10 Cover Songs So Good That Many People Don't Even Know They're Covers
We are so grateful for these covers.
Listen to the original by Leonard Cohen here.
A lot of people forget Buckley's "Hallelujah" is a cover - it's that good. While Cohen's distinct, deep voice backed with a chorus gives the song heart, Buckley's ethereal voice and soft guitar make it raw and melancholic. There's a reason why Buckley's version has been used in so many films and TV shows during emotional moments.
Listen to the original by The Family here.
Prince actually wrote and recorded the song with The Family in 1985, but it didn't take off. It wasn't until Irish singer O'Connor popularized it in 1990, and even won Video of the Year at the MTV VMAs. Honestly, the original is a little boring when you hear O'Connor's heartfelt take of the song.
Listen to the original by Betty Hutton here.
"It's Oh So Quiet" set Björk on the map, and it was her highest-charting single to date. Hutton first recorded the song in 1951, and the Icelandic solo artist brought it back in 1995 with even more dramatics, shrieks and throat growls that make it awesome.
Listen to the original by The Strangeloves here.
Everyone knows this irresistibly catchy bubblegum pop song that was popularized by British New Wave band Bow Wow Wow in 1982. It was recorded by Australian pop trio The Strangeloves in 1965, but the music isn't as well produced.
Listen to the original by Otis Redding here.
"Respect" is one of Franklin's biggest songs, but it was actually a cover of Redding's 1965 song. Franklin's cover not only showcases her powerful vocal range, but it also embodies female empowerment, whereas Redding's is more sexualized. In other words: GO ARETHA.
Listen to the original by Bob Dylan here.
Beck covered Dylan's 1966 song in 2009, adding more energy, depth and layers to the song. Sure, Dylan pulls off the twangy singer-songwriter aspect well, but Beck steps it up with a catchy bass riff and killer electric guitar.
Listen to the original by Talk Talk here.
No Doubt covered the 1984 British hit on their own greatest hits album in 2003... and it turned out to be Grammy-nominated. There's something captivating about Gwen Stefani's poppy yet badass cover of the song.
Listen to the original by Gary Jules here.
The original "Mad World" is synthy, poppy and very 80s... Gary Jules', cover however, is haunting, dark and emotional. It's like listening to two entirely different songs.
Listen to the original by Taylor Swift here.
I love a good Taylor Swift song, but Ryan Adams nailed it right on the head with his cover of 1989. "Bad Blood" in particular was one of the better covers on the album, as it turns Swift's pop ballad into a folky, etherial song, while making the lyrics sound a lot less petty, too.
Listen to the original by The Postal Service here.
OK, both of these versions are really great, depending on what kind of mood you're in, but Iron & Wine's version wins in my book because of the dreamy tone which brings out the beautiful lyrics. The synthy beats in The Postal Service's song is catchy and fun, but the depth doesn't come across.