what exactly is a cover song?

Question

i was watching australian, and matt corby sang this song by coldplay. i never knew it was by coldplay, i had always thought it was by these two people who aren't big time, but have songs on myspace, their first song was the song by coldplay, and the title was 'the scientist cover' and exactly the same song

so what is a cover?

Answer 1

Seems a lot of the answerers here are confused.
A cover is simply an artist performing another artists tune. It does not necessarily have to be a recording. It can be a live performance as well. A cover generally (but not always)sounds VERY similar to the original version. If it is changed substantially; lyrically, melodically, or otherwise, it is no longer a cover, it is an adaptation.

Answer 2

When a band sings\performs someones else song this is what is known as a cover song, any song generally performed by a well know artists can be a cover, there are many bands that are knowen as cover bands such as Bjorn Again that perform only Abba songs and so. Many famous bands do cover ie Guns and Roses version of Knocking on Heavens Door is a cover.

Answer 3

A "cover" is when a band or musician does their own rendition of a song originally written/composed/produced by another band or musician.
Simply, they did not create the material, originally, and are just doing their own version of the song.

In my personal opinion, however, it's a lousy cover if it sounds the exact same...keeping the lyrics the same can still result in a great cover, so long as the band covering the original song adds their own style and flair to it.

Answer 4

A cover song means that it was redone. Another band or performer is actually known for singing it.
For example..
Landslide- originally done by Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood mac
was later covered by The Smashing Pumpkins
meaning redone.. sometimes just the vocals are different sometimes everything is different except the lyrics.
then later it was covered again by The Dixie Chicks.

Answer 5

A vmcover music is in many situations an unknown band or persons interpretation of a properly-liked music, as an occasion the album, pop is going punk, is option bands making a music well-known pop songs, like attack attack making a music I kissed a woman via Katy perry. under no circumstances sung the comparable way tho!

Answer 6

I write and record a song. You like the song, and then perform it, or re-record it. That's covering the song.

Answer 7

It's a re-interpretation of an already recorded song. I refuse to consider Jessica Simpson's version of Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" as a cover since it is virtually a note-for-note remake of the older song.

Answer 8

An original song copied by another musician except it has a different rhythm and style from the original piece

Answer 9

usually its when an artist sings a song previously recorded by another artist.