Glenn Danzig has a pretty good history with covers.
His version of Elvis Presley’s “Trouble,” which appeared on the Thrall/Demonsweatlive EP is, despite some unnecessary lyrical changes, a near-perfect metal cover of the tune. In fact, it ranks as one of my favorite cover songs ever. He also unleashed a solid version of T. Rex’s “Buick Mackane” on his Lost Tracks collection.
Both of those songs are right in his wheelhouse. The selections on his new covers album Skeletons, though, offer some surprises with covers from Aerosmith, ZZ Top, and … the Everly Brothers?
"Jailhouse Rock (Live)," Motley Crue. From the album Girls, Girls, Girls (1987). I must admit that Girls, Girls, Girls hasn't held up as well over time as some of Crue's other records, but I still enjoy this messy, bashing cover of Jailhouse Rock. It's not a perfect cover, but it's the perfect cover for Motley Crue.
When Volbeat’s “Sad Man’s Tongue” comes blaring out of my speakers on a shuffle, I’m always happy, and I always hit repeat — usually a dozen times or so, at least. And I always think about how I nearly missed such a great song.
I was plugging along at work one day in 2007 when I got an e-mail from a publicist pushing Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil, the upcoming record from Danish band Volbeat. In the e-mail was a picture of the band with singer Michael Poulsen boasting a greasy, black pompadour, and the publicist describing the music as “Elvis Metal ‘n’ Roll.” The album title seemed a little awkward (and I often cringe at clichéd connections between metal and the devil), I didn’t quite get the band name, and being the good Southern boy I am, I wondered what in the world a Danish band could know about Elvis. I may have rolled my eyes a little before moving on from the e-mail.
(Editor's Note: Stuck in my Head is an occasional feature about whatever song happens to be running around incessantly in my head at the moment.)
Nicknamed "the Evil Elvis" due to both his dark, Presley-like vocal drawl and trademark lambchop sideburns, it seemed just a matter of time before Glenn Danzig covered an Elvis tune. And what more perfect song for him to cover than "Trouble" with it's "Because I'm evil/My middle name is misery" chorus refrain?
Originally recorded for the "King Creole" soundtrack in 1958, Presley sang the song with the backing of a lively Dixieland band. Danzig's version, unsurprisingly, is a far cry from the original, yet, at the same time, not so different.
It's a song that Danzig had wanted to record for years. There are a variety of earlier demo and live recordings of the tune to be found, ranging from a demo with the band Samhain that substituted some spooky electronics for the Dixieland bits to a version from the recording sessions for the first Danzig record that's more of a stripped-down, rough version of the one that was finally released. The timing was right in 1993, when he released it as part of a live EP, "Thrall -- DemonSweatLive." After progressing through the punk of The Misfits and the experimental sounds of Samhain, Danzig was settling into a blues-based, earthier sound for his first few albums with his eponymous band, and "Trouble" was a perfect fit into that sound.
Danzig's cover is built around the same melody line as the Elvis version, only with the volume and attitude cranked up. The fairly simple and familiar brass riff becomes a crushing metal guitar riff, but manages to do it without losing the soul or groove of the original. Naturally, the song is darker and more ominous, with the accentuation on the chorus. The result is something more sinister than Elvis' tune about a bad boy, yet when that big guitar riff and the pounding drum line kick in at the beginning, it oozes cool just like the horns of the Elvis original.
If there's a weakness in the Danzig version, it's probably the fact that he fiddled around with the lyrics a little, bringing a campy B-horror feel to that aspect of the song. If I'm being honest, I'd rather hear the original Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller lyric, "I was born standing up/And talking back" than Danzig's substition. The other major lyrical change, from "green-eyed mountain jack" to "demon werewolf jack" didn't bother me as much, but was really unneccessary. There was plenty of darkness in Danzig's delivery of the chorus without bringing in the horror movie imagery. (It also doesn't hurt that Danzig cuts an imposing figure that backs up the "don't you mess around with me" line.)
Finally, there's the upbeat, swinging ending that brings the song home that becomes a thrashed-out piece in Danzig's hands, but still sticks to the original melody.
I understand if you're a disciple of Elvis, you'll probably consider this song an abomination, so skip it. If, on the other hand, you're a fan of blues-based metal who can also appreciate Presley's work, you should check it out if you're not already familiar.
I love offbeat stuff, and when this record was pitched to me as “Elvis metal ‘n’ roll,” I just couldn’t resist taking a listen to it.
I’ll start with what could very possibly be my favorite song of the year so far, “Sad Man’s Tongue,” the band’s tribute to Johnny Cash. It opens with a country flair and that patented Cash beat. Vocalist Michael Poulson comes in with his Elvis vocals and a melody and lyric that owes more than a little to “Folsom Prison Blues.” After the first verse, it explodes into some hillbilly chainsaw rock, with a thrash interlude and a little bit of groove metal thrown in on the breakdown. It’s an absolutely perfect piece of redneck rock ‘n’ roll that’s right down my alley. I really wish there were more songs like this one on the record, where they just let go and rock.
The rest of the record is heavily influenced by Danzig, Black Sabbath and thrash. It’s good stuff, but, by and large, lacks the character of “Sad Man’s Tongue.” They’re at their best when they blend in the countrified sounds, like the slide guitar that opens “The Human Instrument,” or the blues-based riffs, as on “Soulweeper, Part 2.” The punkish, heavily Misfits-influenced “Devil or the Blue Cat’s Song” and the Sabbathian riffs of “River Queen” are other standout moments on the album, and it closes strong with the groove of “BOA (JDM).”
The only true miss on the record is “Radio Girl” which has a bubble-gum feel and seems a bit out of place with the darker material found elsewhere on the record.
For the most part, Poulson lives up to the Elvis comparisons, although there’s a lot of Glenn Danzig and at least a touch of Peter Steele and James Hetfield in his vocals. Poulson and Franz “Hellboss,” who has since left the band, provide some top notch riffing throughout the record.
How much you like Volbeat will probably depend on your tolerance for Poulson’s unconventional vocals. Admittedly, they don’t really seem to be the best fit with a few of the songs, but for others they’re perfect. It’s a solid record, but I still can’t help but wish the rest of it weren’t just a little more like “Sad Man’s Tongue.”
