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Author Topic: Are U2 songs hard to cover?  (Read 664 times)

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Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« on: September 11, 2012, 03:31:43 PM »
I just visited YouTube and noticed a copious amount of Bob Dylan covers that are "trending"--I suppose is the right word--by many different people. Most of them are young ladies. I don't know why all these covers are on the main page, but...

Do you think U2 songs are hard to cover? If so why? If not, why?

When I see all these Bob Dylan covers as I visit YouTube this day, I hope some day I wil see many U2 covers to give U2 some recognition.
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Offline Droo

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2012, 04:24:10 PM »
To play them with the appropriate guitar sound is complicated, so far as I can tell from the details of the tech required to recreate it precisely. However, the chords are usually very basic. A simple acoustic cover of several of their songs is very easy, such as One and Wild Horses, which I've covered.
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Offline JTBaby

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2012, 07:18:25 PM »
A thousand bar bands in LA could cover U2 songs.

Replicating the exact same guitar sound is a bit more challenging.

Some people do a good job of it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=linFWoX4bfk



« Last Edit: September 11, 2012, 07:22:12 PM by JTBaby »
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Offline u2aussie

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2012, 05:02:34 AM »
I thought I'd give it a go...

http://youtu.be/zSKwawfHbd0

 ;)
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Offline Inishfree

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2012, 06:06:45 AM »
Quote from: Drooropa on September 11, 2012, 04:24:10 PM
To play them with the appropriate guitar sound is complicated, so far as I can tell from the details of the tech required to recreate it precisely. However, the chords are usually very basic. A simple acoustic cover of several of their songs is very easy, such as One and Wild Horses, which I've covered.

This and Bono's part is very simple.  Just a few chord changes.  Like Droo said.  You would need a lot of equipment to play the Edge's part, for example.........Streets.
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Offline paddyattitude

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2012, 06:51:43 AM »
there's a band who did a great cover of Get On Your Boots around the time the single was released.
It was different take as the guitar part was replaced with piano if i can recall.
can't find it on youtube anymore though. if any of you knows the one i am talking about, can you post it please?!
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Offline Drummer Boy

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2012, 10:37:51 AM »
Yes, they are hard to cover...

This is what happens when you try a "funky" song, with a "heavy" guitar player:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/44693254/mysterious%20ways%20-%20take%201.mp3

That was our first attempt at Mysterious Ways... It was also the last...  :D

Neither the guitar nor the bass player had ever heard the song,
and I had to push hard, to convince them to at least give it a try.
I thought it was very promising for a first take, specially the ending,
but none of the guys showed any interest in trying it again.  :(
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 07:00:52 PM by Drummer Boy »
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Offline soloyan

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2012, 11:02:25 AM »
U2 are IMPOSSIBLE to replicate,  the whole of them has a sound and vibe truly unique.

That said, MANY if not MOST people think they're easy to cover because the  basic use of instruments is pretty basic. My opinion : many people are convinced they're doing good covers but it's mostly... very bad.
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Offline soloyan

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2012, 11:07:59 AM »
Lemon Chile are quite good, but they're clever too : what they're the most impressive at is playing songs U2 don't often or never play. I'm not saying it's easy, they're definitely good but the pleasure of hearing a song never played by U2 themselves adds up.
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Offline The Wanderer

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2012, 12:26:01 PM »
It is difficult to cover "Studio U2" since there is a lot of infused sounds, especially the Eno/Lenois produced tracks.  But "Live U2" tends to break the songs down to a simple format, that is easy to reproduce at the same level night after night. A lot of sounds are looped in.    I notice that if Bono is playing guitar on a song, it is a pretty easy song to play.
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Offline Drummer Boy

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Re: Are U2 songs hard to cover?
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2012, 02:44:55 PM »
Quote from: u2aussie on September 12, 2012, 05:02:34 AM
I thought I'd give it a go...

http://youtu.be/zSKwawfHbd0

 ;)

Hey, u2aussie, I liked your covers, specially Streets.
All you need now is a good, talented, emotional singer.
Come to Argentina and we'll put a band together!  :D
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