Four Cover Songs to Check Out

I was reading up on Morcheeba earlier, and was feeling inspired to write about music. I heard the first song here on my list earlier and the idea for this blog popped into my head. So here goes:

Skye Edwards – Feel Good Inc
 http://myspace.com/myskyesite


Skye Edwards is the former lead singer of the British band Morcheeba. I don't remember where I discovered Morcheeba. It may have been through one of their songs being played in a movie. Skye left in 2003 to pursue a solo career. One of the songs she's recorded is this soulful, breathy version of the Gorillaz hit. Her take on the song is fresh and she definitely makes it her own.

Dame Shirley Bassey – Get This Party Started
http://www.dameshirleybassey.com

Dame Shirley Bassey, the Welsh singer most notable for her soulful belting and having recorded two James bond theme songs, decided to cover a pop song by Pink. However odd that sounds, she pulls it off marvelously. Her rendition is fun, airy, and she even gets to show off her lovely, strong voice. She looks gorgeous in the video as well as like she's having a really good time. An unexpected cover, but definitely one to seek out.

El Lele de Los Van Van featuring Radiohead – High and Dry
http://www.rhythmsdelmundo.com
                                       

This cover is also partly a reinterpretation, as often happens when translating lyrics into another language. Radiohead is sampled here in this Spanish version of their song "High and Dry" by El Lele of the group Los Van Van. In crafting this version, the orchestrated rhythms capture the melancholy of the original song, while the lyrics and vocal performance make it almost even more heartwrenching and moody. You don't even have to speak Spanish to appreciate the beauty of this cover.

The Corrs – Everybody Hurts

This one is several years old, but it's still one of my favorites. I'm a big fan of The Corrs, and I was able to pick up their MTV Unplugged album when I was studying abroad (it was never released in the US). This is one of the tracks featured in the performance, and one of two covers (the other being Little Wing). I think that Andrea Corr's voice is perfect for this fluid, emotional song, and it's one of my favorite cover songs. Since it never got a US release, I've decided to feature it in the hopes more people hear this version of the REM hit.