# Offbeat/Unusual Versions of Music that you still consider good **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912 "2010-05-18T17:24:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/1 "2010-05-18T17:24:12Z")
The ongoing thread I started called [Musical Abominations](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=563295) has had some great and funny contributions. This version of [Ray Stevens Misty](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRZcQsGQbE0) is one that I recognize as being well off the beaten path, but still quite good for my tastes. I wanted to share it for those not familiar with it but not in the “abominations” category. If you can think of a better way to categorize it and have some example of your own to add to that category, please do. Ray Stevens is in a class of his own and rarely does shoddy work. This one is special for me, since _Misty_ is one of my all-time favorites. ---
**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:** [May 18, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/2 "2010-05-18T17:34:35Z")
Isao Tomita’s electronic version of Claire de Lune is better than the orchestral version, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/3 "2010-05-18T18:03:20Z")
Definitely [“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jadvt7CbH1o), by Devo. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/4 "2010-05-18T18:06:48Z")
Also: [“Money (That’s What I Want)”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AutxFgxTshM), by the Flying Lizards. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/5 "2010-05-18T18:21:47Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Isao Tomita’s electronic version of Claire de Lune is better than the orchestral version, IMHO. Is [Tomita & Claude Debussy - Clair De Lune](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF4UmgQxzpM) the one you meant? Nice! ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/6 "2010-05-18T19:11:46Z")
Joseph Spence’s [Santa Claus Is Coming to Town](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk5ufApUArQ) gets me in the Christmas spirit even in mid-May. His version of “Sloop John B” is pretty good, too. No, he’s not insane, this is just what he does! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/7 "2010-05-18T19:12:10Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > Also: [“Money (That’s What I Want)”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AutxFgxTshM), by the Flying Lizards. Great choice! I can think of many: “Statesboro Blues” – Alice Stuart “Honky Tonk Woman” – Elton John “I am the Walrus” – Lol Coxhill. As offbeat as you can get – but I like it a lot. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” – Straight No Chaser “Seaside Rendezvous” – The King’s Singers ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/8 "2010-05-18T19:51:03Z")
Van Halen’s \*\*\*Jump \*\*\*as done by Roddy Frame/Aztec Camera. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/9 "2010-05-18T20:24:03Z")
My favorite transformative cover ever is the Afghan Whigs’ version of “If I Only Had a Heart” from _the Wizard of Oz_. They turned it into a smoky lounge song as sung by a psychopath. [Listen here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph_yW2OHKFE). DeVotchKa does a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Venus in Furs” that turns it into this wild Eastern European/Gypsy folksong-esque thing. It’s [pretty neat](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4CQEruH1JQ). ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/10 "2010-05-18T20:32:22Z")
I have a song that I deliberated between putting in this and the other thread and I’m going to put it here. [Begüm Begüm Huuuu](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqJ2HvqnVRs) is an obviously, purposely ridiculous Turkish parody of Madcon’s cover of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ “Beggin’ You”. Thing is I LOVE it. And can’t stop listening to it. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/11 "2010-05-18T23:49:24Z")
Tom Waits’ version of [Heigh Ho](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4_zaZ3utUY) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/12 "2010-05-19T00:07:07Z")
Alana Davis does a fantastic version of (Don’t Fear) The Reaper. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/13 "2010-05-19T00:29:22Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Isao Tomita’s electronic version of Claire de Lune is better than the orchestral version, IMHO. nitpick - it is originally for solo piano. None of the orchestral versions were done by Debussy. [Suite Bergamasque](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suite_bergamasque), of which Clair de Lune is the third movement. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/14 "2010-05-19T00:39:39Z")
I’m going to go with [the Ben Folds version of “Bitches Ain’t Shit”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSJxvi767kQ) (lyrics are NSFW). ---
**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:** [May 19, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/15 "2010-05-19T01:12:24Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Is [Tomita & Claude Debussy - Clair De Lune](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF4UmgQxzpM) the one you meant? > > Nice! Oh, yeah! Thanks for the link. “Snowflakes are Dancing” and “Firebirds” are good too, as is his version of the “Mars” section of “The Planets.” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/16 "2010-05-19T03:19:19Z")
Jazzy J.S. Bach (and others) by the Swingle Singers. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vonJhz2COck](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vonJhz2COck) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/17 "2010-05-19T03:28:43Z")
Nouvelle Vague does acoustic covers of Billy Idol’s[Dancing With Myself](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5j-ipGFcko) (the cover that was recovered by GLEE), Blondie’s [Heart of Glass](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1A3tew97ng&feature=related), Bauhaus’s[Bela Lugosi’s Dead](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekQZPozjCX8) and _The Dead Kennedy’s Too Drunk to Fuck_ ([NSFW obviously](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hapufz1NFkY)) among others. I like them all. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/18 "2010-05-19T03:32:46Z")
I HATE _Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer_. But I love [Poe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Danielewski)’s loungy version of it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/19 "2010-05-19T11:21:44Z")
I usually dislike this style, but **Big Daddy** ’s version of the Celine Dion hit _My Heart Will Go On_ simply blows me away. They recast it as a bouncy, upbeat Elvis Presley song, with backup: > **[Way Out Wednesday: The Best of Big Daddy - Popdose](http://popdose.com/way-out-wednesday-the-best-of-big-daddy/)** > > Big Daddy is a musical group with a rather unusual back story. IÁ¢€â„¢ll let the liner notes explain: While on a USO tour of Southeast... [http://www.musicpophits.com/MainPages/GroupStars/BigDaddy.htm](http://www.musicpophits.com/MainPages/GroupStars/BigDaddy.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912/20 "2010-05-19T11:28:45Z")
Sir Mix-A-Lot’s [Baby Got Back](http://thegoodlife.vox.com/library/audio/6a00b8ea072de81bc000d41428c0bf3c7f.html) as sung by Jonathan Coulton. So wrong, and yet so right. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offbeat-unusual-versions-of-music-that-you-still-consider-good/539912.md?page=2)