I thought that song “Rude” was kinda… you know… rude? Like why is this dude gonna marry that girl whether or not her Dad says it’s okay? Why is he even asking if he’s gonna marry her anyway? But then I heard a girl sing the song about marrying a girl and suddenly it became subversively delightful! Which got me thinking about how really there’s nothing I love more than a queer person singing a popular song in her/their very own way. So I started making you this playlist… and then I did some research and discovered that Kina Grannis, the girl who covered that song, is not actually gay. Womp WOMP. She’s married to a man. Obviously, she could still be queer or bisexual or pansexual but unfortunately hasn’t said so on the internet. However, I didn’t want to let go of this post or including that cover of “Rude” in it, so I’m putting it in anyhow.
We’ll open with her song, but the rest of these are by genderqueer folks (Mal Blum, specifically) and lesbian, queer, bisexual or otherwise-identified women. (Toshi Reagon’s cover song was removed from the list because it made our website break, so there’s actually only 27, not 28, but enjoy!)
(not gay, who knows really) Kina Grannis, “Rude” (MAGIC!)
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, “Crimson & Clover” (Tommy James & The Shondells)
http://youtu.be/hdhonK8NMm8
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Brandi Carlile, “Heaven” (Bryan Adams)
Jenny Owen Youngs, “Hot In Here” (Nelly)
Missy Higgins, “Stuff and Nonsense” (Split Enz)
Kate Nash, “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You” (Black Kids)
Julia Nunes, “Baby” (Justin Bieber & The Supremes)
The Blow, “Come On Petunia” (some of it is from “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” by Sting)
http://youtu.be/_JEb2ktzuNU
Katie Melua, “Just Like Heaven” (The Cure)
Melissa Etheridge, “Let’s Get It On” (Marvin Gaye)
The Butchies, “Your Love” (The Outfield)
Daphne Link, “If I Was Your Boyfriend” (Justin Bieber)
Dani Shay, “She Will Be Loved” (Maroon Five)
Betty & Pam Grier, “Some Kind of Wonderful” (The Drifters)
Holly Miranda, “Lover You Should’ve Come Over” (Jeff Buckley)
KD Lang, “Joker” (Steve Miller Band)
Me’Shell NdegéOcello, “Who Is He And What Is He To You” (Bill Withers)
Santana Lopez and Brittany S Pierce, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (Whitney Houston)
Azealia Banks, “Slow Hands” (Interpol)
K’s Choice, “Yellow” (Coldplay)
CoCo Rosie, “Surfer Girl” (The Beach Boys)
MK Nobilette, “All Of Me” (John Legend)
http://youtu.be/Ik2WELm17vs
Mal Blum, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” (Taylor Swift)
http://youtu.be/a8Olj29y_gQ
Sinead O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U” (Prince)
http://youtu.be/iUiTQvT0W_0
Angel Haze, “Same Love” (Macklemore)
https://soundcloud.com/angelhazeym/same-love-angel-haze
Allison Weiss, “I Think I Need a New Heart” (Magnetic Fields)
http://youtu.be/bM-D2aHfSIg
Tegan and Sara, “Dancing in the Dark” (Bruce Springsteen)
Tracy Chapman, “Stand By Me” (Ben E. King)
http://youtu.be/pjqre-8igAQ
You must check out this version of Rude. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2j00NTUbh8&w=560&h=315%5D
… this gif just made my day. HUGS FOR CHICKEN FOREVER.
I hate the song “Rude” like I hate the song “Blurred Lines,” but Kina Grannis just turned my brain into jello holy shit.
For some reason the second half of this list won’t load on any internet-having device I own, but I’m hoping against hope that someone has finally made a queer lady cover of “Scotty Doesn’t Know” and that it’s on this list.
None of my devices will load the second half either and I may hyperventilate from the anticipation of getting to listen to it…
That is an amazing idea. Like. Just yes.
i will learn to play an instrument and start a band for the sole reason of making that happen. why have i never thought of that before? it would be so good!!!
This is hot as all living fuck
I’m waiting for somebody to cover Jesse’s Girl. I feel like that would be so good!
Love this list, made my day so much better.
Yesssssssss
http://theladymonsters.tumblr.com/post/99971496496
It happened! Thanks, Mary Lambert
I love everything about this but Bruce Springsteen’s name is spelled wrong both times and my giant Springsteen fangirl heart is going to pass out from horror. :P
I WILL FIX THIS IMMEDIATELY
Thank you Riese I heart you. The Springsteen-shaped parts of my heart are very happy now. <3
… Also “Heaven” is actually by Bryan Adams.
I’m sorry I’ll stop being the annoying music nerd now I promise! :( This list really is great!
Tegan and Sara. :D
Melissa Ferrick used to cover “Jessie’s Girl” live in concerts. I loved it!
Yass! And “Meet Virginia”!
Me and two of my friends played She Will Be Loved at a gig for LGBTQ charities a few months back :) It was one of those songs that if you listen too closely can feel really creepy but if you let it can sound beautiful.
I’m gonna put most of these songs on a Youtube playlist.
I still maintain it’s mostly creepy, not beautiful
I totally agree. The xylophone was the most exciting thing happening in that performance.
wut xylophone where
queer girl covers aka the reason I started listening to 8tracks playlists. (but wasn’t Heaven written/performed by Bryan Adams? [“He’s Canadian!” notes Canadian girlfriend.])
Wait wait wait. Julia Nunes is confirmed lesbian, queer, or bisexual??? OH MY GOD OH MY GOD how did I miss this? She was totally my middle school crush (pre queer awakening). Also, this post is my new fave thing.
I KNOW. I NEED AN ANSWER TOO.
Yeah, I can’t find any confirmation of this. Was it in a vlog? I used to watch every video of hers all the way to the end but nowadays, it’s possible I missed something…
I am also googling frantically and coming up with something. I NEED TO KNOW
I meant nothing. I was coming up with nothing, not something.
Glad to hear I wasn’t the only one whose heart skipped a beat to read this.
Totally freaked out at this. Literally been wondering since 2007.
RIESE. TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW.
I too still want to know!
I really dig Tegan and Sara’s cover of “When You Were Mine”.
I serious think I need to start covering more songs..
I also really need MK Nobilette to make an album my gosh!
I’m sorry to point out an error but as someone raised on Springsteen this killed me — Heaven was written and sung by Bryan Adams. That song is waaaayy too optimistic about love to be written by The Boss :-)
I don’t know how any of the members identify but Postmodern Jukebox does amazing retro style covers of pop songs and they don’t change the pronouns from the original no matter who sings it.
I love Joan Jett something fierce. I saw her play a couple years ago and she is still slaying. I would not kick her out of my bed. I’m just saying.
Not much of joiner or one prone to fan-girlishness but I managed to get close to the stage when she started singing Crimson and Clover and suddenly Beatlemania made much more sense to me than I ever though it would….
i love missy higgins <3
My second favorite, after Joan Jett’s “Crimson and Clover,” will always be Bratmobile’s cover of “Cherry Bomb” in which they change “Hey street boy…Your dead-end dreams don’t make you smile?” to “Hey straight girl”.
Oh my god. I knew I recognized Dani Shay from somewhere so I googled her and she’s the girl from The Glee Project I had a crush on two years ago (when I still watched Glee because I liked it) how could I have forgotten about her?
I’m a huge fan of the Melissa Etheridge cover of Maggie May, but I cannot, for the life of me, find a decent version to link here. It’s tragic.
I love the version of “Thunder Road” she did with Bruce Springsteen on… was it MTV Unplugged or something? One of those shows.
Her version of “Leader of the Pack” from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony of the Shangri-Las was pretty great with the pronoun change, too.
#apparentlystillhasalotofmelissaetheridgecoverfeelings
she came from the GAY side of town
Thunder Road:
Leader of the Pack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQyWezBb1YA
Yes! This one is not the awesomest quality ever but here:
This is a great list. Joan Jett’s Crimson & Clover has always been one of my fave covers.
Also, if I may, one of my fave queer lady covers of a song is Sweetest Girl as covered by Nervous But Excited. There’s a few versions on youtube but I’ll just link this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fufmLdR7Kw0
Oh, how could I (OR ANYONE!?) forget this…I wish there was a studio version of this so so much.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Maybe I’m just having an especially emotional day but I definitely cried at least a little through about half of these.
Oh thank God I’m not the only one
I. Love. This. So. Much.
Joan Jett is so dreamy in that video. I definitely have it favorited on my computer. #blackhearts5ever
Melissa Ethridge always turns my knees to Jello and her covering Let’s Get It On…
Y’all, I’m a puddle.
Bruce Springsteen songs make magic queer girl covers in my opinion.
I’ve been singing ‘dancer in the dark’ in the shower a lot recently. But my favourite to sing in the shower is ‘I’m on fire’.
Okay great post BUT this gem is missing (also I have no idea how to embed videos, help me someone)
Tender Forever singing ‘My Love’, so good!
So many feelings!
I came for Joan Jett’s cover of Crimson and Clover and there it is in the top five, yuhss.
Have some more Joan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SlgRSNkWu4
My Baby Does the Hanky Panky ;)
*wants to brag about how I can do her growl an’ stuff but I have to finish dancing to Hanky Pank and listening to the rest of the 28 artists.
She also covered “Do You Wanna Touch Me” which is great cause I loved that song (but loathe Gary Glitter) and she made it super sexy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XELpxApT8Kc
I sang that one in a karaoke booth while dancing along. ;D
#humblebrag?
Janet Jackson’s cover of “Tonight’s the Night” got banned in Singapore in 1998/1999 because she fucked around with the pronouns to make it sound like there was a poly-gender threesome.
Here’s a fun Metafilter thread about this (both genders, but no changed pronouns). Also check out the Aversions subsection on this TVTropes article.
(I should have probably said “all genders” rather than “both genders”, I apologise. the Mefi thread is more gender-binarist.)
Queer girl covers 5ever. I love any kind of cover that switches genre or changes context or subverts. This list is amazing.
Wow. I’ve never really been a huge fan of ‘Heaven’… and then Brandi Carlile happened.
Love this list and the general queering of all the things!
This list made my shiverrrrr
Anika Moa – Crazy Yes Dumb No (Mint Chicks cover)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JsYEhNF85w&w=560&h=315%5D
Has anyone else heard Joan Jett’s cover of Fun Fun Fun by the beach boys? Amaze.
I am so thankful this article exists and I am especially thankful for that cover by Melissa Etheridge.
The Alex Parks cover of “Yellow” is also pretty fabulous. I like it better than the original version.
I was looking through this list wondering where Alex Parks was! I pretty much prefer all of her covers to the originals
How about this ?
Coeur de Pirate – Music when the lights go out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ErI_9WCQk
I’d like to take this opportunity to plug The Slits cover of ‘I Heard it Through the Grapevine”
I’m a little ashamed that I seem to be immune to tiring of either version of “hot in herre”
Tender Forever’s cover of “My Love” is quite great.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZb3QquSYw0&w=420&h=315%5D
I would hardly call anything by The Magnetic Fields “straight.” Honestly, that’s kind of insulting to an amazing artist.
I was thinking the same…
Not a gay girl, but also very good: Rae Spoon’s cover of HALO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cyn4h5oWII
And: Zoe Boekbinder’s “I’m your man” (Leonard Cohen) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cyn4h5oWII
Both your links go to the Rae Spoon video (which is awesome) so just dropping this link to the amazing I’m Your Man cover (thanks for sharing! I’m really really really into this song): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAKoe_1mzVU
speaking of gay girls covers that rocks, let me introduce you to this girl:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-eRy_C02O0?list=UUiHOsCL-qUxoKZpNZVM1kNQ&w=560&h=315%5D
::swoon:: You’re my new favorite person
Hi.. I super enjoyed all the videos! Love women who perform songs performed by men. I do it too.
If you have the time, please give a listen/watch my video covering ‘Alright Now’ from FREE. Thank You!
https://myspace.com/dustybike650/videos
I thought I couldn’t love Mal Blum any more than I already do, but alas. Wrong I was.
Mirah also covered Dancing in the Dark – it’s a stunner.
Oh oh oh, plus the Electrelane cover of Bruce Springsteen’s I’m On Fire is sexy and brilliant and amazing. Writing this from my phone, otherwise I’d go find a video to share…look it up!
Ingrid of Coyote Grace sings this too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9BzfofFLEc
What about Mary Lambert’s cover of “Teenage Dirtbag”? Incredible. http://youtu.be/sZi69cid9ak
What about Mary Lambert’s cover of “Teenage Dirtbag”?
LP’s cover of Halo is amazing as well (which I proudly discovered from Autostraddle)!
ALSO she covered “Something” by the Beatles and it’s perfect oh god it’s so perfect.
So moral of the story… LP is a beautifully perfect badass.
Ferron’s Inside Out is all covers of a lesbian’s take on straight songs that influenced her growing up. She’s in her 50s, so the songs are not new. However, Walk Away Renee is just heartbreaking and brilliant.
angel haze though…. that song wipes the floor with Macklemore. Especially given that she’s actually pansexual and has experienced life at the hands of rampant heterosexism. Macklemore really is such a knobber.
Also there’s this Caleigh Peters cover of the Cars’ “Just What I Needed” with none of the lyrics changed. I’m just going to leave it here.
Hey girls, please check out my lesbian cover of ‘Me and Mrs Jones’
https://www.facebook.com/KendraMusicUK
Hope you like it! <3
also, also, also there’s Lauren Lowther who does all sorts of covers and in this link on YouTube, Counting Stars. http://youtu.be/E4TWt-NZiyc it’s really good stuff, go check her out. She’s also featured on LesbianCentral a lot.
Connor Zwetsch’s cover of MGMT’s “Electric Feel” is so smolderin’ hot that I actually created an account here just to share it with you all. It is needed in our lives! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEYUEFGF7Os
Kitty Crimes does a kickass, queerified version of the Violent Femmes’ “Lemme Go On” that I am DYING to find somewhere so I can download it!!
(As far as I know, it’s on exactly one 8tracks playlist and one live video online)
Also, I just realized that this article is almost 3 years old. Womp womp…