It is really such a crime to like a cover as much as (if not more than) the original? Although there are certainly some atrocious covers out there which can leave your perception of the original song in tatters, I am not ashamed to admit that there are a fair few covers which I hold in as high esteem as their originals. Here are a few covers I feel are up to the mark.
Although I am quite fond of ‘Heart it Races‘ by Melbourne’s Architecture in Helsinki when I stumbled upon this cover by Dr. Dog I was mesmerised. They have managed to give the song a certain something (which I can’t quite put my finger on) that it seemed to be missing. The original is a light, fun electro-pop song while the cover version has transformed it into a warm and dreamy tune. The song translates very well into this ever-so-pleasant style of jangly indie pop (or whatever you might like to call it).
I was pretty much a sure thing that I would love The Shins version of the Magnetic Fields song ‘Strange Powers‘. For one, the lyrics are great. Who could go past a song with the line “when we kiss it feels like a flying saucer landing”. Combining romance AND sci-fi amount to lyrical genius in my book. The film clip for the original song stars a very androgynous chick(?) gallivanting around Coney Island. Even though numerous people have told me it is now a dilapidated tourist-trodden hell hole, I still have a strange and steadfast desire to go there one day. Maybe I should blame songs which reference it such as this one and ‘Coney Island‘ by Death Cab For Cutie. Secondly, I always find the Shins so endearing. This might be because they have a particularly powerful brand of indie-pop which makes you want to dance like a fool or it could be because their lyrics are puzzlingly dark for a band with such a light hearted sound. Enough about the Shins. The cover is great.
I am well aware that I may get a complete roasting from Tom Waits fans for this one but I actually really dig Scarlett Johansson’s version of ‘Falling Down‘. I have heard a lot of people say ‘she can’t sing’- sure, her voice isn’t to everyone’s taste but isn’t the same true of Waits himself? The cover is actually pretty true to the original in terms of vocal delivery and the banjo is lovely to boot.
Honourable mention goes to:
Don’t you just hate awkward conversations?
28 MayThis scene from Jim Jarmusch‘s ‘Coffee and Cigarettes’ is absolutely cringeworthy. He has managed to capture the essence of the awkward and disjointed conversation perfectly. I have had many of these in my time. Sometimes I feel like my life is a series of awkward conversations so when one finally goes really well it is such a surprise/relief.
Would it be unfair to say that Iggy Pop and Tom Waits are two of the ugliest guys in Rock n Roll? Iggy has had that emaciated, stick insect look going for as long as I can remember and Tom is just particularly troll like.