Diamond Dogs was recorded in January 1974, and was inspired by Orwell’s 1984. (The album has the songs “1984” and “Big Brother” on side 2.) Dhalgren was published in January 1975.
People seemed to be mixed on this one, but I’ve always liked Chris Cornell doing Billie Jean (sorry, can’t link at work).
Another group to check out is Marc Collins and Nouvelle Vague for great versions of 80’s songs, like Killing Moon, Guns Of Brixton, Bela Lugosi, and Teenage Kicks. Some work better than others.
Also Goldfinger doing 99 Red Balloons is pretty cool, and Tanghetto’s Blue Monday is worth checking out.
Points to make before I make a potentially controversial and possibly flameworthy assertion.
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I love covers. I love tracking covers back to the original and then putting all versions in chronological order in the same playlist. I really enjoy listening to how artists reinterpret other artists’ work. I will acknowledge that some covers suck. In general, however, I love a good cover.
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On another computer, I have quite a collection (with most of the music mentioned here included, assuming I like the song) of cover tunes and have been known to make genre-specific or decade-specific playlists of just cover songs. (Or songs with animals in the band names. I like theme playlists.) Point being, I’m all about my collection of cover tunes.
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Here it goes. :: puts on fire-retardant suit ::
I really, really, really loved The Flaming Lips’ version of Dark Side of the Moon. Yes, the entire album. Especially with Peaches and Henry Rollins on it. They reinterpreted a fine classic (which I still love and which still stands as a masterpiece on its own) and made it their own and made me love a piece of music all over again, for completely different reasons. This, IMO, is exactly what the OP is looking for: a radical, yet successful reinterpretation of a musical work.
There. I said it.
:: D & R ::
Bruce Springsteen turned his rock song Born In The USA into a haunting ballad.
I really like Trent, but theres an Emo quality about him that has always struck me as insincere. Given the length of his life and all that I know about him, yes, I think its fair to say Cash has seen a lot more pain than Reznor.
I love that song and had no idea it was a cover.
I’ll see your one acapella Lady Gaga song, and raise you a Lady Gaga medley.
That was a surprise in the middle of THE highest-energy concert I’ve ever been to (well, except for a young Springsteen back in the 70s, but not even Bruce had the audience forming a conga line…)
But the fun thing about this was the way the lights went down, came back up, and all the girls had blonde wigs and big shades. The Ga-Ga Medley wasn’t listed, and even their friends didn’t know they were doing it. Fun.
Thought: Almost every acapella song is a reversioned cover, just because they HAVE to arrange it quite differently for No Instruments.
Take Me to the River - Al Green’s Soul Classic
Take Me to the River - Talking Heads’ New Wave Classic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_me_to_the_river
Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd #1 on the Soul Charts in 1966
Knock on Wood - Amii Stewart #1 on the Billboard Charts in 1979
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knock_on_Wood_(song)
And the Queen of Re-interpretation: Linda Ronstadt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Ronstadt_discography#Singles
I’m quite a fan of cover songs. Three I particularly enjoy that haven’t been mentioned are Cake’s cover of War Pigs, Marilyn Manson’s cover of Tainted Love, and Bigod 20’s cover of Like a Prayer. I’ll also add to the love of Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt, which I actually prefer to the original.
It’s pretty much all references to Michael Jackson videos, and other aspects of his life. The leaning thing, the sidewalk lighting up, blowing the windows out on the car, the monkey, and the guy at the end with Liz Taylor tatooed on his back. It all has to do with Michael
Does Madonna’s “Ray of Light” count? Best thing she’s ever done. It is a to say the least radical reinterpretation of Curtiss Maldoon’s "Sepheryn"from 1971.
The Beatles recorded the slow tempo Revolution 1 for the White Album, then the hard rock version for the B-side of Hey Jude.
Nope. Pat Boone is the King of White Bread.
I can’t believe I forgot this one:
Rush’s 1982 original version of Subdivisions.
Jacob Moon’s 2008 one-man solo cover version.
He’s using looping techniques to perform everything you hear, by himself, live. He also got to perform this for Rush themselves at Rush’s induction into the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. They were suitably impressed.
Oh yes, and this 11-year-old Japanese girl performing YYZ on an organ (look at her feet go on the pedals).
She also does Kansas’ Carry On Wayward Son.
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
I see Alien Ant Farm’s cover of Smooth Criminal has already been mentioned, so…
Enjoy the Silence
I like this classical take on Lady Gaga’s “Telephone.”
Ah ha! It wasn’t that I wasn’t hip, it was that I was dumb.
I was looking at my CD collection and remembered one cover that I used to like (still do) – Tin Machine - Working Class Hero (live)
I`m sure Mr. Lennon would approve of Mr. Bowie’s version.