I love going to live shows, and some of my favourite moments in concerts are when a really talented band pulls out a great cover. This a great tool for an opening band or someone less well known to build a moment with the audience; to have everyone join in and sing together even though not many people know their music. Covers can be simply playing a rendition of an artist's favourite song or can go as far as a choice completely outside their style or the style of the original piece. Billie Eilish's most recently covered "Yesterday" by the Beatles at the Oscars and it was a perfect way to bridge the gap between generations of music.
One of my personal favourites happened at Folk Fest a few years ago, when Bears Den covered Drake's "Just Hold on We're Going Home." It was a super chill acoustic version that was totally unexpected. This memory popped into my head the other day and got me thinking, what are some of the best covers ever done? Not remixes -- that's another blog for another time. But here are my top ten covers. Hope you enjoy!
10. Major Tom (Space Oddity) - Shiny Toy Guns
I know I shouldn't start with this one. Please don't stop reading. I love the original song. Personal top twenty all time for sure. To this day, Shiny Toy Guns at the Starlight Room is one of my favourite live shows. Super talented and just plain fun. This cover is a very different reimagining and fun is exactly how I feel about it. This almost falls in the category of remix, but hey, it's my blog, I'll do what I want.
9. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
I think I have twenty different versions of "Hallelujah" in my library. I can't say I am a fan of the original rendition by Cohen, but his storied lyricism is on full display in this ballad. Some of my favourite covers are from the likes of Pentatonix, Il Divo, Rufus Wainwright, and Justin Timberlake. But my favourite and perhaps the most iconic of them all, has to be Jeff Buckley. The softness of his voice is the perfect juxtaposition to Cohen, and the warmth of his guitar makes for a beautiful and evocative rendition.
8. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
Fun fact, Dolly Parton wrote this song and "Jolene" all in the same day. I can't imagine what her heart must have been feeling. The older I get, the more I appreciate the original. It's much sadder than I remember. But Whitney's rendition makes you weak in the knees. OF COURSE KEVIN COSTNER GONNA TAKE THAT BULLET. Whitney Houston was one of the best and her cover of this song will always have legendary status.
7. Mad World - Gary Jules & Michael Andrews
So I really like Adam Lambert's cover of this song, the way he throws his voice is super cool and unique. But the simple and somber cover by Jules and Andrews is brilliant. The piano was a great choice to carry the melody. It almost makes the Tears for Fears original feel out of place. I fell in love with this song when it was used in the Gears of War video game trailer way back when. A very strange choice on the surface, but hey, I bought the game.
6. La Vie en Rose - Lucy Dacus
I'm not so sure I even like the original. What's crazy is that this song has charted 7 different times by 7 different people. Louis Armstrong's cover is great and his version with the trumpet is a nice touch. I think when a song is covered that often and that renowned, you need to do something to set yourself apart. Dacus' version is upbeat, poppy and refreshing; a good change from the sad slow versions we are typically used to.
5. Billie Jean - Chris Cornell
I'll say it again & again, iconic songs are hard to cover. Taking something incredibly popular and well known, that's already ingrained in people's memories is a tough challenge. I think that's why I appreciate covers so much. An artist will hear a different possibility in their head and make it come alive. This cover is just that. It's so different -- it's stripped down, gritty, and completely different than the original. Small shoutout to American Idol winner David Cook who also covered this song in a similar fashion and crushed it. But props to Chris Cornell for this reimagining.
4. Zombie - MISSIO Chalk this one up as another song that gets covered ad nauseam. The original by the Cranberries is iconic and hard to follow up. There is a huge crowd of people that approach most hit songs like this with the 'leave it alone' attitude, and most of the time I see why. However, every now and then you get a cover so different and moving that it's worth listening to. MISSIO kills it. It's haunting and beautiful and unique. I might be biased, as I love this band and their sound. But listen for yourself and see!
3. Over The Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
I think I want to cry every time I hear this song. I recently read on Twitter that Kamakawiwo'ole called the studio desperately trying to get in to record in the middle of the night and dropped this in one take. I choose to believe it. This remix is powerful. Judy Garland sang with a sort of broken emotion later in her life that made her performances of this song great. But Kamakawiwo'ole is next level and I don't think of this song any other way.
2. Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton
I don't listen to country. I don't like it, I don't wanna like it, and none of you can convince me otherwise. But the first time I heard this song on a hot summer day, freshly 'in like' with my now wife, I was sold. I couldn't stand 10 seconds of the original when I went back to give it a listen. Slowing it down and simplifying the song was a great move, but what puts it over the top is Stapleton's smooth as molasses voice, which undeniably makes this one of the best covers in my view.
1. Hurt - Johnny Cash
Without a doubt, hands down, the best genre bending cover of all time. I can't say I even remotely like the original Nine Inch Nails version. But the moment I heard this song I was blown away. The emotion conveyed by an aged Johnny Cash makes it seem like this was his own song all along. I recently listened to an interview with Rick Ruben (the producer who convinced Cash to take on the project) and let me just say, the man is a genius to hear the original song and work with Cash to give us this masterpiece.
If you didn't quite get enough, here's a few extra covers that just missed the list but deserve an honourable mention. Also, the Youtube Channel for BBC Radio 1 has a live lounge where artists come in and do covers all the time. Check it out!
Intro - City of the Sun (The xx) - Super passionate "live living room" feel cover.
Stay - 30 Seconds to Mars (Rihanna) - Love Jared Leto's voice. Come at me bro.
Crazy in Love - Miguel (Beyonce) - Its sultry and I like it. (The link is not actually Miguel, but that version is nowhere to be found)
Let me know your favourite cover in the comments!
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