Time for another post about music but this time about something a little happier: cover songs. It doesn’t get much better than coming across a well executed cover song, regardless of whether or not you even really cared for the original version of the song that much. As an aside, I’d like to point out that file-sharing systems are often the best place to find these covers many of which you’d just about be out of luck finding through more legitimate methods. In order for a cover to be truly great, it should both retain the best qualities given to it by the original artist while incorporating a feel entirely unique to the artist doing the cover. Nothing’s worse than a cover than tries to follow the original perfectly. Actually, I take that back. It seems that every pop-punk band in existance has some “ironic” cover of a cheesy 70’s or 80’s song that all follow the exact same formula. I’ll admit that some of them manage to be amusing, but for the most part I think they’re completely unnecessary. For reference, here are my top 5 10 (I just couldn’t stop) favorite cover songs (in no particular order):

The Dismemberment Plan – Close to Me
Original artist: The Cure

Jawbox – I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Original artist: written by Cole Porter, performed by Frank Sinatra

Frodus – Explosions
Original artist: Devo

Low & Dirty Three – Down by the River
Original artist: Neil Young

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
Original artist – Leonard Cohen

Langley Schools Music Project – Desperado
Original artist: Eagles

Cornelius – Brazil
Original artist: Ary Barroso

Johnny Cash – I See a Darkness
Original artist: Bonnie Prince Billy

Microphones – Sand
Original artist: Eric’s Trip

Smith’s covers. No surprise here, right? There’ve been so many of these ranging from the awful to the amazing but I like nearly all of them, even if they often fail to do justice. It’s just hard to ruin a Smith’s song. The one notable exception being Limp Bizkit’s cover of The Boy with the Thorn in His Side.