Between Glee and American Idol we hear different arrangements of well known songs on a weekly basis. Sometimes artists completely reinvent a hit song like Hugo turning Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” into an alt-country jam or Ryan Adams turning Oasis‘ rockin’ “Wonderwall” into an achingly painful acoustic plea. THIS is where the magic lies.
FYI, I intentionally chose rare covers you may not be familiar with already to expand your mind and ears!
Playlist of Amazing Cover Songs
99 Problems – Hugo (original by Jay-Z)
One – Aimee Mann (original by Harry Nillson)
Sealion Woman – Feist (original by Nina Simone)
Baby One More Time – Travis (original by Britney Spears)
Wonderwall – Ryan Adams (original by Oasis)
Sea Of Love – Cat Power (original by Phil Phillips)
The Future – Teddy Thompson (original by Leonard Cohen)
Bad Things (True Blood theme) – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (original by Jace Everett)
Black & Gold – Ellie Goulding (original by Sam Sparro)
Rolling in the Deep – John Legend (original by Adele)
Shelter – Kelly Clarkson (original by Ray LaMontagne)
Crazy – Ray LaMontagne (original by Gnarls Barkley)
Toxic – Stevie Ann (original by Britney Spears)
Jolene – The White Stripes (original by Dolly Parton)
Like I Love You – Bell X1 (original by Justin Timberlake)
King of Pain – Alanis Morissette (original by The Police)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand – Glee / Chris Colfer (original by The Beatles)
Listen to the entire playlist here!
aghh, yes Feist’s Sealion woman. Also Annie Clarks Big Black cover blows my ovaries apart every time I listen to it – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVhCo7PoVpA
anyways brb listening this this.
yessssssssss.
annie clark is the queen of amazing covers. dig a pony is heavenly.
I’m on Fire – Bat for Lashes (original by Bruce Springsteen)
Think you forgot this. Sad there just isn’t a better recording.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGZfe2xFveQ&feature=related
Urg I love Florence and the Machine.
Nope. Wonderwall will always be the best when performed by Oasis.
Also, check out Linkin Park’s cover of Rolling in the Deep – so good!
This is SO GOOD. I hadn’t heard a few of these covers before now.
yes, i specifically chose covers which aren’t totally obvious like Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” which has been already heard to death :)
the “like I love you” cover is THE BEST.
also, no tori amos? because in my book she is allowed to cover almost everything. ;)
I remember I found Alanis Morissette’s cover of King of Pain on Napster waaaay back in the day. Love the crap out of that one.
some very fine choices.
thanks jules :)
Jimi Hendrix’s version of All Along the Watchtower (originally a Bob Dylan song):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AuxJH2Mj30
That is all.
Ooh, good music gives me shivers! :]
Another better-than-the-original cover:
Give a Little Bit – The Goo Goo Dolls (original by Supertramp)
Kelly Clarkson covering Ray LaMontagne? I think I just threw up a little.
Brian Fallon’s (of Gaslight Anthem) cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “I Do Not Hook Up.” No, seriously.
My favorite cover of all time is Rufio’s version of “Like A Prayer,” because I am perpetually a 15 year-old who loves pop-punk.
I kinda really like what ‘the postal service’ did to these songs!
also the white stripes cover of ‘walking with a ghost’.
No,I want to take that back.I actually don’t like the cover nor the song.
can we talk about Jenny Owen Young’s cover of hot in herre?
i think i’m in love.
love it
I love the Lori McKenna cover of Fake Plastic Trees. As well as Cloud Control’s cover of Pursuit of Happiness and Dia Frampton’s covers so I can’t choose just one.
You Drive Me Crazy by Dolly Parton (originall by Fine Young Cannibals)
Toxic by Yael Naim
had a pleasure of hearing toxic by yael naim live. so so so good!
Did you hear her do Umbrella? Amazeballs. Saw her last wknd in LA, and it was awesome.
Bad Spelling by Denbo is My HomeGirl (original by everyone ever.)
Whatever You Like – Anya Marina (original by T.I.)
Valerie covered by Amy Winehouse.
I will never get tired of that song.
R.I.P.
yes, Amy hit it with that version.
This morning I heard a newly released track–Amy Winehouse Featuring Nas called Like Smoke. Man, I miss her.
Valerie, ohhh, that is such a good cover. Amy nailed it so well with that one….
I love her version of ’round Midnight, I know it has been done many times, but not like she sings it…
I am thoroughly enjoying all of these covers. I love an artist who can completely remake a song and make it even more awesome(or newly awesome if it sucked in its original incarnation).
Also, Alanis Morissette’s cover of “My Humps” is hilarious and amazing. If you haven’t seen that video, go watch it, now.
This playlist is immense! Kudos.
To it I think I would add:
Umbrella (Rhianna) – Tegan and Sara. Though I don’t think they’ve properly recorded it. More’s the pity.
Happiness is a Warm Gun (The Beatles) – Tori Amos
Heart it Races (Architecture in Helsinki) – Dr. Dog
Limit to Your Love (Feist) – James Blake
Crystalised (The xx) – Gorillaz
The Mercy Seat (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) – Johnny Cash. I would definitely add this. To everything. Always. It’s spectacular.
Lame or not, I also like Mandy Moore’s cover of Umbrella.
Oh oh, I should have added this too. Does a cover of Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush in the style of Kate Nash count even though it’s a parody? It’s too hilarious not to count.
That is ridiculous and ridiculously good.
HEARTBEATS by Jose Gonzalez (Originally by The Knife) love, love, LOVE the song and the cover. I’m not sure which I love more.
YES. THIS.
The Onion AV Club has been having bands come into their offices to record covers for the past year or so, and a lot of them are excellent. Here are my two favourites:
Paper Planes by The Clientele (original by M.I.A.)
http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-clientele-covers-mia,38870/
Strangers by Wye Oak (original by The Kinks)
http://www.avclub.com/articles/wye-oak-covers-the-kinks,38871/
That Paper Planes cover has made my day. Brilliant. Ta!
Brilliant article! May I add …..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwuIIsDjgZg soooooooooooo good!
I love a good cover!
When You Were Mine – Ani DiFranco
Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
Higher Ground – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Catch Me – The Bandits
All Along the Watchtower – from the Battlestar Galactica Soundtrack
Gloomy Sunday – Billie Holiday
Fast Car – Christian Kane
Too Fast for Love – The Donnas
My Generation – Green Day
She Hangs Out – The Groovie Ghoulies
The Peace – hAngry & Angry
Pepper Keibu – Morning Musume
Somebody Wants to Love You – The Mr. T Experience
Stand By Me – Pennywise
Big Yellow Taxi – Pinhead Gunpowder
Running Up That Hill – Placebo
20th Century Boy – Placebo
You Don’t Own Me – Rasputina
Shiroi Iro wa Koibito no Iro – W (Double You)
Have you ever heard Bjork’s version of Gloomy Sunday? It’s breathtaking.
Btw, Yael Naim’s cover of “Toxic” is fucking hot. Check it out. Now!
any cover by Iron and Wine. You’re welcome.
“such great heights” (originally by the postal service) sooo good.
This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMb6A_CIR5U
and This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fOQ8w_DVjw
Allison Weiss is magic
It probably won’t mean anything to anyone, but Owl Eyes’ cover of Pumped Up Kicks is the best cover this year.
I signed in just to +1 this. Also, great playlist.
I have an addiction to covers. Seriously, my friends make fun of me because I love Jenny Owen Young’s Hot in Herre so much.
also
I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You (Black Kids) – Kate Nash
It’s sung in a British accent! And has lesbian overtones! What could be better than that?
Pursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi) – Lissie
Call Your Girlfriend – Allison Weiss
Hello, these are my favorite covers ever. Thank you for posting them so I don’t have to.
I loved this article, a good cover is such an art form.
The Bird and The Bee seem to do it consistently well…
How Deep Is Your Love (The Bee Gees)
Don’t Stop The Music (Rihanna)
The louder and the bassier you can get is the best way to hear how sexy they are.
They also covered enough Hall & Oates to make an entire album, utter dedication.
andrew bird has a great cover of oh, sister by bob dylan
i’m gonna cover you all in kisses!
Everytime (Britney Spears) – Glen Hansard
I Will Survive – Cake
Boy and Bear did a good cover of Fall at your feet.
yay for this post! awesome choices. One of my favorite covers has always been Sara Quinn’s version of Dancing in the Dark
Well done, Jessica. I love Ray Lamontagne, but had never heard that cover of “Crazy.” Awesome! Here’s some more…
– Greg Laswell – Girl’s Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)
– Greg Laswell – Your Ghost (Kristin Hersh)
– Jose Gonzalez – Hand on Your Heart (Kylie Minogue)
– Ingrid Michaelson – Creep (Radiohead)
– Age of Rockets – Boats & Birds (Gregory & The Hawk)
– Andrew Belle – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Gentiles?)
– Eva Cassidy – Fields of Gold (Sting)
– The Doves – Blackbird (The Beatles)
– William Fitzsimmons – King of WIshful Thinking (Go West)
– Daughter Darling – Colorblind (Counting Crows)
– Damian Rice & Lisa Hannigan – Get The Party Started (Pink)
– Imogen Heap – Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)
– Dave Matthews Band – Long Black Veil (Lefty Frizzell)
– Glen Hansard – Everytime (Britney Spears)
– Ingrid Michaelson – Parachute (Cheryl Cole)
– John Mayer – Free Falling (Tom Petty)
To be continued…
i was really impressed with the broken west’s cover of ‘back in your head’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBp5-OLxDHI
also obviously everyone’s probably heard this by now, but still so good. john mayer’s cover of free fallin’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Ov0cDPZy8&ob=av2e
I <3 Cake's I Will Survive!
I once did a reggae version of Peter Bjorn and John's 'Young Folks'
ps. This isn't at all an attempt at shameless self promotion, it's just relevant and i think it sounds kinda cool
I don’t know if someone has posted it already, but Laura Marling & Mumford and Sons do a great cover of Jolene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz2DXUdeUhk
“Crazy in Love” has been covered by Snow Patrol and it’s AMAZING.
Also The Golden Filter’s cover of “Hardest Button to Button” by The White Stripes.
Also Antony and the Johnsons covering Beyonce ? Anyone ? :)
Ordinary World by Red is my favorite cover song ever.
Love a good covers playlist! I have a few additions:
The Real Slim Shady – Kate Miller-Heidke (Eminem)
Crazy – Katie Noonan (Gnarls Barkley)
Fields of Gold – Eva Cassidy (Sting)
Maggie’s Farm – Rage Against the Machine (Bob Dylan)
Triple J radio in Australia has a series of live covers called Like a Version – most of them are pretty awesome.
Janelle Monae does a wonderful cover of “I Want You Back”,originally by the Jackson 5, duh. And Janelle Monae is always relevant to Autostraddle’s interests.
Birdy’s cover of “Skinny Love” by Bon Iver. Listen to it now.
Girl U Want – Freelance Whales (Devo)
Darren Hayes’s version of Your Woman by White Town is HEARTBREAKING:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdEPnSM_7OY
Equally as heartbreaking is Marina and the Diamonds’ Starstrukk cover – yes, who knew that was *possible*: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nCRqL5UmN4
Damone’s acoustic cover of Iron Maiden’s “Wasted Years” is quite lovely.
I’m probably not allowed to be a Rolling Stones fan anymore for admitting this,
but I actually prefer Devo’s version of Satisfaction to the original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jadvt7CbH1o
gwars cover of the petshop boys west end girls, blows all other covers out of the water