Mick Jagger turns 80 on July 26th! To celebrate the legendary frontman, WYEP has invited Pittsburgh musicians to share their interpretations of Rolling Stones songs. Join us for “Pittsburgh’s Got Moves Like Jagger” on Wednesday. We’ll be sharing our local artists’ covers throughout the day, and of course, we’ll hear some originals as well!
Morgan Erina – Wild Horses
Morgan Erina has the perfect voice to capture this heavy, plaintive classic. There are quite a few covers of this song, including Gram Parsons’ version (which came out a year before the Stones’) and one by The Sundays. Morgan’s take on “Wild Horses” rides with the best of them.
SUREFIRE – Sympathy For The Devil
SUREFIRE make a very cinematic style of rock and pop music perfectly suited for this dark masterpiece. Singer Natalie Flango’s voice will haunt you like… the devil, I guess!
Strange Monsters – Start Me Up (Super Grover Version)
According to Strange Monsters frontman Don Strange, “For our spin on “Start Me Up,” we imagined the woman who was tormenting Mick sexually instead edging Grover toward a nervous breakdown by turning pages to “There’s a Monster at the End of This Book.” We figured she was older now and probably using her moxy for other tempestuous pursuits.
Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers with Bruce Springsteen – Gimme Shelter
Joe and his band are no strangers to the song “Gimme Shelter.” I’ve seen them play it a number of times, but never with The Boss. Today, though, that will change! This version is previously unreleased in the US, but was issued as the b-side to a UK single and was recorded at Nick’s Fat City in 1995.
The Regal Sweet – Shake Your Hips
Swagger is one of the first words I think of when I think of the Rolling Stones. It’s also one of the first words I think of when I think of the Pittsburgh band The Regal Sweet. If this one doesn’t get your hips shaking, you may need to schedule a visit with your surgeon.
Sweaty Already String Band – Dear Doctor
There’s not much I love more in this world than a killer bluegrass cover. The Sweaty Already String Band deliver the goods with their take on this country blues tune from Beggars Banquet.
DiLisio – You Got The Silver
DiLisio is another Pittsburgh artist that captures that classic Stones swagger no matter what they do. It’s evident here on their cover of the first Rolling Stones song to ever feature Keith Richards on lead vocals.
Zoob – Street Fighting Man
Zoob is a longtime Pittsburgh musician who moved to California to study how to be even better at music than he already was. The results are apparent on this version of “Street Fighting Man” which kind of sounds like if Zoob was the singer for The War On Drugs.
Smokin’ Section – Honky Tonk Women
Smokin’ Section make the kind of soulful blues rock you’d find in a dusty ol’ honk-tonk, so it makes sense they’d tackle this ode to a gin-soaked barroom queen in Memphis. I always wondered if maybe the Stones visited Jack’s before writing this song.
Pat Hodge – Cocaine Blues
“Cocaine Blues” is probably the most obscure song on this list, so it makes sense that Pat Hodge claimed it. A favorite of Keith Richards, this song is one of those old, forgotten blues tunes that Pat can master with ease.
Caleb Kopta – You Can’t Always Get What You Want
It’s true, you can’t always get what you want. However, sometimes you just need a bright, masterfully played cover of one the Rolling Stones’ most-beloved songs and for that, we turn to Caleb Kopta. Sometimes he dresses up as Elvis in Kahone Concept, but I think he does a real nice Mick Jagger, too.
Bill Toms and Hard Rain – Miss You
Bill Toms is a veteran of the Pittsburgh music scene known for his masterful delivery and tight, locked-in-the-groove band – Hard Rain. Bill’s take on “Miss You” is wonderfully creepy in the absolute best way. Turn this one way up.
Smokin’ Section – Bitch
Smokin’ Section absolutely crushed this bitchin’ version of the hard-edged Stones classic. The story goes that Keith was late to the studio the day this was recorded, but jumped into a groove that was going nowhere and made something special. This version is right on time.
Donora – 19th Nervous Breakdown
Donora’s twitchy pop sound is perfect for a song about nervous breakdowns. They actually make them sound fun. The Stones wrote this one in America during their fall tour of 1965 (the year after they played a show at West View Park in Pittsburgh).
OrangeG – Mother’s Little Helper
OrangeG adds major depth to this classic Stones song, incorporating audio samples of men talking about women from pop culture and new interviews with mothers. This one’s heavy and requires close listening. Grab those headphones and dive in.
Dan Petrich – Wild Horses
What do Dan Petrich and Jerry Hall have in common? Aside from being great looking people, they both love “Wild Horses.” Dan is a folk rock master and his style beautifully suits this tune. If Morgan Erina’s version was more like The Sundays, Dan’s is definitely along the lines of Gram Parsons’.
Westinghouse Atom Smasher – Jigsaw Puzzle
This song from the Stones’ 1968 album Beggars Banquet has been compared to a Bob Dylan song. Westinghouse Atom Smasher keep it jangly and jaunty with excellent piano that transforms this song into something entirely different.
Strange Monsters – I Am Waiting
Strange Monsters are a versatile group, moving between harder-edged alt-rock and springy acoustic stylings. The lyrics to this song don’t give many specifics, instead leading our minds to imagine the situation which is perfect for a band that embraces imagination and fantasy.
Morgan Erina – Angie
What can I say – there’s nobody better to sing a song of heartbreak than Morgan Erina. Her haunting voice take this classic Stones ballad to a whole new level. Go ahead and cry. We’re not watching.
Forestry Division – Sway
This song was recorded in 1970, released the next year, and never played live until the “A Bigger Bang Tour” in 2006. This version from Andre Costello and Co. was recorded live at this year’s Northside Music Festival!
Melt – Play With Fire
If you play with fire, you could melt. It all makes sense. Be careful with this one as it runs HOTTT. Imagine the Rolling Stones after a night of imbibing. They’re aggressive. They shred. That’s Melt.
Sweaty Already String Band – Factory Girl
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times – I LOVE a bluegrass cover. Sweaty Already did double duty for Mick, so make sure you dive in and enjoy the virtuosic playing and bright harmonies on this perfectly suited, Appalachian-inspired tune.
Boy Wonders – The Last Time
Boy Wonders got that jangle down pat. The band perfectly capture the youthful energy of “The Last Time.” Listen once and you’ll want to listen again. It certainly won’t be the last time.
INEZ – Paint It, Black
Holy smokes. INEZ absolutely CRUSHED this powerful song. She stomped it into the ground, found the pieces, and put it back together as only a masterful studio maven could. I’d tell you to turn this one up loud, but you’ll do that regardless. If your neighbor has a red door, maybe walk the long way around today or you’ll both end up covered in black paint.