The Bridge: Like a Revamped Stone
Slate’s Carl Wilson says covers and interpolations are as valid as originals—even Bob Dylan borrowed all the time.
[This edition of my Hit Parade—“The Bridge” bonus series is available to Slate Plus subscribers only. A link to the episode show page is below. To sign up for Plus—and tell Slate that Hit Parade sent you!—visit slate.com/hitparadeplus.]
In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy is joined by Slate chief music critic Carl Wilson, who discusses cover songs and why his 2018 predication of a comeback for covers didn’t quite pan out. Carl says audiences still perceive originals as superior to covers. But Luke Combs’s faithful 2023 reboot of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” reminded the pop world of why traditional covers can be great for both artists and listeners, and of their rich history—which Carl and Chris celebrate by sharing a few of their favorite remakes.
Next, Chris quizzes a Slate Plus listener with some music trivia, gives him a chance to turn the tables with a question of his own, and previews next month’s full-length episode. Slate Plus members can sign up for a chance to be our trivia contestant on a future episode here.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
Content retrieved from: https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2024/03/how-cover-songs-could-make-a-comeback