There's a Youtuber I've come to enjoy, LittleVMills, who does metal covers of pop songs and things from video games.
I cannot emphasize enough how much I'm not normally a metal guy, but this dude's genuihe musicianship, singing chops, production values, and sense of humor really won me over. He picks good tunes, does them justice, and adds some nice visual touches and sight gags to the videos. He's not afraid to look ridiculous, which is always a plus.
I think my initial exposure was this appropriately insane cover of the "24 Hour Cinderella" karaoke song from Yakuza 0.
This is mostly a display of skill
But it is insane skill
Drumming a DnB banger live. Headphones kinda thing to really hear how crazy good this is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiqvfSa8z6M
Over in Australia they got a long, long log of covers from various artists for a radio show. Recently a dirtbag version of Murder on the Dancefloor came along.
The big cover struggle is always to be able to make a song your own without it becoming a 'genre joke'
There are so many obvious choices for iconic covers, from Abbey Road to Nevermind, but I think my choice has gotta be Notorious BIG's Ready to Die.
Through the juxtaposition of the photograph with the album title, Biggie is telling us that he was ready to die as soon as he was born. Combined with the lyrical themes about how thug life has become more deadly than it ever was before, Biggie is making a powerful statement about growing up black, poor, and male in inner city America. He demonstrates that the performative masculinity of 90s gangsta rap, then still an emerging genre, carries implicit political meaning even when the lyrics are explicitly only about drugs, money, and sex.
Feral on
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
The original being Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) by Steve Young, this is the Chromatic's version, Into the Black. I heard it and fell in love with it before I ever heard the original - it's moody and beautiful and melodic. And now the original doesn't feel right to me!
And here we have a sexy, sultry cover of Word Up, that again has completely eclipsed the original for me. Willis' inviting voice and the unusual guitar accompaniment (I believe they're nylon strings?) produce a song I can't help but imagine myself fuckin' to.
There's a Youtuber I've come to enjoy, LittleVMills, who does metal covers of pop songs and things from video games.
I cannot emphasize enough how much I'm not normally a metal guy, but this dude's genuihe musicianship, singing chops, production values, and sense of humor really won me over. He picks good tunes, does them justice, and adds some nice visual touches and sight gags to the videos. He's not afraid to look ridiculous, which is always a plus.
[/spoiler]
Another person that's doing metal covers in a similar vein (lots of movie and show tunes) and getting some cross over appeal is Dan Vasc, though Dan doesn't have quite as over the top wardrobe or production, but his voice delivers the goods:
Ben Folds does some amazing covers of songs. I initially wrote "white girl covers of songs" but that feels a bit unfair, he's definitely doing covers out of fun and love for the original songs.
A trap is for fish: when you've got the fish, you can forget the trap. A snare is for rabbits: when you've got the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words are for meaning: when you've got the meaning, you can forget the words.
A trap is for fish: when you've got the fish, you can forget the trap. A snare is for rabbits: when you've got the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words are for meaning: when you've got the meaning, you can forget the words.
Lot of great covers here, but I'd like to throw Brass Against ft. Sophia Urista into the mix. Basically the only covers of Rage Against the Machine that captures just how pissed off we need to be.
It's been remixed a bunch, one of the more notable ones is by Trentemøller, who barely keeps the vocals in tact. Kind of missing the point, imo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEhbR4JqfPw
This version has been'reworked'/covered by German techno marching band Meute, with impressively loud vocals by their bass saxophonist. I'm really impressed by their craft, but this version is especially great because they recaptured some of the essence of the original through the vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24PnCsZddBk
Meute is fucking rad and I hope to see them live sometime.
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
+3
MonwynApathy's a tragedy, and boredom is a crime.A little bit of everything, all of the time.Registered Userregular
Postmodern Jukebox is cheating.
I've got a bunch of favorites, so I'm just going to dump everything that's front of mind in one big list under the spoiler rather than multiposting; more later, probably.
A flawed but still very good cover of NIN's Right Where It Belongs; if the idiot DJ had been able to restrain himself for the twenty seconds where he went on an arrhythmic, unnecessary synth breakdown it would be perfect:
There are so many covers of Valhalla Calling that are just fine because it's such a good song it's hard to mess it up. This one is equal to or just slightly better than the original though.
It's kinda crazy to me how Gav's (Miracle Of Sounds) song has traveled so far and wide. From a really cool internet song to showing up at festivals and wrestling shows, and now to other bands covering it.
He's a great musician. Skal, Ode to Fury, Superhuman, Beneath the Black Flag, Wake the White Wolf, Another Round of Gwent, When the Wolves Cry Out, Age of the Dragon, We Are War, the Tail of Cu Chulainn, Neon Red, A Thousand Eyes and so many more good songs.
In 2012, Sabbaton covered "Twilight of the Thunder God" with a clean vocals instead of the growling of Amon Amarth. It really has a great Powerwolf vibe.
In 2017, Rage of Light did a cover of "Twilight of the Thunder Gods" with a mix of clean and growly vocals from Melissa Bonny and growling from Jonathan Pellet.
I've seen Puddles live several times now and he puts on a fantastic show. He does bits of physical comedy, leaning into the sad clown act, between his songs. And he has a running joke about his own fascination with Kevin Costner (which includes projecting clips from Waterworld while singing Tina Turner's We Don't Need Another Hero).
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
Heart was actually the third act to release a version of the song. The second version was recorded by John Stamos (yes, the Full House actor) and it is laughably terrible. Look it up only for its novelty value.
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
+4
minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
A great cover is transformative and makes you appreciate the original even more.
Songs:
"Ever Fallen in Love" by the Buzzcocks
"Panama" by Van Halen
"Thinking About You" by Frank Ocean
"Bizarre Love Triangle" by New Order
"Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads
"Heart of Gold" by Neil Young
"Barracuda" by Heart
"Gates of Steel" by Devo
"We Got the Beat" by the Go-Go's
"Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac
"Linger" by the Cranberries
"Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus
"Surrender" by Cheap Trick
"The Sweater Song" by Weezer
"Plus" by Stone Temple Pilots
"Prayer to God" by Shellac
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
I'm also a big fan of covers that can make me appreciate a song I thought was garbage. Here's Lucy Dacus completely recontextualizing Hinder's butt-rock cheater's anthem "Lips of an Angel":
This is a well known story, but Jimi Hendrix bought the Sgt Peppers on release on a Friday, and played it live in front of the Beatles on Sunday. No audio of that remains, but he kept it in his live set.
This was 2 months later.
Yeah yeah, PMJ is cheating, but I'm fond of the cover they did of Macklemore's Thrift Shop with Robyn Adele Anderson, especially covering it in the same style that Grandpa would have liked.
Posts
This is all YouTube is good for. This and teaching me how to sharpen and balance lawnmower blades, things of that nature.
Deftones covering Sade was always one of those things that when I heard OF it, it seemed weird, but when I actually heard it, it made so much sense.
But it is insane skill
Drumming a DnB banger live. Headphones kinda thing to really hear how crazy good this is.
Over in Australia they got a long, long log of covers from various artists for a radio show. Recently a dirtbag version of Murder on the Dancefloor came along.
The big cover struggle is always to be able to make a song your own without it becoming a 'genre joke'
Through the juxtaposition of the photograph with the album title, Biggie is telling us that he was ready to die as soon as he was born. Combined with the lyrical themes about how thug life has become more deadly than it ever was before, Biggie is making a powerful statement about growing up black, poor, and male in inner city America. He demonstrates that the performative masculinity of 90s gangsta rap, then still an emerging genre, carries implicit political meaning even when the lyrics are explicitly only about drugs, money, and sex.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
The original being Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) by Steve Young, this is the Chromatic's version, Into the Black. I heard it and fell in love with it before I ever heard the original - it's moody and beautiful and melodic. And now the original doesn't feel right to me!
And here we have a sexy, sultry cover of Word Up, that again has completely eclipsed the original for me. Willis' inviting voice and the unusual guitar accompaniment (I believe they're nylon strings?) produce a song I can't help but imagine myself fuckin' to.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
Another person that's doing metal covers in a similar vein (lots of movie and show tunes) and getting some cross over appeal is Dan Vasc, though Dan doesn't have quite as over the top wardrobe or production, but his voice delivers the goods:
Toss a Coin To Your Witcher:
I'll Make a Man Out Of You:
Amazing Grace (w/ harmonica solo):
He can also do quite well without the metal touches:
Nessun Dorma:
~ Buckaroo Banzai
Dr. Dre - Bitches Aint Shit (very NSFW obviously)
Kesha - Sleazy. Apparently Kesha loved this version and they ended up collaborating on a couple of her songs.
And then this is Ben Folds doing a funk version of his own song Kate with Maya Saikes, which is just a better version.
Adam and the Metal Hawks are great (especially if you're a Jack Black fan), but their cover of Bad Guy is top notch:
And since someone mentioned Postmodern Jukebox:
Creep by Haley Reinhart
Don't Stop by Maiya Sykes
And the best cover of any song ever:
Dream On by Morgan James
Killing in the Name
Guerilla Radio
https://open.spotify.com/track/45HAjqRWiNv6mMPw4NvZrU?si=306ae21523bf4f01
Blizzard: Pailryder#1101
GoG: https://www.gog.com/u/pailryder
I got to see them live in Chicago sometime around 2014-2015. Great show. I'm particularly fond of their cover of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters".
My Backloggery
It's been remixed a bunch, one of the more notable ones is by Trentemøller, who barely keeps the vocals in tact. Kind of missing the point, imo.
This version has been'reworked'/covered by German techno marching band Meute, with impressively loud vocals by their bass saxophonist. I'm really impressed by their craft, but this version is especially great because they recaptured some of the essence of the original through the vocals.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
I've got a bunch of favorites, so I'm just going to dump everything that's front of mind in one big list under the spoiler rather than multiposting; more later, probably.
(Don't ask what the guy on keys is doing, nobody knows)
Chad Smith (of RHCP) has ostensibly never heard The Kill before and just slams out a drum cover in one take after hearing the first verse:
The only good Tool cover:
A flawed but still very good cover of NIN's Right Where It Belongs; if the idiot DJ had been able to restrain himself for the twenty seconds where he went on an arrhythmic, unnecessary synth breakdown it would be perfect:
Ramin Djawadi's incredible piano/orchestral arrangement of Kanye's Runaway:
Giant Drag's incredible punk take on Chris Isaak's Wicked Game:
It's kinda crazy to me how Gav's (Miracle Of Sounds) song has traveled so far and wide. From a really cool internet song to showing up at festivals and wrestling shows, and now to other bands covering it.
In Mongolian.
edit: more 80s, T-Rex by way of Britishi supergroup
If we ever get another Thor MCU movie, this needs to be used.
Also, PMJ may be cheating, but I still get chills from their first collaboration with Puddles.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Heart was actually the third act to release a version of the song. The second version was recorded by John Stamos (yes, the Full House actor) and it is laughably terrible. Look it up only for its novelty value.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Here's some of my favorites:
Screaming Females - "Shake It Off" (originally by Taylor Swift)
Garbage & Screaming Females - "Because the Night" (originally by Bruce Springsteen & Patti Smith)
Caitlin Rose - "Piledriver Waltz" (originally by Alex Turner / The Arctic Monkeys)
AJJ and Jeff Rosenstock cover 16 songs in under 9 minutes.
Songs:
"Ever Fallen in Love" by the Buzzcocks
"Panama" by Van Halen
"Thinking About You" by Frank Ocean
"Bizarre Love Triangle" by New Order
"Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads
"Heart of Gold" by Neil Young
"Barracuda" by Heart
"Gates of Steel" by Devo
"We Got the Beat" by the Go-Go's
"Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac
"Linger" by the Cranberries
"Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus
"Surrender" by Cheap Trick
"The Sweater Song" by Weezer
"Plus" by Stone Temple Pilots
"Prayer to God" by Shellac
And in something I just learned about today, and seems even less sensible, Toto reciprocated by doing hash pipe:
I'm also a big fan of covers that can make me appreciate a song I thought was garbage. Here's Lucy Dacus completely recontextualizing Hinder's butt-rock cheater's anthem "Lips of an Angel":
This is a well known story, but Jimi Hendrix bought the Sgt Peppers on release on a Friday, and played it live in front of the Beatles on Sunday. No audio of that remains, but he kept it in his live set.
This was 2 months later.
As for other covers not mentioned, I also like Ghost's cover of Jesus He Knows Me (not linking the video for several NSFW reasons).
It’s an orchestra of instruments from the 1920s but I’ve never seen or heard anything else from them