Originally by Jimmy Cliff

All posts in the month of August will be covers.

This one is actually a cover of a cover and probably requires some backstory. 

The song is originally by Jimmy Cliff and was released in 1969. In 1974, Harry Nilsson and John Lennon recorded an album called Pussy Cats, in which they covered Jimmy Cliff, as well as several others, like Bob Dylan and Jimmy DeKnight. Wikipedia tells me this was Lennon’s “Lost Weekend period,” which explains the rowdy feeling the album has.

Turns out, The Walkmen are huge fans of the Pussy Cats album and joked about covering it. Then, as all good jokes do, it went way too far, and they actually recorded a song-for-song cover of the album.  Releasing it only 5 months after their last “proper” full-length album. 

So, cover of a cover.

There are several decent songs on the album, but for me Many Rivers To Cross, is hands down the best.