The Fall - List of Covers
Someone on one of the Fall Facebook groups recently posted a link to a website that purported to be a complete list of the group's covers. Safe to say, the page was far from complete or accurate. I'm not aware that there currently is a complete and accurate list, so I thought that it was my civic duty to provide one!
I have not included any of the 'semi-covers' or 'heavy borrows' such as 'Crop-Dust' or 'Athlete Cured'. I wrote about these tracks on You Must Get Them All (1984-88, 1988-97 and 1999-2017) and on one of the Monday playlists (there'll be a part 2 and 3 at some point - links will be updated on the Fi5 main page when they appear). These are 'straight' covers, i.e. those that were credited to other writers.
This would undoubtedly have been a little easier to read in table form, but unfortunately that's a bit beyond my IT capabilities. However, you can download my spreadsheet here should you be so inclined.
Apart from those where the video appears on this page, the year of release provides a link to the song on YouTube (originals and covers).
1969
Unreleased
Written by: The Stooges
Original artist: The Stooges (1969)
Performed twice in 2009.
A Day in the Life
Released: Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father (NME VA compilation) (1988)
Written by: Lennon / McCartney
Original artist: The Beatles (1967)
Beatle Bones 'n' Smokin' Stones
Released: Words Of Expectation - BBC Sessions (2003)
Written by: Don Van Vliet
Original artist: Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (1968)
Originally performed as part of Peel session #20, 1996.
Birthday
Released: Sinister Waltz (1996)
Written by: Jeff Lynne
Original artist: The Idle Race (1968)
Black Monk Theme Part I
Released: Extricate (1990)
Written by: Monks
Original artist: Monks (1966)
Original title was 'I Hate You'.
Black Monk Theme Part II
Released: Extricate (1990 CD/cassette only)
Written by: Monks
Original artist: Monks (1966)
Original title was 'Oh, How To Do Now'.
Black Night
Released: In A Hole (reissue) (2003)
Written by: Blackmore / Gillan / Glover / Lord / Paice
Original artist: Deep Purple (1970)
Played as coda to 'C 'n' C' on two occasions, Australia/NZ August 1982.
Blue Christmas
Unreleased
Written by: Billy Hayes / Jay W. Johnson
Original artist: Doye O'Dell (1948)
Played once, Chester November 2011. This painfully tuneless cover made the anti-Shakin’ Stevens sentiment of 'Ludd Gang' ('I hate the guts of Shakin' Stevens / for what he has done / the massacre of "Blue Christmas" / on him I'd like to land one on') seem distinctly hypocritical!
Bound
Released: The Marshall Suite (1999)
Written by: Wilson / Wilson / Wilson / Cason
Original artist: The Audio Arts Strings (1974)
The original was an instrumental - MES added the lyrics. Songwriting credit on TMS was 'MES/Wilson Bros.'
Bourgeois Town
Released: Are You Are Missing Winner (2001)
Written by: Lead Belly
Original artist: Lead Belly (1938)
Original title was 'Bourgeois Blues'. Smith quoted the song in performances as far back as 1985, suggesting he’d had it in mind for a while.
Brand New Cadillac
Released: The Fall Box Set (2007)
Written by: Vince Taylor
Original artist: Vince Taylor & His Playboys (1959)
Played twice in 1978.
Classical Gas
Unreleased
Written by: Mason Williams
Original artist: Mason Williams (1968)
Played (briefly) at two gigs in 2002 (more details here).
Cock In My Pocket (Stout Man)
Released: Sub-Lingual Tablet (2015)
Written by: Iggy Pop / James Williamson
Original artist: The Stooges (1976)
Played as a cover of 'Cock' in 2014 before morphing into 'Stout Man' (with modified lyrics). The last song The Fall ever played live.
Dropout Boogie
Unreleased
Written by: Don Van Vliet / Herb Bermann
Original artist: Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (1967)
Played 3 times in 2015; also formed a segment of 'Dr Bucks' Letter' on a few occasions in 2004.
F-'Oldin' Money
Released: The Marshall Suite (1999)
Written by: Tommy Blake
Original artist: Tommy Blake (1959)
Funnel of Love
Released: Your Future Our Clutter (2010)
Written by: Charlie McCoy / Kent Westberry
Original artist: Wanda Jackson (1961)
Studio out-take version:
Gotta See Jane
Released: Are You Are Missing Winner (2001)
Written by: Taylor / Holland / Miller
Original artist: R Dean Taylor (1968)
Groovin' With Mr. Bloe
Released: Complete Peel Sessions (2005)
Written by: Gentry / Cochrane / Naumann / Laguna
Original artist: Wind (1969)
Peel session #23 2003 (medley with 'Green-Eyed Loco Man').
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Released: Complete Peel Sessions (2005)
Written by: Mendelssohn / Wesley
Peel session #18 1994 - features Lucy Rimmer on vocals.
Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy
Released: Silver Monk Time (VA compilation) (2006)
Written by: Monks
Original artist: Monks (1966)
Hungry Freaks, Daddy
Released: Last Night At The Palais (2009)
Written by: Frank Zappa
Original artist: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention (1966)
A live version recorded in New York, November 2006, was included a QuickTime movie on the US CD version of Reformation Post TLC in 2007.
I Can Hear the Grass Grow
Released: Fall Heads Roll (2005)
Written by: Roy Wood
Original artist: The Move (1967)
Version performed on Jools Holland:
I Come And Stand At Your Door
Released: Levitate (1997)
Written by: Nâzim Hizket / Pete Seeger
Original artist: Pete Seeger (1961)
The vocal that MES adds to 'Jap Kid' is taken from a poem by the Turkish writer Nâzım Hikmet called 'The Little Girl' which Pete Seeger set to music (and was originally called 'I Stand At Every Door'). On Levitate the song is credited to 'Anon/J Nagle'.
I'm a Mummy
Released: Levitate (1997)
Written by: Rod McKuen
Original artist: Bob McFadden & Dor (1959)
The link above includes a version by 'Bubi & Bob' (also from 1959) as well as the McFadden & Dor original.
I'm Going To Spain
Released: The Infotainment Scan (1993)
Written by: Steve Bent
Original artist: Steve Bent (1976)
I'm Not Satisfied
Released: Cerebral Caustic (1995)
Written by: Frank Zappa
Original artist: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention (1966)
Ibis-Afro Man
Released: Are You Are Missing Winner (2001)
Written by: Mark E Smith / Jim Watts / Iggy Pop
Original artist: Iggy Pop (1979)
A (very) loose cover of 'African Man' from Iggy's New Values album.
Jack The Ripper
Unreleased
Written by: Stacey / Hagen / Symonds
Original artist: Screaming Lord Sutch (1963)
Played live twice (2008 and 2012).
Jeanie
Unreleased
Written by: Motola / Page
Original artist: Eddie Cochran (1958)
Original was called 'Jeanie Jeanie Jeanie'. Played once, at Cardiff Tramshed, 3 February 2017. Further details here.
Jerusalem
Released: I Am Kurious Oranj (1988)
Written by: William Blake (words) / Hubert Parry (music)
Not a straightforward cover, but some of the words were taken from Blake's 1804 poem 'And did those Feet in Ancient Time' that Sir Hubert Parry turned into the hymn 'Jerusalem' in 1916 (from which the main melody and bass line of the Fall is derived).
Jet Boy
Released: The Fall Box Set (2007)
Written by: David Johansen / Johnny Thunders
Original artist: New York Dolls (1973)
Another live version (recorded, like the Box Set version, in 1999) appeared in 2019 on the ropy Live At Doonroosje, Nijmegen 1999.
Jingle Bell Rock
Released: Complete Peel Sessions (2005)
Written by: Joe Beal / Jim Boothe
Original artist: Bobby Helms (1957)
From Peel session #18 1994.
Jungle Rock
Released: Levitate (1997)
Written by: Hank Mizell
Original artist: Hank Mizell (1958)
It's not entirely clear why this novelty 50s song suddenly became a hit in 1976:
Junk Man
Released: Middle Class Revolt (1994)
Written by: Tony McPhee
Original artist: The Groundhogs (1971)
The original was entitled 'Junkman'.
Just Waiting
Released: Code: Selfish (1992)
Written by: Hank Williams
Original artist: Hank Williams (as 'Luke The Drifter') (1951)
There's a live version on the Oswald Defence Lawyer compilation that's one of those where nobody seems to know when/where it was recorded:
Kimble
Written by: Lee Perry
Original artist: The Creators (1968)
From Peel session #15 1992.
Last Chance to Turn Around
Released: The Light User Syndrome (1996)
Written by: Milrose / Bruno / Elgin
Original artist: Gene Pitney (1965)
It’s often erroneously reported that Pitney’s original was entitled 'Last Exit to Brooklyn'.
Legend Of Xanadu
Released: Ruby Trax (NME VA compilation) (1992)
Written by: Ken Howard / Alan Blaikley
Original artist: Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich (1968)
The other track considered for Ruby Trax was 'Lost In Music'.
Loop 41 Houston
Released: The Real New Fall LP Formerly 'Country On The Click' (2003)
Written by: Lee Hazlewood
Original artist: Dean Martin (1965)
The original was just called 'Houston' (the Dean Martin performance above is hilarious); the 'Loop 41' section was occasionally used as an intro tape:
Lost In Music
Released: The Infotainment Scan (1993)
Written by: Bernard Edwards / Nile Rodgers
Original artist: Sister Sledge (1979)
Louie Louie
Released: Live 1977 (2000)
Written by: Richard Berry
Original artist: Richard Berry (1957)
Of historical interest - it's the earliest full-length recording of a Fall set and also marked founder member Tony Friel's departure (announced in the intro here) - but descends into unlistenable chaos. Also features vocals from Jon the Postman, whose 1978 album 'John the Postman's Puerile' marked MES' first appearance on a record:
Mr. Pharmacist
Released: Mr. Pharmacist single (1986)
Written by: Jeff Nowlan
Original artist: The Other Half (1966)
Pinball Machine
Released: Seminal Live (1989)
Written by: Lonnie Irving
Original artist: Lonnie Irving (1960)
Popcorn Double Feature
Released: Extricate (1990)
Written by: Scott English / Larry Weiss
Original artist: The Searchers (1967)
Race With The Devil
Released: Backdrop (2001)
Written by: Gene Vincent / Tex Davis
Original artist: Gene Vincent (1956)
Recorded at John Peel's 50th birthday party 1989: 'We learned this especially for John’s birthday'.
Rollin' Dany
Released: Couldn't Get Ahead/Rollin' Dany single (1985)
Written by: Joe Stein / Paul Edwards
Original artist: Gene Vincent (1958)
Original was called 'Rollin' Danny'.
Say Mama
Released: The Remainderer EP (2013)
Written by: John Meeks / Johnny Earl
Original artist: Gene Vincent (1958)
Shut Up!
Released: Middle Class Revolt (1994)
Written by: Monks
Original artist: Monks (1966)
Stay Away (Old White Train)
Released: The Light User Syndrome (1996)
Written by: Johnny Paycheck
Original artist: Johnny Paycheck (1979)
The original was entitled ‘(Stay Away From) The Cocaine Train’. The Fall played it for the first time on October 24 in Cambridge, Craig Scanlon’s last performance with the group.
Strangetown
Released: Imperial Wax Solvent (2008)
Written by: Tony McPhee
Original artist: The Groundhogs (1970)
The original was called 'Strange Town'. The slower sections of the Fall’s cover are adapted from 'Garden', from the same album, giving 'Strangetown' the unique status of being a 'borrow' within a cover. The version below is from the Grant Showbiz Britannia Row recordings:
Strychnine
Released: The Twenty-Seven Points (1995)
Written by: Gerry Roslie
Original artist: The Sonics (1965)
Played live well over 100 times, but never had a studio recording other than the Peel session version from 1993:
There's a Ghost in My House
Released: There's a Ghost in My House single (1987)
Written by: Holland / Dozier / Holland / Taylor
Original artist: R. Dean Taylor (1967)
This Perfect Day
Released: The Marshall Suite (1999)
Written by: Bailey / Kuepper
Original artist: The Saints (1977)
The Fall's version is tidy enough, but not a patch on the original:
Victoria
Released: Victoria single (1988)
Written by: Ray Davies
Original artist: The Kinks (1969)
Walk Like A Man / Breaking The Rules
Released: The Fall Box Set / Fall Heads Roll (2007 / 2005)
Written by: Crewe / Gaudio
Original artist: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (1963)
Performed live as a straight cover 2003-05. 'Breaking The Rules' on Fall Heads Roll featured amended lyrics by Bec Walker; MES only used these words once, at the song's final performance (2007).
War
Released: Middle Class Revolt (1994)
Written by: Anthony Moore / Peter Blegvad
Original artist: Henry Cow / Slapp Happy (1975)
Constructed from Smith’s memory because the nobody could find the original at the time.
Werewolves of London
Unreleased
Written by: Marinell / Watchtel / Zevon
Original artist: Warren Zevon (1978)
Played live once, in 2011.
White Lightning
Released: White Lightning / The Dredger EP (1990)
Written by: J. P. Richardson
Original artist: The Big Bopper (1958)
Played live nearly 300 times.
White Line Fever
Released: Reformation Post TLC (2007)
Written by: Merle Haggard
Original artist: Merle Haggard (1969)
Why Are People Grudgeful?
Released: Why Are People Grudgeful? single (1993)
Written by: Joe Gibbs / Lee Perry
Original artist: Joe Gibbs / Lee Perry (1968)
An amalgamation of two similar songs, 'People Grudgeful' by Joe Gibbs and 'People Funny Boy' by Lee Perry (more details here).
And now you can includ"Jeanie": https://data.hexencyclopedia.xyz/2021/01/jeanie-at-tramshed-mystery-solved-more.html
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