# Weird, amusing, offbeat or odd cover songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2006, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907 "2006-11-10T18:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/21 "2006-11-10T23:41:44Z")
What is the album… there is an album out there of various bands doing covers of old cartoon theme songs/songs from cartoons. Like **Devo** doing “Speed Racer” and **Violent Femmes** doing “Eep Opp Ork Ah Ah” from the Jetsons… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/22 "2006-11-10T23:54:06Z")
Rolf Harris does a skiffle version of _Stairway to Heaven_, which is not only brilliantly funny in its own right, but also great because of the outrage it effects amongst oh-so-precious led Zep fans. Perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Arien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arien)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/23 "2006-11-10T23:58:50Z")
Ben Folds did a cover of Dr. Dre’s “Bitches Ain’t Shit” and it’s hilarious. Also if you ignore all the swearing, kind of pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/24 "2006-11-11T00:03:41Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] What is the album… there is an album out there of various bands doing covers of old cartoon theme songs/songs from cartoons. Like **Devo** doing “Speed Racer” and **Violent Femmes** doing “Eep Opp Ork Ah Ah” from the Jetsons… [/QUOTE] [Saturday Morning Cartoons Greatest Hits.](http://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Morning-Cartoons-Greatest-Hits/dp/B000002OYG) Speed Racer was done by Sponge on it. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/25 "2006-11-11T00:41:16Z")
From my “must own” file: _Greased_, by **Less Than Jake** Track listing: 1. Summer Nights 2. You’re the Only One That I Want 3. Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee 4. Greased Lightning 5. Hopelessly Devoted to You 6. Blue Moon 7. Beauty School Dropout 8. We Go Together All put together in perfect power pop/punk fashion, clocking in at less than 15 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/26 "2006-11-11T02:10:54Z")
Haha! I have that one! ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/27 "2006-11-11T02:44:21Z")
[QUOTE=Push You Down] Toris Amos’ cover of Eminem’s “Bonnie & Clyde” manages to be even more creepy than the original. [/QUOTE] You ain’t kidding. The way she does that song scares the freaking crap out of me. I listened to it once, late at night, when I first bought the album and I wasn’t able to listen to it ever again. I don’t think I ever will. That said, I am a cover-version junkie. (I am also a sucka for female solo artists, as you will discover in a moment.) Some of my faves are Aimee Mann’s version of “Shed A Little Light”, Dar Williams doing “Better Things”, and Regina Spektor’s very funny rendition of “Love Profusion”, which she turned into a joke by singing “I got JEW” instead of “I got YOU under my skin” at the Jewish Heritage Festival. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/28 "2006-11-11T03:12:36Z")
[QUOTE=tanstaafl] Any discussion of weird covers has to include Dread Zeppelin; a reggae band doing covers of Led Zeppelin songs. Oh yeah, their lead singer is an Elvis impersonator… Then there is Hayseed Dixie, who does bluegrass covers of AC/DC songs. [/QUOTE] Amen. Also, **The Dickies** have done great versions of _Knights in White Satin, Silent Night, Sound of Silence, Eve of Destruction,_ and of course, _Parnoid_. \*\*Rick Derringer \*\* does a great jazz cover of _Frankenstein_ called _Smooth Frank_. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/29 "2006-11-11T03:53:12Z")
I kind of like the Nouvelle Vague cover of “The Guns of Brixton”, originally done by the Clash. Slowed down, dreary, a little spookier than the original. I didn’t care for it at first, but it became a bit of an earworm… it grew on me. I like Green Day’s cover of Operation Ivy’s “Knowledge”. Slowed down, laid back - a different song. And of course, the Pet Shop Boys version of “Always On My Mind” is _awesome_. What a long way from the Willie ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/30 "2006-11-11T03:54:16Z")
[QUOTE=Anastasaeon] What a long way from the Willie [/QUOTE] Nelson version. ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/31 "2006-11-11T04:02:01Z")
The Gear Daddies did a cover of _Little Red Corvette_–a hint of country makes it…different. Martin Zellar also used to do periodic Neil! concerts that consisted entirely of covers of Neil Diamond songs. ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/32 "2006-11-11T04:10:48Z")
White Stripes did a really good cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”, with Jack White on vocals begging “Jolene, please don’t take my man.” ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/33 "2006-11-11T04:20:43Z")
[QUOTE=The Sonoran Lizard King] \*\*Laibach’s \*\* Beatle covers also deserve a mention. [/QUOTE] Or indeed their entire album of [Sympathy for the Devil](http://www.amazon.com/Sympathy-Devil-Laibach/dp/B000003Z5U/sr=1-1/qid=1163218565/ref=sr_1_1/002-6352918-1241667?ie=UTF8&s=music) covers. The Residents have some good ones: “1999,” “Constantinople,” the aforementioned “Sympathy for the Devil,” and “Satisfaction,” and of course, “Hitler Was a Vegetarian,” a medley of covers. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/34 "2006-11-11T04:35:17Z")
[QUOTE=spooje] Also, **The Dickies** have done great versions of _Knights in White Satin, Silent Night, Sound of Silence, Eve of Destruction,_ and of course, _Parnoid_. [/QUOTE] And also, \*The Theme From The Banana Splits. \* ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/35 "2006-11-11T05:17:38Z")
For one that hits all four adjectives in the thread’s title, there’s The Who’s cover of the “Batman” theme song: “Na Na Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na Na Na, BATMAN!” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/36 "2006-11-11T05:27:29Z")
> [@](#): > > The Residents have some good ones: “1999,” “Constantinople,” the aforementioned “Sympathy for the Devil,” and “Satisfaction,” and of course, “Hitler Was a Vegetarian,” a medley of covers. The Residents also released _Stars and Hank Forever_ an album of covers - half of John Philip Sousa and half of Hank Williams Senior. ---
**Author:** ![looking\_busy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@looking\_busy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/looking_busy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/37 "2006-11-11T05:29:40Z")
Strictly for comic value anything from Weird Al must be listened to… One song that should never have been covered was American Pie by Madonna. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/38 "2006-11-11T05:32:53Z")
Weird Al does parodies, not covers. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/39 "2006-11-11T05:57:01Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] Weird Al does parodies, not covers. [/QUOTE] Well, he does do those polka cover medleys. ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907/40 "2006-11-11T06:08:00Z")
**David Gray’s** cover of _Say Hello, Wave Goodbye_ is pretty damn far removed from **Soft Cell’s**. David’s can bring me to tears and Soft Cell’s leaves me thinking “Wow, was cocaine really \*that \* good in the 80’s.” Then there’s the Bluegrass cover of **Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s** _Gin and Juice_ by the **Gourds** (not Phish!!) as well as **Ben Fold’s** cover of _Bitches Ain’t Shit_ impromptu in concert. ([here](http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/benfolds2005-08-04.asx) fast foward to 39th minute.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-amusing-offbeat-or-odd-cover-songs/379907.md?page=3)