# Covers of songs that elevate the original by changing tempo, genre, time signature, etc **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 30, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349 "2025-03-30T17:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/161 "2025-06-13T09:14:57Z")
Art collective Laibach covered all of the Beatles’ _Let it Be_ with the exception of the title track. “Elevate” is a judgement call, but none of their covers are scared of transforming the original. It’s very, very far from a tribute band. My Favorite is probably their cover of “One After 909”. They generally preserved the structure of the original as far as verse/chorus/solo structure goes, but that’s about it. They even sneak in a little of “Smoke on the Water” in one of the solos. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8FBRDoXQ3jE/maxresdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCIAKENAF8quKqQMa8AEB-AHQBYAC0AWKAgwIABABGGUgWyhNMA8=&rs=AOn4CLD1iUNufukCmGThGiX_Okx8z1ycsg "Laibach - One After 909") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FBRDoXQ3jE) Their cover of “Get Back” is further off the rails. If nothing else,I love it just because it has a choir echo “ANOTHER MAN!”. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D9w6SEtkeug/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gPyguMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDLGjYlRrnwe_C1NwAVPRI5tPtpEg "Laibach - Get Back") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9w6SEtkeug) The one they altered the least is “Across the Universe”, but it’s pretty great, and totally creepy in that Laibach way. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OTQcJx7xqAc/maxresdefault.jpg "Laibach - Across the Universe (Official video), 1989") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTQcJx7xqAc) They also did a whole album of covers of “Sympathy for the Devil.” They’re all strange as hell, and they’re still kind of a staple of your better Halloween rock radio shows. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/162 "2025-06-13T10:42:25Z")
I’d nominate _Superstar_, originally by Delaney and Bonnie, which was a far more up-tempo song than the sublime Carpenters version. The Carpenters song does justice to the lyrics and brings the poignancy to the fore. Plus its Karen Carpenter singing, so its beyond good. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/163 "2025-06-13T12:20:51Z")
Granted, it’s excessive to the max, but ELO’s version of Chuck Berry’s _Roll Over Beethoven_ is just happening, man. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/164 "2025-06-13T12:31:30Z")
For some reason, I thought that Richard Thompson’s cover of “Oops! I Did It Again” had already been mentioned. The genre-switch break is especially good. In fact, I prefer his cover a great deal over Britney’s version. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2025, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/165 "2025-06-13T14:29:30Z")
Has Big Daddy been mentioned in this thread yet? They covered the entire _Sgt. Pepper_ album in the styles of various 1950s performers and genres. The highlight is “A Day in the Life” _à la_ Buddy Holly. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RJvPGXDjd5s/maxresdefault.jpg "A Day in the Life") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJvPGXDjd5s) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/166 "2025-06-18T04:10:02Z")
I liked Joe Cocker’s cover of “With A Little Help From My Friends”. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/167 "2025-06-26T05:23:46Z")
> **[The Gourds - Gin and Juice - YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=H4hGSR5njZE&si=tnBSg5gj0e8Gl2aL)** > > Snoop's Gin and Juice covered by The Gourds ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/168 "2025-06-26T09:27:17Z")
If you’re a Black Sabbath fan, you gotta hear [The Cardigans’ cover of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAOlvbKmU4A). I love it. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/169 "2025-06-26T10:59:32Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Not for nothing, but I’m struggling to figure out how you would change the time signature of a song and still call it the same song. You’d be cutting out notes or adding some in; the lyrics wouldn’t fit the meter anymore. It would be like re-creating a Model-T by only giving it two wheels. Has this been answered yet (other than by enjoying many examples in this thread)? I see your point, but (for example) converting a song from 4/4 to 6/8 isn’t so hard. It changes the feel a lot, but it’s still recognizably the same song. For many, the iconic example of this is of course Joe Cocker’s cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help from Me (sic) Friends.” He basically does it by lengthening the first note (sung syllable) of each phrase (in both verses and refrains), thus “What (pause) would you do (pause) if I” uses up 6 beats rather than 4. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/170 "2025-06-26T13:55:10Z")
Sergio Mendes and Brasil ‘66 took _Fool on the Hill_ and put the verses in 6/8 while keeping the chorus in 4/4. Very different “feel” all around (of course). [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qFe0sc8XW94/hqdefault.jpg "Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 - The Fool On The Hill (1968)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFe0sc8XW94) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/171 "2025-06-26T16:14:13Z")
Love that version of the song. They also do Iron Man. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u9t_kl8FAvo/hqdefault.jpg "The Cardigans - Iron Man // Lyrics") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9t_kl8FAvo) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/172 "2025-06-26T16:20:24Z")
Nouvelle Vague proves almost everything sounds better as a samba. Here’s their version of A Forest. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tgvMPmkNPB4/maxresdefault.jpg "Nouvelle Vague - A Forest (Full Track)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgvMPmkNPB4) ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/173 "2025-06-26T19:10:33Z")
Agreed. The Shirrelles really nailed it. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2025, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/174 "2025-06-26T19:38:56Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Sergio Mendes and Brasil ‘66 took _Fool on the Hill_ and put the verses in 6/8 while keeping the chorus in 4/4. Very different “feel” all around (of course). Man, I really like that. I think I could make an argument for 3/4 versus 6/8, but it’s pretty close.. either way, I love how they blend it all together so well. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/175 "2025-06-26T23:05:46Z")
Actually, I think you’re right about it being 3/4; same tempo as the choruses, just missing a beat. Really evocative vocals. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/176 "2025-06-26T23:24:04Z")
There are many Herb Alpert and the TJB songs I prefer over the other versions. Example: “A Taste of Honey.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NC38-qqiVgg/hqdefault.jpg "Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass A Taste of Honey") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC38-qqiVgg) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MkQ1eOcl5ug/maxresdefault.jpg "A Taste Of Honey (Remastered 2009)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkQ1eOcl5ug) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/177 "2025-06-27T22:24:50Z")
I’m not a George Michael fan, so this was a no-brainer: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/a3Hrn2_LxDs/maxresdefault.jpg "Last Christmas - Vintage Andrews Sisters - Style Wham! Cover - Postmodern Jukebox") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Hrn2_LxDs) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2025, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/178 "2025-06-27T23:39:28Z")
Alison Krauss’s version of “Now That I’ve Found You” was played over the end credits of the Bridget Fonda movie _ **Delivering Milo** _. Until I stumbled onto The Foundations’ recording one day on You Tube, I didn’t realize they the same song. As much as I appreciate the '60s sound, I must say I prefer the softer version, which got me all teared up. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NuHhLiRkxNM/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCLC1NTBSSMQUf42cATWS_rWewyQQ "The Foundations - Baby, Now That I've Found You") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuHhLiRkxNM) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/l5QLod7F0Yk/maxresdefault.jpg "Baby, Now That I've Found You") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5QLod7F0Yk) ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2025, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/179 "2025-06-30T06:57:42Z")
I found Santana’s cover of Europa to take it up a notch ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2025, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/180 "2025-06-30T08:30:58Z")
I quite like this take on Neal Hefti’s _ **Batman** _ theme. (Which is, BTW, one of the best TV themes ever!) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ztXy0oUp4hs/maxresdefault.jpg "Neal Hefti - Batman Theme | WDR BIG BAND") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztXy0oUp4hs) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349.md?page=10)