 1961, but it wasn't until The Animals got their hands on it and turned it into an international chart-topper it officially and permanently became The House of the Rising Sun. Since then it has been covered countless times by countless bands from across the genres. It was made psychedelic by Frijid Pink, countrified by Dolly Parton, reggae'd by Gregory Isaacs, and rocked hard by Muse and Five Finger Death Punch.

Thanks to the precedent I set with Black Betty the version by The Animals makes it into the running as a "cover." That said, as I expect their version to be a favorite as, while not being the original it is the "original," the highest ranking non-Animals version will be credited as the best "true cover" (or, if you prefer, "best cover cover"). Annoyingly I couldn't find a video of Bob Dylan's version, so it's not on the list, but not for lack of trying. Additional note, apparently !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of House of the Rising Sun is a thing.

Don't forget to make suggestions for future rounds of Battle of the Covers!

The Animals - (1964)

Frijid Pink - (1970)

Dolly Parton - (1981)

Gregory Isaacs - (1992)

Muse - (2002)

Five Finger Death Punch - (2013)

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DISCUSSION (25)

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 12:39

I gotta say Muse tried to do too much with theirs. I'm a huge fan of Muse, but they just didn't use their usual formula for it (start pretty cool/calm and build it up) and it sounds a bit messy...

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 12:40

Gonna have to go with the Vox organ on this one. Animals all the way.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 12:42

How is FFDP leading in both polls?

Nibbles > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 12:42

FFDP definitely for the worst cover of this song. Just putting that out there.

Gamecat235 > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 12:43

Tracy Chapman? Sinead Oconnor? Bob Dylan? Dusty Springfield?

I may have to vote for the Gregory Issacs version just because I LOVE it... but, you've left out some major contenders (admittedly, the only recording I've heard of Dusty Springfield's was a live radio broadcast recording).

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 12:49

I'm sorry, but for this one, nothing beats the original. Dat electric organ. Still gives me chills.

Also. Dolly Parton . . . ppppfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft hahahahaha

BJ > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 12:58

The best cover I've heard of this song was done by a tall, chubby Chinese cook at a restaurant karaoke night.

Dusty Ventures > Gamecat235
08/20/2014 at 13:09

Dylan, as mentioned in the write up, is out because I couldn't find a single recording of his version on YouTube (and I went five pages deep in the search). Dusty is out because I'm trying to stick with "album only" covers. Chapman and O'Connor aren't included due to my lack of knowledge and them not showing up on any of the resources I use to find cover versions. So that one's on me.

Dusty Ventures > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
08/20/2014 at 13:11

I'm just as surprised as you

Gamecat235 > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 13:13

I understand... you could expand this list to a hundred and someone like me would find a version that was only released on this limited edition single released in Japan in 1993 that was then recalled by the label and only 4 copies were sold.

But the Sinead version is really f'in great.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 13:17

You left out the best version:

Dusty Ventures > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
08/20/2014 at 13:42

One of the rules I gave myself at the start of the series was studio versions only, no live performances.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 13:54

Studio only versions you say:

BJ > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 13:56

I think many people would consider The Animals' version to be the "original", even if it isn't their song. This might skew the results - I know I couldn't vote for any of the other songs for this very reason.

BJ > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
08/20/2014 at 13:58

Exactly! What a great vibe from that organ. The singing is raw, it's hard to beat that version.

BJ > Nibbles
08/20/2014 at 14:00

I disagree. Did you listen to the Dolly Parton version, 'cause it was puke-tastic at best.

I'll admit that I'm a sucker for metal covers, and although the FFDP version wasn't amazing, it was nowhere near as wretched as Dolly Parton.

Nibbles > BJ
08/20/2014 at 14:10

Haven't listened. no, but it's gonna have to be pretty damned bad song to do a better job of clusterfucking everything up like FFDP did

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
08/20/2014 at 14:45

I'm usually like the originals the best, unless we are talking about Jimi covering Dylan songs. But, in this case I actually had reasoning to go with The Animals.

mcseanerson > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 21:53

https://play.spotify.com/track/3yFRbFaS…

You should start using spotify.

Dusty Ventures > mcseanerson
08/20/2014 at 22:03

But then everyone would need to have a Spotify account to be able to listen to the songs. You don't need an account to watch the YouTube vid

mcseanerson > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 22:04

You don't have to pay for a spotify account to listen to it and you can sign up with facebook.

Dusty Ventures > mcseanerson
08/20/2014 at 22:16

I know you don't have to pay for it, but you do have to create an account. Which means everyone interested in voting would have to have a spotify account. In other words if I want to maximize poll numbers I need to stick with YouTube because some people aren't going to create an account just so they can listen and vote.

mcseanerson > Dusty Ventures
08/20/2014 at 22:17

I guess. I don't see things you can sign into with facebook as setting up new accounts even though I have had a standalone spotify account for a long time.

Dusty Ventures > mcseanerson
08/20/2014 at 22:36

You'd be surprised how many people on Oppo don't have Facebook...

desertdog5051 > Dusty Ventures
08/21/2014 at 20:43

Definitely the Animals. They took the soul, folk, blues, rock music to a different level with the listening public.