Featuring bands you might have heard of–or songs that are particularly good–from the live music archive. A site I could spend days looking at. And have.
1950s and 60s (and before)
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane)-Grace Potter
Only a Northern Song (Beatles)-Yonder Mountain String Band
This Magic Moment [Jay & the Americans]-Mountain Goats
He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands (spiritual)-Mike Doughty
Shout Sister Shout (Boswell Sisters)-Ditty Bops
Interstellar Overdrive (Pink Floyd)-Camper Van Beethoven
I’ll Dust My Broom-G Love and Special Sauce
Pictures Of Matchstick Man (Status Quo)-Cracker
Rumors/Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Beatles)-Josh Ritter
Don’t Bogart That Joint-Little Feat (that’s right–the song from Easy Rider)
Walking After Midnight (Patsy Cline)-Cowboy Junkies
Lollipop (Chordettes)-Ben Kweller
Baby You Can Drive My Car (Beatles)-Soulive
Folsom Prison Blues (J Cash)-Big Head Todd and the Monsters
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window (Beatles/Cocker)-Los Lonely Boy
1970s
Hollywood Nights (Bob Seger)-Umphrey’s McGee
Sweet Honey Pie (Roky Erickson)-Mike Watt
Rastaman Chant (Bob Marley)-Matisyahu
It Never Rains In Southern California [Albert Hammond]-Billy Corgan
Redemption Song (Marley)-Michael Franti and Spearhead
The Long and Winding Road (Beatles)-Ari Hest
Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young)-Back Yard Tire Fire
Primitive (Cramps)-Southern Culture on the Skids
Oh Sister [Bob Dylan]-Andrew Bird with Annie Clark
We Will Rock You (Queen)-Carbon Leaf
Waxie’s Dargle (Pogues)-The Gourds
1980s
Micahel Jackson tribute/Thriller-Tenacious D
Breakdown (Tom Petty)-Backyard Tire Fire
Devil Went Down to Georgia (Charlie Daniels)-Blues Traveller
Hot For Teacher (Van Halen)-Hank Williams III
Love Is A Battlefield (Pat Benetar)-The Brew
I Wanna Know What Love Is (Foreigner)-Guster
Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)-Lync
I Don’t Wanna Grow Up (Tom Waits)-Hayes Carll
Rockin’ In the Free World (Neil Young)-Drive-By Truckers
1990s
Mary Jane’s Last Dance (Tom Petty)-Bloodkin
Pennyroyal Tea (Nirvana)-Brian Dolzani
Wonderwall-Ryan Adams. Always a favorite.
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me [The Smiths] -Low
Smothered in Hugs (Guided by Voices)-Local H
2000s
Lose Yourself (Eminem)-Matt Nathanson
For Today I Am A Boy (Antony & The Johnsons cover)-Carla Bozulich
