# 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:** 14
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/261 "2013-09-15T00:05:06Z")
In the folk world, just about anything by The Imagined Village. Favourites of mine by them include: [Tam Lin,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYvgoBRbJO0) [My Son John](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMpzWrDss_s)and their take on Slade’s [Cum on Feel the Noize](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSTl52VUflY) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/262 "2013-09-15T00:10:38Z")
I also like Nouvelle Vague’s very sweet and tender take on the Smith’s [Sweet and Tender Hooligan.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvC41mszqa0) Oh, and not to mention their absolutely adorable version of the Sex Pistols’ [God Save the Queen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQs_6Gd32sk). ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/263 "2013-09-15T03:28:00Z")
Awesome thread. Kind of surprised no one has mentioned Tina Turner’s cover of Proud Mary. Both CCR’s original and her cover were big hits (It’s arguably Tina Turner’s most well known song). Rebecca Black has been working on her singing big time, as she shows in this cover of We Can’t Stop: [Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop (Rebecca Black & Jon D Acoustic Cover) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JcK5BW9Z0I) All my other nominations for covers have already been covered (no pun intended). ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/264 "2013-09-15T06:57:03Z")
_Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin_\* have recorded quite a few interesting covers, including [“It’s My Party”](http://youtu.be/a_GITrFmZB4) (look for Tom Dolby as “Johnny”) [“Siamese Cat Song”](http://youtu.be/ESXKDYPQ3FE) [“The Locomotion”](http://youtu.be/n4LYtY1kx1E) [“Busy Doing Nothing”](http://youtu.be/QYtvZ4TOjyM) [“I’m In A Different World”](http://youtu.be/0EdDp8E4zsU) (this is a [Four Tops](http://youtu.be/xMXNZgr2Nf8) cover. Here’s s/G’s [Extended version](http://youtu.be/RJes3zOc5Rc)) [“Leipzig”](http://youtu.be/xMXNZgr2Nf8) (Tom Dolby cover) - Not the Dave Stewart from [Eurythmics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurythmics) with Annie Lennox. This [Dave Stewart](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Stewart_%28keyboardist%29) was in Prog groups like Egg, Hatfield and the North, National Health and others. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/265 "2013-09-15T13:13:54Z")
> [@Sealemon88](#): > > Rebecca Black has been working on her singing big time, as she shows in this cover of We Can’t Stop: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JcK5BW9Z0I](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JcK5BW9Z0I) Well, that’s definitely an improvement. She does pretty well with the duet. Snake River Conspiracy did a pretty decent rework of The Cure’s [Love Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWBYg-ZET-o) (which has been done to death, I know, but at least this one sounds different). ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/266 "2013-09-16T15:32:31Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I only know the Gary Jules version from [this video.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Ig2JJRpdo&feature=related) Who did the original? I also came in to praise Gary Jules’ cover of _Mad World_. It was originally recorded by [Tears for Fears](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFsHSHE-iJQ). ---
**Author:** ![Noodles\_Fellicini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Noodles\_Fellicini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noodles_Fellicini)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/267 "2013-09-17T01:36:22Z")
A while back **Brickbacon** mentioned the Travis version of Ooh Baby Baby, and Marty Casey was accused of stealing it for Rock Star INXS, but up until today Marty’s version was my favorite cover of all time [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z1SM0kdLoFE/hqdefault.jpg "Marty Casey, (Hit Me) Baby One More Time") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1SM0kdLoFE) but now my favorite is the Boy and Bear cover of Crowded House’s Fall at Your Feet mentioned by **Strangebird**. I love this thread and hope it lives on. ---
**Author:** ![Flying\_Ghoti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Flying\_Ghoti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Ghoti)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/268 "2013-09-17T14:43:11Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > 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. In the same vein, I love this version of “Hey Ya” by the Blanks: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K0EAc3abq8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K0EAc3abq8) ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/269 "2013-09-18T08:00:30Z")
Bananarama’s cover of Venus was very successful and still get’s airplay today. It’s rather different from the original. And of course Elvis’ cover of Hound Dog. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/270 "2013-09-18T14:48:17Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > No one has contributed [Jeff Buckley’s version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4)of [_Hallelujah_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJTiXoMCppw)? This is what I was going to say. The song is almost a cliche now, but Buckley turned a, well, “hallelujah” type song to one of pain and loss. Same song, but richer and much more nuanced. Kind of like what Johnny Cash did with “Hurt.” ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/271 "2013-09-20T12:02:04Z")
tl;Dr Rod Stewart’s Downtown Train, Tom Waits Guns N’ Roses’ Sympathy for the Devil, The Rolling Stones ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/272 "2013-09-21T00:15:52Z")
R.P. Greaves’ pop classic [Take a Letter Maria](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Y0x1jLkLg) was covered by Seattle’s Go Like Hell, but I can’t find a video on YouTube. Wonder if there were copyright issues? They used to have a video of it up. 4 Non-Blondes’ [What’s Going On](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NXnxTNIWkc) was covered by [DJ Miko](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wByIyzuw1Ao). Very different. ---
**Author:** ![tsar4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71c47a/32.png) [@tsar4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsar4)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/273 "2013-09-21T01:17:52Z")
Santana’s cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Black Magic Woman” ---
**Author:** ![alphamatix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@alphamatix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphamatix)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/274 "2013-09-21T01:51:50Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I think I heard the same thing happened with Joe Cocker, The Beatles, and “With A Little Help From My Friends”. > [@Marley23](#): > > That did happen with Something. Yes, it was Something. But it’s a little more complicated. George Harrison gave it to Cocker and Cocker recorded it before The Beatles did. But the release of The Beatles’ Abbey Road beat Cocker’s album by a few months. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/275 "2013-09-23T14:37:58Z")
The Fireballs did a very good hard rock version of Tom Paxton’s folk song “Bottle of Wine.” Paxton loved it, but remarked “If I tried to sing it like that, my thought would jump out.” ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/276 "2015-03-09T21:37:22Z")
This is one of my favorite threads, I hope we can get it going again. Wake Me Up by Avicii Wake Me Up performed on violins, by Taylor Davis [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/n5ST9_FB220/maxresdefault.jpg "Wake Me Up (Avicii & Aloe Blacc) - Taylor Davis (Violin & Electric Violin Cover)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5ST9_FB220) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/277 "2015-03-09T21:47:45Z")
Who’s done a good cover of a song by the Zombies? ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/278 "2015-03-09T21:50:32Z")
Carlos Santana, “She’s not There”, which could fit the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/279 "2015-03-10T02:10:16Z")
I’m not sure that Loreena McKinnett can be said to be COVERING the Mummer’s Dance, but [her interpretation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTpvA-pUG0) is so perfectly on the money in every respect that it’s difficult to think of another version that might top it. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927/280 "2015-03-10T02:44:36Z")
> [@Rain\_Soaked](#): > > Eric Clapton’s [Layla](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WUdlaLWSVM) covered later by [Eric Clapton](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_jpWumPnxc). As a variation of this, Joni Mitchell’s later re-interpretation of “Both Sides Now.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-radically-and-successfully-re-interpreted-the-work/565927.md?page=15)