Top 10 Songs by The Cure #2 - "Purple Haze"

@teamfreak16 (43421)
Denver, Colorado
April 17, 2016 12:03am CST
Back in 1993, some major names signed on to contribute covers of Jimi Hendrix songs for a Hendrix tribute CD, Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. We're talking heavy hitters like Eric Clapton, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, and Buddy Guy. Most of the artists did what bands should do when covering a tune: do something different with it and make it their own. Enter British post-punk band The Cure, and their rendition of possibly Hendrix's most popular song, "Purple Haze." The Cure's rendition is so wildly different that, unless you pick up on some Hendrixian guitar riffs at the beginning, or recognize the lyrics, you might not realize that it's actually "Purple Haze." The Cure's cover peaked at #2 on Billboard Magazine's Modern Rock Tracks chart, and received regular jukebox play at a bar I used to frequent, a bar with a totally classic rock crowd that I was surprised would play any Cure on the jukebox. But there it was, playing on a nightly basis. It's that good a remake. In addition to Stone Free, "Purple Haze" is available on The Cure's Join the Dots B-Sides and Rarities, and the Complete B-Sides compilation's. This Top 10 Songs thing was started by @JohnRoberts, with heavy participation by myself and @FourWalls. Feel free to pick a band for your own Top 10. After all, the more the merrier!
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4 people like this
3 responses
@Ronrybs (17838)
• London, England
19 Apr 16
I'm torn between Voodoo Chile and All Along the Watchtower
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
19 Apr 16
Excellent choices. I'm partial to "Room Full of Mirrors," as well.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61938)
• United States
17 Apr 16
Yeah, that's no Jimi Hendrix sound. And, to me, that's good. I never "got" Jimi Hendrix.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
17 Apr 16
This version is wildly different, that's for sure. To me, everyone should have to do a remake that sounds nothing like the original, of they're going to do one.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
17 Apr 16
This I did not know. I am so used to Hendrix that this was weird.You are so right that this is so different a version. You have to listen carefully for the familiar words to comprehend it's not a Cure original.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
17 Apr 16
I'm just glad they didn't do a note-for-note cover. Only Bauhaus doing Ziggy Stardust is allowed to do that.
1 person likes this