# Strangely good cover versions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983 "2006-07-25T18:00:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/41 "2006-07-26T15:32:40Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind Oh, man. That is a great one. Wish I’d thought of it! > [@The Chao Goes Mu Quote](#): > > On the Donnie Darko soundtrack I believe the version of Mad World was done by Gary Jules. You’re right – I misread the tags on my own mp3. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/42 "2006-07-26T15:50:50Z")
[QUOTE=Unintentionally Blank] Me neither. Makes for a KILLER trivia question…either that or I’m being majorly wooshed and it’s a hoax. [/QUOTE] It’s a hoax, but a pretty convincing one. I first saw it on a blog a year or so ago, and they listed the personnel who made it (including the vocalist, whose name I should have written down - it’s a pretty uncanny similarity). But I was also familiar with most of Louis Armstrong’s work, and I figured if he recorded something that was covered by Britney Spears way more people would have known about it. ---
**Author:** ![cruel\_butterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@cruel\_butterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cruel_butterfly)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/43 "2006-07-26T16:01:00Z")
**Lazlo Bane** does a pretty good _Overkill_ by Men At Work. Collin Hay even makes an appearance. **Dirty Vegas** tacked on a good version of Pink Floyd’s _The Wall_ at the end of one of their songs. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/44 "2006-07-26T16:31:31Z")
[QUOTE=Tapioca Dextrin] I honestly believe that William Shatner’s cover of Common People is better than Pulp’s original. I’m probably in a moinority of one, though. [/QUOTE] When I accquired the CD I started a thread about how this song rocks, so count me as another fan. I thought it was funny though that I loaned the CD to a guy at work, he burnt it all on to his iRiver and then told me that he hated listening to it through earbuds because it seemed like Shatner was trying to seduce him, whispering in his ear. I tried it through headphones and could see what he meant. Other great covers: **One** by Johnny Cash **Caravan Of Love** by The Housemartins and the younger Buckley’s **Hallelujah**. ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/45 "2006-07-26T16:59:34Z")
A couple of my favorites seem to be ironic at first blush but then their sincerity turns out to be quite moving: “I Will Survive” by **Cake** and “Like A Prayer” by **John Wesley Harding** ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/46 "2006-07-26T17:13:04Z")
The Sisters of Mercy did stellar covers of Abba’s “Gimme Gimme Gimme” and Hot Chocolate’s “Emma”. I really like This Mortal Coil’s take on Tim Buckley’s “Song to the Siren” - a song Liz Fraser was born to sing, I think. The Lemonheads did a great version of “Mrs Robinson”, and I’ve a soft spot for Big Black’s “The Model”. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/47 "2006-07-26T17:39:28Z")
Just remembered… **Jeff Buckley** ’s cover of Lilac Wine and Hallelujah ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/48 "2006-07-26T18:18:39Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] **Warren Zevon** did a kick-ass cover of Prince’s _Raspberry Beret_ [/QUOTE] That was on the _Hindu Love Gods_ project, with the non-lead singing memebers of REM. That’s why you probably won’t find it in the Zevon section of the store. But for a really excellent Zevon cover, how about his “Knocking On Heaven’s Door”, the Dylan tune? Made even more poignant because he recorded when he knew he was dying from cancer a coupla years back. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2006, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/49 "2006-07-26T18:30:00Z")
I love Moby’s version of New Order’s _Temptation_. ---
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/50 "2006-07-26T18:50:06Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] [QUOTE=ArchitectChore] I really like Easy Star All-Stars’ Dub Side of the Moon: a reggae cover of the entire album Dark Side of the Moon. [/QUOTE] :eek: I heard this in a coffeeshop recently and thought, “I HAVE to get this album” and had no idea what it was. Thanks! I owe you one. [/QUOTE] y’welcome 🙂 [QUOTE=cruel butterfly] Dirty Vegas tacked on a good version of Pink Floyd’s _The Wall_ at the end of one of their songs. [/QUOTE] tacked on a whole album? at the end of which song? There also was a bluegrass cover version of _The Wall_ album recorded by Luther Wright and The Wrongs. Some may consider it to be ‘strangely good.’ The song “Comfortably Numb” begins with the lyric ‘Howdy…hey’ rather than the echoing ‘Hello…hello…hello’ in the original. ---
**Author:** ![Salt\_Seller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Salt\_Seller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salt_Seller)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/51 "2006-07-26T18:52:06Z")
[QUOTE=Blanche] Johnny Cash’s cover of NiN’s “Hurt” is much better than the original. [/QUOTE] That was the first one I thought of. It’s so good that if I were Trent Reznor, I would just retire in shame. Yo La Tengo has an entire album of covers (_Fakebook_) that’s just the most endearingly wonderful album ever. Nick Cave’s _Kicking Against the Pricks_ is also all covers. They do a pretty good version of the Velvet Underground’s _All Tomorrow’s Parties_. Then there’s this weirdo semi-americana band called Young People who cover _Night of the Hunter_ (which I believe was the theme song to the film of the same name). Sleater-Kinney used to cover _Rock Lobster_ in concert, and in the most perfect pairing ever, covered _Angry Inch_ (from _Hedwig_) with Fred Schneider. Cat Power’s version of the Rolling Stone’s _Satisfaction_ is 180 degrees from the original, but oh so beautiful. And, of course, Nirvana’s cover of _Where Did You Sleep Last Night_. The Smashing Pumpkins did a wicked version of the Animal’s _Girl Named Sandoz_. Galaxie 500 did a number of great covers, but their best is probably _Don’t Let Our Youth Go To Waste_, by Jonathan Richman. The Flaming Lips also did a version of Bowie’s _Life On Mars_ that I like better than the original. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/52 "2006-07-26T19:09:00Z")
Something else I just thought of: There’s a live recording of Ben Gibbard from **Death Cab for Cutie** and **The Postal Service** covering Avril Levigne’s “Complicated” on an acoustic guitar that I find absolutely hilarious. People in the audience are laughing, and Ben says something like, “Shut up, this is serious!” and it cracks me up every time. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/53 "2006-07-26T19:12:45Z")
Some reggae band did a really nice cover of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”, the tune and phrasing lends itself to reggae very well. No idea who it was though. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/54 "2006-07-26T20:00:16Z")
How could I forget the cover of the Barenaked Ladies’ “Brian Wilson” by none other than Brian Wilson (backed by The Wondermints) himself. It’s only a minute long, but definitely up there on the list of best covers ever. ---
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/55 "2006-07-26T21:15:55Z")
I almost forgot: Frank Zappa’s cover version of John Cage’s ‘4’ 33"’ is strangely good _if_ it is indeed good. [QUOTE=Mirror Image egamI rorriM] **The Postal Service** covering Avril L **a** vigne’s “Complicated” on an acoustic guitar that I find absolutely hilarious. [/QUOTE] I cannot find any evidence that The Postal Service covered “Complicated.” Where did you hear it? What album, if any, or other collection of songs do I need to purchase to hear it? I wanna hear, too but I could not find it in their discography. ---
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/56 "2006-07-26T21:19:20Z")
Oh wait, nevermind **Mirror Image egamI rorriM** :smack: You said it was Ben Gibbard who covered ‘Complicated’ rather than The Postal Service. ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/57 "2006-07-26T21:27:08Z")
[QUOTE=opossum] I prefer Jimmy Buffett’s version of Uncle John’s Band to the original. Sorry. [/QUOTE] The Indigo Girls do a good cover of this on _Deadicated_, a whole album of Dead covers. I don’t know that it’s better than the original, but it is very good. Fron that same album, Lyle Lovett covered _Friend of the Devil_, and I like it much better than the original. He slows it way down, and gives it that sad, mournful Lyle Lovett sound. I think it suits the lyrics better than the up-tempo Dead version. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/58 "2006-07-26T21:34:36Z")
[QUOTE=carlb] Fron that same album, Lyle Lovett covered _Friend of the Devil_, and I like it much better than the original. He slows it way down, and gives it that sad, mournful Lyle Lovett sound. I think it suits the lyrics better than the up-tempo Dead version. [/QUOTE] No offense, but I can’t understand why you’d feel this way. The original is a masterpiece. The way it builds up over the first four measures, first with just the guitar, then with the second guitar, then with Phil Lesh’s trademark bouncy bass playing up in the high register, and then the first verse (still without the drums.) Then when the drums come in with the second verse, the song is a rolling, raucous jam already. I heard the Counting Crows cover of this song, which was also slowed down a lot, and I thought it was shitty, horrible and ridiculous. I realize that Lyle Lovett is widely recognized as being a few notches above the Counting Crows, but I can’t picture this song being better than it already was. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/59 "2006-07-27T00:34:41Z")
Lords of Acid’s version of “Lady Marmalade” kicks much ass… Camper van Beethoven, “Pictures of Matchstick Men.” Anything by either Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Richard Cheese (especially “Down with the Sickness”) Rob Zombie, “Brick House” from the House of 10,000 Corpses soundtrack–laugh incredulously if you will, but it is FINE! The Cramps, “96 Tears.” ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983/60 "2006-07-27T00:46:43Z")
Type O Negative doing Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl” isn’t bad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-good-cover-versions/365983.md?page=4)