# Pop/Rock/Alternative covers of showtunes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376 "2016-11-10T17:39:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/21 "2016-11-10T22:55:51Z")
Another odd cover of _Tomorrow_ is by [Patti Smith](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgMmi2FEAtw). IIRC it was a Mother’s Day tribute thing. It’s on her double CD _Land_ (which also has some other obscure gems like _Come Back Little Sheba_). ---
**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:** [November 10, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/22 "2016-11-10T23:45:46Z")
The Bonzo Dog Band did several recordings of showtunes (including British music all). They all have the Bonzos brand of Pythonesque\* insanity “[The Sound of Music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bJRKmLnJfY)” is unforgettable. They also did “[By a Waterfall](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loKznDGqTcw)” that’s also very strange. Their “[Ali Baba’s Camel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1xEEnKI_Nc)” is an old British Music Hall song, as is “[My Brother Makes the Noises for the Talkies.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONQddNgUEvo)” There are several others. \*Monty Python members worked with them before, during, and after the Flying Circus. It’s clear the Bonzos influenced them. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2016, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/23 "2016-11-11T01:09:18Z")
Marshall Crenshaw used to perform “Honestly Sincere,” from Bye Bye Birdie, regularly in his live shows. I don’t think he ever recorded it. That was back in the eighties, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/24 "2016-11-11T01:31:24Z")
I like Liza Minnelli’s dance club-style version of “Losing My Mind” from _Follies_ that the Pet Shop Boys produced. It was a big hit in the UK. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/25 "2016-11-11T01:46:38Z")
> [@DaphneBlack](#): > > Somehow I have missed these guys, bless you! Not half as dumb as they sound; they _really_ know their punk rock roots, and you can have endless fun figuring out which band they’re “quoting”. Me First and The Gimme Gimmes [Are A Drag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_a_Drag), their showtunes album, is just a total blast. ---
**Author:** ![DaphneBlack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daphneblack/32/5389_2.png) [@DaphneBlack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaphneBlack)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/26 "2016-11-11T02:09:34Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > I like Liza Minnelli’s dance club-style version of “Losing My Mind” from _Follies_ that the Pet Shop Boys produced. It was a big hit in the UK. This is another one I’d not known of before, it’s very good. I love the song, and Liza’s a good choice for interpreter. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/27 "2016-11-11T02:17:35Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > “Try to Remember” from _The Fantasticks_ has several covers, among which are ones by Roy Orbison and Harry Belafonte. Belefonte, naturally, gave it a bit of a calypso feel. > > Eva Cassidy did a great cover of “[Over the Rainbow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rd8VktT8xY)”. [This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DKWlrA24k) was played a buncha years back on “ER” when Dr. Greene died. Very haunting. > [@Penfeather](#): > > Tom Waits has also done a lovely “Somewhere”. Streisand, of course, was in excellent voice on [her version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAu3a7CMA84) from, “The Broadway Album,” but talk about over-produced–I expected a Bill Shatner voice-over at the beginning: Sondheim, the final frontier. These are the… . ---
**Author:** ![DaphneBlack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daphneblack/32/5389_2.png) [@DaphneBlack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaphneBlack)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/28 "2016-11-11T02:28:58Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > Not half as dumb as they sound; they _really_ know their punk rock roots, and you can have endless fun figuring out which band they’re “quoting”. Me First and The Gimme Gimmes [Are A Drag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_a_Drag), their showtunes album, is just a total blast. Yeah, I’ve been listening to it since you pointed me to them. ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ works weirdly, amazingly well. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/29 "2016-11-11T05:26:02Z")
**Die Moritat von Mackie Messer** , originally from _The Threepenny Opera_ (_Die Dreigroschenoper_) Later recorded in English as **Mack the Knife**. You probably already know Bobby Darin’s pop version. Here is a punk version in German by SLUT: Or a slower version closer to the original in English by Lyle Lovett: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_lEKcJ52xF8/maxresdefault.jpg "LYLE LOVETT") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lEKcJ52xF8) ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/30 "2016-11-11T08:00:43Z")
I realize this isn’t what you asked, but for a laugh try Prairie Home Companion’s _Broadway Bluegrass_. [PHC Broadway Bluegrass](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HdIqrggEaE) ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/31 "2016-11-11T08:47:15Z")
A couple of obvious\*\* David Bowie\*\* ones would be **Wild Is The Wind** and the **Baal EP**. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/32 "2016-11-11T09:41:47Z")
Quite a few people have done Over the Rainbow, including Mago de Oz. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2016, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/33 "2016-11-11T10:54:49Z")
> [@JpnDude](#): > > **Die Moritat von Mackie Messer** , originally from _The Threepenny Opera_ (_Die Dreigroschenoper_) > > Later recorded in English as **Mack the Knife**. You probably already know Bobby Darin’s pop version. > > Here is a punk version in German by SLUT Thanks for that. Swiss band Young Gods have a whole _album_ of [covers of Kurt Weill songs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_Gods_Play_Kurt_Weill). Their [Mackie Messer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcP2zycN3P0) …and for more industrial-type fun, here’s Laibach doing [Jesus Christ, Superstar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NYqgj5_S-I) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/34 "2016-11-11T11:42:25Z")
_Tomorrow Belongs to Me_ is the fake\* Nazi song from _Cabaret_. **The Sensational Alex Harvey Band** did [a great cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKVvmfasK7E) of it. \*A lot of people assume it’s a real Nazi song, but it was written by the same guys that wrote the rest of _Cabaret_. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/35 "2016-11-11T11:46:39Z")
Since it appears to be becoming a theme of sorts: [Mackie el Navaja](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz1ca658FzM) as done by Miguel Ríos And a much older version by [José Guardiola](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIXLvyUT2-4) ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/36 "2016-11-11T12:12:49Z")
_The Residents_ covered [three Gershwin songs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_%26_James) on one of the albums, including Summertime, which [the Zombies also covered](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmOIW63Emw0) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/37 "2016-11-11T14:49:28Z")
[quote=“JpnDude, post:29, topic:771376”] Or a slower version closer to the original in English by Lyle Lovett: [/QUOTE] Wasn’t this on the _Quiz Show_ soundtrack? I liked it a lot. I think it was called “The Child Bride.” ---
**Author:** ![DaphneBlack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daphneblack/32/5389_2.png) [@DaphneBlack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaphneBlack)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/38 "2016-11-11T15:25:55Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > _Tomorrow Belongs to Me_ is the fake\* Nazi song from _Cabaret_. > > **The Sensational Alex Harvey Band** did [a great cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKVvmfasK7E) of it. > > \*A lot of people assume it’s a real Nazi song, but it was written by the same guys that wrote the rest of _Cabaret_. I am intrigued by this, alas the video is not viewable in Germany ☹ ---
**Author:** ![sean8877](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sean8877](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sean8877)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/39 "2016-11-11T15:26:16Z")
“I’m Not in Love” by Fun Loving Criminals: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/C8jD-O6pwnI/hqdefault.jpg "Fun Loving Criminals im not in love") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8jD-O6pwnI) ---
**Author:** ![DaphneBlack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daphneblack/32/5389_2.png) [@DaphneBlack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaphneBlack)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376/40 "2016-11-11T15:28:11Z")
I must say, I never get tired of “Mack the Knife,” the weirder the better! \*\* TCMF-2L \*\*, don’t hate me, but I am very much ignorant of David Bowie. Could you say a little more about the songs you mention? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-rock-alternative-covers-of-showtunes/771376.md?page=3)