Mar 13, 2009

Music Video Fridays - War Pigs Covers

Or "I betcha no one makes it through all of these videos". Or "This may be the greatest blog post ever!!!" Ha!

It's a little weird to me that a song like Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" would be covered so many times. It's long and sometimes ponderous and I rarely listen to the whole thing when it comes on the radio. I'll listen for a while, but then I get bored and I move on. That doesn't distract from the overall awesomeness in the song. It's just that sometimes enough is enough. Like with Kramer faking it. You know.

I'm gonna skip the obvious remakes like Cake and Faith No More. Just because. Thought it would be more fun to find some stranger stuff. And stranger stuff is what I found.

Our first video is from one of Avitable's favorite acts, The Dresden Dolls. Amanda and Brian really bring it. Imagine going to see your favorite "dark cabaret" duo one night and they decide to use up 8 minutes of your life with an over-the-top rendition of "War Pigs"? I can. They really get into how grand it all is.



Next up a true oddity. Alice Donut's drummer, Stephen Moses, used to like to bring along his trombone to gigs for a solo or two. I saw them at CBGB once and he did a version of "Helter Skelter" that truly rocked my socks. So you have to ask yourself if you are in the mood for a crazy dude in tighty whities doing a shortish version (only 2:42) of "War Pigs" on the trombone. I think you are.



You say you prefer modern jazz to punk rock and dark cabaret? Well the Alex Skolnick Trio have a rendition of "War Pigs" just for you! This is another live performance from what looks like someone's living room in Upstate NY. These cats are cray-zee!



All right, let's put this bad boy to bed with a clip from a great show called Austin City Limits. This is a live clip from Flaming Lips with an assist from Cat Power (the yummy Chan Marshall). And at 5 minutes, it won't break your soul. Or will it? Mwah-ha-ha-ha!!!



There. A little some some for just about everyone.

Happy weekend!

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Note: Remember to play the Bug-Eyed Trivia Challenge every day. All the War Pigs are doing it.

21 comments:

badgerdaddy said...

You lost me at 'no Faith No More', sorry...

Verdant Earl said...

badger - c'mon...live a little. FNM would have been way too obvious to include. I think it's one of the only ones to be included on an album. And in breaking news...there version kinda sucks anyway. ;)

Angry Empanada said...

i saw the dresden dolls war pigs cover live here in phx when they opened up for NIN. it was hands down one of the best covers i'd ever seen. i mean we stood there in shock in the front row of a small marquee venue and drooled. and then screamed our heads off.

it was great.

Barlinnie said...

Merciful God! It's as though I've died and gone to Youtube heaven.

I'll get through them all even if it kills me.. oh look.. there goes another flying warpig!

Anonymous said...

and to think this song, in fact this band, was rarely heard on the radio 30 some odd years ago when they put out their first ablums

Unknown said...

Incredible videos. I had no idea that song, so deeply engraved in my brain, had been redone so many times.

Thanks for a great post.

Verdant Earl said...

Friday - that's a pretty cool opening act for NIN.

Jimmy - or youtube Hell! One or the other.

2abes - I hear it on XM all the time now.

MikeB - you are most welcome.

badgerdaddy said...

It so does not suck... It's very straight, sure, but sucky? Non, as they say in France.
And you could have used the Live From The Brixton Academy version...

Jennifer and Sandi said...

Hahahaha you lost me at Black Sabbath. "Our age is showing?"
My brother once had a horse named "Sabbath".

Happy FRIDAY! *Tink*

Is it beer thirty yet?

- Jennifer

Verdant Earl said...

badger - i was only joshing ya! I know how much you dig FNM.

Jenn - Just about. Gimme another 12 minutes and I am there.

Heff said...

Now THIS POST is a prime example of why originals are usually ALWAYS the best, lol !!!

Honorable mention goes out to Alex Skolnick Trio, for creativity. The rest sucked balls in my opinion, oh lord yeah !

Anonymous said...

Excellent videos. My fave was the Dresden Dolls by far. Love that band and would love to see them live.

Verdant Earl said...

Heff - I liked them all in their own weird ways.

Kevin - I dunno if I could stomach an entire concert, but they are kinda fun.

Michelle said...

i love the Dresden Dolls!!! Amanda Palmer rocks!!!

Good stuff this video friday!!!

Bianca said...

The Dresden Dolls version blew me away. I would love to see them live. Good start for the weekend. Tks.

Verdant Earl said...

Michelle - they seem to be the consensus pick.

Bianca - didn't your hubby used to do posts like this back in the day? Numerous covers of songs? I think he did.

platts42 said...

What do you mean used to? I just did it with Stairway to Heaven back in Feb.

http://is.gd/nltJ

platts42 said...

Only 1 trombone war pigs? I'll set that and raise you 3 more for a 4 trombone Bonerama War Pigs: http://is.gd/nlxq

Verdant Earl said...

Cappy - That's a good one! Bonerama, eh? I like it. Yeah, I saw the Stairway post back in Feb. It wasn't until your wife commented that I remembered that you sometimes do these cover posts. That's what I meant when I said "used to". :)

marty mankins said...

I actually still like the Faith No More "War Pigs" cover.

I wasn't sure there were other covers. Thanks for sharing. "War Pigs" is a great song.

Verdant Earl said...

Marty - I actually do like the FNM version. I was just busting on badgerdaddy. He is a big fan of them. :)