Stephen Stills is behind me. Neil and Promise of the Real are on the horizon – and so are First Aid Kit, my favorite act of the past few years, who are playing the Xponential Festival on July 25th. Their original songs are wonders to behold, but so are their choices of cover songs. Their love for – and curiosity about – the music of previous generations shines through whenever they sing a borrowed tune.
So, without further adieu, here are five memorable covers.
1) “Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone?” – A classic Carter Family song, reaped from the hills of Appalachia by patriarch A.P. What I love about this clip, aside from the harmonies: Klara references Mark Zwonitzer’s excellent book about the Carters in the introduction.
2) “Walk Unafraid.” The REM song, performed here with REM’s Peter Buck.
3) “Play With Fire.” The classic Stones song.
4) “Waterloo Sunset.” Yes, the Kinks klassic!
5) “I Walk the Line.” Johnny Cash’s signature song is in capable hands here.
And one bonus…
6) “War Pigs.” I have to admit, I was somewhat apprehensive when I saw this clip appear in my Facebook feed. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a Black Sabbath fan. But I love this version.
The Old Grey Cat 