Covers Courageous #5: Elvis Costello - Pouring Water on a Drowning Man

In 1995, Elvis Costello released his second album of covers, called Kojak Variety. While his first covers album, 1980's Almost Blue, was a straight up country album, Kojak Variety covered a number of Costello's favourite singer songwriters, often using obscure takes from them. For example, his choice for a Bob Dylan cover was "I Threw it All Away", not exactly the best known Dylan song.

"Pouring Water on a Drowning Man" has a nice pedigree for a song. The song was written by Drew Baker and Dani McCormick and has been covered by David Allen Coe, Ry Cooder, Percy Sledge and, most famously by James Carr, amongst others. Elvis' take on the song is pretty stripped down, mostly an acoustic guitar with a slick blues singer vocal take. It's a highlight on an overlooked album from Elvis' catalogue.

 http://youtu.be/0oxDW1LO1Jw

The 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees

Just announced today, the nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 2013:

Albert King, Chic, Deep Purple, Donna Summer, Heart, Joan Jett and Blackhearts, Kraftwerk, The Marvelettes, The Meters, NWA, Paul Butterfield, Procol Harum, Public Enemy, Randy Newman, Rush.

The last few years of nominees have been an interesting batch, with punk bands, disco acts and hip-hop finally coming of age to be considered for the Hall. And, there's still many classic pop and rock bands from the 50s and 60s that deserve to be inducted.

The one nominee on everyone's lips is Rush, finally nominated after being eligible for the last 12 years. As one of prog rock's giants and one of the most successful bands from Canada ever, their exclusion has been noted by many music critics.

For me, the most interesting nominees are Kraftwerk and the dual punch of NWA and Public Enemy. Kraftwerk are easily one of the most influential bands ever to exist. Without Kraftwerk, there would be no electronic music and no experimentation into adding electronic instruments into popular music. Kraftwerk's experiments with pop-melodies from a pure electronic standpoint, and their concept of being able to pack up their studio and take it with them on tour, pioneered the way for many electronic bands today.

If there was every a band that would stand up the Hall, it would likely be Public Enemy. Chuck D remains an iconoclast, fearlessly calling out any hypocrite he sees and expousing an aggressive style of politically conscious hip-hop. NWA, on the other hand, were pure anger and hedonism. Their style of hip-hop was aggressive, but in a more violent and anti-social way, paving the way for gangsta rap and most modern rap styles.

My picks for the Hall this year are: Donna Summer (she's been nominated the past few years, her death earlier this year should make her a shoo-in), The Marvelettes (there's almost always a 50s and 60s act inducted, this is the best act here), Albert King (trail-blazing bluesman), Rush and Chic. Kraftwerk, PE and NWA will all get in, but probably not this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzXUmbU58ME