Variations on a Theme: Cover Songs

This month we are exploring cover songs! I’m defining a cover song as a version of lyrics or recognizable melody performed by a group that did not write it. Regardless of which version is the most popular, the people who did not write the song is the cover. This playlist mainly explores either little known covers that I enjoy, or reveals some songs you may not have known to be covers. Have fun!

1. “Got To Get You Into My Life” by Earth, Wind, and Fire

Yeah so little known fact, this is a cover of a Beatles song off of the “Revolver” album. And I have to be honest, I like this version much better. With the different layering of the horns and the snapping at the beginning, it feels like a much more complete version than the original one by the Beatles.

2. “Everybody Wants To Be A Cat” by The Electric Swing Circus

Originally from the animated classic “The Aristocats” this is a more jazzy version of an already pretty jazzy tune. I’ve heard numerous versions of this song, and they are all fun, but this is the most upbeat one that I’ve seen and therefore my favorite. Because this song is meant to be fun and jazzy!

3. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by Jake Shimabukuro

This is the song that made Jake Shimabukuro famous ages ago! It’s a stunning cover of the Beatles classic song on ukulele. His talent really shines through in what he does with the song and the liberties that he takes with it. Honestly though, all of Shimabukuro’s work is incredible, would highly recommend!

4. “Come On Eileen” by Save Ferris

Originally by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, this is a ska version of what is probably their biggest hit. The horns make it jazzy and very danceable, while the lyrics (sung by a woman!) are more upbeat as a result. Both versions of the song have their pros to them, but I know for sure which one I’ll be putting on during a party. Ska all the way!

5. “Please Mister Postman” by The Beatles

So having included two covers of Beatles songs, here is a Beatles song that is actually a cover! The original is by The Marvelettes, an African-American girl band from the US. Bands like them were popular just before the British Invasion, but they were eventually overwhelmed by Beatlemania. They had a profound influence on the Beatles though, so much of their sound came from black American bands.

6. “Skinny Love” by Ed Sheeran

This is an old one, from before Ed Sheeran blew the fuck up and changed his sound quite a bit. It’s a cover of Bon Iver’s song of the same name, and I think he does a beautiful job with it. Keeping it simple with just the guitar is a great choice for this song, with its bare-bones lyrics. I miss this Sheeran, now he overdubs everything and is so flashy, but this I could imagine hearing at a local coffee shop.

7. “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” by George Harrison

I love this song, I choreographed to it once in college. It’s a cover of the classic jazz tune, but it features Harrison playing ukulele. I wish there were more recordings of him on the uke, he supposedly loved the cute lil instrument and always had multiple with him to share with friends. It does not get much cuter than this.

8. “Nice Work If You Can Get It” by Frank Sinatra

Another jazz cover, this one is a classic singer covering a classic tune. But what I like about this version is how upbeat it is. Most singers with this song tend to slow it down and make it sad, but here Sinatra keeps it light and, in my opinion, captures the essence of it more. Because there’s something whimsical about equating love to a job, sure the similarities are very real, but you don’t think of it that way.

9. “Take On Me” by Reel Big Fish

Another ska cover! This time it is another 90s band taking on the hit from a-ha. This one stays very close to the original, just making it louder and faster and adding horns. The result is so much fun to listen and to dance to, I dare you to try and stay still.

 10. “I Want You Back” by Lake Street Dive

This is a cover of the Jackson 5 song, and to be honest it took me ages to even realize that it is a cover it’s so different from the original. Once you realize what it is, you do see similarities in the melodic structure, but man do they make this song their own. And with the jazzy feel, it’s almost like a Postmodern Jukebox version of a song!

So those are only a small subset of some covers that I am into. Stay tuned for next month, the theme will be WALKING MUSIC.