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I Heard the Cover Version First


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Speaking of cover songs, I heard/saw King Missile doing (w/ John Hall wearing a gas mask for the vocals) Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Tuesday's Gone" before I heard the originial.

 

Also, Steve Earle's "Townes" album of all Townes tunes is excellent.

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I saw Pylon open for REM on the Green tour in Roanoke, VA. Still know very little about them.

I saw them a number of times on their own and as an opener back in the day. 

 

"Pylon played their first live show at a party on March 9, 1979.[5] Members of The B-52's attended Pylon's third show. Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of the B-52's were particularly supportive and helped promote Pylon's music in New York City, getting them a gig at Hurrah.[6]Soon Pylon opened for Gang of Four in New York. Pylon's debut single, "Cool," appeared on DB Records in early 1980, and received many positive critical reviews. From 1980 to 1983 Pylon toured parts of the U.S., Canada, and the UK, playing with groups such as the B-52's, Gang of Four, Mission of BurmaLove TractorR.E.M., the Talking Heads, and U2. Pylon was the opening act for the first part of U2's first U.S. tour. Crazy/M-Train charted at No. 61 for Club play singles in 1982 according to Billboard Magazine entry in All Music Guide. At that time the members of Pylon were beginning to feel that playing together was becoming less fun and more like a business. They decided to break up the band in 1983.[2]

With some help from the members of R.E.M., Pylon's reputation as one of the great underground bands of the new wave era was solidified in 1987. When Rolling Stone named R.E.M. "America's Best Band" in November 1987, R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry said, "We're not the best rock 'n' roll band in America." Pylon, he said, was the best. In the same year, R.E.M. released their compilation album Dead Letter Office (1987):the album opens with a version of Pylon's "Crazy", which had been the b-side to their single "Driver 8".[4] Confirming this judgment, numerous musicians from the Athens rock scene publicly attest to their deep reverence for Pylon in the film Athens, GA: Inside Out.[7]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pylon_%28band%29#Singles_and_EPs

Or "Pictures of Matchstick Men."

I had no idea that wasn't a CVB tune until I read this

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Heard The Flying Burrito Brothers' version of "Dark End of the Street" before I heard the original James Carr version. (Or the original Dan Penn demo.)

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Uncle Tupelo's version of "Effigy" before knowing it was a Creedence song.

 

Elliot Smith's version of "Thirteen" before Big Star

 

RHCP's version of "Love Rollercoaster" before knowing it was a cover.

 

Replacements version of "Black Diamond"

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"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?"

heard the Elvis Costello version before I heard the Brinsley Schwarz version.


And, speaking of Rev. Gary Davis:

Heard the Grateful Dead's version of "Samson and Delilah" before that of the right reverend.

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