Cover Songs That Really Took You By Surprise..

As well they should.

 

There was an Australian radio show, 'The Andrew Denton Breakfast Show', that had a segment, 'Musical Challenge', that presented unlikely song choices to musical guests to cover. I've always thought that Tonic's version of Abba's 'S.O.S.' is one of the best cover versions of any song.


Can't find it on Youtube.

It's on this CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Denton-Breakfast-Musical-Challenge/dp/B000056B3I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398376595&sr=8-2&keywords=andrew denton musical challenge

 

I hated the Scissor Sisters' "Comfortably Numb" - but I was surprised it won Waters/Gilmour's approval.

 

Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" is one of my top-10 favorite cover versions.

 

Rubén Blades version of The Beatles "Baby´s in Black" is such a little gem

 

Not bad, but never been a Patti fan. She can't sing, basically. Have you heard the Pursuit of Happiness's version? To me that's much better, glistening power pop. It used to be on YT but I can't find it there now. If anyone can, kindly post.

 

I can't listen to a band with a name like that!

 

Why would he do that? Go figure.

 

OMG. Vocal flat or off-key in many places. Drums too loud and simple. Not for me.

 

Excellent.

 

Superb cover, perfect.

 

The first time Voivod's cover of Pink Floyd's Astronomy Domine came on the radio, my jaw seriously hit the floor... Still one of the best Pink Floyd covers I've ever heard...

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Though I am lukewarm on the originals, this album is brilliant. Kozelek sings these with such a fragile, heartbroken tone, it casts Bon Scott's lyrics in a whole new light...

 

Yeah - that's the one for me too.

 

Nina Simone's lite-funk/reggae arrangement of Randy Newman's "Baltimore" was not the cover I would have expected based on the original and Simone's prior work. That said, her version enlivens the song (and especially the verses) for me. I also echo the YouTube comment that it should have been used in the HBO series The Wire...



Randy Newman original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf2llVtd9pQ

 

I agree. Wretched and almost a parody. And not in a good way.

 

Dion doing "Purple Haze"

 

To me, it brings out the menace and desperation of streets that lies just under the surface.

 

Frente! - Bizarre Love Triangle as an acoustic guitar ballad.

Alanis Morissette - My Humps as a piano ballad, released more or less straight to YouTube as an April Fools Day gag in 2007

Celine Dion - River Deep Mountain High live on Late Show with David Letterman, August 8, 1994

 

I was in the bank today and the background music had a very mellow folky song with fairly soft female vocals that I didn't pay much attention to. Then suddenly I heard the line "in the morning light" sung a certain way, and I recognized it as a cover of Make Me Do Anything You Want by A Foot in Cold Water, a 1970 Canadian hit. I think it's by Alanna Cherote, of whom I have never heard until five minutes ago ...

 

well ... my initial reaction was something like yours. and i´m not a big fan of springsteen or the bee gees. what i give him credit for is that he actually thinks of ways to surprise his audience (covering australian bands when playing down under) and put thought in how to give a disco-track a new vibe. i was positively suprised for sure.

 

I was surprised when Travis did Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time" very shortly after it had been a smash.

Southern Culture on the Skids doing Nirvana's "Come As You Are" was also pretty unexpected.

 

Good to know some people remember that great Canadian song. And the Canadian band Helix recorded it in the 1980's, you can hear it on Youtube and it is an excellent version, a fine tribute to their fellow Canucks A Foot In Cold Water.

 

Collin James does a cover of John Lennon's I'm Losing You. Awesome.