Unlikely cover versions that work.

[Deleted]

It's often said that the sign of a good cover version is the artist takes the song and makes it their own. Whilst I broadly agree with this, sometimes cover versions can fall into the trap of imposing something unsuited to the song, the makeover can seem contrived and gimmicky. For example over the last ten years or so, there's been a vogue for taking bright pop hits ( often from the 80s) and reinterpreting them as solemn, anguished female sung acoustic ballads..these invariably often turn up as the theme songs of dark noir tv series. And I'm sick of hearing 'em!

But sometimes radical reinterpretations do work. My example of this is Billy Preston's version of 'Heroes'. Preston, steeped as he was in r n' b, soul and classic rock, was an unlikely candidate to produce a Chicago House anthem, and it was even more unlikely that he'd do it with a Bowie cover. But he did! The cover works for me because it really captures something aspirational and euphoric in the song. It will never replace the original of course, and the angst of the original is lost in this more positive vibe, but the record works brilliantly on its own terms.

Feel free to give your thoughts and post your own examples, but remember we want to be surprised!

[Charlie O.]

One could argue about how well this fits the "unlikely" tag - think about it for three seconds and a country version of "Last Train To Clarksville" seems like a no-brainer. It is a little surprising that he dropped the song's signature guitar lick, though. Not his pickin' style, I guess.

[osgood]

I think this one fits the bill. Digging the dancing soul out of a Gordon Lightfoot song takes some talent.

[DarknessFish]

Don't know if it's unlikely or surprising, because I used it in BCB's Covers Cup. But this reworking of The Smiths' "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" surpasses the original for me. It's such a minimal, blippy glitchy urban sounding thing that fits the lyrics so much better than The Smiths own upbeat string-filled jangly pop thing. The sparse low bass makes it much more melancholy, but the humour still comes through, and the chorus really works as a counterpoint to the verses.

[Reactionary Rage]

[Deleted]

Some may not like this.

[oleandermedian]

Tim Buckley's Dolphins springs to mind, especially as people over at BCB are talking about how much Buckley took from Fred Neil. Buckley changes the verses around and now whenever I hear Neil sing it it doesn't sound quite right.

Johnny Was by Stiff Little Fingers. That's all I can think of!

[loveless]

Nov 14, 2019 18:05:56 GMT sloopjohnc said:

Some may not like this.

I prefer it (by some margin) to the original. 

[rayge]

Loads of people won't like this, and even I wouldn't rate it above the original, but it's still a load of fun

[rayge]

Here's another one that probaby won't win me any fans, but it better fits what G was asking for, as the Divine Ms M reinvents Bobby Freeman's bongotastic uptempo strutter as a vulnerable, mid-tempo girl group classic



FWIW, I also like the Mamas and Papas and Beach Boys versions of this a lot, too.

[Deleted]

Nov 16, 2019 13:35:16 GMT rayge said:

Here's another one that probaby won't win me any fans, but it better fits what G was asking for, as the Divine Ms M reinvents Bobby Freeman's bongotastic uptempo strutter as a vulnerable, mid-tempo girl group classic



FWIW, I also like the Mamas and Papas and Beach Boys versions of this a lot, too.

Prefer the Ramones version..

[loveless]

[jeffk]

[lokie]

[lokie]

Maybe not so unlikely, but had to mention this one