CU Video Jukebox: We’ve got you covered

(In the first installment of a series, San Diego musician and impresario Bart Mendoza selects unexpected covers of local bands.)

The ultimate compliment for a band? It has to be having your songs covered – it’s a clear sign you’ve made an impact. It is a rare thing indeed, but percentage-wise, San Diego’s bands circa the late 1970s through the mid 1980s actually have fared quite well, with new generations of musicians taking up inspiration in their songs. Here are 10 examples:

1. Brandywine Road – What Do All The People Know? (originally by the Monroes) This song is well on its way to being a standard, and this is a terrific version.

2. Chelli – What Do All The People Know? (originally by the Monroes) Included because it’s so different from the previous version – a teen synth pop dance track! Proof that a good song can be performed any number of ways. I love this. Also major respect to the artist for the nod to original performers seen at 1:21 – well done.

3. The Hoodoo Gurus – Wimp (originally by the Zeros) Another near standard, covered by many but none better than this track from Australia’s Hoodoo Gurus.

4. The Stomp Rockets – She Just Left Me (originally by the Crawdaddys) A terrific Ron Silva-penned rocker found on the Crawdaddys album “Here ‘Tis.”

5. The Muffs — Beat Your Heart Out (Originally by The Zeros) Another near-standard. The Zeros are the only band from San Diego to date to rate a tribute band in their honor, Wild Weekend, who even released two discs of Zeros covers.

6. Elvis H Christ & the Suicidal Kings – Elvis Is Everywhere (originally by Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper) The dream realized: an Elvis impersonator covering an Elvis tribute song.

7. Stuckee – Happy Boy (originally by the Beat Farmers) Extra points to this gentleman for perseverance. A Dr. Demento favorite and on the soundtrack of several movies.

8. Agentes Secretos – Crawling Back To Me (originally by the Tell-Tale Hearts) The Tell-Tale Hearts have had several of their songs covered, all good, but this one is particularly good.

9. The Kingpins – Plan of Action (originally by Manual Scan) My band has had various tunes covered, this one from Canada’s Kingpins recast the song from power pop to ska.

10. Ryan Adams – Round & Round (originally by Ratt) Nice folk-influenced version of the hair-metal classic.

Bonus:

• Maddie Reynolds White — The Girl I Almost Married (originally by the Beat Farmers) Covered by the niece of the songwriter, Joey Harris. A touching tribute.