FRIDAY AROUND-THE-HORN.

•   Here's a video from the audience of that Springsteen-Grohl-Brown performance of "Fortunate Son" that had the dummies dribbling this week. Something no one asked, though: was it a good cover? Well, it was a nice matey sing-along (why no one was booing and yelling "Have you forgotten 9/11", I can't guess) but pretty uninspired, unless you think the best thing you can do with a cover is get everyone to go, "Wooo, I know that song." The covers I like put a little spin on the ball -- else, why bother with a do-over? If the performer has enough personality, he or she can keep the spirit and even much of the arrangement of the original and still make it their own -- like Lucinda Williams' "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" (warning: the live versions of this on YouTube aren't very good). To me, though, the best is what The Residents do to "Viva Las Vegas": At first listen it may seem like one of their goofy glosses, but I think they really pulled something mysterious and poignant out of it. Or put it in. (UPDATE. Oooh, lots of fun covers in comments!)