What songs should I cover?

[Tanager]

Sweet Jane's another open mic favorite.

Talking Heads "Heaven" works well with one voice and a guitar.

 

[Stone Angel]

Thanks for the response, after talking to the Club manager I have decided to add one more original to the list though I am loathe to do so. Heaven is a great idea, and as for Time after Time I do it my own way and it's no so haunting melodic as Cindi's version. I love playing the blues but Robert uses way too many open tunings for me to have to switch in the middle of an open mic set.

Thinking of playing Jane Says by Janes addiction and I have nixed the All Along the Watch Tower another song I have thought about is Playing Jenny Says by Cowboy Mouth though I haven't played it for so long I might not remember how it goes the whole way through.... :\

Keep em comin guys I know that when someone posts that magic song it will be like BAM and I will have it.

Thanks


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
Excuse Me Mister by Ben Harper

 

[cybertalus]

So is it a song limit, or a time limit? Because the full 45 minute version of "Thick as a Brick" just doesn't get played nearly often enough, either live or on the radio.

More seriously, I've been playing John Lennon's Acoustic cd all week, so I've got Lennon/Beatles on the brain. There's some really good stuff on Acoustic. Cold Turkey sounds awesome unplugged. Watching the Wheels and Dear Yoko kick even more, but I doubt that last one is really a song anyone would want to cover. Imagine however, stinks without a piano. Real Love is a pretty good song that a lot of people may not recognize but could still enjoy.

On the Beatles side, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away and I've Just Seen a Face are strong possibilities. As is While My Guitar Gently Weeps if you're really good (the "unplugged" version on Anthology 3 leaves Eric Clapton's White Album take in the dust IMO). Anything from Let It Be is also good.

Don McLean's Vincent is strong, as are Neil Young's My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue), Thrasher, After the Gold Rush, and just about everything from his Harvest Moon album.

Okay I'm gonna stop now before this just turns into a list of all my favorite songs.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Nothing get's a live crowd going like Home for a Rest by Spirit of the West. It's pretty easy to play, is sort of influnced by Celtic Reels and The Pogues, and has a fun singalong chorus.

Here is the Lyric sheet...

[bq]you'll have to excuse me, i'm not at my best
i've been gone for a month, i've been drunk since i left
these so-called vacations will soon be my death
i'm so sick from the drink, i need home for a rest

we arrived in december and london was cold
we stayed in the bars on charring cross road
we never saw nothing but brass taps and oak
kept a shine on the bar with the sleeves of our coats

you'll have to excuse me, i'm not at my best
i've been gone for a week, i've been drunk since i left
and these so called vacations will soon be my death
i'm so sick from the drink, i need home for a rest
take me home!

kingston station, the train journeyed north
in the buffet car we lurched back and forth
past old crooked dikes, through yorkshires green fields
we were flung into debt as the train jigged and reeled

you'll have to excuse me, i'm not at my best
i've been gone for a week, i've been drunk since i left
and these so called vacations will soon be my death
i'm so sick from the drink, i need home for a rest
take me home!

by the light of the moon she drifts through the streets
her railroad perfume so seductive and sweet
she'd tease us and flirt as the pubs all closed down
then walk us on home and deny us a round

you'll have to excuse me, i'm not at my best
i've been gone for a month, i've been drunk since i left
and these so called vacations will soon be my death
i'm so sick from the drink, i need home for a rest
take me home!

the gasket is empty, it's damp as a tomb
the spirits we drank and our ghosts in the room
how mad can i get, come on sleep take me soon
and don't lift up my head 'til the twelve bells of noon

you'll have to excuse me, i'm not at my best
i've been gone for a month, i've been drunk since i left
and these so called vacations will soon be my death
i'm so sick from the drink, i need home for a rest
take me home[/bq]

 

[Teflon Billy]

A buddy of mine absolutely cleaned up at an open mic night by playing his accordian and singing Stacey's Mom by Fountains of Wayne.

[bq]Stacy's mom has got it goin' on
Stacy's mom has got it goin' on
Stacy's mom has got it goin' on
Stacy's mom has got it goin' on

Stacy, can i come over after school? (after school)
We can hang around by the pool (hang by the pool)
Did your mom get back from her business trip? (business trip)
Is she there, or is she trying to give me the slip? (give me the slip)

You know, I'm not the little boy that I used to be
I'm all grown up now, baby can't you see

Stacy's mom has got it goin' on
She's all I want and I've waited for so long
Stacy, can't you see you're just not the girl for me
I know it might be wrong but I'm in love with Stacy's mom

Stacy's mom has got it goin' on
Stacy's mom has got it goin' on

Stacy, do you remember when I mowed your lawn? (mowed your lawn)
Your mom came out with just a towel on (towel on)
I could tell she liked me from the way she stared
And the way she said, "You missed a spot over there"

And I know that you think it's just a fantasy
But since your dad walked out, your mom could use a guy like me

Stacy's mom has got it goin' on
She's all I want, and I've waited so long
Stacy, can't you see you're just not the girl for me
I know it might be wrong,
but I'm in love with Stacy's mom[/bq]

 

[Darth Shoju]

I'll have to second Teflon Billy's suggestion of Home for a rest. A local celtic rock band here (the Men In Kilts-plug plug) plays it all the time and it is a great one. It starts off slow and then picks up to a good tempo. Very fun.

Other suggestions off the top of my head:

Run, Run Away
Blister in the Sun
I Would Walk 500 Miles (corny, yes, but people recognize it and seem to enjoy it)
Folsom Prison Blues
Keep on Rockin in the Free World

 

[DeBracy]

Keep rotting you meen? Mmm... Carcass.

I'll add Down by the river (Neil Young), Nights in white Satin (Moody Blues - I think it'll work well even without the orchestra), Ghost of Tom Joad (Springsteen) and finally (one of the most beautiful songs I know) Diamonds and rust (Joan Baez).

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Another song I have seen get great response at open mic nights is Uncle John's Band by the Grateful Dead. Nice catchy song and an easy sing along chorus.

 

[Desdichado]

If you're covering Cindi Lauper, go all out and sing "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" or "She-Bop". If nothing else, you should at least get a laugh as a guy singing one of those.

I had a pretty good response to my karaoke version"of "Like a Virgin" too...