Here's a list of 10 "interesting" covers I found over the years. They may not be the "most interesting" and definitely aren't the "best," but they're not the "worst" either. And I know doing a countdown is subjective, but I give my reasons for each placement.
(#10) "About A Girl (Nirvana Cover)" by The Fuzz
I actually found this today. It isn't the best cover, but it's kinda how it would sound if I got a band together now. This was one of the first songs I learned, and the kid singing sort of sounds like me if I tried doing vocals and guitar for this Nirvana hit at the same time (which I have... and it wasn't the prettiest of scenes...).
Listen to the original (studio) here.
Listen to the original (unplugged) here.
My first exposure to this song was Weezer's cover, and I was going to post that. But then I chanced upon P!ATD's version of a Band classic, and it was simply better. It's nice to see that baroque pop hasn't lost its roots.
Listen to the original (studio) here.
Listen to the original (from The Last Waltz) here.
(#8) "With a Little Help from My Friends (The Beatles Cover)" by Joe Cocker
Who remembers The Wonder Years? Really...? No one...? I'm the only one...? OK, well, it was syndicated on Nick at Nite in the late 90's and I would occasionally watch it before bedtime. Joe Cocker's version (from the aptly-titled With a Little Help from My Friends) was used as the theme song for the show. I didn't realize it was a cover until a year and a half ago, but given that it's a blues-rock/gospel rendition of a Beatles tune, it's understandable for an untrained ear to miss it.
Listen to the original here.
(#7) "Ceremony (Joy Division Cover)" by Galaxie 500
"Ceremony" was one of the last songs composed by Ian Curtis before his suicide and the subsequent dissolution of Joy Division. The only version featuring Curtis is a poor quality live recording. New Order was formed by the resulting members of Joy Division and they released the first studio recording of "Ceremony" as their first single in 1981. In 1997, Galaxie 500 toned post-punk down a notch and offered a dream pop/slowcore copy in their reissue of On Fire.
Listen to the original (New Order recording) here.
(#6) "(Oh) Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison Cover)" by Van Halen
Nothing will top the charm that Roy Orbison presented, but Van Halen gives the song a different edge. The intro "Intruder" has an unconventional noise feel, with guitarist Eddie Van Halen using power drills and the such to create the eerie instrumental. This segways into the hard rock/glam cover wherein David Lee Roth attempts to exhume his sexual intentions the best way he knows how.
Listen to the original here.
(#5) "Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson Cover)" by A Day To Remember
Leave it to ADTR to reevaluate 2004 pop for the headbangers of 2008, breakdowns and all.
Listen to the original here.
(#4) "The Metro (Berlin Cover)" by System of a Down
The original by Berlin was straight up 80's New Wave ("Straight up, now tell me..."). SoaD's take on it is hard to describe: gothic metal, progressive metal, crossover thrash, reggae, Eastern, nu metal... Actually, there is one genre that can sum it up: System of a Down.
Listen to the original here.
(#3) "I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor Cover)" by Cake
Slow down the disco, give the soul some lounge, keep the trumpet, add a punk blues movement and sprinkle on the occasional explicative and Cake delivers a rendition of a 70's staple that lacks of Gloria Gaynor's approval.
Listen to the original here.
(#2) "King of Pain (The Police Cover)" by Alanis Morissette
I suppose that the heavy applause at the start of the performance means that the audience approves of Alanis Morissette's song choice. This song was played towards the end of her 1999 MTV Unplugged session, right before "You Oughta Know." Judging from the soul she poured into the Police cover, I'd say that it was an excellent primer for the emotionally taxing song she would do next.
Listen to the original here.
(#1) "House Rent Boogie / One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer (John Lee Hooker Cover)" by George Thorogood & the Destroyers
The thing about blues is that every blues artist covers another. But each artist puts such emotion into each song that it's as if it was an original, as is the case here. I hear this song every other day on Wind FM and thought it was an original until I looked it up. George Thorogood (of "Bad to the Bone" fame) covered this with his band on their self-titled debut (where 7 out of the 10 songs are covers). The cover is so impeccable that if a recording by Hooker (and Wikipedia) wasn't around, I would have refused the facts and refer to this song as Thorogood's song (the same way I consider "House of the Rising Sun" to be by The Animals).
Listen to the original here.
Well, that's all for now. I'll revisit covers in future posts, and maybe even make those posts themed. If you have any idea for themes, or want to share some covers you've found, don't be afraid to use the comment box below (it's been awfully lonely as of late...).
Bundle up,
Kelvin
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