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.)
Actually, it was written by the great Felice and Boudleaux Bryant (“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.
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.
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.
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
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. Sort of a swingy jazzy thing.
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.
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.
Here’s a link 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.
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.
[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:
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?)
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.
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.