# Covers of Songs That Radically -- And Successfully -- Re-interpreted the Work **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2010, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927 "2010-12-31T08:05:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/181 "2011-03-19T00:53:14Z")
[Al Green took How Do You Mend A Broken Heart to church](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sr-3VwUWS0) and improved it a million-fold. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/182 "2011-03-19T03:25:30Z")
As much as I hate to admit it, I love Garth Brooks’ cover of “Hard Luck Woman,” originally by KISS. And I love the Richard Cheese, swing versions of other artists’ songs. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/183 "2011-03-19T03:35:24Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > **Hayseed Dixie** ’s whole career is based on re-interpreting AC/DC songs in hillbilly style, which they do amazingly well. Example: > [You Shook Me All Night Long](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1LWOuFhal0) On a similar note, the Wurzels - a band from Somerset, England, who are probably most famous for Combine Harvester (a parody of Brand New Key), did 2 albums of covers of popular songs (2001’s Never Mind the Bullocks, 'Ere’s the Wurzels - which sadly, did not include any Sex Pistols songs - and 2011’s Loads More Bullocks). For the most part, they’re pretty successful. In one case - [their cover of Oasis’s Don’t Look Back in Anger](http://youtu.be/TWXIs2ylLq8) - they actually improved the damn song. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/184 "2011-03-19T03:56:27Z")
Oh wait-- I just Ctl-F this thread and didn’t find Pomplamoose? They’ve got a whole mp3 album of covers but in my estimation, the biggest improvement from the original is [their cover of Lady Gaga’s Telephone.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vEStDd6HVY) Their cover of [Single Ladies](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIr8-f2OWhs) is also better than the original. Especially the “don’t make me sing this part of the song” lyric improvement. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/185 "2011-03-19T04:14:54Z")
I like Pomplamoose quite a bit, but cannot imagine an artist with less on-screen charisma than the woman. She’s kind of pretty (despite looking vaguely like Michael Cera), but good LORD, every shot of her has that wide-eyed ‘where the hell am I?’ look, unless she’s got her head down while playing. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/186 "2011-03-19T04:19:21Z")
I think she’s kinda cute. In an interview the guy (he is her boyfriend) said that when he first talked about making music together, she didn’t seem very excited about it, then he said, “I found out Nataly doesn’t get very excited about anything.” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/187 "2011-03-19T06:02:36Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > I like Pomplamoose quite a bit, but cannot imagine an artist with less on-screen charisma than the woman. She’s kind of pretty (despite looking vaguely like Michael Cera), but good LORD, every shot of her has that wide-eyed ‘where the hell am I?’ look, unless she’s got her head down while playing. That look (like every other attibute of Ms. Natalie Knutsen) is incredibly attractive. Rawr. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/188 "2011-03-19T17:46:53Z")
I didn’t even realize J Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers - Last Kiss was about a fatal car crash until I heard [Pearl Jam](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0B-hJ_gotc) cover it. It’s just so cheery in the original if you’re not paying attention to the lyrics. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/189 "2011-03-19T18:32:43Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I think she’s kinda cute. Sure, she’s cute…just…not much else that comes through in the videos (aside from being a very good musician). > [@](#): > > In an interview the guy ( **he is her boyfriend** ) said that when he first talked about making music together, she didn’t seem very excited about it, then he said, “ **I found out Nataly doesn’t get very excited about anything.** ” … Poor fellow. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/190 "2011-04-10T19:21:57Z")
I’m not a huge Outkast fan, but I came across this acoustic cover of [Hey Ya](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-8nkkOA_AM) by Obadiah Parker that I think is just terrific. It really opens up a side of the song I’d never noticed before. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/191 "2011-04-10T20:36:26Z")
Jeff Beck and Grateful Dead early on did Morning Dew. it became one of the Dead’s best known tunes. these might be referred to as adaptations Jeff Beck and SRC did Bolero SRC did In the Hall of the King the Grateful Dead adapted and covered much rock, folk, ballads and blues. dozens of numbers done in their style. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/192 "2011-04-10T20:46:23Z")
Thea Gilmore’s version of “Ever Fallen in Love” by the Buzzcocks turns an uptempo power pop dance tune into the kind of sad, slow, introspective song you could imagine someone who’s fallen for the wrong person might sing. Also, “White Room” by Joel Grey (originally by Cream) (yes, from the first Golden Throats compilation) turns the song into a very strange lounge piece, vaguely reminiscent of something you might find in a David Lynch movie. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s good in a completely different way from, say, the William Shatner rendition of “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” or the William Shatner rendition of “Mr. Tambourine Man”, both of which are also on the album. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/193 "2011-04-10T21:17:24Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > In one case - [their cover of Oasis’s Don’t Look Back in Anger](http://youtu.be/TWXIs2ylLq8) - they actually improved the damn song. No. ---
**Author:** ![Dman222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@Dman222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dman222)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/194 "2011-04-10T21:19:08Z")
The Sundays singing “Wild Horses”. Hauntingly beautiful. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT69sPIGCaI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT69sPIGCaI) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/195 "2011-04-10T21:22:28Z")
May as well add video links: [The Buzzcocks - “Ever Fallen in Love”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bif2q_Zo3-4&feature=related) [Thea Gilmore - “Ever Fallen in Love”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHD1ZVr_7oo) [Cream - “White Room”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vylPdd3mT0k&feature=related) [Joel “The Creepy Emcee from _Cabaret_” Grey - “White Room”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE91rEmsTeU) ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/196 "2011-04-10T21:57:29Z")
[Beseech - Gimme Gimme Gimme](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn93UwAYpow) (Abba Cover) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/197 "2011-04-10T22:25:01Z")
> [@Dman222](#): > > The Sundays singing “Wild Horses”. Hauntingly beautiful. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT69sPIGCaI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT69sPIGCaI) I thought this was the original. Who are they covering? ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/198 "2011-04-10T22:31:13Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > I thought this was the original. Who are they covering? Rolling Stones ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/199 "2011-04-11T01:41:00Z")
Black metal version of R.E.M.'s “Losing My Religion” by [Graveworm](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lCskweXHSg) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/200 "2011-04-11T02:13:10Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Rolling Stones Ah, that’s why I didn’t recognize it. Not really a Stones fan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927.md?page=11)