I'm Alive

Say what you want about American Idol, I will begrudgingly admit it has produced some fine talented people. Like Bikini girl from Season 8 and  . . . uhm . . . Randy Jackson.

Oh and David Cook. I liked him. He really didn't suck. He did this really nifty Neil Diamond Cover.

Hittin' The Hay

I'm actually surprised anyone ever heard "Hittin' The Hay," let alone covered it. Primus front man Les Claypool, teamed with the North Mississippi All Stars to cover the song for the soundtrack to the Nickelodeon animated bomb, The Barnyard. The original was never a single, but was recorded in 1994 by the Swedish techno/bluegrass band the Rednex. Yes, let that sink in, Swedish techno/bluegrass. If you're wondering what Swedish techno/bluegrass sounds like, you might remember Rednex's one hit song, a cover of an old American slave hymn, "Cotton Eye Joe."

Wish You Were Here

For some reason when the Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame had an exhibit on "Women Who Rock" they totally overlooked Catherine Wheel. So here, as some matter of payback, is a Pink Floyd cover.

Mad World

Remember how shocked everyone was when Adam Lambert revealed he was, in fact, gay? Me either. I tend to avoid American Idol covers (except when I don't) but seeing as he was recently named as the official lead singer and Freddie Mercury's replacement in Queen, I suppose he's due some props. Mad props, perhaps? Cause what I have here is him covering Tears for Fears "Mad World."

Friend Of The Devil

When we look back at the 1990's it's easy to forget or skip Counting Crows entirely. Which is a shame really because "August and Everything After" was the fastest selling album since "Nevermind." I mean sure they weren't quite as grungy as Nirvana, but then again who was? Besides didn't the lead singer nail Courtney Cox or something? That has to count for something. Anyway here's Counting Crows covering the Grateful Dead.

Blinded By The Light [Deep Cover]

Most people know "Blinded By The Light" as the Manfred Mann's Earth Band version of the song, which makes it a Deep Cover. The original of the song was done by The Boss, Tony Danza. Er... I mean Bruce Springsteen. You can see how I get those two confused? Anyway it was the first single off the "Greetings From Ashbury Park" album and failed to chart. It wasn't until later when, to paraphrase Springsteen, Mann rewrote the song to be about a feminine hygiene product that the song charted. There don't you feel smarter for knowing that?

Signs

There's nothing like a good protest song, and in the hands of a band like Tesla, the song "Signs" is nothing like a good protest song. Originally by Five Man Electrical Band Tesla covered the song on their album called "Five Man Acoustical Jam."

All Along the Watch Tower

I'm feeling a bit lazy today, so I'll just cut and paste from the Wikipedia page on "All Along the Watchtower."

Dave Matthews Band has played the song since the band's inception in the early 1990s. Their rendition maintains Dylan's three chord structure and key signature but differs in style. Dave Matthews typically begins the song slowly with just bass, vocals and acoustic guitar. The band members come in after the line "the hour is getting late", picking up the tempo and intensity. The band's members then take extended solos, culminating with the line, "No reason to get excited." "Watchtower", as it is referred to by the band's fans, is a concert staple, often performed as either a closer or encore. In all, they have covered the song live more than 600 times, including solo performances by Matthews, and it has appeared on six of their officially released live albums, though the band has never released a studio version.

Baker Street

"Baker Street" also known as "That song with that sax part" was former Stealers Wheel front man, Gerry Rafferty's first solo single. Here the Foo Fighters cover the song, sans sax.

I've Done Everything for You

As a follow up to "Jessie's Girl," Rick Springfield decided to release a cover of Sammy Hagar's "I've Done Everything For You." Obvious a great career decision as he's had a string of hits ... or not.

Higher Ground

I was first introduced to this Red Hot Chili Peppers cover of Stevie Wonder via the soundtrack to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers movie and while ... you know what?!? Fuck you for judging me okay! Did you ever see the movie? Then how do you know it wasn't on par with "Citizen Cane?" Yes, I'm aware of the spelling of "Kane," I'm talking about the porn version staring Candy Canes, where Rosebud was her ....  What I'm trying to say is, I never saw either of those movie I only acquired the CD for reasons I can't quite recall right now. Anyway some British rag called Trash Guitar called this song the second greatest cover of all time. Meh, I can live with that.

Sexy Back

Some people might say that Poison covering Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack" is just a desperate attempt to stay relevant and appeal to the under 21 demographic. The counter argument is that bandanna Bret Micheal has had crazy glued to to his head for the past decade is some kind of mind control device that forced him to do it. I'm kidding of course. There is no other option than the first one.

Battle Of Evermore

If the Lovemongers sound a bit like Heart, it's because it basically is the sisters Wilson gone accoustic. Here they are covering some band I've really never heard of called Led Zepplin or something ...

 

Got To Be Real

In the wake of the success of "Finding Nemo" every animation studio tried to put out some fish based movie for the nearsighted grandma to buy for their grand kids. This brought us The Reef, Shark Tale and others. Shark Tale actually had some star power behind it, but was still basically a terrible movie. On the soundtrack however  was Mary J. Blige and Will Smith covering "Got To Be Real."

Interesting side note, on the original Cheryl Lynn recording, the session guitarist was none other than Ray Parker Jr. So apparently he did do something other than rip off Huey Lewis.

I'm a Believer

There a precious few bands that manage to successfully bridge the gap between tween girls and frat boys. Wait, did I say "manage?" that should have been "want." None the less, Smash Mouth for reasons entirely unknown to to everyone but societies mindless sheep, does just that, with mediocre party songs featured prominently in animated cartoons. Here they are covering the song Neil Diamond wrote, and the Monkees made famous, "I'm a Believer."

Two Become One

Paul Gilbert is hardly a house hold name. He was formerly in Racer X, they were big in Japan. He was also in another band that was big in Japan, and in America called Mr. Big.

So it's perfectly logical he'd cover the Spice Girls right?

Shout

If you are ... Disturbed ... by 80's New Wave covered by Nu Metal bands, then this isn't the cover for you. Unless of course, you like the band named Disturbed. Then you'll totally love this Tears for Fears cover.

Where Do Broken Hearts Go? [R.I.P. Whitney]

Obligatory Whitney Houston cover by the proto-punk cover supergroup Me First and Gimmie Gimmies.

Lose Yourself / Riding Dirty / Hey Ya / Don't Cha / Can't Touch This /Hot in Herrre [Crappy Cover]

I normally don't bother with covers by artists without a real recording contract, or at least attempting to make a living off music. And normal I'm a big fan of vocal only doing current songs, because they usually have some brilliant angle stripping the song to it's emotional core, or there an odd juxtaposition of beauty with harsh, angry lyrics.

I say usually, because well, there's exceptions, like this one. It's the Funky Fresh Senior Choir. No, senior does not refer to a senior in high school or a senior in college. They are old. Very, very old. The last people min the world you want to hear singing "it's getting hot in herrre, so let's take off our clothes." Yet, there it is. In all it's glorious youtube ... uh, glory. They are neither funky, nor fresh. Unless Mc Hammer is your idea of fresh. They are seniors. But again the word choir may have been misused here. That is why, this is, without a doubt, a Crappy Cover.