!Listen!, 8/26/11: Definitive Black Keys-Beefheart Cover Guide

Hello again, internet denizens. I've been hunched over my desk for many an hour of late, drafting new material for this sinking ship of a blog that I've chained my internet persona to, and by golly you are all in for a treat. However (of course), said "new stuff" is still undergoing my stringent revision process, which could take months or even years. Or maybe I'll just put it up over the weekend, who can say. To tide you over, I offer this humble tidbit of avant-bluesy goodness. 

Everyone knows The Black Keys, but did you know that they are huge fans of freak folk pioneer Captain Beefheart AKA Don Van Vliet AKA Frank Zappa's BFF? Well, now you do. The Keys have laid down some prime cuts of Beefheart over the years, first on record with "Grown So Ugly" on Rubber Factory, a cover of a track from 1967's Safe As Milk LP (which is itself a cover of an old school blues song by Robert Pete Williams, but this sentence is already confusing), but their Beefheart covers repertoire is actually fairly extensive. Here are four that I was able to track down on the Youtube. If you know of any more, please, let me know.

Grown So Ugly (Black Keys, Rubber Factory [2004])

This video was shot at an instore gig at Grimey's Records in Nashville.

Heres's another live version, the studio version from Rubber Factory, and the Beefheart version.

Her Eyes Are A Million Blue Miles (Black Keys/Flaming Lips Split, [2011])

From a split 7" vinyl only release with The Flaming Lips. Personal Favorite.

Beefheart's Original Version and a live one too for good measure.

I'm Glad (Black Keys, Unreleased B-Side from Attack And Release [2008])

Also available in Live at Sunset Junction and Beefheart original flavors.

Here I Am, I Always Am (Black Keys, B-Side of I Got Mine 7" [2008])

Here's the same clip with some banter at the beginning, a live version, and Mr Van Vliet's original cut.