Musicians covering each others work has been as longstanding a staple in music culture as substance abuse and misogyny. While the motivation to do so is often the child of an unholy marriage between lazy opportunism and musical sacrilege, in worthy hands it can be the most respectful of endeavors. With emphasis on the latter, the following post is a mix of some of the more interesting cover versions I’ve collected on my travels.
Glass Candy – Iko (Dixie Cups)
Vampire Weekend – Everywhere (Fleetwood Mac)
Magic Arm – Daft Punk Is Playing In My House (LCD Soundsystem)
The Flaming Lips – Money (Pink Floyd)
JJ – Ecstacy (Lil’ Wayne)
3 Teens Kill 4 – Tell Me Something Good (Rufus & Chaka Khan)
Peter Bjorn & John – Summer Breeze (Seals & Croft)
The Cloud Room – Blue Monday (New Order)
Plaintains – I Feel Love (Donna Summer)
Monsters Are Waiting – I Wanna Be Adored (Stone Roses)
The Go! Team – Bull in the Heather (Sonic Youth)
California Poppy Pickers – Why Don’t We Do It In the Road (The Beatles)
My Brightest Diamond – Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me and My Monkey (The Beatles)
The Puppini Sisters – Walk Like an Egyptian (The Bangles)
Clare and the Reasons – That’s All (Genesis)
Thao – You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me (Smokey Robinson)
Chromatic Flights – I Am a Rock (Simon & Garfunkel)
Casiotone For the Painfully Alone – Streets of Philadelphia (Bruce Springsteen)
You Say Party! We Say Die! – Nightswimming (R.E.M.)
The Chromatics – Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush)
Hot Chip – Transmission (Joy Division)
Fischerspooner – The 15th (Wire)
Theophilus London feat. Lykke Li – Computer Love (Kraftwerk)
White Hinterland – My Love (Justin Timberlake)
Idiot Glee – Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
Ryan Adams – Everything In It’s Right Place (Radiohead)
Phoenix – Playground Love (Air)
Annie Hart and Slow Club – Killing Moon (Echo & the Bunnymen)
The Last Town Chorus – Do You Really Wanna Hurt Me? (Culture Club)
Taken By Trees – Sweet Child of Mine (Guns & Roses)
The Old Believers – This Must Be the Place (Talking Heads)
Kevin Davis – Fuck Tha Police (NWA Cover)
Antony and the Johnsons – Crazy In Love (Beyonce)
Susanna and the Magical Orchestra – Condition of the Heart (Prince)
Electric Adolescence – The Cover Up (right click to download) 80 mins/ 256 kbps/ 146MB
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As a follow up to this mix of cover songs, its sequel is moodier and perhaps less fun than its predecessor, but I expect the same could be said about me personally. At any rate, I invite you to take this tour through the musical wax museum that is the cover song.
Senor Coconut – Showroom Dummies (Kraftwerk)
Nicole Atkins – Vitamin C (Can)
Banjo or Freakout – Since We Last Met (NDF)
Toro Y Moi – Human Nature (Michael Jackson)
Sly Dunbar – Don’t Stop the Music (Yarbrough & Peoples)
Arthur’s Landing feat Nomi – Love Dancing (Arthur Russell)
Clem Snide – Bab Boy For Life (Puff Daddy)
Futurebirds – Tracks of My Tears (Smokey Robinson)
The Box Tops – White Shade of Pale (Procal Harem)
Low Sea – Sweet Jane (Velvet Underground)
Blackbird Blackbird – Float On (Modest Mouse)
Heinali and Matt – Creep (Radiohead)
Everything In Its Right Place – Vitamin Dub (Radiohead)
The Last Royals – Nothing Compares 2 (Prince/ The Family)
KYNAN – Purple Rain (Prince)
GAYNGS – By Your Side (Sade)
Sade – Please Send Me Someone To Love (Percy Sledge)
New Animal – Lord Can You Hear Me (Spiritualized)
Bright Light Bright Light – Falling (Julee Cruise/ Twin Peaks)
How I Quit Crack – Wicked Games (Chris Isaac)
Mount Pleasant – In Dreams (Roy Orbinson)
White Hinterland – Lucky Cloud (Arthur Russell)
D’Angelo – Feel Like Making Love (Roberta Flack)
How To Dress Well – I Wish (R Kelly)
Schneider TM – The Light (The Smiths)
Scala & Kolacny Brothers – Enjoy the Silence (Depeche Mode)
Electric Adolescence – Another Cover Up 80 mins/ 320 kbps/
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