When is a cover song better than the original? Only you can decide. This week: The Shins’ James Mercer takes on Neil Young’s “Harvest.” MAGNET’s Edward Fairchild pulls the pin. Take cover!
With a faithful take on the acoustic original, the Shins frontman shows the kids that the “New Slang” isn’t that new. Young should be used to people sounding like him by now. It started almost immediately. Fun Fact: 1972’s Harvest was knocked out of the number-one album spot by America’s self-titled debut on the strength of Young clone “Horse With No Name.”
The Cover:
The Original:
[poll id=”18″]
10 replies on “Take Cover! Neil Young Vs. The Shins’ James Mercer”
It actually has a lower pitch than what’s represented in this video. The way Neil cut it is better. However, even with the pitch change, Neil’s original is infinitely better than the cover.
Neil’s “Harvest” actually has a lower pitch than what’s represented in this video. The way Neil cut it is better. However, even with the pitch change, Neil’s original is infinitely better than the cover.
Some things can’t be improved upon. The classic example is Knockin On Heavens Door. Asshole Rose and a billion others have covered it and no one has come close to capturing the beauty, mood, genius, whatever, ect of the original. Same here. It was done right the first time. Cover stuff like that Cure song that was posted a few days ago. B- song, B- production to begin with and you won’t look like you just got your ass kicked by a real songwriter. By the way, Mr. Mercer is a great songwriter. Neil just did it best the first time…
Sorry but there is NO comparison, Neil Young has intonation and feeling for the song that cant be matched,,,,,,,,
You guys need to check out this guy called ‘Alexander Wolfe’
He’s done a cover of – Don’t Let it Bring You Down” with backwards cellos and all sorts of crazy stuff! Sounds beautiful check it out here
– http://www.zshare.net/audio/63613713cfa7c8eb/ –
Agree wholeheartedly that Neil’s version is better, but it’s still a nice homage, and lovely to hear people singing along…
good thing Shins can at least cover Neil Young, since they can only release 11 original songs in the last 5-6 years. How prolific!
No cover could be better than Neil’s original ! Never !
Neil is a gas man. Aint nobody’s cover of his songs come close to the man’s originals. He’s the bomb!!!!!!!!!
For a cover to match up to — or surpass — an original, it must be a significant reinvention. Few achieve this, though Jimi Hendrix’s cover of “All Along the Watchtower” comes to mind as having done so. While many artists cover a song as an homage to the song’s originator, very few artists reinvent the ‘covered’ song in a way that lives up to the spirit of creation inherent in the original.