# Favorite Cover Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214 "2018-02-05T14:12:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/121 "2018-02-16T03:59:34Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > But Wait! There’s More! > > Nouvelle Vague [I Just Can’t Get Enough](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcljHWUqLVA) (mmm, vibro-slap) - Turns out I like Depeche Mode songs, just not Depeche Mode doing them. If you like covers, check out Nouvelle Vague. They do only covers, and some of the best,with the singers not having heard the originals. Here’s them doing [A Forest](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgvMPmkNPB4). I love Nouvelle Vague; they also do a terrific [Bella Lugosi’s Dead](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS_h4iqhYtM), which ought not to work but succeeds beautifully. And their cover of [Fade To Grey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bweLAbtGo-g) is much better than the original by Visage. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/122 "2018-02-16T04:12:14Z")
:smack: Gotta get my threads right.😛 Two posts above should be in the song-meld thread. ELP pull off a longish cover [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTU1eYjxNSg) ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/123 "2018-02-16T04:14:01Z")
The Bird and the Bee cover the Bee Gees: [How Deep Is Your Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LBAgillT3Y) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/124 "2018-02-16T05:08:31Z")
Here’s an fun cover of The Miracles’ [I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying](https://youtu.be/NBendsEKJCY) by The High Numbers. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/125 "2018-02-16T17:54:40Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Just now diggin some Holst’s “Planets”, and all of a sudden I’m like - WHOA! Hold the phone! > In the Jupiter bit - [this](https://youtu.be/Isic2Z2e2xs?t=1461) and [this](https://youtu.be/Isic2Z2e2xs?t=1474) melodically melds not too badly with [this](https://youtu.be/RGQxI0G6mKk?t=21) from Frank Zappa’s “Peaches En Regalia”. > And makes sense, considering FZ was into all that stuff, especially Edgar Varese. Look further back in his catalogue. He quotes “Jupiter” note for note on his “Absolutely Free” album. (Track: “Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin.”) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/126 "2018-02-16T22:15:10Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Look further back in his catalogue. He quotes “Jupiter” note for note on his “Absolutely Free” album. (Track: “Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin.”) Huh, indeed! (never had that Zappa disc) thanks! One of my alltime faves - the Del Rubio Triplets - _improve on_ [Hey Jude.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqObhgzGtKE) ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/127 "2018-02-16T22:57:19Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > I did not know “Go Now” was a cover. But it looks like it was sung by [Bessie Banks](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=prlWGe2EHro), one-time wife of the composer, Larry Banks. That was great. Gotta love 1963. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/128 "2018-02-16T23:05:06Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Here’s an fun cover of The Miracles’ [I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying](https://youtu.be/NBendsEKJCY) by The High Numbers. Well, that was better than “Tommy,” anyway… ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/129 "2018-02-17T03:26:03Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Turns out I like Depeche Mode songs, just not Depeche Mode doing them. Same with me and the Dead! Didn’t realize it until I picked up a little disk called “[Deadicated](https://www.amazon.com/Deadicated-Various-Artists/dp/B000002VHS)”. From Los Lobos doing _Bertha_, and Bruce Hornsby’s _Jack Straw,_ to THE best version of _Friend Of The Devil_ (Lyle Lovett’s). They even include covers of Bob Weir’s solo work _(Cassidy_ by Suzanne Vega). But the real treat is a so-reggae-it’s-unrecognizable _Estimated Prophet_ by Burning Spear. I didn’t even mention Elvis Costello, Dwight Yoakam, Warren Zevon, David Lindley, Dr. John or the Indigo Girls… ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/130 "2018-02-17T06:41:39Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > But Wait! There’s More! > > Nouvelle Vague [I Just Can’t Get Enough](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcljHWUqLVA) (mmm, vibro-slap) - Turns out I like Depeche Mode songs, just not Depeche Mode doing them. If you like covers, check out Nouvelle Vague. They do only covers, and some of the best,with the singers not having heard the originals. Here’s them doing [A Forest](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgvMPmkNPB4). > > The Geraldine Fibber’s cover of Can’s [You Doo Right](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_DgjcUtVuo) does the original justice in a mere 5 minutes, 20 seconds. Mmmmm Nels Cline. mmmmmm, Carla Bozulich. Both just cutting loose. Gorgeous. [Royksopp doing Ice Machine.](https://youtu.be/PSnMQQa3Rpo) Doesn’t get any better than this. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/131 "2018-02-17T18:43:25Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Huh, indeed! (never had that Zappa disc) > > thanks! Loads of classical quotes in Zappa’s music, sometimes very cleverly embedded. One of my favorites is during the fadeout ending of _Fountain Of Love_ (album: **Cruising with Ruben and the Jets** ) – while the lead vocal sings “fountain of love”, the backing vocals “respond” with a wordless melodic phrase which is in fact the opening of Stravinsky’s _Rite Of Spring_. (Frank himself confirmed this in an interview back in the late 60’s.) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/132 "2018-02-17T19:41:18Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Just now diggin some Holst’s “Planets”, and all of a sudden I’m like - WHOA! Hold the phone! > In the Jupiter bit - [this](https://youtu.be/Isic2Z2e2xs?t=1461) and [this](https://youtu.be/Isic2Z2e2xs?t=1474) melodically melds not too badly with [this](https://youtu.be/RGQxI0G6mKk?t=21) from Frank Zappa’s “Peaches En Regalia”. Came back to add: I’ve listened to _Peaches En Regalia_ at least a million and six times, _The Planets_ not quite so many times, and never noticed this before. I salute you. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/133 "2018-02-17T20:43:48Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Came back to add: I’ve listened to _Peaches En Regalia_ at least a million and six times, _The Planets_ not quite so many times, and never noticed this before. I salute you. Thanks, I wasn’t sure if I was stretching it a little, but yeah there’s a couple similar notes in there that can be teased out. Pretty sure I posted this in another thread last year - Doggy Style does [Soul Man.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KipClS1Ik-4) ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/134 "2018-02-18T14:24:14Z")
Simon and Garfunkel’s “America” by YES [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W-062j9dafg/hqdefault.jpg "Yes - America (Simon & Garfunkel)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-062j9dafg) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/135 "2018-02-18T18:35:49Z")
The Band (post-Robbie Robertson covered Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” with Levon Helm on vocals. I like the original, but I love the cover. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/136 "2018-02-19T21:04:38Z")
This is how Jim “Wet Behind The Ears” Branson got his start: The Flying Lizards show the Beatles [how it’s done.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-P2qL3qkzk) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/137 "2018-05-25T00:52:50Z")
Just stumbled on The Dollyrots cover of [Brand New Key](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbQ43sFDQTM) – Originally by Melanie. Melanie was also pretty funky as hippies go. I liked this cover in particular because it is very respectful of the original (not always a guarantee when punks are involved) but also very true to the band’s sound. Dollyrots do a lot of covers, and have some pretty awesome Christmas tunes. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/139 "2018-05-25T10:05:23Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I liked this cover in particular because it is very respectful of the original (not always a guarantee when punks are involved) Possibly my favourite cover by a non-Siouxsie-based punk band (although whether they were still punk at that point is debatable) is by The Damned - Love’s [Alone Again Or](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYVDN27CrOo). ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2018, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/140 "2018-05-25T13:13:22Z")
Faith no more’s cover of War Pigs is the best version. Too drunk to link it right now. Also, check out metalachi for mariachi versions of your favorite metals songs. They rock! ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2018, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214/141 "2018-08-28T11:34:15Z")
“Smooth Criminal” by Alien Ant Farm (cover of Michael Jackson) “Higher Ground” by Red Hot Chili Peppers (cover of Stevie Wonder) In both cases, heavier rock instrumentation is incorporated in creative ways. Can’t say I like the covers better or worse than the originals, they’re just different in cool ways. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-cover-songs/808214.md?page=6)