Cover Extravaganza from Down Under

Like a Version is a segment on the Australian radio station Triple J. It was created by Mel Bampton as part of the Mel in the Morning program. Currently the segment pops up whenever artists are available and willing to do it, though mainly on the Breakfast show. It involves Australian, and more recently, international artists playing live, acoustic versions of some of their favourite songs. This segment’s popularity has led to, so far, the release of four compilation CDs.

Samples of the 4 Vol Set:

Vol 1 Damien Rice – “When Doves Cry”* (Prince)
The Cat Empire – “Hotel California” (Don Felder/Don Henley/Glenn Frey)

Damien Rice-When Doves Cry (Prince Cover)

The Cat Empire-Hotel California

Vol 2 Tegan and Sara – “Dancing in the Dark” (Bruce Springsteen)
Missy Higgins – “Moses” (Patty Griffin)

Tegan and Sara-dancing in the dark (Springsteen)

Missy Higgins-Moses

vol 3 Mattafix – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (Green Day)
Saosin – “Time After Time” (Cyndi Lauper)

Mattafix-Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (Green Day)

Saosin-Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper)

There was one Aussie artist on the Vol 4 and on the DVD edition who I wanted to make note of. C.W. Stoneking. He has an awesome cover of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” however I could not find a copy anywhere on the net. Here’s a video of it but its not available to watch in the US….ugh!

If you would like to watch another (more recent) vid of him check out Jungle Blues below.

The Non US version of “7 Nation Army” (White Stripes)

and Jungle Blues:

track listing Vol 1:

Grinspoon – “The Drugs Don’t Work” (Richard Ashcroft)
The Pictures – “Milkshake” (Pharrell Williams/Chad Hugo)
Jebediah – “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” (Burt Bacharach/Hal David)
Salmonella Dub – “Get Up Stand Up” (Bob Marley/Peter Tosh)
Speedstar – “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” (Steven Morrissey/Johnny Marr)
Little Birdy – “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” (Lee Hazlewood)
The Cat Empire – “Hotel California” (Don Felder/Don Henley/Glenn Frey)
End Of Fashion – “Quicksand” (David Bowie)
Bertie Blackman – “Tyrone” (Erica Wright/N. Hurt)
Goodshirt – “Gouge Away” (Black Francis)
Love Outside Andromeda – “Andy Warhol” (David Bowie)
Darren Hanlon – “Don’t Stop” (Christine McVie)
Damien Rice – “When Doves Cry”* (Prince)
John Butler Trio – “Message in a Bottle” (Sting)
Gorgeous – “Little Suicides” (Anton Fier/Lori Carson)
Lazy Susan – “Are You Old Enough” (Paul Hewson)
Betchadupa – “Sweet Dreams” (Philip Judd)
Starky – “Show a Sign of Life” (Josh Malerman/Mark Owen)
Serena Ryder – “Illegal Smile” (John Prine)
Missy Higgins – “Moses” (Patty Griffin)
Big Heavy Stuff – “Hyperballad” (Björk)
Donavon Frankenreiter – “Stay Young” (Graham Lyle/Benny Gallagher)
Clare Bowditch – “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen)
Track 13 by Damien Rice contains a portion of Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” (Anne Bredon/Jimmy Page & Robert Plant)

Like a Version: Volume Two
22-track compilation CD released in 2006 ©Australian Broadcasting Corporation and distributed by Warner Music Australia.

Gyroscope – “Monument” (Jebediah)
The Herd – “I Was Only 19” (Redgum)
Eels – “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” (Prince)
Sophie Koh – “Creep” (Radiohead)
Spoon – “Upwards at 45 Degrees” (Julian Cope)
Sarah Blasko – “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (Elton John)
The Drones – “Words from a Woman to Her Man” (Beasts of Bourbon)
Lior – “The Needle and the Damage Done” (Neil Young)
Holidays on Ice – “The Holiday Song” (The Pixies)
Crooked Fingers – “Long Black Veil” (Bill Frisell/Johnny Cash)
Tegan and Sara – “Dancing in the Dark” (Bruce Springsteen)
Evermore – “Relapse” (Little Birdy)
Holly Throsby – “Mistress” (Red House Painters)
67 Special – “Scar” (Missy Higgins)
Live@Subs – “Rolled Up” (Long Beach Dub Allstars)
Mia Dyson – “Can’t Let Go” (Lucinda Williams)
The Panda Band – “My Mistake” (Split Enz)
The Mountain Goats – “Wild World” (The Birthday Party)
Kate Miller-Heidke – “Little Water Song” (Nick Cave/Bruce Pisek)
The Tea Party – “The Maker” (Daniel Lanois)
New Buffalo – “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” (Nina Simone)
Willy Mason – “The Way I Am” (Merle Haggard)

Like a Version: Volume Three
20-track compilation CD and 10 video DVD released in 2007 © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and distributed by Warner Music Australia.

Track listing – CD
Ben Folds – “Such Great Heights” (The Postal Service)
Sharon Jones – “This Land is Your Land” (Woody Guthrie)
Eskimo Joe – “Hey” (Pixies)
Josh Pyke – “The House at Pooh Corner” (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
The Magic Numbers – “Crazy in Love” (Beyoncé)
Bob Evans – “Beautiful to Me” (Little Birdy)
Mattafix – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (Green Day)
The Bellrays – “Highway to Hell” (AC/DC)
Shout Out Louds – “Streams of Whiskey” (The Pogues)
Pivot – “Woman” (Wolfmother)
Custom Kings – “The Boys of Summer” (Don Henley)
SubAudible Hum – “Africa” (Toto)
Gomez – “Breakfast in America” (Supertramp)
Blue King Brown – “You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)” (Dawn Penn)
The Kill Devil Hills – “Look at Miss Ohio” (Gillian Welch)
The Zutons – “Runaway” (Del Shannon)
Macromantics – “Jump” (Kris Kross)
Broken Social Scene – “Kennel District” (Pavement)
Angus and Julia Stone – “Tubthumping” (Chumbawamba)
Something for Kate – “Rock the Casbah” (The Clash)
Track Listing – DVD
Ben Folds – “Such Great Heights” (The Postal Service)
Eskimo Joe – “Hey” (Pixies)
Bob Evans – “Beautiful to Me” (Little Birdy)
The Bellrays – “Highway to Hell” (AC/DC)
Custom Kings – “The Boys of Summer” (Don Henley)
Gomez – “Breakfast in America” (Supertramp)
Blue King Brown – “You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)” (Dawn Penn)
The Kill Devil Hills – “Look at Miss Ohio” (Gillian Welch)
Macromantics – “Jump” (Kris Kross)
Something for Kate – “Rock the Casbah” (The Clash)

Like a Version: Volume Four
19-track compilation CD and 14 video DVD released in 2008 © Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Track listing – CD
Regina Spektor – “Real Love” (The Beatles)
Katalyst feat. Stephanie Mckay – “Hang Me Up To Dry” (Cold War Kids)
The Panics – “Wide Open Road” (The Triffids)
CW Stoneking – “Seven Nation Army” (The White Stripes)
British India – “And I Was A Boy From School” (Hot Chip)
Plan B – “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before” (The Smiths)
Crowded House – “Everybody’s Talkin’” (Harry Nilsson)
Saosin – “Time After Time” (Cyndi Lauper)
Lou Rhodes – “Satellite” (Elliot Smith)
Dappled Cities – “More Than A Woman” (Bee Gees)
Bit By Bats – “Orinoco Flow” (Enya)
After The Fall – “Only The Good Die Young” (Billy Joel)
Paul Kelly – “Rehab” (Amy Winehouse)
Snowman – “Strange Fruit” (Billie Holiday)
The Veils – “State Trooper” (Bruce Springsteen)
Nouvelle Vague – “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldnt’ve)” (Buzzcocks)
Jamie T – “Hoover Street” (Rancid)
Little Barrie – “White Light / White Heat” (The Velvet Underground)
Emilie Simon – “I Wanna Be Your Dog” (The Stooges)