# Your favorite 'non-traditional' cover of a hit song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029 "2008-11-16T20:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/81 "2008-11-17T23:38:15Z")
I have a bunch of favorites that have already been mentioned, so I’ll add this: [Country Road by Me First & The Gimme Gimmes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUehViMjRo0). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/82 "2008-11-17T23:43:20Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > [Israel Kamakawiwo’ole - Somewhere Over the Rainbow](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OMLoAtC9RY) Thank you for posting that. I have heard that and the version by the same artist that morphs into “[What a Wonderful World](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0xoMhCT-7A)” and I never knew who the artist was. Your link has both songs. They are both so haunting and different from the originals. Thank you! Jim ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/83 "2008-11-17T23:47:11Z")
So glad some of you really enjoyed the Hey Ya! cover - Big Up **Biggurl!** … what about this now: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9mEKMz2Pvo) While my guitar gently weeps - George Harrison as played by Jake Shimabukuro on the ukelele. Just beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/84 "2008-11-17T23:54:27Z")
I’m on a roll [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I_KKf3oc1YM/hqdefault.jpg "Thin Lizzy-Whiskey In The Jar #135.\*T\*O\*T\*Ps\*70s\*") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_KKf3oc1YM) Thin Lizzy cover the traditional Whiskey in the Jar. Classic stuff - on Top of the Pops. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/85 "2008-11-17T23:58:17Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Thank you for posting that. I have heard that and the version by the same artist that morphs into “[What a Wonderful World](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0xoMhCT-7A)” and I never knew who the artist was. Your link has both songs. They are both so haunting and different from the originals. Thank you! > > Jim You’re so welcome! Happy to have obliged. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/86 "2008-11-18T00:16:34Z")
> [@Bacon\_Salt](#): > > Scissor Sisters- [Comfortably Numb](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONr5fl-0liQ) Warning: if you’re anybody but me, you’ll hate this one. Oog. Those electric jellyfish got to me a bit. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/87 "2008-11-18T00:59:57Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Too lazy to provide links: > > The Austin Lounge Lizards have an awesome bluegrass version of “Dark Side of the Moon” (I know that’s not the actual name of the song, but it’s the song that includes that phrase). It’s “Brain Damage”. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q75qJ3vCmBw/hqdefault.jpg "The Austin Lounge Lizards...Brain Damage") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q75qJ3vCmBw) ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/88 "2008-11-18T01:08:11Z")
[Judas Priest covering Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLDazyvMMGw) [For those unfamiliar, here is the original](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGMHSbcd_qI) - actually written by Joan, who is best known as an interpreter of other people’s work herself. Reverent. Daring, especially for a heavy metal band in 1977. It keeps the emotional vulnerability of the original, and adds their trademark muscle. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/89 "2008-11-18T01:08:15Z")
Queensryche’s (fairly recent) cover of Pink Floyd’s _Welcome to the Machine_ is pretty awesome. One of my favorite bands covering one of my favorite songs; it doesn’t sound at all like the original, but I don’t mind at all! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/90 "2008-11-18T01:17:19Z")
Listen to Jimi Hendrix’s cover of [All Along the Watchtower](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVhqyyyNRkg) compared to [the original by Bob Dylan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkok1Z4WJuY&feature=related). Best. Cover. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/91 "2008-11-18T01:20:01Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Listen to Jimi Hendrix’s cover of [All Along the Watchtower](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVhqyyyNRkg) compared to [the original by Bob Dylan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkok1Z4WJuY&feature=related). > > Best. Cover. Ever. Oh, to the point where Jimi’s is arguably the definitive version. It’s a cover in the sense that Tina Turner covered CCR’s “Proud Mary” or Elvis Presley covered Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog.” That is to say, total ownage. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/92 "2008-11-18T02:31:39Z")
Oh, there’s some great stuff in this thread! I do like Portsmouth Sinfonia’s orchestral cover of [Pinball Wizard](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uEghHLkvsg&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/93 "2008-11-18T04:06:32Z")
Not exactly my favorite, but I’m sure it’s _somebody’s_ favorite: Sweet Home Alabama, as interpreted by [the Leningrad Cowboys and the Red Army Choir](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lNFRLrP014). ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/94 "2008-11-18T05:13:55Z")
I always mention [Zayra Alvarez’s “Jenny (867-5309)”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xTRAU1cnjo) in these threads. So, yeah, for the umpteen millionth time. Also, Cassandra Wilson in general. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/95 "2008-11-18T05:22:14Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > The Roxanne tango from the movie Moulin Rouge. I came in here just to post that! I have some friends who totally hate that version, but I love it. I almost think it’s even better than the original version. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pHO5KWIMZUo/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/pHO5KWIMZUo?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/96 "2008-11-18T06:32:03Z")
> [@Meltdown](#): > > I’ll add [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kXbHf1SwGk) – Petra Haden does an a capella version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” that I find immensely moving, for reasons that I can’t put my finger on. That’s beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![TastesLikeBurning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@TastesLikeBurning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TastesLikeBurning)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/97 "2008-11-18T07:45:38Z")
Some of the US Dopers may know the song [Berlin Chair](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt1EKqADoFo&feature=related) by **You Am I** , but it’s likely this is going to be one for the Aussie Dopers. Anyway, my current favourite when it comes to a favourite non-traditional cover of a hit song is **Holly Throsby** performing [Berlin Chair]([http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/tv/mediaplayer/default.htm?clip=rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/triplej/streams/tv/hollyThrosby\_berlinChair.flv&title=Holly](http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/tv/mediaplayer/default.htm?clip=rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/triplej/streams/tv/hollyThrosby_berlinChair.flv&title=Holly) Throsby with Berlin Chair). ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029/98 "2008-11-18T10:42:57Z")
My vote is for [ENZSO](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzso) - two albums of Split Enz covers recorded with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and some involvement of the original artists as well as other NZ artists. Neil Finn was originally skeptical, but the project was wildly successful (in NZ) - enough for a second album. There are some clips from the televised concert on YouTube. Si [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-non-traditional-cover-of-a-hit-song/473029.md?page=4)