Greg Sover Band’s cover of Cream’s “Politician” shows how not much has changed since 1968

Philly blues-rock guitarist Greg Sover, along with his band, dropped a cover of the song “Politician” by Cream on Tuesday to coincide with the Pennsylvania primaries. 

The song, released primarily on Bandcamp, is the first release for the Greg Sover Band’s upcoming album, Parade. According to the song’s accompanying description, the cover allowed the band to “reach back to revive a song from the catalog of rock’s first ‘super group’ –– the legendary Cream.”

The heavy riff-based cover track was produced by local bassist Garry Lee as well as ex-Sigma Sound engineer Mike Tarsia. After listening to both the original song as well as the cover, the listener can see that the cover holds onto the main elements of Cream’s piece with steady drums and long and intense guitar riffs. In addition, Sover’s personal touches including more bluesy riffs and impassioned vocals allow him to have a new take on the classic rock piece.

The original track, “Politician,” was released on Cream’s third album, Wheels of Fire, in August 1968. Before August, the world was reeling from several events including the Tet Offensive, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Prague Spring. However, these are only three major events among many more to take place in ‘68. People around the world, primarily students, flocked to protests against the tense state of their world–– a situation quite eerily similar to June 2020 already.

It is no coincidence that the Sover’s cover was released the same day as the state’s primary election. The cover’s description states, “as the election year heats up, ‘Politician’s’ cynical lyrics about a world of power, greed, and mistrust seem to resonate as much in these strange, divided times, as they did when the song was first released.”

Listen below. Proceeds from sales will benefit the Youth Art & Self Empowerment Program.