I was scrolling through my iTunes one day and saw that lot
of the songs that were on my playlists were covers of songs. One of my favorite
features of Rinse is that it won’t delete the songs with the same titles while
removing legitimate duplicates. Because although a cover song is the derivative
of an original song, it is essentially a completely different work of art.
The concept of covering a song seems to be a gray area for
any music artist. Given a really awesome original song, the artist has the
added challenge of preserving the integrity of the song while making it their
own. I’ve got to hand it to the Glee cast; their covers of popular songs are so
vibrant that they act almost as supporting characters on the show.
Here’s a list of lesser known cover songs that I’m currently
jamming to and can’t get enough of:
“Somewhere Only We Know” – Glee (originally sung by Keane)
As a self-proclaimed “Gleek,” of course I had to include at
least one Glee cover. The original version seems to crop up in movie montages
and trailers of the sentimental sort and gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside,
and this cover does not disappoint. Darren Criss’s voice, combined with the
choir in the background, AND during the scene that unfolds during the lunch
hour at McKinley High? MAGIC.
“Crazy” – Ray LaMontagne – (originally sung by Gnarls Barkley)
With his guitar strumming and husky, bluesy voice, Ray
LaMontagne put his own spin on Gnarls Barkley’s hit. While I like the upbeat
attitude of the original, this cover has a more organic feel and is perfect to
listen to when I’m just lounging around.
Oh hey, Ray.
Source: did.youhearthenew.com
“Here Comes the Sun” Belle & Sebastian (originally sung by the Beatles)
The first few notes of the original never fail to make me
smile. This Belle & Sebastian cover stays true to the original, while
giving it a little dash of indie spirit.
“How Deep is Your Love” – The Bird & the Bee (originally sung by The Bee Gees)
Another oldie but goodie. I stumbled across this cover while
watching the Sex and the City movie.
Isn’t it always cool to unexpectedly find new music in movie soundtracks? While
I was probably the only one listening to The Bee Gees in high school not so
long ago, I found a more modern take on the classic with The Bird & the Bee
cover to take me through college. This version sounds spooky, but sweet at the
same time.
“Give it Away” – Tahiti 80 from the Chi-Lites
I actually heard this cover before I had even heard of the
Chi-Lites. Under Tahiti 80’s French indie pop influence, “Give it Away” went
from smooth Chicago-style soul to pure happy music on my playlist.
Lookin’ pretty French and hipster there, Tahiti 80.
Source: gigape.com
“Dance Me to the End of Love” Madeleine Peyroux from Leonard Cohen
It’s rare that I think a cover sounds better than the original, but this is one of the
instances. Madeleine Peyroux sounds so much like Billie Holiday, and compared
to Leonard Cohen’s original, this cover sounds like a completely different
song. The jazzy, vintage vibe of this cover makes me want to go to New Orleans
and, well…go dancing…
What are some of your favorite covers?