# Most Useless Cover Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 27, 2023, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174 "2023-08-27T11:03:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/41 "2023-08-29T04:45:32Z")
I’d say that Madonna’s remake of “American Pie” was the most useless remake ever. Radio stations were bombarded with requests to NOT play that song. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/42 "2023-08-29T15:08:15Z")
I think Donna Summer discofying MacArthur Park is just about as bad, (CHINESE checkers?! Was that even necessary?) but since my wife likes it, it’s by definition not as bad as Madona’s. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/43 "2023-08-29T18:54:58Z")
About 4 years ago, 5 Seconds of Summer did a cover of Queen’s “Killer Queen” that somehow got airplay on adult contemporary stations. The song deviated very little from the original, with the obvious exception that the vocalists’ talent level was far inferior to Freddy Mercury’s. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/44 "2023-08-29T19:09:41Z")
Here’s one that fits the OP TO A T: Let’s go to the way-back machine about 40 years. David Lee Roth thought he could do better than Van Halen, so he went solo. His version of California Girls sounds exactly like The Beach Boys (down to using many of the same musicians), except he added in a few yells every so often. Absolutely f-ing useless. I don’t mind covers in general. I don’t know if Joe Cocker ever wrote anything, and Linda Ronstadt’s most famous numbers were covers. The more I compare Carlos Santana’s versions to the originals, the more I hear the original with improved guitar work. I’ve lost some respect for him. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/45 "2023-08-29T19:12:59Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > About 4 years ago, 5 Seconds of Summer did a cover of Queen’s “Killer Queen” that somehow got airplay on adult contemporary stations. The song deviated very little from the original, with the obvious exception that the vocalists’ talent level was far inferior to Freddy Mercury’s. I’ve heard that one a couple of times and I completely agree with you. Why would stations even play it? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/46 "2023-08-29T19:13:06Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I think Donna Summer discofying MacArthur Park is just about as bad, (CHINESE checkers?! Was that even necessary?) but since my wife likes it, it’s by definition not as bad as Madona’s. 🙂 McArthur Park is, perhaps, one of the worst songs ever written; certainly has some of the stupidest lyrics ever written. To take that piece of drivel and modify the instrumentation to one of the most derogated musical genres is kinda metta - maybe Donna Summers was making a statement of “These people are so stupid, they’ll dance to anything with a beat!” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/47 "2023-08-29T19:42:22Z")
OTOH while I don’t especially _like_ Waylon Jenning’s cover of [MacArthur Park](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6WVoEWqTKw), it’s definitely a different take on a well-known song and deserves to be loved or hated on its own merits. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/48 "2023-08-29T19:52:54Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > McArthur Park is, perhaps, one of the worst songs ever written Yes, but without it we wouldn’t have [this masterpiece](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh4zvQfDhi0). ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/49 "2023-08-29T20:03:31Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > …Wow, reading that list brings back memories. I listened to the King’s Road version of Crocodile Rock so many times! It was years before I heard Sir Elton sing it. Not sure if you’re aware of the irony here. We had those knock-off compilations of near exact copies of hit songs in the UK; and a prolific performer on these was a young…Elton John. A man, therefore, of many useless covers. There’s even an album of them: https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qk36aCM0DM?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartbusters\_Go\_Pop/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartbusters_Go_Pop/) [Here’s an unofficial catalog](http://www.eltonography.com/albums/sessions/index.html) j . ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/50 "2023-08-29T20:10:52Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > Let’s go to the way-back machine about 40 years. David Lee Roth thought he could do better than Van Halen, so he went solo. His version of California Girls sounds exactly like The Beach Boys (down to using many of the same musicians), except he added in a few yells every so often. Absolutely f-ing useless. One of the local DJs would set up two turntables, one with David Lee Roth’s version of “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody”, the other with Louis Prima’s version. He would play both simultaneously, and switch the radio back and forth between them. It was eerie how they lined up. Not only was Roth singing a karaoke version of the song, but all of the instrumentalists were playing an identical arrangement. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/51 "2023-08-29T20:18:06Z")
As someone who has a great appreciation for both claymation and Weird Al, **THAT WAS FREAKIN’ AWSOME!!!** ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/52 "2023-08-29T20:22:48Z")
But wait, it gets wore…or better? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1FvVcagZln0/hqdefault.jpg "Village People - Just A Gigolo OFFICIAL Music Video 1979") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FvVcagZln0) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/53 "2023-08-29T20:23:25Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > One of the local DJs would set up two turntables, one with David Lee Roth’s version of “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody”, the other with Louis Prima’s version. He would play both simultaneously, and switch the radio back and forth between them. It was eerie how they lined up. Not only was Roth singing a karaoke version of the song, but all of the instrumentalists were playing an identical arrangement. At the time, I knew nothing of Louis Prima, so I thought DLR’s song was OK. I knew it was a cover; didn’t know how note-for-note same it was. I can _almost_ give him a pass because it’s an older song from a different musical genre. Why the %&@# would you cover a song that was maybe only 15 years old and an INSTITUTION IN THE SAME GENRE note-for-note? _California Girls_ to me is the epitome of useless covers. > [@BlankSlate](#): > > But wait, it gets wore…or better? When I clicked, it said video not available. [Try this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RikwC2DRoQE) And I have no problem with that one - they changed it up to their style. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/54 "2023-08-29T21:30:38Z")
In a state of mild dyslexia I once downloaded and album by [The Kinx](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0JC3In1CbeYAyXKDjewFRp) and didn’t realize they weren’t the real Kinks for about a year and a half. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/55 "2023-08-29T21:39:30Z")
At some point in her career, Joan Jett put out an all-remake album. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/56 "2023-08-29T22:00:38Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Joan Jett put out an all-remake album. Lots of people have done that – Bob Seger, Cat Power and Shawn Colvin come immediately to mind. A couple of years ago, Pretenders leader Chrissie Hynde even released [an album of Dylan covers](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/chrissie-hynde-standing-in-the-doorway-bob-dylan-review-1170654/). Damn good IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/57 "2023-08-31T10:00:18Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > Definitely “Cum On Feel the Noize.” As I understand it, Quiet Riot recorded their version as somewhat of a joke, not expecting much to come of it. Of course, it was wildly popular for at least a short time. > > I have their cover and Slade’s version on my playlist. I definitely prefer the original, but there’s so little difference that I can’t say it’s a strong preference. Same sort of thing, opposite direction (transatlantic-wise): Rockin’ All Over The World. The only thing Status Quo did to John Fogerty’s original was to (musically) dumb it down somewhat; so you might argue it isn’t a truly useless cover, because it’s actually worse than useless.But we’re splitting hairs. Fogerty > **[Rockin' All Over The World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDap6BU2orw%2F)** > > Provided to YouTube by BMG Rights Management (US) LLCRockin' All Over The World · John FogertyJohn Fogerty℗ 2021 BMG Rights ManagementReleased on: 1975-09-01... Quo > **[Status Quo-Rockin' All Over The World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z015A26mfeM%2F)** j ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/58 "2023-08-31T10:14:08Z")
And now you’ve given me an earworm I won’t get rid of the whole day. Thanks, @Treppenwitz. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/59 "2023-08-31T10:29:40Z")
Ooops - sorry 'bout that! j ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174/60 "2023-08-31T10:32:12Z")
No prob, my favorite car radio station is an oldies station that plays this damned song (the Quo version) at least once a week, so I’m used to it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-useless-cover-songs/989174.md?page=4)