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You are here: Home / Music / Open Thread: Strange Covers

Open Thread: Strange Covers

by $8 blue check mistermix|  August 16, 20129:21 am| 130 Comments

This post is in: Music

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This is Antony, the trans lead singer of Antony and the Johnsons covering Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide. I probably have a higher tolerance for strange covers than average, even the new fad of indie covers of big hits from the past 20-30 years, but this one just made me laugh. Here’s an open thread to share the strangest covers you’ve found lately, or anything else.

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130Comments

  1. 1.

    FridayNext

    August 16, 2012 at 9:28 am

    No one makes a song uniquely his own like Canadian techno rocker Nash the Slash from 19th Nervous Breakdown, to The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, to his rewriting and renaming of the Deep Purple anthem to Dopes on the Water.

    ETA: Here’s a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfhp3iBxJNQ&feature=related

  2. 2.

    TerryC

    August 16, 2012 at 9:29 am

    I haven’t listened to this yet, thanks for it. Have to say that my Antony and the Johnsons Pandora station is really nice. (Wife’s a big fan of his.)

  3. 3.

    Sarah

    August 16, 2012 at 9:30 am

    I like this! But I love Antony’s voice.

  4. 4.

    Brian R.

    August 16, 2012 at 9:32 am

    Yeah, I like it too.

    The Kills’ cover of “Dreams” is cool off that compilation too.

    And check out the Afghan Whigs’ cover of Frank Ocean’s “Lovecrimes.”

  5. 5.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    August 16, 2012 at 9:34 am

    Jan Brewer just signed an order denying any local or state benefits to the dreamers who sign up.

    http://wegoted.com/news/default.asp?NID=9458

    She is a bigot, we all know that, but it seems to be very short sighted to me, way to clear a bunch of hard working young people out of your state Jan. On the other hand she probably thinks that’s a bonus.

  6. 6.

    Brian R.

    August 16, 2012 at 9:36 am

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    Jan Brewer just signed an order denying any local or state benefits to the dreamers who sign up.

    And then immediately had to admit her order changed nothing in the state’s current laws and was just a publicity stunt. Ignore her.

  7. 7.

    Glennsyank13

    August 16, 2012 at 9:36 am

    That song is awful. Is his annoyingly fake singing voice always that insufferable?

  8. 8.

    MattW

    August 16, 2012 at 9:36 am

    My favorite cover is from “A Metal Tribute to Depeche Mode”. A band I’ve never heard of before called Imprudence covered “Never Let Me Down Again”, and it’s awesome because although the singer is doing that growling, back-of-the-throat metal voice, he ends up sounding exactly like Cookie Monster. Not kinda-sorta Cookie Monster, but so on the nose that my wife and I bust up laughing every time we hear it.

  9. 9.

    the Conster

    August 16, 2012 at 9:39 am

    Tiny Tim without the ukelele.

  10. 10.

    mistermix

    August 16, 2012 at 9:40 am

    @Brian R.: I like Antony and the Johnsons, so I think the reason it made me laugh was the juxtaposition of his delicate voice and wavering falsetto with what I’ve always considered a top-40 mainstream hit. I’m listening to the rest of the album now.

  11. 11.

    HL guy

    August 16, 2012 at 9:42 am

    Does anybody hear a baritone Tiny Tim when Antony sings? Maybe if he played a ukelele?

  12. 12.

    the Conster

    August 16, 2012 at 9:45 am

    @HL guy:

    Yes.

  13. 13.

    Anon

    August 16, 2012 at 9:47 am

    Def Leppard covering Engelbert Humperdink’s “Release Me”. Gotta let it go to the last minute to get the full effect. The singer is their guitar tech apparently.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJd3IKUSWwc

  14. 14.

    rlrr

    August 16, 2012 at 9:50 am

    An odd cover I like: Dream Theater’s version of Elton John’s “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding”…

  15. 15.

    kimp

    August 16, 2012 at 9:52 am

    Kermit the Frog singing Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt”

  16. 16.

    Sullivan Hyde

    August 16, 2012 at 9:53 am

    I LOVE weird covers. What I am not down with is Fleetwood Mac nostalgia.

  17. 17.

    Percysowner

    August 16, 2012 at 9:54 am

    Well Kelsey Grammer is complaining that he didn’t get an Emmy nomination because he is an “out of the closet Republican Will the persecution complex never cease?

  18. 18.

    gbear

    August 16, 2012 at 9:55 am

    One of my favorite cover records is by Godfrey Daniel. Their cover of Whole Lotta Love is classic.

  19. 19.

    dedc79

    August 16, 2012 at 9:56 am

    Here are some recent and semi-recent favorites

    Also, for an interesting take on Wilco’s “I’m Trying to Break Your Heart” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK6VILyHVDE

  20. 20.

    Jacquie

    August 16, 2012 at 9:56 am

    Yesterday I heard Wall of Voodoo covering Johnny Cash. I don’t think my brain has recovered yet.

  21. 21.

    tomvox1

    August 16, 2012 at 9:58 am

    Great choice, Antony, ’cause no one has ever covered Landslide before…

    http://soundcloud.com/tracks/search?q%5Bfulltext%5D=landslide+fleetwood&q%5Btype%5D=&q%5Bduration%5D=

    LOL.

  22. 22.

    gbear

    August 16, 2012 at 9:58 am

    Did I just get put in moderation for mentioning Led Zeppelin’s second most famous song (starting with Whole..)?

  23. 23.

    Wag

    August 16, 2012 at 9:58 am

    Frente’s cover of Bizarre Love Triangle

  24. 24.

    Less Popular Tim

    August 16, 2012 at 9:59 am

    I always liked Aztec Camera’s cover of Van Halen’s “Jump”

  25. 25.

    natthedem

    August 16, 2012 at 10:00 am

    I concede to liking the trend of singer-songwriters covering hip-hop songs…mainly because it emphasizes the musicality of rap. Here are a few of my favorites:

    William Fitzsimmons – Heartless (Kanye West cover)

    Marie Digby – My Life (The Game/Lil Wayne cover)

    Anya Marina – Whatever You Like (TI cover)

  26. 26.

    Mnemosyne (iPhone)

    August 16, 2012 at 10:01 am

    My new favorite bizarre cover is Alice Cooper singing “Born This Way” at Bonnaroo (sorry, on iPhone, so no linky to YouTube). The song works surprisingly well as a hard-rock number.

  27. 27.

    rlrr

    August 16, 2012 at 10:01 am

    @Percysowner:

    Maybe Grammer didn’t get a nomination because nobody watched his show…

  28. 28.

    Sly

    August 16, 2012 at 10:03 am

    YouTube is chock full of shitty oddball covers, like this thoroughly God-awful performance of You Shook Me All Night Long by Celine Dion and Anastacia, but oddball covers that actually sound good are pretty rare. My three most favorite of these are probably Richard Thompson’s Oops! I Did it Again, Paul Anka’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, and Chris Cornell’s Billie Jean.

  29. 29.

    tomvox1

    August 16, 2012 at 10:03 am

    I’ll take “Top of the World” by Shonen Knife for $500, Alex…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksfy_AaoNR8

  30. 30.

    Bruuuuce

    August 16, 2012 at 10:06 am

    I think my all time favorite is Adam West doing “The New Gin and Juice”. The goddamn Batman raps. Sort of, at least.

  31. 31.

    EriktheRed

    August 16, 2012 at 10:07 am

    I nominate Toad the Wet Sprocket doing Kiss’ “I Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll All Night”.

  32. 32.

    JGabriel

    August 16, 2012 at 10:07 am

    __
    __
    This one reverses the order. An unconventional original, turned into a very pretty cover:

    Yellow Sarong

    The Scene Is Now (Original)
    Yo La Tengo (Cover)

    .

  33. 33.

    Brian R.

    August 16, 2012 at 10:08 am

    The greatest weird cover of all time, of course, is the Gourds’ cover of “Gin and Juice.”

    A bluegrass version of Snoop Dogg, and it sounds perfect.

  34. 34.

    marduk

    August 16, 2012 at 10:08 am

    RevCo making an awful song AWESOME.

  35. 35.

    Sly

    August 16, 2012 at 10:09 am

    Also, the Civil Wars do an interesting and nice rendition of Billie Jean, but I think Cornell’s is better.

  36. 36.

    Jay in Oregon

    August 16, 2012 at 10:13 am

    Wow, where do I start? I have an iTunes playlist of unusual covers.

    There’s Devo doing NIN’s “Head Like A Hole”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2M9jaulods

    Shirley Bassey doing Pink’s “Get This Party Started”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6UQG3vHYhc

    Bobby McFerrin and Robin Williams doing The Beatles’ “Come Together”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_7xoC6k7PA

    I’ll stop so I don’t get moderated…

  37. 37.

    artem1s

    August 16, 2012 at 10:14 am

    ran into these covers a couple of days ago…

    Reluctant as I am to add to the mountain of interpretations of Somebody That I Used To Know seemingly taking over their own area of the internet, I couldn’t resist the massive remixability that such a large, varied yet connected bundle of source material offered.



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opg4VGvyi3M&feature=youtu.be

    this is my personal favorite cover of the song I’ve seen so far…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnnDhumNLyg&feature=youtu.be

  38. 38.

    Petorado

    August 16, 2012 at 10:16 am

    Mariachi el Bronx covering Prince’s I Would Die 4 U. Impossible not to smile listening to it.

    Also too, Tori Amos covers Smells Like Teen Spirit

  39. 39.

    Jay in Oregon

    August 16, 2012 at 10:18 am

    @Percysowner:
    Tell Kelsey Grammar to read a book or two about the Hollywood blacklist–y’know, when Hollywood actually persecuted people–and STFU.

    When he’s living in a shithole apartment and writing under assumed names in order to feed himself, then I might be sympathetic.

  40. 40.

    Finnigan

    August 16, 2012 at 10:19 am

    @Brian R.:
    Further, any Afghan Whigs cover. Check out Twilight Singers “She Loves You” for more Dulli awesomeness. “Hyperballad” knocks my socks off.

  41. 41.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2012 at 10:20 am

    @Brian R.: The Afghan Whigs have many amazing covers. I was starting to think I was ther only fan left.

    Any of the “Punk Goes…” albums kick ass. Lot’s of good covers, especially the Punk Goes Crunk.

    I recently heard a cover from A Perfect Circle that was eerily redone and kind of creepy, but I forget the song.

  42. 42.

    raven

    August 16, 2012 at 10:20 am

    This Blind Faith cover got banned in a heartbeat.

  43. 43.

    rea

    August 16, 2012 at 10:20 am

    What I am not down with is Fleetwood Mac nostalgia

    They were a great group long before Buckingham and Nicks joined . . . can I be nostalgic for Black Magic Woman?

  44. 44.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2012 at 10:21 am

    @Finnigan: “Mr. Superlove” is still my favorite.

  45. 45.

    Brian R.

    August 16, 2012 at 10:22 am

    @Petorado:

    That Prince cover is outstanding. Thanks.

  46. 46.

    raven

    August 16, 2012 at 10:22 am

    And this was the killer Dave Mason cover from Alone Together, big triple fold out.

  47. 47.

    dave

    August 16, 2012 at 10:22 am

    The Holmes Brothers do a number of great blues covers of pop songs.

    My two favorites are covers of Collective Soul’s “Shine”:
    http://www.last.fm/music/The+Holmes+Brothers/_/Shine

    and Cheap trick’s “I Want You to Want Me”:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPNhnIwT920

  48. 48.

    raven

    August 16, 2012 at 10:23 am

    And the record itself Alone Together

  49. 49.

    artem1s

    August 16, 2012 at 10:23 am

    @Jacquie:

    I absolutely love Wall of Voodoo’s cover of Ring of Fire. I’m assuming that’s the one you are referring to?

  50. 50.

    Capri

    August 16, 2012 at 10:24 am

    Alien Ant Farm’s cover of Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal is my favorite cover.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE

    Tom Jone’s cover of Prince’s Kiss is a close second. He still makes my lady parts tingle.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdb0mfp6TQE

  51. 51.

    Brian R.

    August 16, 2012 at 10:24 am

    @Cassidy:

    I was starting to think I was ther only fan left.

    Nope. You saw that they’re touring again, right?

  52. 52.

    raven

    August 16, 2012 at 10:25 am

    And who can forget Jethro Tull Stand Up?

  53. 53.

    rlrr

    August 16, 2012 at 10:26 am

    @artem1s:

    I absolutely love Wall of Voodoo’s cover of Ring of Fire.

    A classic.

  54. 54.

    JGabriel

    August 16, 2012 at 10:26 am

    @Jay in Oregon:

    Wow, where do I start?

    Seriously. Just to get a few obvious ones out of the way:

    Aztec Camera’s acoustic (mostly) version of Van Halen’s Jump.

    Sonic Youth’s cover of The Carpenter’s Superstar.

    Van Morrison’s cover of Tommy Edwards’ It’s All In The Game — itself a reworking of Air In “A” Major, written by Charles Dawes, US VP under Calvin Coolidge and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 1925.

    Sid Vicious’s cover of Frank Sinatra’s My Way.

    .

  55. 55.

    NickM

    August 16, 2012 at 10:26 am

    I like Ananda Shankar’s cover of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzyTj2MZ7k8

  56. 56.

    Brian R.

    August 16, 2012 at 10:27 am

    @Cassidy:

    “Mr. Superlove” is still my favorite.

    Oh God, yes.

  57. 57.

    Southern Beale

    August 16, 2012 at 10:29 am

    Another stereotype bites the dust:

    The U.S. is ranked 25th in world by number of passenger cars per person, just above Ireland and just below Bahrain. There are 439 cars here for every thousand Americans, meaning a little more than two people for every car. That number is higher in nearly all of Western Europe — the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, etc. — as well as in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. It’s higher in crisis-wracked Iceland and Greece. Italians and New Zealanders have nearly 50 percent more cars per capita than does the U.S. The highest rate in the world is casino-riddled Mediterranean city-state Monaco, with 771 cars per thousand citizens.

    I never would have guessed this. We actually have few cars per person than all of those countries with socialized medicine? France? Spain? ITALY? Seriously? Hmm. Wonder if there’s a connection …

  58. 58.

    zombie rotten mcdonald

    August 16, 2012 at 10:31 am

    @Sullivan Hyde:

    I LOVE weird covers. What I am not down with is Fleetwood Mac nostalgia.

    A twofer: Camper Van Beethoven once did a cover of the entire “Tusk” album. complete with stoner weirdness, backwards sounds, random noises….

  59. 59.

    Kane

    August 16, 2012 at 10:31 am

    Like others above, my first thought listening to the song was Tiny Tim. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHIitbr1cjs

  60. 60.

    raven

    August 16, 2012 at 10:35 am

    Oh, that kind of cover.

  61. 61.

    John 2.0

    August 16, 2012 at 10:35 am

    @Brian R.: Hip Hop turns into folk music pretty easily. I had a friend who used sing a folk version of Ice Cube’s ‘It Was a Good Day’ at parties.

    For weird covers: Mike Doughty’s cover of ‘Real Love’ on Skittish (it’s been on my mind recently, since I’ve been reading his book).

  62. 62.

    zombie rotten mcdonald

    August 16, 2012 at 10:36 am

    Also, Hayseed Dixie doing hillbilly versions of AC/DC songs:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mU2lJKkQ04&list=ALBTKoXRg38BDrLHfR6y3lAI9y0FxwBh0w&index=1&feature=plpp_video

    Here they are doing “Ace of Spades:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYJUywl7CFw

  63. 63.

    phein39

    August 16, 2012 at 10:37 am

    There’s a group called Big Daddy that covered all of Sergeant Pepper’s in 1950’s style, and some of the tracks are surprisingly affecting.

    The Bob’s do a cappella covers of 60’s through 80’s rock classics, most of which are surprisingly faithful to the originals.

    And I can’t remember where I heard it first, but there’s a version of (someone impersonating) Gordon Lightfoot singing “Rocky Raccoon” as an audition tape for the pre-White Album Beatles to the tune of “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

  64. 64.

    raven

    August 16, 2012 at 10:37 am

    My brother put together this Fair Forgery of Pink Floyd.

    “Why the hell do we need yet another Pink Floyd tribute album? Because we desperately needed this one. First of all, this is a localized project involving bands from the U.S. West Coast that all recorded their versions in the same studio, ensuring steady quality standards. Second, the artists come from various backgrounds, anywhere between metal and country-folk. Third, they cover all of the group’s career, not just the sacrosanct trilogy (Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall, in case you really needed to ask), including many of Syd Barrett’s buried treasures (“Lucifer Sam,” “Bike,” “Corporal Clegg”).”

  65. 65.

    tdmcmains

    August 16, 2012 at 10:38 am

    The Smashing Pumpkins cover of Landslide is by far my favorite.

  66. 66.

    monkey_in_holland

    August 16, 2012 at 10:41 am

    My top three covers

    Butthole Surfers covering Donovan’s Hurdy Gurdy Man
    http://youtu.be/76yWZcsgwF8

    Big Black covering Kraftwerk’s the Model
    http://youtu.be/eP3ge9DGsKU

    Nirvana covering Leadbelly’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
    http://youtu.be/mcXYz0gtJeM

  67. 67.

    RodeoBob

    August 16, 2012 at 10:43 am

    Not a regular poster, just a lurker, but this thread lines up well with a recent effort to get good/funky/weird covers.

    I’ll take the Social Distortion cover of Ring of Fire over WoV.

    Atari covering “Boys of Summer” is one of those “as good or better than the originals”

    Disturbed covering “Land of Confusion” hits the same mark. The video is a bit goofy, but what can you do?

    Those are all pretty good spins on the originals. Then there’s the not-so-good stuff…

    How about a country-western cover of NiN’s “Closer”? (NSFW, and may ruin that song forever for you)

    What about the trying-to-hard-to-be-clever cover of Boyz In Da Hood?

    Really, that all pales compared to the vocal trainwreck that is Clint Eastwood trying to cover Bing Crosby.

    The thing-de-resistance of this set has to be the utterly bizarre Leonard Nimoy cover of “If I Had a Hammer”. Be sure to stick around the 1:23 mark when it really goes off the rails!

  68. 68.

    rlrr

    August 16, 2012 at 10:47 am

    Yes’ cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “America”…

  69. 69.

    Brian R.

    August 16, 2012 at 10:47 am

    The Cleverlys do a lot of great bluegrass versions of songs, like this one of them doing “Owner of a Lonely Heart”

  70. 70.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2012 at 10:49 am

    @Brian R.: I didn’t know they were touring again. I just read that they did Lollapalooza this year. I’m really hoping for a new album. I still haven’t found albums as powerful as Gentleman and Black Love. There has been a lot of really good music since then, but nothing has touched them. I’m thinking Smashing Pumpkins Melancholy…ness might be the closest. Maybe White light, White Heat, White Trash.

  71. 71.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2012 at 10:51 am

    No discussion of great music covers is complete without Hugo’s cover of 99 Problems. I’m at work and can’t link, but it’s easy to find on youtube.

  72. 72.

    Just One More Canuck

    August 16, 2012 at 10:53 am

    @FridayNext: couldn’t find Nash the Slash’s version of Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald – Butthole Surfers did an instrumental version

  73. 73.

    mike

    August 16, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Deadbolt – Raindrops Keep Falling on my head. Very menacing.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdC8ztfaOUo

  74. 74.

    grape_crush

    August 16, 2012 at 10:58 am

    @phein39:

    Yeah, The Bobs pretty much win this thread.

    Whole Lotta Love:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee8ZGyvrH8w

  75. 75.

    jayackroyd

    August 16, 2012 at 10:59 am

    I had, can’t find it now, a two disc set from Ronco or some label like that that consisted of just Louie Louie covers. My favorite was a Russian’s men’s chorus, in Russian.

    I like Joan Jett’s cover of Jonathan Richman’s Roadrunner.

  76. 76.

    Jay in Oregon

    August 16, 2012 at 11:04 am

    @JGabriel:
    I love Sonic Youth’s cover of Superstar! Nice catch.

    No one has come up with Dynamite Hack’s cover of “Boyz in the Hood” yet?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIo81Fk6J5g

    Tricky doing “Black Steel”, a cover of Public Enemy’s “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDHl5djnYM4

    And there’s a whole wing in the strange covers museum reserved for Dread Zeppelin, who prompted Robert Plant to say “They did ‘Your Time Is Gonna Come’ better than we did.”
    http://vimeo.com/38408109

  77. 77.

    Judas Escargot, Acerbic Prophet of the Mighty Potato God

    August 16, 2012 at 11:11 am

    Anyone else following the Assange/UK/Ecuador conflict? The UK was threatening to storm Quito’s embassy if they offered asylum. Ecuador did, anyway. Um…

    I have zero sympathy for a wannabe punk (and accused rapist) like Assange… but is he really worth something so extreme? It also risks making him more a sympathetic figure than he deserves to be.

    I’m reminded of that speech in A Man for All Seasons, about tearing down the law to get at the Devil. Be careful, lest the Devil turn on you once all the laws are gone.

  78. 78.

    Judas Escargot, Acerbic Prophet of the Mighty Potato God

    August 16, 2012 at 11:15 am

    @Judas Escargot, Acerbic Prophet of the Mighty Potato God:
    Oops, missed the thread below. Headed over there.

    Morning BJ Headline Eyescan FAIL.

  79. 79.

    Alain

    August 16, 2012 at 11:15 am

    Check out Me First and the Gimme Gimme’s – they are a “super band” (punk/hardcore) that do pretty much all covers. Lots of them, fast, short, and fun, kinda like the Dead Milkmen’s early work.

  80. 80.

    Andy G.

    August 16, 2012 at 11:19 am

    Favorite unexpected covers include:

    Bette Midler’s 1970s disco version of Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers In The Night” (with then-unknown Luther Vandross on backing vocals)

    Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” performed by the Scissor Sisters

    Jamie Cullum’s version of “Wind Cries Mary”

    The 5th Dimension performing Cream’s “Sunshine Of Your Love”

  81. 81.

    phein39

    August 16, 2012 at 11:24 am

    @69 Brian R:

    Speaking of bluegrass covers, the Bad Livers out of Austin up-tempo cover of Iggy’s Lust for Life.

    And maybe John Hiatt’s cover of the Ramone’s Sedated.

  82. 82.

    Stuart_b

    August 16, 2012 at 11:26 am

    Wish I could produce it now, but heard just after closing in a restaurant. Somewhere there exists a Chinese techno version of “My Sharona”.

  83. 83.

    Haydnseek

    August 16, 2012 at 11:27 am

    @raven: I bought three copies of Alone Together, not just because the music is eternally great, but I was sure the bowling ball looking vinyl would be uber-collectible one day. Turns out that it was the black vinyl version that became worth a bit of scratch. Pun intended.

  84. 84.

    David

    August 16, 2012 at 11:28 am

    The Residents’ cover of Hank Williams, esp. Ramblin’ Man

    Sonic Youth’s cover of the Carpenters’ Superstar

  85. 85.

    Haydnseek

    August 16, 2012 at 11:31 am

    I love weird cover versions. There are so many to choose from, but one that stands out is Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee doing a completely straight version of Randy Newmans “Sail Away.” I play it for people and have yet to see one gob that isn’t resoundingly smacked.

  86. 86.

    Mike in DC

    August 16, 2012 at 11:38 am

    How about Elbow covering Independent Woman by Destiny’s Child, animated with kittens.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSQDR1yF3uQ

  87. 87.

    daize

    August 16, 2012 at 11:38 am

    Elvis Costello covers Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dywR03B55JA

  88. 88.

    Haydnseek

    August 16, 2012 at 11:39 am

    @grape_crush: How could I forget about The Bobs? I have their “Best of” CD, and I’m glad I do.

  89. 89.

    blingee

    August 16, 2012 at 11:41 am

    Just stick to these mindless posts mistermix. It was only a few months ago you were still breathlessly speculating about a Palin VP pick with starbursts in your eyes. Maybe you should send a resume to tiger beat.

  90. 90.

    fromOberlin

    August 16, 2012 at 12:06 pm

    Sarah Jarosz cover of Come on up to the house, a slow blue-grass version of the Tom Waits original

  91. 91.

    HI

    August 16, 2012 at 12:10 pm

    How about Prince’s cover of Joni Mitchell’s A Case of You?

  92. 92.

    Amir Khalid

    August 16, 2012 at 12:11 pm

    I mentioned before that I have Pat Boone’s No More Mr Nice Guy album, where he does jazz-pop covers of various metal classics: Smoke On The Water, Paradise City, Holy Diver, Stairway To Heaven. But I think Dolly Parton’s cover of the last one — I have that album too — is better.

  93. 93.

    Cassidy

    August 16, 2012 at 12:11 pm

    @blingee: Go uncornhole yourself.

  94. 94.

    the Conster

    August 16, 2012 at 12:29 pm

    @fromOberlin:

    Love Sarah Jarosz.

  95. 95.

    pragmatism

    August 16, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    The onion’s AV club has a video series where they pick songs to be covered and a band chooses one to do. http://www.avclub.com/articles/who-will-cover-kiss-off,70698/

  96. 96.

    RodeoBob

    August 16, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    How could I forget Steve & Eydie Gorme’s lovely cover of Black Hole Sun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55rtXg0ZsLE

  97. 97.

    Elizabelle

    August 16, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    Not a cover — an original.

    This one’s for you, NYTimes columnist Gail Collins!

    Devo: Don’t Roof Rack Me, Bro

    link:http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/song-premiere-devo-dont-roof-rack-me-bro-seamus-unleashed-20120815

  98. 98.

    LanceThruster

    August 16, 2012 at 1:08 pm

    Though it doesn’t really qualify as strange covers, the album “Paint It Blue” with blues musicians doing Rolling Stones covers is pretty awesome. Some tracks truly rival the Stones originals.

  99. 99.

    Peregrinus

    August 16, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    @LanceThruster:

    Likewise I’ve got “Here Comes El Son” – an album of Cuban musicians covering Beatles songs. They’re all interesting-to-amusing, with a couple real standouts.

  100. 100.

    Tom the First

    August 16, 2012 at 1:37 pm

    That Lykki Li cover of “Silver Springs” is strange because there are parts of in where she sounds exactly like Stevie Nicks.

  101. 101.

    The prophet Nostradumbass

    August 16, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    @Jacquie: And then there’s Celtic Frost covering Wall of Voodoo.

  102. 102.

    Joel

    August 16, 2012 at 2:11 pm

    The Coma Lillies doing a live (instrumental) cover of Aphex Twin’s 4.

  103. 103.

    Less Popular Tim

    August 16, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    @MattW: OMG hilarious. How bummed would Mr. Imprudence be to hear that? I’m sure he’d be crestfallen to get that feedback.

  104. 104.

    zombie rotten mcdonald

    August 16, 2012 at 3:04 pm

    well, there’s also Those Darn Accordions covering….well, just about anything… in a polka style with multiple accordions:
    Devil went Down to Georgia, Stairway to Heaven, Pump It Up, We’re an Accordion Band, Hocus Pocus, Baba O’Riley, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy…

  105. 105.

    burnspbesq

    August 16, 2012 at 3:07 pm

    I’m kinda partial to the Brad Mehldau Trio’s 22-minute free-jazz take on “Black Hole Sun.”

    But nothing can surpass Richard Thompson’s version of “Oops I Did It Again.”

  106. 106.

    Don

    August 16, 2012 at 3:16 pm

    If you enjoy covers there’s a great podcast, Coverville that I listen to regularly. I think my favorite discovery from them was Nina Gordon (of Veruca Salt) covering “Straight outta Compton.”

  107. 107.

    BenA

    August 16, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    I thought Seu Jorge covering David Bowie for Life Aquatic was awesome.

    Zappa covering “Stairway to Heaven” is a favorite.

    I know it’s more mainstream but:
    Michael Jackson covering “Come Together”.

    zombie rotten mcdonald:
    I agree not to mention the best parts of any Weird Al album are when he does the Polka covers.

  108. 108.

    Spike

    August 16, 2012 at 3:28 pm

    Greatest cover I’ve ever heard is the awesome bluegrass version of Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” by the Austin Lounge Lizards.

  109. 109.

    Jacquie

    August 16, 2012 at 4:16 pm

    @Capri: Correct. It’s…quite a thing indeed.

    @RodeoBob: I think I wanna be your best friend.

  110. 110.

    James Hulsey

    August 16, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    For all you heathens out there, how about Sarah MacLachlan’s cover of XTC’s “Dear God”?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UjLPIv-lLQ

  111. 111.

    quickly

    August 16, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    how about down by the river covered by buddy miles?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5_5ik5ZM6M

  112. 112.

    Vlad

    August 16, 2012 at 4:39 pm

    Hoo boy, lots of good stuff still out there un-linked.

    Albert Kuvezin and Yat-Kha covering Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”.

    Pussy Galore (Jon Spencer’s pre-Blues Explosion band) covering Einstürzende Neubauten’s “Yü Gung”.

    Johnny Hallyday covering “Hey Joe” (famously covered by Hendrix – who knows who actually wrote it?

    Primus doing a great one-minute live cover of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets”.

  113. 113.

    Vlad

    August 16, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    And for a few that are less serious:

    Andy Rehfeldt‘s reggae cover of KISS’s “Detroit Rock City”, which is solid by itself but even better with the video.

    Crispin Glover (yes, the actor) covering Lee Hazlewood’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'”.

    The Black Lodge Singers cover of the theme song from “The Flintstones”.

  114. 114.

    lol chikinburd

    August 16, 2012 at 4:51 pm

    Two more:

    Neil Diamond’s “I Am, I Said”, by Killdozer (paired inexplicably with footage from the John Woo film A Better Tomorrow, so, sorry about that, but it’s the one link I could find to the album version)

    Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man”, by the Cardigans

  115. 115.

    John T

    August 16, 2012 at 4:53 pm

    Antony also does a cover of Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” but he sucks all the manic energy out of the song and turns it into a twee, weepy, cry for help. Most of my friends LOVE Antony but his voice has always been like nails on a chalkboard for me.

  116. 116.

    Vlad

    August 16, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    OK, one more that I really like:

    Fantomas metaling-up Karl-Ernst Sasse’s theme from “Der Golem”.

    That whole album (The Director’s Cut) is covers of movie themes, mostly horror movie themes. The “Cape Fear” cover on it is another highlight.

    Mike Patton, the frontman of that group, is a good one for bizarroid covers. Another of his side projects, Tomahawk, did an entire album (Anonymous) of really cool covers of traditional Native American chants and songs.

  117. 117.

    Vlad

    August 16, 2012 at 5:06 pm

    @lol chikinburd: That “Iron Man” cover is pretty sweet. Thanks for sharing.

  118. 118.

    rea

    August 16, 2012 at 5:23 pm

    @David: Sonic Youth’s cover of the Carpenters’ Superstar

    The song was originally written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell, and recorded by Delany & Bonnie & Friends (with Clapton playing guitar) under the name “Groupie.” The Carpenters edited the sex out of the lyrics.

  119. 119.

    burnspbesq

    August 16, 2012 at 5:33 pm

    How could I forget “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by Toots & the Maytals?

  120. 120.

    Friday Jones

    August 16, 2012 at 6:09 pm

    Spoek Mathambo’s cover of Joy Division’s “She’s Lost Control”…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKfwSFI8LhQ

  121. 121.

    Ridnik Chrome

    August 16, 2012 at 6:12 pm

    @Vlad: Speaking of Einsturzende Neubauten (and Lee Hazelwood), how about EN’s version of “Sand”? (Which by the way was the B-side of the “Yu-Gung” 12″ single, for all you record geeks.)

  122. 122.

    Steeplejack

    August 16, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    @quickly:

    He also does a good cover of the Allman Brothers’ “Dreams.”

  123. 123.

    Lisa

    August 16, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    @MattW: That is FUCKING HILARIOUS!!! So that wasn’t cookie monster?

  124. 124.

    Lisa

    August 16, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    @MattW: That is FUCKING HILARIOUS!!! So that wasn’t cookie monster?

  125. 125.

    Steeplejack

    August 16, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    @burnspbesq:

    There are a lot of surprisingly good reggae covers out there, e.g., Sugar Black’s “Fly Like an Eagle” and Yami Bolo’s “Johnny B. Goode.” There are others better left unmentioned.

  126. 126.

    Special One

    August 16, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    Tony Harrison: What is your beef with The Mac?

    Saboo: The same beef every right thinking man has; They are bullshit munchers!

  127. 127.

    low-tech cyclist

    August 16, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    There are plenty of Stairway to Heaven covers, but I’m particularly partial to the version done by the Beatnix, a Beatles tribute band from Australia.

    Because, of course, they perform it in the style of the 1964 Beatles.

  128. 128.

    Bill Murray

    August 16, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    the When Pigs Fly compilation has some great covers

    Don Ho doing Shock the Monkey
    Herman’s hermits doing White Wedding
    Ani diFranco and Jackie Chan doing Unforgettable

    are among the standouts. On youtube my two faves are

    Paul Anka doing Smells Like Teen Spirit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM_xvTaYavw

    Susanna and Her Magical Orchestra doing Love Will Tear Us Apart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHhVydgvuAc

  129. 129.

    Pete Johnson

    August 16, 2012 at 8:40 pm

    Probably my favorite “indie” cover of a classic song is Placebo doing Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill”.

  130. 130.

    Doc Neill

    August 16, 2012 at 9:21 pm

    Gotta love Me First and the Gimme Gimme’s cover of the Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl”

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