Here are a few to get things started:
Don Henley’s The Boys of Summer as an 80s synth tune
Bossa nova version of Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over
Reggae-ish version of Aretha Franklin’s Respect
A capella men’s ensemble version of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance
EDIT: This has been great, everyone. Thank you all for the terrific links and for introducing me to a number of artists I wouldn’t have heard of otherwise. Seriously, the online rabbit-holes have been thoroughly enjoyable–even if I stayed up a bit too late a number of times.
Worth it.
I made a playlist of Nina Hagen’s covers of religious songs, and the originals:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdiTFj0WDWc&list=PLgy7PolPvs21T7VgK9vUviZGZrZknVadp
Goddamn Jerboa won’t let me copy the link. I don’t want to open the shit YouTube app, i want to open it in vimusic!
I do all my youtube viewing via yt-dlp.
half my votes for the triple j like a version top 100 fit this criteria, here were a few of my personal favs:
in hearts wake cover billie eilish
Funnel Of Love by Wanda Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt7PPidlIvg
Cover by Boris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4T_XNdeRTs
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes cover of All My Loving
Their version of Straight Up is genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever heard.
As for their cover of Goodbye Earl, the only criticism I have is that it’s too damn short.
I love the Gimmes immensely, and am disappointed that I had to scroll down so far to find any mention of them. Their guitarist is in one of the world’s biggest bands ffs!
Or this revision of Pioneer to the Falls by Interpol, made by the band’s former bassist Carlos Dengler
Polysics covering My Sharona by The Knack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXHEVcYTZYQ
Goddamn it why am I just learning about Japanese DEVO today? Why has no one told me? Thanks for sharing, this cover is a banger and I must listen to Polysics’ entire discography now!
You’re welcome! And have you heard of Servotron? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gS4nzSWmCs
I hadn’t but I’m adding to my playlists! I first got really into music via prog rock so this type of high-concept silliness is well-aligned with my preferences :P
Holding Out for a Hero - Frou Frou.
Those first couple of Shrek soundtracks were full on bangers. Pete Yorn’s cover of Every Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t Have) is a masterpiece.
A band on TikTok did an emo cover of Rascal Flatts’ What Hurts the Most that is pretty good.
It ended up on a compilation album Country Goes Hardcore that has some interesting ones. I like Ever Since Eve’s emo cover of Take Me Home, Country Roads.
Viagra Boys and Amy Taylor’s cover of In Spite of Ourselves is an interesting take on the original by John Prine and Iris Dement.
I love seeing Viagra Boys mentioned here.
Love them! This song in particular is pretty meaningful for me. My dad has always had a bit of a narrow conception of what “good” music is, so while we could bond over stuff he liked, he’s never been particularly receptive when I’ve shown him new stuff. John Prine was his favourite artist, though, and this cover got him to open up a little.
Goldfinger covering Just Like Heaven by The Cure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t0jI1K6HYQ
just like heaven could have its own thread, practically its own community
STRFKR - Girls Just Want To Have Fun, synthy goodness
Kishi Bashi - This Must Be the Place - more orchestral version of the Talking Heads song
Gorillaz - Crystalized - somber cover of the XX song
Placebo - Running Up That Hill - Running Up That Hill but… a Placebo song. Exactly what it says on the tin
Avail covering Pink Houses by John Cougar Mellancamp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0tpeMPew3M
The Persuasions - Anyway the Wind Blows by Frank Zappa
Kind of a pretty straight cover, but I think by stripping it down to just melody and vocals shows just how good and faithful to the genre the original was.
The whole Persuasions album of Zappa songs is terrific. Definitely recommend.
Nirvana - Love Buzz
It’s kind of amazing that they’re the same song, but when you listen to the original, you can hear what Kurt was picking up on. Two totally different songs but … not.
Type O Negative- Cinnamon Girl Nine Inch Nails - Metal
Paranoid is my favorite Type O cover. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8QSazMF7J0
Pipilotti Rist covering Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game: I’m a Victim of this Song
The screaming starts somewhere around 3 minutes.
I like jack black’s take on this, too
Okay, that was really lovely, thank you!
Rist slays. Pepperminta is my favorite modern surrealist film.
I actually know almost nothing about her, but I found this song on a music blog (maybe stereogum?) probably at least 15 years ago and I never get tired of it. I will have to look at some of her other work.
She’s primarily a filmmaker.
The bit in a Beyonce video of walking down the street, smashing every car window you pass, was taken from a Rist film.
