photo: Just like you remembered it but better.

Tribute to the Greats

Novels don't generally get rewritten by new authors, and film remakes are usually met with groans, but more than ever, performers are coming together to honor the work of beloved musicians. The results are tribute albums in which artists rerecord songs by an established group, songwriter, or musician.

"Rerecording these albums can help them take on new meaning," says Sampas.

One of the most acclaimed recent tributes is This Bird Has Flown, last year's 40th anniversary tribute to The Beatles' groundbreaking album Rubber Soul. The album features Ben Lee's sultry take on "In My Life," and "Run for Your Life" as interpreted by the Cowboy Junkies. Nellie McKay and The Donnas are among the other musicians who participated.

"Rubber Soul was probably the most influential album of all time," says Jim Sampas, the tribute's producer. "It was the first record where a pop band talked about the complexity of love. I think that's partially why it was so influential."

When it came time to figure out which artists would be picked to cover the old favorites, Sampas's inbox was full.

"What artist hasn't been influenced by The Beatles!" he says. Now, he's working on another tribute album, this time reexamining the album Revolver.
"Rerecording these albums can help them take on new meaning," he says.

Here are some recent tributes that'll make you see your old favorites in a new light.

BADLANDS: A TRIBUTE TO BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

Artists including Los Lobos and Ani DiFranco bring fans of "The Boss" back to his storytelling days by remaking his 1982 album Nebraska.

KILLER QUEEN: A TRIBUTE TO QUEEN

Up-and-coming singers such as Joss Stone and Gavin DeGraw belt out Freddy Mercury's most famous ballads, including "Under Pressure," "We Are the Champions," and, of course, "Bohemian Rhapsody."

BETTE MIDLER SINGS THE PEGGY LEE SONGBOOK

Under the musical direction of Barry Manilow, Bette Midler sings this 10-song tribute to the perennial songstress, adding her own swing to such classics as "Fever."

TOTAL LEE! THE SONGS OF LEE HAZELWOOD

A moody and compelling collection of singers cover the work of 1960s singer-songwriter-producer Lee Hazelwood, whose songs were made famous by the likes of Pete Seeger and Nancy Sinatra.

A TRIBUTE TO ELLIOTT SMITH

Not-so-mainstream artists cover 21 of the late Elliott Smith's songs, including Jeanmarie Peschiutta and Natalie Shelar's recreation of "Miss Misery," the haunting Oscar-nominated song from Good Will Hunting.

Posted on April 24, 2006