Comments on: Take Cover! Neil Young Vs. The Shins’ James Mercer

By: Roger

Roger — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:46:55 +0000

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.

By: Jimmy Jubadda

Jimmy Jubadda — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 05:34:11 +0000

Neil is a gas man. Aint nobody’s cover of his songs come close to the man’s originals. He’s the bomb!!!!!!!!!

By: moa

moa — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:09:23 +0000

No cover could be better than Neil’s original ! Never !

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:59:20 +0000

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!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:10:30 +0000

Agree wholeheartedly that Neil’s version is better, but it’s still a nice homage, and lovely to hear people singing along…

By: Marc

Marc — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:28:49 +0000

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/ -

By: Duncan M Campbell

Duncan M Campbell — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:56:16 +0000

Sorry but there is NO comparison, Neil Young has intonation and feeling for the song that cant be matched,,,,,,,,

By: SStrong

SStrong — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:18:47 +0000

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…

By: Patchouli

Patchouli — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:53:27 +0000

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.

By: Patchouli

Patchouli — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:52:30 +0000

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.