"Wake Me Up When September Ends" by SuRie

 

The orchestral swells permeating classically trained Essex, UK vocalist SuRie's cover of "Wake Me Up When September Ends" actually ratchet up the sadness of East Bay, California dance punk band Green Day's autobiographical original, in which principal lyricist Billie Joe Armstrong laments the death of his father.

Though SuRie's stage name is a blend of her given first and middle names (Susanna Marie), the word "surie" is Incan for "ostrich."

The internet -- teaching me all sorts of weird shit since 1994.

For another cover of Green Day, here's one from Imaginary Bill.

"Maggie May" by Blur

 Wake up, Maggie, I think I got something to say to you.

It's late September, and I really should be back at school.

Well, it is late September, but British art pop band Blur's front man Damon Albarn hasn't been back at school since a brief stint at Goldsmiths College in the late '80s.

I wonder if he still has those dreams about not locating the proper classroom and being totally unprepared for final exams, decades after he's set foot in an institution of higher learning.

We'd have so much in common.

Like academic panic dreams, and wearing jeans and a white t-shirt whilst looking all sorts of cool.

Anyway, here's Blur's cover of Rod Stewart's 1971 hit single about his trip to Cougartown.

For another cover of Rod Stewart, here's one from Wilson Phillips.

"Ruby Soho" by Jimmy Cliff

 

I don't know what I'll be like when I'm 67 years old.  I doubt that I'll be cool enough to cover one of the top 50 punk songs of all time according to Consequence of Sound, though.

You know who is?

St James, Jamaica reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, who gave Berkeley, California Operation Ivy offshoot Rancid's hit single "Ruby Soho" a velvety-voiced Caribbean flavor, before presumably watching "Matlock" and promptly falling asleep at 5:30 PM.

"Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" by Olivia Newton-John

 

September 27th marks what would be the 75th birthday of Marvin Lee Aday, better known by his professional name -- Meat Loaf.

In honor of the artist who had an album remain on the best selling charts for NINE YEARS, here is a cover of "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" by Cambridge, England singer, actress, and activist Dame Olivia Newton-John.

Newton-John, like Meat Loaf, was one of the notable celebrity deaths of 2022, succumbing to cancer in August of this year.

She leaves behind a solid musical legacy, having recorded 14 solid gold singles, and four double platinum albums.

She also had a starring role in Sharknado 5.  Which is almost equally impressive.

"Uptown Funk" by Jamie Cullum

 

British  jazz musician Jamie Cullum was rocking out on his cover of "Uptown Funk", the 2014 boogie soul collaboration between London record producer Mark Ronson and Honolulu, Hawaii singer/musician Bruno Mars.

At the 2:16 mark.... not sure exactly what happened.  Maybe he has a pet cat that decided to jump from the top of the baby grand onto the lower octaves.  Maybe he was slamming the ivories hard enough to knock over the Venti soy latte that was perilously perched atop the instrument onto the keys below.

Either way, he thought..... "Eh, nobody's going to notice that...."

"Freeze Frame" by Jump5

 

According to an article from the Learn Religions website, under the subheading Christian Entertainment, Nashville, Tennessee tweens Jump5 "hit the airwaves in 2001 as a "family-friendly alternative to the sex-driven teen pop scene being played on airwaves all over the country." 

Their cover of choice was the 1981 classic rock song "Freeze Frame" by Worcester, Massachusetts rockabilly group The J. Geils Band.

Nothing says steering away from sex-driven lyrics like covering the band who brought us "Centerfold."

Here's a snippet of lyrics from this tune -- "Friday night, we'll dance the spotlight grind."

I'm sure there's nothing implicitly steamy about that.  Carry on, Teutonic religious youngsters.

"Happy" by Death Blossoms

 

The tagline for Altadena, California group Death Blossoms is "Converting pop radio hits to the church of metal one remix at a time."

Here, they keep the upbeat tempo of Virginia Beach, Virginia entertainer Pharrell Williams' 2013 neo-soul crowd pleaser "Happy," the lone single from Illumination Studio's premier family film "Despicable Me 2." 

"Super Bon Bon" by Miss Velvet and The Blue Wolf

 

George Clinton proteges Miss Velvet and the Blue Wolf kicked off their 2019 album "Feed the Wolf" with this hard funk cover of fellow New York City, New York natives Soul Coughing, an unusual cult '90s improvisational noise band.

Move aside, and let the man go through...

"Livin' La Vida Loca" by Autumn Kings

 

Happy Fall, Y'all!

What better way to usher in the new season than with a song by Ontario, Canada four piece Autumn Kings, and their cover of San Juan, Puerto Rico star Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" that hits with the caffeinated jolt of 20,000 Pumpkin Spice frappuccinos?

"Tush" by Waxapples

 

Sometimes, all it takes is a different singer to completely change someone's perspective on a song.

For instance, there's Long Beach, California band Waxapples' reworking of 1975 12-bar blues classic "Tush," originally by Houston, Texas trio and Hall of Fame inductees ZZ Top.

Waxapples are quite successful at swapping out the misogyny of the ZZ Top lyrics for a heaping spoonful of misandry.

Substitute the lyric "Lord, take me downtown, I'm just lookin' for some tush" with "Lord, take me downtown, I'm just trolling for someone to get dirty with, more than likely anonymously, ideally behind the dumpster of a nearby pizza parlor."

When Waxapples sing that line.... it's pretty hot.

When ZZ Top sing it, I think...... maybe you should get the mesquite rub out of your long-assed beard first, cretin.

"All Through the Night" by Oberhofer

 

I've never heard of the cinematic masterpiece "Table 19," and, with its 25% score on Rotten Tomatoes, I'm probably not missing out on a whole lot.  

But, the movie features this cover of 1983 hit "All Through the Night" by Brooklyn, New York based alternative pop artist Oberhofer.  And Anna Kendrick.  So, it can't be all that terrible.

I was surprised to find that the original was recorded by Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania singer/songwriter Jules Shear.  The much more popular version was released the same year by Cyndi Lauper.

One of the reasons that I mistakenly attributed the original to Lauper is that her co-writer on her signature single "Time After Time" was Hooters co-founder Rob Hyman.

Hyman appeared on Lauper's version of "All Through the Night" playing.... what else?  The hooter.

Much as I like Shear's original and Oberhofer's cover, when Lauper sings "Until it ends, there is no end" and that hooter kicks in?  Man, oh man. It's easily Cyndi Lauper's best song, and that instrument is the reason why.

Nice work on the cover, Oberhofer.  But, you could use a melodica, good sir.

"A Pirate Looks at Forty" by Gypsy Stew

 

Shiver me timbers, landlubbers!

It's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

What better way for bilge-sucking scurvy dogs to hoist the mizzen than with this Jimmy Buffett cover brought to ye by Sandusky, Ohio by way of Ventura, California outlaw country duo Gypsy Stew?

Oh, and here's a quick pirate joke (besides the Pittsburgh baseball team).

What does an octogenarian pirate say?

Aye, matey.

Don't worry... I'll see myself out.

"You've Got Another Thing Coming" by Pat Boone

 

In 1997, Nashville, Tennessee vocal jazz and traditional pop star Pat Boone, dressed head to toe in leather and donning a dog collar, promoted his new album "In a Metal Mood : No More Mr. Nice Guy."  

The record boasted Boone crooning his way through a dozen hard rock and heavy metal tunes while backed by a big band.

Though widely regarded as a joke, his giving bands like Metallica and Deep Purple the standards treatment honestly doesn't sound terrible.

Here's his take on Birmingham, UK groove metal pioneers Judas Priest. 

"Stitches" by Jaclyn Davies

 

Confession.  

A place where I frequently work has a piped in radio station that plays the same songs over and over and over AND OVER again on an endless loop.

One of the songs included within said heavy rotation is "Stitches" by Canadian singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes.

And, I'll admit.... I find it to be a friggin' bop. Seriously.  

In 2015, a piano cover version was uploaded to YouTube by Harrisburg, Pennsylvania singer Jaclyn Davies accompanied by Joe Chilcott.

It swaps out the boppiness for gorgeousness.  Great harmonies and chill acoustics.  It's really well done.

At some point over the course of the seven years since the video was transmitted, Davies became a doctor specializing in gastrointestinal motility disorders.

So, she's super talented and super smart.

But, she's likely a Penguins and/or Steelers fan.

Oh, well.  Nobody's perfect.

"Abracadabra" by Sugar Ray

 On this day in 1956, a boy named David Seth Kotkin was born in Metuchen, New Jersey.

The name is probably not familiar.

He's more widely known by his stage name ... David Copperfield.

To celebrate the birthday of the most commercially successful illusionist of all time, and the guy who escaped from Alcatraz prison while I watched, captivated, as a wide-eyed ten year old, here's Newport Beach, California funk surf band Sugar Ray with a cover of San Francisco Southern rock group Steve Miller Band's 1982 track "Abracadabra."

"Wish You Were Here" by Rasputina

 

New York City, New York steampunkers Rasputina set a somber tone with their cello-heavy chamber music remake of British progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1975 track "Wish You Were Here."

Cellist, singer, and all around overachiever Melora Creager also designed the artwork for the majority of her band's albums, and was a touring musician on the European leg of Nirvana's "In Utero" tour.

"Can't Stop the Feeling" by Fame on Fire

 

The Spotify biography for Palm Beach, Florida group Fame on Fire opens with "Fame on Fire are not a cover band."

Their most streamed songs are 70% covers.

So, even if they don't consider themselves a cover band, I'd say they're pretty darn close to qualifying as one.

They do contribute their own unique metal/new wave sound to the songs that they remake, including this Justin Timberlake smash from the soundtrack of 2016 Dreamworks animated film "Trolls."

"Born to Be Alive" by Loopaland

 The Secondhand Songs website categorizes Lausanne, Switzerland music producer Loopaland's version of  "Born to Be Alive" as an unusual cover song.

Perhaps it's because of the rarity of a song combining equal parts disco, bossa nova, and electronica.

Or, maybe it's unusual because someone decided to cover a Patrick Hernandez song.  Voluntarily.

The original song was nominated for the 1979 Juno Award for International Single of the Year.  

That's.... remarkable.

"Crazy" by Violent Femmes

 

Spotify, recognizing that I've listened exclusively to cover versions of songs ad nauseum for months stacked upon months, recommended adding Milwaukee, Wisconsin folk punk band Violent Femmes' 2008 cover of "Crazy" to my playlist.

Cool, I thought.  Violent Femmes covering Patsy Cline.  That'll be fantastic.

But, the Violent Femmes did not, in fact, cover Patsy Cline.

They covered Seal.... right?

Nope.

This is a remake of Atlanta, Georgia Hip Hop Soul band and MTV Europe Future Sound award winner Gnarls Barkley's 2006 single.

Violent Femmes covering Gnarls Barkley?  Does that make them crazy?  Possibly.

"God Bless the USA" by Redhead Express

 

I'll admit that today's cover is cliched AF.  

But, I'm sure that today being today, it was more or less expected.

Sacramento, California area singer/songwriter/poultry farmer Lee Greenwood's 1984 over the top schmaltzy for the states "God Bless the USA" became the de facto soundtrack for recovery efforts following the 2001 terrorist attack in New York City.

In 2015, the song was remade by alt-country Palmer, Alaska siblings Redhead Express.

Palmer is roughly 40 miles Northeast of Anchorage, so, no.... you cannot see Russia from the Redhead Express house.

"Hush" by Kula Shaker

 

Three decades after Valdosta, Georgia country soul artist Billy Joe Royal recorded "Hush," it was revamped by London, UK post-Britpop band Kula Shaker.

The song probably should have won the coveted "Best Song in the Worst Movie" award for its appearance on the soundtrack of 1997 crapfest "I Know What You Did Last Summer," a film so incredibly awful that it couldn't even be saved by the screen presence of Jennifer Love Hewitt.

"Mandolin Rain" by Quietdrive

 Hopkins, Minnesota indie rock band Quietdrive put a pop punk spin on the 1986 adult contemporary single "Mandolin Rain" from Williamsburg, Virginia heartland rocker Bruce Hornsby.

"Bohemian Like You" by Mid Life Crisis

 

Mid Life Crisis are a French band, most likely from Paris or surrounding areas, as they frequently grace the stage at the venue Bus Palladium.  

It looks like they may have recruited Delawarean actress Aubrey Plaza to play keyboards for them, though.

They cover Portland, Oregon psychedelic rock band The Dandy Warhols' 2000 slacker anthem "Bohemian Like You," and I like it, yeah, I like it.

However, they might want to wait for the drums to kick in before trying to engage the audience with hand claps.

I'm sure it's tough to synchronize clapping with a dozen people on stage, but.... Mon Dieu.

"The Walker" by Stereo Avenue

 

I'm not sure why some bands are so terribly secretive about who they are and where they're from.

Take Stereo Avenue, here.

They made this completely legit cover of Los Angeles Retro Pop band Fitz and the Tantrums' 2013 song with the whistle line that's grabbed onto your brain like an octopus tentacle for the past nine years and has you randomly pursing your lips and trilling the tune while bagging your own groceries in the self-checkout, or what have you.

The Stereo Avenue version was released on a 2017 KKBox compilation album, which is a Taiwanese streaming service specializing in Mandopop and Cantopop.  So, there's a strong possibility that they are Chinese/Japanese/Korean.

Their Facebook fan group has most members residing in Bangladesh, so... maybe they're Bengali?

My best guess is that they're fooling everyone, and they're actually from Mozambique.  

"The Boys of Summer" by KT Tunstall

 

The summer isn't officially over yet.  We still have a good couple of weeks before the Equinox.  But, school has started for everyone, and so it's the unofficial official end.  And what better way to mark the overnight transition of Rehoboth from bustling hot spot to barren wasteland than sharing this cover of Don Henley's 1984 chart topper "The Boys of Summer" by Scottish singer/songwriter KT Tunstall.

"El Scorcho" by Glowbug

 

Happy Labor Day to those stateside!

For today's selection, to honor those who sacrificed so much to unionize, who were beaten and locked out and generally mistreated so that we could have a holiday following a weekend following a 40 hour work week with employer subsidized benefits and 401K options, here is Los Angeles electronic dance artist Glowbug covering Weezer's "El Scorcho," the 1996 single from their sophomore album Pinkerton.

"Spirit in the Sky" by Bauhaus

 

One of the most successful one-hit wonders of all time is "Spirit in the Sky," a 1969 gospel song written by Orthodox Jew Norman Greenbaum.

In 1983, the song was revamped by Northampton goth rock powerhouse Bauhaus.

This version isn't exactly my cup of tea... mainly because I don't believe that it's tea at all, but actually mesh bags filled with pine needles steeped in lemur urine.

"Sleep the Clock Around" by Mates of State

 

The cover of Glaswegian indie pop band Belle and Sebastian's chipper yet melancholy 1998 offering "Sleep the Clock Around" by Lawrence, Kansas husband and wife team Mates of State was apparently  all over the damn place.  It was prominently featured in 2011 Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts coming of age romance "The Art of Getting By," as well as an episode of the first season of Netflix crime drama "The Killing."

"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by Branches

 

According to a National Geographic article, today marks the anniversary of then Republican presidential nominee Theodore Roosevelt giving a public speech with the now famous line "Speak softly, and carry a big stick."

While I don't know of any songs about sticks, branches are kind of like really big sticks, aren't they?

So, here's a song by harmony-rich San Francisco indie rockers Branches, with their take on 2003 sing-along (loud, and preferably really off tune) "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by Lowestoft, UK glam rockers The Darkness.

"Fading Like a Flower" by Volturian

 

Italian Vampire Metal band Volturian add some heavier riffs to the 1991 power ballad initially released by Swedish melody makers Roxette.