Last week I posted about one of my favorite songs of all time: “These Days” by Jackson Browne. Much to my surprise – well, not really – it turns out that there’s a whole slew of people who love the song, so T-Sides got plenty of links and, more importantly, recommendations of different versions of the song. Pretty exciting, if you ask me, because isn’t this kind of thing what blogs are for?

WFMU’s Beware of the Blog linked me (thanks, Clinton!), and with that link shared Johnny Darrell’s version, which is his favorite. I can’t say it’s my new favorite, but it’s a very lovely rendition, with a similar feeling to Allman’s folky, countrified cover, but there’s something calmer about it.

One of the commenters on the WFMU post recommended the Mates of State cover from the Wicker Park Soundtrack. It’s odd that I hadn’t heard this before, because a) I like Mates of State, and b) I was the Producer of Hofstra’s Indie Rock show, “Airwave,” when this came out and it was definitely on my show (in my defense, I know for sure that I wasn’t the person who cleared it). It’s a very strange version to me, if only because it’s everything that Jackson Browne’s version isn’t, and his was the first I heard. It quips along a lot more quickly than any of the others, and it’s also got two people singing it, which is another first for these ears. The stripped down feel of the song seems like an odd fit with their electric keyboards, but it works in a very strange way, and I like it if only because it’s slightly unsettling.

Mates of State: “These Days” (download)

T-Sides commenter JD highlighted Jackson Browne’s version from Jackson Browne Solo Acoustic, and I have to say, this might be my new favorite (not that it’s such a drastic change from my old favorite, I know). “Perfect in every way,” indeed.

Jackson Browne: “These Days (Solo Acoustic Version)” (download)

“folksnake” from the WFMU post mentioned a version by “Matthews Southern Comfort,” which is either a joke that went above my head or a ridiculous band name. I looked around for the song in case it was the latter – if anyone has it, send it my way and I’ll share it here.