Saturday Covers #19

I've got a ton of work to do today, so let's see if I can rush through this post in a mere 15 minutes.

Image stolen with all good intentions from top2bottom.net

Paul Simon. Great, isn't he? According to Time, he's one of the "people who shape our world." I wouldn't go that far, but he can write some pretty awesome stuff, as is proved by his 1972 single "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard." Unfortunately it wasn't as commercially successful as it could (and should) have been - it only reached #22 in the States and #15 over here. If someone released a track this good nowadays, it would be at #1 instantly. There's no good music anymore. OK, Kings Of Leon are my new heroes for knocking that stupid Katy Perry off the top spot, but seriously... stuff this good just isn't made anymore.

Paul Simon - Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard (mp3, 2.6mb)

Well, obviously the Gimmes wouldn't miss out on covering something like this. Yes, it's Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, who covered this song for their album Have A Ball. You get the impression they're fans of Paul Simon, as they also covered Simon & Garfunkel's The Boxer, on their album Have Another Ball!. Anyway, like I've said many times before, they can't really do a bad cover. This also applies. It may be a bit sloppy, but as long as you don't take it too seriously, it's great.

Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard (mp3, 2.6mb)

Just one more cover, as like I said I'm a bit busy today (which is why I've been glossing over detail in the previous covers). This cover comes from the side project of Andy Hull, lead singer of the Manchester Orchestra. The band is called Right Away, Great Captain!. While I no nothing of any other work they've done, I can tell you that from what I've heard they're a soft rocky sort of band. They actually make Me And Julio sound like a Simon & Garfunkel performance, with the softly played acoustic guitars and backing harmonies. Overall, it's not bad, and probably more suitable for a serious listener than the Gimmes' version.

Right Away, Great Captain! - Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard (mp3, 5.0mb)




Buy
Paul Simon (UK) (US)
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes (UK) (US)
Right Away, Great Captain! (US)