# Best Cover of "Royals" on YouTube IMO **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002 "2013-11-03T19:19:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/1 "2013-11-03T19:19:18Z")
If you haven’t seen [this cover of Royals,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmCJEehYtU) sung by Puddles the Sad Clown, don’t waste another second. In my opinion, and that of others, this rendition rivals the original by Lorde. A few seconds into the song, I admit I was laughing. I mean, come on, a sad clown singing about accepting a less than stellar lot in life? What’s not funny about that? 🙂 But then I began really listening to his voice and the arrangement, and thought ‘wow, this is really good!’ It’s approaching 2 million views after just 3 days. I watched it twice more myself. Puddles’ expressions are priceless! Don’t miss the surprising bit and the bass player’s face at the end who was like “What the heck?” Hilarious! Yes, yes, I know it was a put-on. What cool YouTube videos are you watching? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/2 "2013-11-04T00:06:37Z")
I must admit, that is a pretty damned good cover of the song. And I’m not even talking the sad clown singing it angle–it’s really well done as a piece of music on its own merits, although the visuals do aid. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/3 "2013-11-04T02:42:53Z")
I really dislike the Lorde version, but this is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Evil\_Prince\_Zorte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@The\_Evil\_Prince\_Zorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Evil_Prince_Zorte)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/4 "2013-11-04T05:33:44Z")
It’s kind of weird, and kind of awesome. He also does a cover of “My Heart Will Go On” in the style of Metallica while a guy wearing a monkey mask and a dress blows up an inflatable banana. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/5 "2013-11-04T05:47:38Z")
I haven’t gone looking for covers of it yet, but just assuming Walk Off The Earth has done it I checked that one out. I’m sure it won’t be my favorite, but like all their videos it’s pretty entertaining. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QgD5p1XiVT0/maxresdefault.jpg "Royals - Walk off the Earth") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgD5p1XiVT0) ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/6 "2013-11-04T06:11:32Z")
Anybody else have to sing the last line out loud instead of leaving it unresolved? haha… ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_Horse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Bad\_Horse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_Horse)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/7 "2013-11-04T15:23:40Z")
This bluegrass cover by a band called Beef Seeds is pretty good too: [Royals - Beef Seeds](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7gUfyhBYoI) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/8 "2013-11-04T15:32:49Z")
> [@Bad\_Horse](#): > > This bluegrass cover by a band called Beef Seeds is pretty good too: > > [Royals - Beef Seeds](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7gUfyhBYoI) That is a cool cover, too. I was a little :dubious: until it really kicked in. What a perfect pop song “Royals” is. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/9 "2013-11-04T15:52:36Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I haven’t gone looking for covers of it yet, but just assuming Walk Off The Earth has done it I checked that one out. I’m sure it won’t be my favorite, but like all their videos it’s pretty entertaining. > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgD5p1XiVT0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgD5p1XiVT0) I was about to post that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/10 "2013-11-04T15:57:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That is a cool cover, too. I was a little :dubious: until it really kicked in. > > What a perfect pop song “Royals” is. Agreed. The clown cover is great - he has a wonderful voice. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/11 "2013-11-04T18:30:11Z")
…one of the things they do at the NZ Music Awards (the Silver Scrolls) is to do re-interpret the nominated songs: here is Bella Kalolo covering Royals (Lorde is in the audience.) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-gGFDArVgrY/maxresdefault.jpg "Silver Scrolls tribute to Lorde's "Royals"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gGFDArVgrY) And here is Lordes win: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0CWfZDfAmVY/maxresdefault.jpg "2013 Silver Scrolls: Lorde wins for 'Royals'") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CWfZDfAmVY) ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/12 "2013-11-04T21:31:24Z")
[quote=“Banquet\_Bear, post:11, topic:673002”] …one of the things they do at the NZ Music Awards (the Silver Scrolls) is to do re-interpret the nominated songs: here is Bella Kalolo covering Royals (Lorde is in the audience.) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-gGFDArVgrY/maxresdefault.jpg "Silver Scrolls tribute to Lorde's "Royals"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gGFDArVgrY) Jeez, Dai Henwood (the presenter at the end) is looking middle aged. And given I knew him growing up, that must mean…:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/13 "2013-11-04T22:48:12Z")
It was ok but it sounds like a lounge singer. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/14 "2013-11-05T00:35:25Z")
Cool cover. I guess I am out of it, but this is the first I heard of “Royals” or **Lorde**. She sounds like a more talented (or at least better produced) **Lana Del Ray**. Is she big or trendy in current pop music? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/15 "2013-11-05T00:41:59Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > Cool cover. I guess I am out of it, but this is the first I heard of “Royals” or **Lorde**. She sounds like a more talented (or at least better produced) **Lana Del Ray**. Is she big or trendy in current pop music? Yeah - the song went to #1, for what that’s worth these days. More importantly, she’s 16 and seems to have a knack for writing great pop songs. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/16 "2013-11-05T01:43:52Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > Cool cover. I guess I am out of it, but this is the first I heard of “Royals” or **Lorde**. She sounds like a more talented (or at least better produced) **Lana Del Ray**. Is she big or trendy in current pop music? Yeah, she’s being compared to Lana Del Ray a lot, sometimes positively, sometimes not. The song’s been #1 on Billboard for 5 or 6 weeks now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean as much as it used to given how fragmented the charts are now. That said, she does get play across Top 40 and “alternative” (or whatever they call it these days) radio stations, so her work fits into more radio station formats than something like Katie Perry or Miley Cyrus. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-cover-of-royals-on-youtube-imo/673002/17 "2013-11-05T13:34:18Z")
I was going to mention Walk off the Earth’s version, but Joey P beat me to it. That’s my favorite, though the sad clown was nice. But the same band (sans clown) doing Thrift Shop as a vintage doo-wop song was (fucking) awesome: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4Cnm0tdkJEU/maxresdefault.jpg "Thrift Shop (Vintage "Grandpa Style" Macklemore Cover) feat. Robyn Adele Anderson") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cnm0tdkJEU)