In an age where most who possess an instrument, a little skill and a fair bit of courage can record themselves, it’s not shocking to find that there are thousands of covers out there, of songs classic or otherwise, but what may surprise you is the quality and diversity of a rather large number of those related to ‘Everlong’.
Released as a single in 1998 and taken from the previous year’s album The Colour and the Shape, ‘Everlong’ is most probably one of the greatest alternative love songs, whether it is indeed romantic or in fact about, say, a close friendship.
There are many excellent versions of the gem, which has closed many Foo Fighters gigs, such as that included in the Michel Gondry-directed music video, and that of their Live on Letterman performance, with both featuring an extended ending.
Foo Fighters have released a few other different interpretations of the song, such as the laid back version on 2009’s Greatest Hits and, in addition, that which ends the standard edition of Skin and Bones, a collection of live recordings from an acoustic tour.
There are other acoustic versions, such as Sun Gold’s effort, with its rich harmonies reminiscent of Fleet Foxes and dashes of piano, which also shines through. That said, the best of this acoustic bunch are the recordings of Grohl himself.
Many takes on ‘Everlong’ feature piano by itself, but the best is surely the incredible sensation Talkwithyourfingers, who, at full speed and on piano, plays both the vocal and guitar parts from the song in a single performance. This is probably the greatest ‘Everlong’ cover of them all.
Go By Train, inhabitants of the jazz realm, utilise acoustic guitar in addition to keys and engage in plenty of noodling, but – perhaps surprisingly – it’s a far cry from boring. Rather, it’s immersive and well-played.
Mary Jennings’ version incorporates vocals with piano and host of other instruments. All of them sound great, but none can overshadow Jennings’ own voice, which is on a whole different level.
Among the more energetic reinventions are those by Cosby and Evergreen Terrace, versions performed, respectively, in the style of shimmering, rather ethereal electro-pop and hard rock. The latter is a punchy piece of alternative with screaming background vocals and displays some similarities to the original release and several points of departure from it.
Even beyond this, there are many other efforts available, from the performance of Midnite String Quartet to acapella group The Clef Hangers’ brilliant-sounding attempt. Dig in.
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