If something is worth doing, I'm a firm believer that it is also worth re-doing. Musicians seem to agree with me, as they often cover one another's songs in attempts to revitalize a classic, capitalize on a hit or just goof off between genres. Here are some covers, new and old, which are worth a listen.
1. "Fell in Love with a Boy" - Joss Stone
Originally performed by the White Stripes as "Fell in Love with a Boy," Joss Stone lends her signature bluesy/jazzy feel to this rock hit. With this song, Joss was also one of the first to begin the recent trend of covering songs written within the past year, rather than a decade or older.
2. "Tainted Love" - Marilyn Manson
The version of "Tainted Love" most of us know and sing loudly at parties is not the original, believe it or not. When Gloria Jones sang the hit in '64, it was a soul song. The most popular cover is by Soft Cell, and it is the version you're most likely to recognize. However, I'm personally partial to Marilyn Manson's (the king of covers) more ... modern take on the hit.
3. "Hallelujah" - Jeff Buckley
First sung by Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley sped up the music a bit, changed to a higher key and sung the song with an emotion in his voice that was completely lacking in Cohen's version. Rufus Wainwright also did a pretty, but somewhat vanilla, rendition (which you may recognize as having appeared in Shrek).
4. "Womanizer" - Lily Allen
Anybody and everybody seems to be covering Britney Spears recently. Case and point? Franz Ferdinand also did a version of "Womanizer." Lily Allen's version strips down the song to its more basic elements, devoid of computerization. While it may lack the bang of a computer bass beat, the song is still full of spunk with a cabaret feel.
5. "Proud Mary" - Tina Turner
This song is as much of a classic in its covered form as its original. Turner ditched the twang of Creedence Clearwater Revival's hit in favor of an upbeat, purely Tina tune. As she says, she only does things "nice and rough." Add in some signature dance moves, and you have a cover that is set to become possibly even more famous than the original song and a karaoke staple.
