# Strange Covers (or: they did \*what\* with that song?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231 "2005-02-03T19:33:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/41 "2005-02-04T13:21:02Z")
Bobby McFerrin’s cover of _Susie-Q_ was strange – really eerie sounding (it was on the “Simple Pleasures” album and all anyone remembers is _Don’t Worry, Be Happy_ off of that one). Another one is an album by Rob Wasserman called “Duets” in which he accompanies various artists, just his bass plus their voice and/or instrument. Lou Reed does a really strange cover of _One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)_. And Rickie Lee Jones cover of _The Moon is Made of Gold_ is pretty, but also odd. (And don’t miss Aaron Neville’s cover of _Stardust_.) ---
**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:** [February 4, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/42 "2005-02-04T13:36:27Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > By the way, **LindyHopper** , Roy Orbison wrote and made the first (and IMO best) recording of “Love Hurts.” Actually, it was written by the great [Felice and Boudleaux Bryant](http://www.rockabillyhall.com/EBBryant.html) (“Rocky Top,” “Bye Bye Love,” “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “Problems,” “Bird Dog,” “Wake Up Little Susie”) and was recorded by the Everly Brothers before Roy Orbison. The Gourds also do a fine country waltz cover of the Replacements “Favorite Thing” on an Austin tribute record, [So What](http://www.gourds.org/repl.html). Luther Wrights and the Wrongs’s _Rebuild the Wall_ is a country version of the entire Pink Floyd album. Most of the songs work surprisingly well, and their version of “Goodbye Blue Sky” could make me laugh my ass off in my darkest hour. There’s also a dancehall version of the _Dark Side of the Moon_ – I forget its name, but it didn’t make much of an impression. I’m currently working on a song-by-song Hawaiian slack-key cover of all of _Atom Heart Mother_, just 'cause. ---
**Author:** ![RobuSensei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/43 "2005-02-04T13:40:02Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > **Shang Shang Typhoon** did…_something_ to **Let It Be**. Whoa. Having only heard Shang Shang Typhoon on the _Pon Poko_ soundtrack, I must confess to some curiosity. Where do I find this one? Somewhere in my stacks of CDs back home, I have a recording of **Kate Bush** doing “Candle in the Wind.” Whenever I play it for Elton John fans, they usually react with surprise and revulsion… I am particularly fond of **Don Henley’s** cover of “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” that was on the _Leap of Faith_ soundtrack. I once showed a friend the movie version of _Guys and Dolls,_ and when the song came up, he didn’t realize it was the same song until I pointed it out to him. ---
**Author:** ![archmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@archmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/archmichael)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/44 "2005-02-04T14:07:19Z")
Celia Cruz does a very interesting version of **I Will Survive**. My high school Spanish tells me it’s not a word-for-word cover of the song, but ‘inspired by’. The Disco to Salsa translation works surprisingly well ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/45 "2005-02-04T14:24:31Z")
When I saw the thread title I couldn’t think of anything but Devo’s cover of “Head Like a Hole”. Now _that_ was weird. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/46 "2005-02-04T15:10:04Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > “Green Haze” by Elvis Hitler. The music is a pretty much note-for-note rendition of “Purple Haze,” but the singer inserts the lyrics from the theme from “Green Acres”: This reminded me of **Bravo Combo** ’s Polka version of _Purple Haze_ on the 2000 Grammy for Best Polka winner _Polkasonic_. Thinking of **Brave Combo** reminded me of the **Tiny Tim** album _Girl_ on which they played backup. That album features a cover of _Stairway to Heaven_ that has to be heard to be believed. [Here’s a short clip.](http://www.brave.com/bo/sounds/stairway_to_heaven.mp3) Sort of a swingy jazzy thing. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/47 "2005-02-04T16:07:07Z")
Just heard another one: a power ballad cover of “American Girl”. Have no idea who was singing. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/48 "2005-02-04T16:21:38Z")
Hayseed Dixie’s album ‘Let There Be Rockgrass!’ is a belter. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap - AC/DC Fat Bottom Girls - Queen Whole Lotta Rosie - AC/DC You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC I Believe In A Thing Called Love - The Darkness Ace of Spades - Motorhead Detroit Rock City - Kiss Corn Liquor - Original Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company Walk This Way - Aerosmith Touch Too Much - AC/DC Centerfold - J Geils Band I’m Keeping Your Poop - original Highway To Hell - AC/DC Will The Circle be Unbroken - traditional Played authentic bluegrass style - awesome, although my fave is I’m Keeping your Poop in a Jar. MiM ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/49 "2005-02-04T16:30:45Z")
Tori Amos did an excellent rendition of the Stones’ ANGIE (on CRUCIFY, which also included SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT). Along with YOU DON’T OWN ME, Klaus Nomi did a bizarre take on LIGHTNING STRIKES. My only experience with hearing either btw was on Rush Limbaugh’s show. But the song I wanted to put up here- Cake’s version of I WILL SURVIVE. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/50 "2005-02-04T16:41:18Z")
The Jay Laga’aia (Xena) metal cover of “Always Something There to Remind Me” was bloody brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/51 "2005-02-04T16:50:32Z")
Belly’s covers of “It’s Not Unusual” on the _Moon_ EP. All of 'em, very strange. But pretty much everything Belly did was strange. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/52 "2005-02-04T16:58:03Z")
> [@RobuSensei](#): > > Whoa. Having only heard Shang Shang Typhoon on the _Pon Poko_ soundtrack, I must confess to some curiosity. Where do I find this one? Here’s a [link](http://www.farsidemusic.com/acatalog/) to where I managed to get some of their CDs. Just do a search for **Shang Shang Typhoon** ; they have several albums listed. The album with _Let It Be_ on it is titled simply _Shang Shang Typhoon_. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/53 "2005-02-04T18:23:55Z")
**[Type O Negative](http://launch.yahoo.com/ar-266577----Type-O-Negative)**’s cover of “ **Summer Breeze** ” is twisted, and IMO funny. The first time I heard that song I laughed until I cried. It’s just so wrong, but not in a bad way. If you’ve ever heard the lilting breathy way the original is sung, then compared it to the gravelly, depths of hell growl that they perform the song with, then you know what I mean. ---
**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 4, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/54 "2005-02-04T18:26:17Z")
How about the Leningrad Cowboys doing **Delilah**. ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/55 "2005-02-04T18:27:53Z")
[QUOTE=4thMonkey- I also have to agree with the Tori Amos cover of Eminem’s “Bonnie and Clyde '97” as being strange.[/QUOTE] Strange, but great. Brilliant, even. :shudders: ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/56 "2005-02-04T18:50:27Z")
Maybe because it is so well established, but the Talking Heads “Take Me to the River” is a New Wave/Art Rock cover of an Al Green song. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/57 "2005-02-04T18:55:38Z")
The Ramones covering “Somebody to Love” (originally by Jefferson Airplane) is a fairly odd combination. Also, I’ve heard a punk rock version of “the Mary Tyler Moore show” theme song, but don’t know who the performers were. They were some mid-90s “riot grrrl” type group (perhaps L7?) ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/58 "2005-02-04T18:56:04Z")
I think my all time favorite cover is **Megadeth’s** cover of _These Boots Are Made for Walking_. I also like _Can’t Find My Way Home_ and _32 Flavors_ by **Alana Davis**. **Joss Stone** has several good covers but her version of _Fell In Love With A Boy_ is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/59 "2005-02-04T19:00:03Z")
William Shatner’s rendition of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” is done in a Vegas lounge style, and quite odd. Devo’s “Working in a Coal Mine” was originally an old school country song. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231/60 "2005-02-04T19:04:08Z")
Someone or other’s cover of “Such Great Heights” from the _Garden State_ soundtrack. I only heard it from across the room, and I didn’t recognize the other songs, but an easy listening cover of that song is really weird. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-covers-or-they-did-what-with-that-song/288231.md?page=4)