What makes a good cover song? Taste is subjective, but it all comes down to one quality – does the artist covering the song bring something new to it? It doesn’t have to be a new arrangement, although cross-genre covers are often more interesting than straight covers. The best covers make you think, “I understand why you wanted to do this”, while the worst (or at least boring ones) make you think, “Who’s idea was this, and can I give them a swift kick in the shins?”
Legendary British punk/power pop trio The Jam took a big swing at Curtis Mayfield’s 1971 single “Move On Up” in 1982. The song was released as a B-side to their single “Beat Surrender” and is one of the greatest covers ever recorded. The Jam’s frontman Paul Weller always wore his R&B influences on his sleeve, so interpreting Mayfield’s classic was not a reach. And while the arrangement adheres closely to the original, the energy is different.
The iconic horn line (known to modern audiences through its sample on Kanye West’s “Touch the Sky”) and chord changes remain the same. Still, Weller, bassist Bruce Foxton, and drummer Rick Buckler put their spins on the primary instrumentation. Weller’s guitar is more insistent and nervy, providing force where the original’s softly mixed single notes acted as texture. Foxton’s bass is likewise busy, speeding up the arrangement and adding more notes to drive the song forward. Much of the momentum of the original is led by the congas, which The Jam eschewed, giving Buckler space to expand his drum part, going heavier on the cymbals and the snare. Where Mayfield lays back, The Jam lean forward.
These musical choices give the song a new feel. Mayfield’s song is assuring, hopeful, and inspiring. It’s a hug and a gentle word, a supportive pep talk. Weller’s singing is insistent and forceful, shaking you by the shoulders, almost an order. It’s the same message in both interpretations but delivered in different ways. That’s what makes The Jam’s cover so good. It’s the same song, but it makes the listener hear it differently, like looking at a sculpture from a different perspective, and this is exactly what art should do.
