Covers (The Smithereens)

Covers is a compilation album by The Smithereens, released in May 2018 by Sunset Blvd Records.[1] It was originally released as a digital download on iTunes in May 2014.[2] The album features 22 cover songs recorded by the band between 1980 and 2008. Most of the songs have previously been released as b-sides or on tribute albums and soundtracks.

Covers
Compilation album by The Smithereens
Released	25 May 2018
Recorded	1980-2008
Genre	Rock
Length	72:19
Label	Sunset Blvd Records
The Smithereens chronology
Especially for You - 30th Anniversary (2016) Covers (2018)

Background

Covers features songs that are collected from different sessions throughout the band's career.[3] Guitarist Jim Babjak: “Whenever we had extra time in the studio we’d knock off covers for fun."[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Illinois Entertainer	[5]

Jeff Elbel of the Illinois Entertainer rated the album 7 stars out of 10, stating: "If these songs represent the Smithereens' schoolbooks, Covers is the thesis supporting the band's tenured status as professors and proclaimers of perfect power pop."[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original release	Length
1.	"The Game of Love" (originally recorded by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders)	Clint Ballard Jr.	previously officially unreleased on CD	2:34
2.	"The Slider" (originally recorded by T. Rex)	Marc Bolan	Resurrection of the Warlock: A Tribute to Marc Bolan & T-Rex, 1995	3:04
3.	"Ruler of My Heart" (originally recorded by Irma Thomas)	Naomi Neville	B-side to "House We Used to Live In", 1988	3:02
4.	"Wooly Bully" (originally recorded by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs)	Domingo Samudio	Encino Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), 1992	3:04
5.	"Let's Talk About Us" (originally recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis)	Otis Blackwell	Brace Yourself! A Tribute to Otis Blackwell, 1994	3:20
6.	"Girl Don't Tell Me" (originally recorded by The Beach Boys)	Brian Wilson	Girls About Town EP, 1980	2:23
7.	"Up in Heaven" (originally recorded by The Clash)	Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon	The Sandinista! Project - A Tribute to The Clash, 2007	2:53
8.	"Time Won't Let Me" (originally recorded by The Outsiders)	Chet Kelley, Tom King	Non-album single, 1994 (from the Motion Picture Timecop)	3:46
9.	"Gloomy Sunday" (originally recorded by Hal Kemp and Billie Holiday)	Sam M. Lewis, Rezső Seress	God Save The Smithereens, 1999	3:40
10.	"Yer Blues" (originally recorded by The Beatles)	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	previously officially unreleased on CD	4:45
11.	"One After 909" (originally recorded by The Beatles)	Lennon, McCartney	B-side to "Top of the Pops", 1991	3:36
12.	"I Want to Tell You" (originally recorded by The Beatles)	George Harrison	Songs from the Material World: A Tribute to George Harrison, 2003	3:13
13.	"It Don't Come Easy" (originally recorded by Ringo Starr)	Richard Starkey	B-side to "Too Much Passion", 1992	3:07
14.	"Well...Alright (live)" (originally recorded by Buddy Holly)	Jerry Allison, Buddy Holly, Joe B. Mauldin, Norman Petty	Live in Concert! Greatest Hits and More, 2008	2:38
15.	"Rosie Won't You Please Come Home" (originally recorded by The Kinks)	Ray Davies	previously officially unreleased on CD	2:31
16.	"The World Keeps Going 'Round" (originally recorded by The Kinks)	Davies	B-side to "Too Much Passion", 1992	2:38
17.	"Downbound Train" (originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen)	Bruce Springsteen	One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen, 1997	3:43
18.	"The Seeker" (originally recorded by The Who)	Pete Townshend	B-side to "Only a Memory", 1988	3:20
19.	"Somethin' Stupid" (originally recorded by Carson and Gaile, Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra)	C. Carson Parks	B-side to "Get a Hold of My Heart", 1992	2:45
20.	"Lust For Life" (originally recorded by Iggy Pop)	David Bowie, Iggy Pop	B-side to "Only a Memory", 1988	5:08
21.	"The Stroll" (originally recorded by The Diamonds)	Nancy Lee, Clyde Otis	Fast Track to Nowhere: Songs from the Showtime original series Rebel Highway, 1994	3:00
22.	"Shakin' All Over" (originally recorded by Johnny Kidd & the Pirates)	Johnny Kidd, Guy Robinson	B-side to "Top of the Pops", 1991	4:06

Notes

• "The Game of Love", "Yer Blues", "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home" and "The Stroll" were recorded in 1993-1994 during sessions for A Date with The Smithereens. They were previously released on The Mega-Box Set, an unofficial 21-CD box set released in 2005 through Pat DiNizio's website in a limited edition of 500 copies.[6] "The Stroll" was originally featured in Reform School Girl, an episode in the 1994 Showtime television series Rebel Highway.[7]

• "Ruler of My Heart", "One After 909", "Somethin' Stupid" and "Lust For Life" were recorded in December 1987 during sessions for Green Thoughts.[8]

• "Let's Talk About Us" was recorded in 1993 for Brace Yourself! A Tribute to Otis Blackwell.[9]

• "Time Won't Let Me" was recorded in June 1994 for the film Timecop but not included on the soundtrack album.[10][11]

• "I Want to Tell You" was recorded in 2002 for Songs from the Material World: A Tribute to George Harrison.[12]

• "It Don't Come Easy", "The World Keeps Going 'Round" and "Shakin' All Over" were recorded spring 1991 during sessions for Blow Up.[13]

• "Downbound Train" was recorded 24 January 1997 for One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen.[14]

• "The Seeker" was recorded spring 1987.[15]

Personnel

Adapted from the liner notes of Covers[16] and Attack of The Smithereens,[17] except where noted.

The Smithereens

• Pat DiNizio – lead and backing vocals, guitar, harmonica
• Jim Babjak – guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home"[3] and "The World Keeps Going 'Round", co-lead vocal on "One After 909"
• Dennis Diken – drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Mike Mesaros – bass, backing vocals
• Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion – bass on "Well...Alright"

Additional musicians

• Don Dixon – piano on "Ruler of My Heart"
• Michael Hamilton – keyboards on "Wooly Bully"[18]
• Kenny Margolis – piano, backing vocals, hand claps on "Let's Talk About Us",[19] piano on "One After 909" and "It Don't Come Easy"
• Ira Sebastian Elliott – hand claps on "Let's Talk About Us"
• Tony Visconti – backing vocals on "Let's Talk About Us"
• Jimmy Wood – harmonica on "Time Won't Let Me"[10]
• Ron Fair – organ on "Time Won't Let Me"
• Dave Amels – piano on "I Want to Tell You"
• Bill Maryniak – organ on "Downbound Train"[14]
• Marti Jones – co-lead vocal on "Somethin' Stupid"

Technical

• The Smithereens – production on "Wooly Bully", "Girl Don't Tell Me", "Time Won't Let Me", "It Don't Come Easy", "The World Keeps Going 'Round", "The Seeker" and "Shakin' All Over", compilation producer
• Don Dixon – production on "Ruler of My Heart", "One After 909", "Somethin' Stupid" and "Lust For Life"
• Ralph Sall – production on "Wooly Bully"
• Peter McCabe – production assistance on "Wooly Bully"
• Jon Tiven – production on "Let's Talk About Us"
• Tony Visconti – production on "Let's Talk About Us"
• Ron Fair – production on "Time Won't Let Me"
• Bennett Kaufman – production on "Time Won't Let Me"
• Don Fleming – production on "Gloomy Sunday"
• Michael Hamilton]] – production on "It Don't Come Easy" and "The World Keeps Going 'Round"
• Pat DiNizio – production on "Well...Alright"
• Jim Babjak – production on "Well...Alright"
• Dennis Diken – production on "Well...Alright"
• Kurt Reil – production on "Well...Alright"
• Mike Mesaros – production on "Downbound Train"
• Ed Stasium – production on "Shakin' All Over"
• Todd Sinclair – compilation supervisor
• Rebecca Baltutis – album design
• Bob Gramegna – photo restoration

References

1. "Covers Archived 2018-08-21 at the Wayback Machine". Officialsmithereens.com. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.
2. "The Smithereens Cover Tunes Collection". iTunes. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.
3. Elbel, Jeff (11 April 2018). "In the music spotlight: The Smithereens". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
4. Jordan, Chris (24 May 2018). "Smithereens: Jim Babjak on life without Pat DiNizio and the future of the band". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
5. Elbel, Jeff (August 2018). "Spins: The Smithereens 'Covers' review". Illinois Entertainer. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
6. "The Mega Box Set - Unreleased Tracks 2 , disc 14". Discogs.com. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
7. "Rebel Highway - Reform School Girl on IMDb". IMDb.com. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
8. Attack of The Smithereens (CD liner notes). The Smithereens. Capitol Records. 1995.CS1 maint: others (link)
9. "V/A feat. Jon Spencer – Brace Yourself: A Tribute To Otis Blackwell (CD, US)". Pop-catastrophe.co.uk. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.
10. "The Smithereens – Time Won't Let Me (From The Motion Picture "Timecop") on Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.
11. "Timecop on Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.
12. "House of Vibes Discography". Houseofvibes.com. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.
13. Attack of The Smithereens (CD liner notes). The Smithereens. Capitol Records. 1995.CS1 maint: others (link)
14. "Various Artists/One Step Up - Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen". Yahoo! GeoCities. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.
15. Attack of The Smithereens (CD liner notes). The Smithereens. Capitol Records. 1995.CS1 maint: others (link)
16. Covers (CD liner notes). The Smithereens. Sunset Blvd Records. 2018.CS1 maint: others (link)
17. Attack of The Smithereens (CD liner notes). The Smithereens. Capitol Records. 1995.CS1 maint: others (link)
18. "Encino Man on Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.
19. "Brace Yourself! A Tribute To Otis Blackwell on Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved on 22 September 2018.