By Chris Moore:
The BEST COVER SONGS of 2012
As I have previously written about, covers are typically of little interest to me (which is, of course, ironic when considering the large number I have played over the years). Of course, I typically end up hearing a few that stand out, and this year, they were almost all on the Amnesty International charity album Chimes of Freedom. Sadly, though the compilation included over seventy songs from a vast range of artists, there were only a handful worthy of recognition. My favorite cover song of the year, however, is the one unearthed on the soundtrack to the Martin Scorcese documentary based on George Harrison’s life: it is Harrison’s cover of his friend Bob Dylan’s song “Mama You’ve Been On My Mind.” It is a stripped down, acoustic cover, but it is brilliant and the beauty radiates warmly from this simple yet nuanced performance.
1) “Mama You’ve Been On My Mind” – George Harrison
2) “One Too Many Mornings” – Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and the Avett Brothers
3) “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” – Brett Dennen
4) “Mr. Tambourine Man” – Jack’s Mannequin
5) “Ring Them Bells” – Natasha Bedingfield
Honorable Mention:
“Ballad of Hollis Brown” – Rise Against