"The Final Countdown" by Farrah

 

We're just eighteen hours, 59 minutes, and 50 seconds away from the giant silver ball dropping over Times Square and Jenny McCarthy engaged in a tongue wrestling bout with a rando in a navy uniform.  

And, as far as 2022 is concerned, the ten second period that follows will be the final countdown.

In 2011, London, UK power pop quartet Farrah covered the song that Blender magazine ranked as the sixteenth most awesomely bad song.... ever -- Swedish metal band Europe's "The Final Countdown."

My resolution for 2022 was to post each day throughout the year.  So, mission accomplished!  

As the year draws to a close, I'd like to thank everyone who took some time to visit Daily Cover Song.  Hope that you found your stay here entertaining and/or enlightening (or, if you listened to Eilert Pilarm's cover of Elvis, deeply and profoundly disturbing).

Though originally intended as a yearlong project, I'm having a blast, and will look to continue bringing you a new cover song each day for the foreseeable future! 

I hope that you all have a happy and prosperous new year!

"A Long December" by Little Hurricane

 

San Diego, California blues duo Little Hurricane recorded a stripped-down version of Counting Crows' 1996 reflective ballad "A Long December."

According to their Twitter feed, it was released in 2019... the year before the pandemic.

Y'all thought December 2019 was long?  Oh, boy.... you have no idea.

For another Counting Crows cover, Waterflow's version of "Anna Begins" can be found here.

"Where Is My Mind?" by Tkay Maidza

 Harare, Zimbabwe electronic dance pop artist Tkay Maidza kept the dreamlike backbone of the 1988 alternative single "Where Is My Mind?" by influential Boston, Massachusetts indie band Pixies, and changed, quite literally, everything else.

"Happier" by Juke Ross

 

Juke Ross covered the Marshmello/Bastille collaboration "Happier" for a 2019 compilation album.

The Spotify platform pays artists between three and five dollars per thousand streams.

Going low end, with 815,993 monthly listeners, it stands to reason that Juke is pulling in roughly $2,447.97 each month.  

But, he's from Georgetown, Guyana.  

With the current conversion rate of US dollars to Guyanese dollars, he's raking in $512,090.84.

Cha-ching!

For another Marshmello collaboration cover, TeraBrite's version of "Wolves" can be found here.

For a cover of Bastille, Hallasen's version of "Pompeii" can be found here.

"Astronaut in the Ocean" by Tasneem Elaidy

 

Tasneem Elaidy is a Cairo, Egypt denizen and star of Instagram and TikTok through her cover songs that have gone past simply viral into epidemic mode.

One such reimagining is this tarabuka heavy version of Australian rock rapper Masked Wolf's 2019 breakout hit "Astronaut in the Ocean."

"How Bizarre" by Water From Your Eyes

 

In 2021, Brooklyn, New York experimental indietronica band Water From Your Eyes released a cover of Auckland, New Zealand one hit wonder OMC's 1995 radio friendly pop hit "How Bizarre."

"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" by Wretched Graverobber

 

I'm ashamed to admit that I spent nearly 30 Christmas seasons without hearing the song "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" by Birmingham, England glam rock band Wizzard.  It's super catchy and has a ridiculously awesome video.

According to Secondhand Songs, the holiday classic has been revisited by 54 artists.  Among them is Fort Wayne, Indiana contemporary Christian horror punk artist Wretched Graverobber.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I'm sure this will help.

"The Wellerman" by Leo

 

There are sleeper hits, and then there are Rip Van Winkle sleeper hits.

"The Wellerman," a shanty believed to originate with whalers in 19th century New Zealand, is roughly the Kiwi CliffsNotes version of "Moby Dick."

The song spent almost two centuries wallowing in relative obscurity before Airdrie, Scotland folk singer Nathan Evans became a viral sensation via the TikTok platform with his version in 2020.

Norwegian metal musician Leo Moracchioli (under the name Leo, which is much easier to spell than his full name) blasts through his adaptation with the power of a thousand harpoon guns.

While musically on point, Leo obviously doesn't take himself too seriously, as evidenced by his simulated lovemaking with a floor tom less than a minute into this video.

And, I won't spoil it, but the 1:19 mark of the video is comedy gold.  Gold.

"Hazy Shade of Winter" by The Bangles

 

Leading off a 2015 Maxim magazine article about 20 cover songs that outshined the original version is "Hazy Shade of Winter," a Simon and Garfunkel folk composition that was reimagined as a jangle pop masterpiece by Los Angeles, California Paisley Underground artists The Bangles.

The VMA nominated music video, which shows concert footage interspliced with scenes from the teen drama "Less Than Zero," looks like a 3 minute long commercial for Revlon hairspray and cocaine.

For another Simon and Garfunkel cover, Vandaveer's version of "Homeward Bound" can be found here.

For a cover by The Bangles front woman Susanna Hoffs, her version of Stealers Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle with You" can be found here.

"Come Talk to Me" by Bon Iver

 Bon Iver, All!

"Bon Iver" is French for "Good Winter," and also the name of an Eau Claire, Wisconsin indie folk band who covered Peter Gabriel's 1992 release "Come Talk to Me."

It's decent, despite the noticeable lack of bagpipes and Sinead O'Connor.  

"White Winter Hymnal" by The Hound and The Fox

 

Portland, Oregon husband and wife team The Hound and The Fox laid down this version of "White Winter Hymnal," Seattle, Washington baroque pop band Fleet Foxes' introductory song from their 2008 self-titled debut album.

Two things.

First, is it possible that The Fox from The Hound and The Fox was once a member of Fleet Foxes, but got the boot because they weren't fleet enough?

Second, is their band name drawing the ire of Disney executives?  I mean, why not just call themselves Stitch and Lilo?

"The Gambler" by Busy Signal

 

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

When I was a little guy, there was a cabinet in our family's dining room that was packed... PACKED.... with 33 RPM vinyl records.  There must have been a couple hundred in there.  I'm pretty sure that they all belonged to my Mom.

Yet, with literal days' worth of music at her disposal, I never saw her play an album.  

She had a small radio with a tape deck that she used to play a single cassette with Houston, Texas country artist Kenny Rogers' greatest hits non-stop for.... decades, really.  

Here's St Ann Parish, Jamaica reggae artist Busy Signal with his 2011 cover of "The Gambler."

"I Think We're Alone Now" by As December Falls

 

I was trying hard to enjoy the video of Nottingham, UK indie rockers As December Falls covering the 1967 bubblegum pop hit "I Think We're Alone Now," originally released by Tommy James, and revived for Tiffany's late 80's whirlwind tour of shopping malls.

But I kept getting distracted by whatever is on their singer's forehead.

What the hell is that?  It looks sort of like the symbol for Adidas.  But, nobody likes sneakers THAT much, do they?  To have the logo stamped into their cranium like Little Uzi Vert's diamond?  

I mean... I do have the Skechers logo tattooed inside of my upper lip, but... the forehead?  That's some extreme brand loyalty.

"Everyday Is Like Sunday" by Mr Lawrence

 

The song "Everyday Is Like Sunday" was used in NFL ads during the 2008-2009 season, mainly because it's difficult to imagine football being played without the musical backdrop of ultra mopey Manchester, UK crooner Morrissey.  

The original song was recorded by the former Smiths front man in 1988, and was remade by Mr. Lawrence, a band that rocked out in their homeland of Estonia during the mid 1990s.  

"Edge of Seventeen" by Lilith Czar

 An article on the website Concert Crap likens Clearwater, Florida solo artist Lilith Czar to Nine Inch Nails.

Not sure that I agree.  If Nine Inch Nails performs industrial music, Lilith Czar is light industrial, like manufacturing rubber gaskets in a St Paul, Minnesota factory.

There were a few places throughout her version of Fleetwood Mac alum Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" where a pulsing, driving bass could have dropped and warranted the comparison.

Instead, it was safely played by closely mirroring the original, down to the four packs of Marlboro Lights per day rasp.  

"Save it for Later" by Harvey Danger

 

1982 ska song "Save it for Later" by Birmingham, UK fusion band The (English) Beat was covered in 1999 by Seattle, Washington indie group Harvey Danger for the soundtrack of romance drama "200 Cigarettes."

Though other videos of the song were available on YouTube, I went with the one that briefly features a 30 something Paul Rudd getting himself into a bar fight.

Because there are very few things that my wife would rather watch than a brief video of a 30 something Paul Rudd getting himself into a bar fight.

Very few.

"Psycho Killer" by Wet Leg

 

Absurdist Isle of Wight duo Wet Leg exploded onto the indie scene in 2019, when a pair of viral earworms catapulted them to an unprecedented overnight success. 

Their song titles range from moderately crass to wholly offensive.... so, chances are great that I'd love them.

Here, they add their disco-tinged trademark sound to the 1977 art pop single "Psycho Killer," originally released on the debut album from iconic New York City avant-garde band Talking Heads.

"The Old Apartment" by Cornbread Red

 

Killen, Alabama trio Cornbread Red pick on Toronto, Canada quirky jangle pop quintet Barenaked Ladies with their bluegrass cover of 1997 breakthrough hit "The Old Apartment," which was prominently featured in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.  

Cornbread Red derive their name from a color and a Southern US food staple -- a cakey quick bread comprised of sugar, flour, water, eggs, milk, and, of course, CORN!!

"Top of the World" by Shonen Knife

 In 1994, Osaka, Japan pop punk band Shonen Knife covered Downey, California siblings The Carpenters' 1973 hit "Top of the World" for a now out of print tribute album entitled "If I Were a Carpenter."

"Tutti Frutti" by Buckwheat Zydeco

 

In 1955, flamboyant Macon, Georgia legend Little Richard released "Tutti Frutti," a song that Mojo magazine ranked first among the 100 records that changed the world, hailing it as the model for all rock and roll songs to come.

In 1987, it was covered by Lafayette, Louisiana native and accordion virtuoso Buckwheat Zydeco for his album "Buckwheat's Zydeco Party."

In 2013, the cover version was revived through its inclusion on the soundtrack of Neil Patrick Harris hot mess "The Smurfs 2."

With the exception of the repeated chorus, Buckwheat managed to get every last verse wrong.  Some of the lyrics weren't even close.  Not in the same ballpark... or even the same city.

Maybe he should have gone whole hog and screwed up the chorus, too.

Wombats at a luau, they want bamboo.

"True Faith" by The Flux

 

"True Faith," a 1987 dance pop hit from Salford, UK new wave band New Order, was covered by The Flux for the soundtrack of Amazon Prime television series "Paradise City."

So, who is behind that heavily auto-tuned voice?

The actor portraying lead singer Simon Ostergaard is the late Cameron Boyce.

Though he has sang in previous roles (perhaps most notably in Disney's 2015 teen musical "The Descendants"), this recording doesn't sound like him, even with the heavy distortion potentially disguising his voice.

The description of the uploaded YouTube video on Sumerian Records' official channel includes a hashtag for Bad Omens. It's possible that Richmond, Virginia metalcore artist Noah Sebastian is supplying the lead vocals.

Whoever the mystery singer is, they did a mighty fine job.

If New Order covers are your thing, check out Orgy's version of "Blue Monday" here.

"I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Fall Out Boy

 

Wilmette, Illinois hardcore emo band Fall Out Boy derived their name from a lesser-known Simpsons character.  And, unlike some other bands that took their moniker from the iconic animated sitcom, they don't utterly and unequivocally suck.

Here, they tackle a tune that Billboard magazine dubbed one of the ten most pristinely perfect pop songs ever, the 1987 Grammy award winner for Best Female Vocal Performance "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," a megahit for Newark, New Jersey singer Whitney Houston.

For a cover of Fall Out Boy, check out Halocene's version of "Sugar, We're Going Down" here.

"Ex's and Oh's" by Julien Kelland

 

When you're cooking something that sticks to the pan and burns and crusts on, what's the first thing you reach for?

The steel wool, right?

Because you need something abrasive, and a sponge just won't do.

Toronto, Ontario singer Julien Kelland has a gorgeous voice, no doubt.

But, a song about churning through boyfriends faster than Twitter churns through their low-level employees really needs the raw, raspy, brazen voice of originator Elle King.

"Toy Soldiers" by Silversun Pickups

 

Los Angeles, California indie rock band Silversun Pickups add a modern twist to "Toy Soldiers," the 1988 downer about uppers from Cuban-American singer Martika.

"It's Oh So Quiet" by Bjork

 

Battle Creek, Michigan actress and singer Betty Hutton first released the English version of "It's Oh So Quiet" in 1951. (German bandleader Horst Winter is given credit for the original composition "Und Jetzt Ist Es Still" in 1948.)

Swan-dressed weirdo Bjork kept the big band flair and added her own brand of Icelandic shrieking on this 1995 reboot.

For a cover of Bjork, check out The Decemberists' take on "Human Behavior" here.

"It Wasn't Me" by The Holophonics

 

Denton, Texas ska punk band The Holophonics upgrade (in my opinion) Kingston, Jamaica reggae dancehall fusion artist Shaggy's 2000 single "It Wasn't Me," a catchy little ditty about post-infidelity gaslighting. 

"Wannabe" by Sandflower

 Brooklyn, New York self-proclaimed digital hippie Sandflower adds a dose of electronica to the 1996 dance pop single "Wannabe" from London, UK ladyband Spice Girls.

I had to look up the lyrics to see if "Zig-a-zig" is a noun or a verb.  Like, do they want TO zig-a-zig?  Or do they want A zig-a-zig?  If it's the latter, is that kind of like a Zagnut? Peanut butter and coconut sounds like a weird combination, but I can see why the Spice Girls would want one so badly.  

Now I want, I want, I want, I want, what I really, really want is a Zag-a-Zagnut.

"My Girl" by The Jesus and Mary Chain

 East Kilbride, Scotland shoegaze band The Jesus and Mary Chain recorded their version of the archetypal 1964 R&B classic "My Girl," originally by Motown vocal group The Temptations, in 1989.

The movie "My Girl," starring Macaulay Culkin and Anna Chlumsky, was released in 1991.

So, there's really no reason this was kept off of the soundtrack, because this gloomy version more closely mirrors the uber-depressing climax of the film.

Never thought about it before, but the song's lyric "I have so much honey, the bees envy me" seems like a cruel joke when considering the fate of Culkin's character.  

"Roar" by Bonefield

 

French producer and dark folk songwriter Bonefield reinvented Santa Barbara, California native Katy Perry's 2013 Best Solo Pop Song winner "Roar" into a harrowing motif that would have fit really well on the soundtrack to the original "Halloween" film.

"Only Wanna Be With You" by Post Malone

 

Grapevine, Texas rapper Post Malone was one of a handful of artists who contributed a song for a compilation album celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pokemon.

Malone's entry was a cover of Columbia, South Carolina soft rockers Hootie and The Blowfish's 1995 international hit "Only Wanna Be With You."

The lyrics are the same, except for a single line.

In the original, Hootie... or maybe one of the blowfish.... sang "I'm such a baby, 'cause the dolphins make me cry."

Post Malone changes it to "the Cowboys make me cry."

Perhaps it's a nod to the Dallas football team.

Or, maybe not.  I've also seen "Brokeback Mountain."

For a cover of a Post Malone song, Of Monsters and Men's version of "Circles" can be found here.

"Get Lucky" by Halestorm

 Mad respect for Red Lion, Pennsylvania hard rock band Halestorm.

They have a headlining tour coming up that spans across nine countries on four continents, yet they didn't refuse a gig just a couple of hours from their hometown, kicking it for the bumpkins at the Delaware State Fair in Harrington.

Here, they have some fun with "Get Lucky," the 2013 release from Paris, France electronic dance duo Daft Punk.