Cover Me Impressed: Two McCartney Tunes

Regular readers of this blog know my love for Sir Paul is nearly boundless. I say "nearly" because even I drew the line when he pulled a Rod Stewart earlier this year with 'Kisses on the Bottom.' Still, there are reports Macca is working with producers Mark Ronson and Ethan Johns. So, I'm hopeful he may still have another 'Chaos and Creation in the Backyard' in him. I'm serious. Stop your snickering. OK, that's it... no McCartney for you. You'll have to settle for some knockoffs.

This first one is taken from Brendan Benson's 2003 single "Metarie." I was once a huge Benson fan. His first two albums,
'One Mississipi' and 'Lapalco' are must-have purchases. Although I haven't dug his last couple of records, Benson continues to record excellent covers. Last year he released a very limited vinyl-only four-song 12" that included his takes on David Bowie's "Candidate," the Kinks' "Strangers," Elvis Costello's "Beyond Belief" and Randy Newman's "Love Story." These are well worth your time. As for the McCartney version of "Let Me Roll It," you can find it on the legendary 'Band on the Run.' As you probably know, the song is famous for keeping the fiery Lennon-McCartney feud alive.

The other cover is from an artist that feels like a long lost friend. I was really into Freedy Johnston in the early '90s, but I completely lost track of his work for more than a decade. His 2008 covers album
'My Favorite Waste of Time' brought me back into the fold. There are two Macca songs on there, as well as nuggets by Marshall Crenshaw, NRBQ and the Hollies. If you gave up on him as well, try his latest album, 'Rain on the City.' It will take you back to those early albums. I promise.

Brendan Benson and the Wellfed Boys - Let Me Roll It (mp3)
Freedy Johnston - Listen to What the Man Said (mp3)