A cover song within an album's tracklist is usually a fun little detour, but some artists have chosen to end an entire album on these little detours, which makes them feel more significant than they would otherwise. Here are eight albums that close out with cover songs.
1. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River (1969)
Creedence Clearwater Revival would usually include at least one cover song on each of its albums, and sometimes even two, or three or four. The only cover song on the band's best album Green River is its closing track "The Night Time is the Right Time" by R&B singer Nappy Brown.
2. The B-52's - The B-52's (1979)
The B-52's were known for their kitschy, retro aesthetic that drew heavily on music and fashion from the '50s and early '60s. The band paid homage to their influences with the final track to their self-titled debut album, a cover of Petula Clark's classic pop hit "Downtown" which sounds as if it was recorded live in concert.
3. R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)
Though most of the cover songs that R.E.M. recorded ended up as B-sides, the band occasionally chose to include cover songs in their proper albums as well, such as its cover of The Clique's "Superman," which was included as the final track to the band's fourth album Lifes Rich Pageant. This cover would be the first R.E.M. song to feature bassist Mike Mills on lead vocals, and would even be released as a single.
4. Galaxie 500 - On Fire (1989)
The 1997 reissue of Galaxie 500's classic On Fire included three bonus tracks, including two cover songs (Red Krayola's "Victory Garden" and New Order's "Ceremony"), but the album's original tracklist included a cover as its final track: "Isn't It A Pity," originally by George Harrison.
5. The Flaming Lips - In a Priest Driven Ambulance (1990)
In a way, there are actually two cover songs on the Flaming Lips' In a Priest Driven Ambulance. "Take Meta Mars" is based very heavily on Can's "Mushroom," while the album closes out with a proper cover: a psychedelic version of Louis Armstrong's classic "What a Wonderful World."
6. The Charlottes - Things Come Apart (1991)
For the closing track to their second and final album Things Come Apart, British noise pop band the Charlottes covered Shocking Blue's garage rock classic "Venus," perhaps better known as a hit for '80s pop group Bananarama.
7. Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One (1997)
Yo La Tengo has recorded countless covers throughout its career, but perhaps none where as tongue-in-cheek as "My Little Corner of the World," a cover of a song by singer and notorious anti-gay activist Anita Bryant, which the band used as the closing track to 1997's I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One.
8. Death - The Sound of Perseverance (1998)
As the last track to its very last album The Sound of Perseverance, Florida death metal legends Death recorded a cover of Judas Priest's "Painkiller," which features lead vocalist Chuck Schuldiner singing in an unusually high-pitched shrieking style inspired by Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford, as opposed to the growl he normally used.
What other albums close out with cover songs? Let us know in the comments section!
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