Song of the Day 2/20: Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”

Kudos to Bono and U2 for leading their audiences – in Las Vegas, of all places – in leading chants of “Alexei Navalny” in remembrance of the martyred Russian dissident. Throughout the band’s residency at that new Enormodome, they’ve been dedicating a song to Ukraine’s struggle for freedom, and it’s not one of their own. They cover the No. 2 Crowded House hit “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” from 1986.

There are audience-filmed, low-quality videos of the occasion out there, and they show that U2 hasn’t gotten any better at covers over the years – I’m sorry, fans, it’s just a fact. So let’s hear Crowded House perform one of the under-appreciated Neil Finn’s most poignant tunes.

He explained how he wrote the song for a British TV audience in a songwriters circle appearance and performed it solo on acoustic guitar. Graham Gouldman of 10cc and Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera share the stage.

5 Comments

  1. Jason330

    The exception to the rule is U2’s cover of “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)”.

  2. As a Beatles and U2 fan, I prefer the U2 version of Helter Skelter on Rattle and Hum to the original.

    • Alby

      I agree, that’s a good one, but I think McCartney in concert was better.

      • puck

        Technically not a cover.

        • Alby

          Didn’t mean it was, but the Beatles never played it live. Had to wait for McCartney’s ’90s concerts to hear live versions of Beatles post-Revolver catalog.

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