One of my favorite things about music is how it is ever-changing. Artists are always experimenting with new styles, new sounds, and new ideas. Sometimes, a great way to see if a song is strong in its writing is to hear it in different styles. Covers of original songs are a great way to do this; especially if a song is a classic, or one the majority of the public can remember instantly. Sometimes the covers are even better than the originals, I argue that sometimes a song can be destined to be written by one artist only to be meant for another to perform. Covers are just plain fun. In fact, my dad and I have spent hours upon hours sifting through Spotify finding covers, and playing a game of “what song is this cover?” This type of music is an excellent way to meet new bands as well. A cover can attract new listeners to your music which can shed more light on your original work; they’re definitely crowd pleasers. I remember seeing the Foo Fighters in December 2017 where every single human in the arena sang along to their cover of “Breakdown” by Tom Petty. We are all one. So, Here’s a list of my personal favorite covers of some pretty iconic song. My criteria for this list was incredibly specific since there are a ton out there. Each of these covers is played in a completely and utterly different style than the original, performed by very different artists, and are completely my own opinion. In fact, let’s get this out of the way on the first post of this blog shall we? All opinions are my own. What I believe to be a ranking can be very different compared to yours, and does not mean I don’t enjoy or respect any of the artists higher on the lists. I just know what I like, and want to share that with you to get you thinking about these things. Without further adieu, let’s begin.
10. Bad Religion- Little Drummer Boy (2013)
Original: Trap Family Singers (1951)
Now, I know it’s a little wild to be bringing Christmas music in here, but hear me out! A punk band making a Christmas Album is a little nutty to begin with. What’s interesting is how utterly genius this is! I’ve been listening to Bad Religion on and off now for the past 5 years, and recently resurfaced this cover as Christmas just passed. This rendition of “Little Drummer Boy” is just plain fun. It makes you want to get up and dance, and sing. It’s a completely different sound compared to the versions we all know and love. Bad Religion was able to keep the nostalgia of Christmas music but didn’t take away their iconic sound in the process.
9. William Singe- Pony (2015)
Original: Ginuwine (1996)
I recently found out about William through a Spotify playlist called “# Covers”. His version of this song is very coffee shop-esque, and it’s a lot more toned down compared to the original. I LOVE Ginuwine’s version, and it’s pretty much an essential road trip song for my best friend and I. With that being said, Singe’s can be played in a bit more casual setting, keeps the sex appeal, and still takes you back to the 90s. I find myself listening to this version a lot more these days. William has a whole collection of covers on Spotify, and I recommend almost all of them.
8. Chet Faker- No Diggity (2012)
Original: Blackstreet (1996)
Chet Faker is great at experimenting with unconventional sounds, and vocal styles. His voice is raspy yet able to hit higher ranges. His cover of “No Diggity” sounds absolutely nothing like the original by Blackstreet. His rendition has different sounds that seem to cascade into your ears at the perfect moments. It’s sexy, it’s smooth, and it is a great look into what his other tracks sound like. This song is also very textural if that makes sense. What I mean is, because he is using sounds of what sound like gears turning, and people laugh/talking, it’s almost as if you can physically feel these sounds, or you’re in the moment that is playing in the song. It’s something I haven’t really heard before, and it is a complete joy to listen too.
7. Beautiful South- Don’t Fear the Reaper (2004)
Original: Blue Oyster Cult (1976)
Think back to this song by Blue Oyster Cult with a hypnotic singer speaking about the inevitability of death with a fairly intense guitar solo halfway through the song. Now, imagine it with Latin vibes and Indie undertones which is exactly like Beautiful South’s rendition. I played this one for my 57 year old father many times as he’s seen Blue Oyster Cult in their prime many times, and everytime he is flabbergasted this is their song. Beautiful South made a song about death sound like a salsa dancing flirtatious song. It evokes very different emotions compared to the original, and that’s what I love about. I listen to the original for its obvious 1970s feel, and that incredibly fluid guitar solo in the middle of it; it’s a classic. I listen to this version for the change of pace in emotion and instruments. It is low key an eargasm.
6. Escala- Kashmir (2009)
Original: Led Zeppelin (1975)
THIS IS A FIRE INSTRUMENTAL, EVERYONE. I have a list coming of my favorite instrumentals coming your way, but for now, I need to talk about how phenomenal and epic this all strings cover of “Kashmir” is. Escala is a 4 woman electronic string quartet from London, England. Their original work gives me straight chills, but their cover of “Kashmir” is something I’ve never heard before. Covering such an iconic song is difficult at its best. Many definitely steer away from re-doing anything Led Zeppelin related because it’s hard to evoke the sound those men brought to the table. With that being said, Escala turned this song into a completely epic piece. It’s dark, it’s rock n roll, it’s a force to be reckoned with.
5. Violent Femmes- Crazy (2008)
Original: Gnarles Barkley (2006)
This one is odd. I never in a million years thought the Violent Femmes would do a version of a Gnarles Barkley song let alone it be a prime cover. This cover is 100% in the Violent Femmes style: Moaning lyrics with contrasting background vocals, acoustic guitar, a pretty prominent yet basic bass, and a hint of the flute to add a cut through the bass. This song is a great example of strong writing skills. The Gnarles Barkley Version has a much more mainstream sound, but the lyrics are strong, relatable, and it’s incredibly easy to sing or belt out. Having the Violent Femmes cover it is a great way to show how important songwriting and the lyrics are to making a hit record.
4. Marilyn Manson- Sweet Dreams (1994)
Original: Eurythmics (1983)
This cover is pretty iconic. Marilyn Manson is a performer who is not afraid to go outside of the box. He is a shock value artist, and yet he does not have to rely on that as he has strong vocals, and has paved the way for many artists to rise to fame while staying true to themselves. Listening to his cover of “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics is an example of how to pay homage to a classic while making it an original all at once. His sound is dark, grimy, distorted. Using elements like a whammy bar on a distorted chorus, the contrast of yelling and raspy whispering, and the ability to have it flow is pretty much Marilyn Manson’s style. He isn’t afraid “to go there”. I highly recommend watching the music video to his cover. It’s dark and not for the faint of heart, but it adds even more elements to this song that makes it so intriguing to listen to. What is even better is how Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics really enjoys this cover, and the different style Manson was able to pull off.
3. Glenn Campbell- Times Like These (2008)
Original: Foo Fighters (2002)
This one hit me like a ton of bricks, and I was surprised my dad found this before I did considering I am a ride or die Foo Fighter fan. This cover is completely out of left field and fun to listen to. Glen Campbell is an iconic singer and actor from the 1960s and 70s. You can find this cover on his 2008 album Meet Glen Campbell. It is a prime example of how rock music stems off of country roots as he uses twangy guitar, and makes these parts much simpler in his version. In fact, the cover is a great example of how a great song does not have to have all of these extravagant parts, and playing. It can be simple, classic, and easy to follow along to.
2. Sturgill Simpson- In Bloom (2016)
Original: Nirvana (1991).
This. Is. Nutty. When I first heard this, I did not recognize it at all and I’ve been listening to Nirvana since my classic Pre-Natal days. I kept thinking “shit. I KNOW this song???? What is it????”. I was blown away after I recognized it. In my opinion, this song really showcases Kurt Cobain’s lyricism. “In Bloom” was and is an incredibly strong record. I think that is obvious considering it was a grunge song flipped into a country record. Sturgill was able to pay homage to Nirvana while staying true to his style. He was able to challenge the idea of what you can truly do with the style of a song. I will say, if this was the original, I don’t think I would like it as much. What I mean is, what makes this song so great is the fact that it is a Nirvana song. It was grunge. I think part of what makes this version so great is the fact that this is complete opposite of it’s intended style. All in all, this cover will probably become one of the greatest of all time.
1.Johnny Cash- Hurt (2002)
Original: Nine Inch Nails (1994)
Now this is one of- if not the most iconic- covers of all time. I truly believe Nine Inch Nails was meant to write this while Johnny was meant to play it. This song makes me cry every time I listen to it; especially watching the music video. I think it’s because listening to Johnny Cash sing reminds us of how challenging and long of life he lived. He went through a lot of pain, mistakes, and struggles. Having him singing it in his old age really reminds you of how important it is to do what we want to do with our lives. Appreciate your loved ones, but ultimately it brings upon feelings of regret, guilt, and utter sadness. It’s truly emotional, and I always feel like I have a huge weight on my chest by the time it finishes playing, but it’s tragically beautiful, and a must to listen to.
Here are some honorable mentions: Heart: Stairway to Heaven, Apocalyptica: One, Sinead O’Connor: All Apologies, Yael Naim: Toxic, Reel Big Fish: Take On Me, 311: Love Song, Muse: Feeling Good, Steetlight Manifesto: Such Great Heights, Hugo: 99 Problems, Dixie Chicks: Landslide
What your favorite covers? Do you agree with my list? I want to know what covers interest you, so I can look into them, and add more to my ever growing collection