15 Ear Catching Covers | Playlist

1. Demi Lovato, “Mad World”

Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over • Island • 2021

“All around me are familiar faces / Worn-out places, worn-out faces / Bright and early for their daily races / Going nowhere, going nowhere.” Ah, such beautiful, descriptive, and thoughtful lyrics – timeless! Interestingly, late on her seventh studio album, Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over, Demi Lovato throws us a curveball.  After numerous originals, she drops a Tears for Fears cover via Gary Jules, “Mad World.”  The results are awesome, finding Demi singing expressively but also exhibiting the right amount of poise.

As a record that doesn’t require gospel histrionics to be highly effective, she shines with her modesty.  The centerpiece, of course, is the marvelous chorus, which is excerpted below.

“I find it hard to tell you, 'cause I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very
Mad world.”

2. Mary J. Blige, “I’m Goin’ Down”

My Life • MCA •  1994

“I’m going down / ‘Cause you ain’t around, baby / My whole world’s upside down.”  Those are the most memorable lyrics that R&B collective Rolls Royce sung on “I’m Going Down.” Rolls Royce is best known for their 1976 hit, “Car Wash”.  “Car Wash,” unsurprisingly, appears as the title track on the Car Wash original motion picture soundtrack.

That considered, “I’m Going Down” is a terrific soul classic, arguably one that doesn’t get its just due.  No worries though.  The version of this record that 80s babies and those whose musical identities were shaped in the 90s will remember comes courtesy of Mary J. Blige.  That’s right – MJB would release a fantastic cover, “I’m Goin’ Down,” as the 10^th track on her classic 1994 album, My Life.   

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3. Scissors Sisters, “Comfortably Numb”

Scissors Sisters • Polydor • 2004

LGBTQ+ band extraordinaire Scissors Sisters boldly covered “Comfortably Numb” on their awesome 2004 debut, Scissors Sisters.  Here’s the deal though – you probably wouldn’t believe that Scissor Sisters’ take is even the same song! If there was an award most transformed cover, surely Jake Shears and company would be in the running.  “Comfortably Numb” in their hands is a stark, stark contrast, including a quicker tempo, falsetto vocals, and perhaps most notably, D-I-S-C-O.

It’s truly intriguing to me that “Comfortably Numb” in the Scissor Sisters’ hands sounds more disco than Pink Floyd’s original could ever hope to, and it arrives at the tail-end of the disco era! That said, Shears and company definitely give the tune a queerer vibe, which is both intentional and utterly brilliant.  SS definitely played a key role in the advancement of LGBTQIA musicians historically. Turning one of the greatest, most beloved prog-rock classics into a dance anthem fit for gay bars and discos everywhere is pretty cool.

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4. Jennifer Hudson, “I Know Where I’ve Been”

Hairspray LIVE! Original Soundtrack of the NBC Television Event • Sony Music • 2016

In Hairspray LIVE!, there was a new Maybelle Stubbs, courtesy of Academy- and Grammy-award winner Jennifer Hudson. Simply put, Hudson has an incredibly special voice – I’d venture to characterize it as truly anointed.  Without ever hearing her perform a rendition of this musical classic, on paper, it totally feels right.  Of course, that ends up being the case.

Hudson does a fine job tweaking the melody a bit more on her take on “I Know Where I’ve Been.”  From the start, she blesses the listener with her soulful tone, showing control and even more restraint than we’re sometimes accustomed to hearing from her.  No worries, as it doesn’t take too long for J Hud to kick into the next gear – ascend to that next level.  As the song naturally grows more dynamic, so does Jennifer, and even more of those commanding gospel pipes shine like a beacon.  Her ad-libs give chills, not to mention the support by the rest of the star-studded cast.  Still, it’s Hudson who absolutely slaughters, particularly that electrifying ending.

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5. Bad Wolves, “Zombie”

Disobey • Eleven Seven Music • 2018

Cutting straight to the chase, heavy metal band Bad Wolves make “Zombie” truly their own record.  No, they don’t eclipse the work put in by Delores O’Riordan or The Cranberries as a whole, but they ensure they don’t make a carbon copy. The mark of a good cover is to add your own spin without changing it to dramatically, let alone desecrating it.

Like the original, the introduction by Bad Wolves is moody, setting the tone for what is to come. The use of piano adds a chilling aspect, which really captures that sentiment O’Riordan was going for.  On the verses, lead singer Tommy Vext (who’s no longer with the band) shows restraint, gaining more steam on the pre-chorus, and eventually rising to a fever pitch on the powerful chorus.  I have to say, I love the robust, masculine sound he brings to the table.  It contrasts O’Riordan mind you, but it’s pretty sweet ultimately.  The chorus definitely sounds more “like 2018” (they change that key lyric), as the band successfully updates the sound with that wall of guitars.  Recording quality is better than it was in 1994, so Bad Wolves reap the benefits.

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6. Chris Stapleton, “Joy of My Life”

Starting Over • Mercury • 2020

“Some may have their riches / Some may have their worldly things / As long as I have you / I’ll treasure each and every day.” On his fourth studio album, Starting Over (2020), Grammy-winner Chris Stapleton doesn’t merely serve up originals.  He also gives us several delightful covers.  Among them is the joyful and incredibly thoughtful “Joy of My Life,” a John Fogerty gem. Hey, can you go wrong with Fogerty or CCR for that matter?

Stapleton delivers quite an expressive vocal performance, but there’s also balance.  He still manages to cut through the production, but he’s also passionate and quite tender, as he asserts:

“She takes me by the hand
I am the luckiest man alive
Did I tell you baby
You’re the joy of my life.”

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7. Lana Del Rey, “For Free”

Ft. Zella Day & Weyes Blood

Chemtrails Over the Country Club • Interscope • 2021

Lana del Rey is always good for a cover on many her albums.  She concludes her seventh studio album, Chemtrails Over the Country Club, brilliantly with the Joni Mitchell classic, “For Free.” Del Rey enlists Zella Day and Weyes Blood for the assist on a truly chilling interpretation.  The vocals are elite, the harmonies haunting, and the production absolutely stunning.

The original – intact with clarinet solo, fitting – is magical.  Likewise, the Del Rey take is also quite special, and has a strong case for crowning achievement on a truly intriguing album.  That’s saying something considering how many great originals grace Chemtrails.  Del Rey definitely makes “For Free” sound like her own song.

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8. Mariah Carey, “Without You”

Music Box • Columbia • 1993

Born out of the mid-80s, many people my age sometimes end up being more familiar with covers of originals or even covers of covers.  My introduction to “Without You” wasn’t from Badfinger or Harry Nilsson – it was from Mariah Carey.  Carey covered this gem on her 1993 album, Music Box. Her recording preceded Nilsson’s death in January 1994, while she’d release it as a single in the same month.

Mariah Carey always gives a great vocal performance.  That’s the case on “Without You.” Like Nilsson, she showcases more poise on the verses. Notably, her lower register is incredibly rich and refined – quite impressive.  Interestingly, on the first half of the first chorus, Carey continues to showcase her lower register, before ascending on the second half into that ever familiar, dynamic upper register.  Of course, on the second iteration of the chorus, she sings all of it up the octave (like Nilsson), unleashing more grit and oomph.  The ad-libs are absolutely stunning, coming directly from gospel and soul music.  You can argue that even with the ad-libs, Carey’s version has slightly more finesse compared to the rawness of Nilsson’s, particularly that second iteration of the chorus.

One more note: The production naturally gets a R&B update, sounding much more like the 90s as opposed to the 70s.  Fans of the original could cry foul, obviously, but for a new generation (like myself at the time), “Without You” definitely sounded like a new song.  Would it be far-fetched to say this was sort of that Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” moment for Carey?

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9. Maxwell, “This Woman’s Work”

Now • Columbia • 2001 

“I should be crying but I just can’t let it show / I should be hoping but I can’t stop thinking / All the things we should’ve said that I never said…” I’m biased, but Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter Maxwell is one of the best R&B artists in the game.  His voice – that pure falsetto – just does something to you when you listen.  Even though he rarely releases new music, the Haitian-Puerto Rican American singer has solidified his legacy with his brilliant work in the past.  Specifically, his third studio album Now, released at the height of the neo-soul era in 2001, features the crème de la crème of his career.  That, my friends, includes “This Woman’s Work.”

Just in case you weren’t aware, “This Woman’s Work” is actually a cover – insert totally shook, *shocked gasps* here.  That’s he covers the gorgeous Kate Bush gem from her 1989 album, The Sensual World. As is the mark of a truly gifted musician, he makes this cover sound as if the song were his own original.  I have no doubt Bush co-signs his magnificent R&B take, which provides her even greater accolades as a singer/songwriter.

“Give me these moments
Give them back to me
Give me that little kiss
Give me your talking hands.”

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10. Mary J. Blige & U2, “One”

The Breakthrough • Geffen • 2005

In 2005, Bono and company joined Grammy-winning R&B artist Mary J. Blige for a duet version of “One”, which appeared on her album, The Breakthrough, one of the best albums of Blige’s career. Blige infuses some power into her vocals, fitting for this powerful, incredibly well-written song.  Bono fittingly takes first blood, performing the first verse before calling on “Mary” to do her thing.  Do her thing she does, singing the second verse, before joining with Bono for the bridge where they simply say “One” (eight times).  From there, we get more Blige on the third verse before they join forces once more for that gargantuan, ‘unifying’ moment!

“One love, one blood
One life, you got to do what you should
One life with each other
Sisters and brothers
One life but we’re not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other.” 

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11. Kelly Clarkson, “Run Run Run”

Ft. John Legend

Piece by Piece • RCA• 2015

Grammy-winners Kelly Clarkson and John Legend transform the Tokio Hotel gem “Run, Run, Run” into a duet – that deserves some credit for sure!  On Clarkson’s 2015 album, Piece by Piece, “Run Run Run” arrives as the sixth track. Though this is a cover, in many ways, you might not know it, particularly if you’re unfamiliar with the original.  You know what that means?

Compared to the three-and-a-half-minute duration of the original, in the hands of Clarkson and Legend, the song lasts a minute longer. With two ‘world class’ vocalists, there’s just no way that this performance wouldn’t be lit .  The vocal harmonies that appear on the chorus, sung exclusively by Clarkson following her first verse are chilling. Legend arrives singing the second verse, with that distinct, soulful voice – quite the contrast to both Clarkson and Bill Kaulitz (Tokio Hotel).  Soon enough, during the course of that verse, the record becomes the ‘duet’ as promised.  When that duet materializes, the intensity increases, while us as the listeners just listen in awe hearing the vocal chemistry between Clarkson and Legend.

Long blurb and I’m not done yet! “Run, Run, Run” is percussion-less for about the first three minutes (like the original), before these mammoth drums take the record to the next level.   There aren’t new lyrics mind you, but there’s an added section where Clarkson and Legend sort of riff – vibe out over the awesome source material. This ‘vibe’ section makes this rendition is ‘grander’ than the original or at least more dramatic in its own way. Even as “Run, Run, Run” reaches quite a fever pitch, they bring things back down to close things out, which is a thoughtful, finesse touch.

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12. Mariah Carey, “One More Try”

Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse • Def Jam • 2014

It takes a juggernaut to follow a juggernaut, and Mariah Carey is a juggernaut.  The Grammy winning singer has recorded numerous covers.  Overall, ‘The Elusive Chanteuse’ does the George Michael gem “One More Try” justice, wowing as always with her expressive tone.  She never over sings, but does ‘power up’ towards the end, which is fitting.  Also, got to shout out that angelic upper register, which she facilitates with incredible ease.

While Carey mostly plays true to the original, there are some changes that work quite well on the version gracing Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse.  Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of background vocals. The overall vocal arrangement definitely shines; those harmonies are pretty sweet and help to fill out the production. Also, expectedly, Carey, Jermaine Dupri, and Bryan-Michael Cox freshen up the sound, making it more 2010s than 1980s.  Still, ultimately, those tweaks are subtle and don’t dare affect the sanctity of the original.

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13. Harry Nilsson, “Without You”

Nilsson Schmilsson • RCA • 1971

For Harry Nilsson, his version of “Without You” can be likened to what Whitney Houston did for “I Will Always Love You”. This brilliant record – among the best of all time in my opinion – was written by another band.  Even so, the original by Badfinger doesn’t earn that ‘definitive’ status despite the fact that they wrote and recorded it first.  That’s just the way that it works out sometimes.  Ask Dolly Parton…

Anyways, Nilsson made this rock power ballad his own, period.  He serves up cooler, more restrained vocals on the verses, turning things up on the epic refrain.  Even though he showcases poise on the verses, you still totally buy into the feels exhibited – it’s totally lures you in. By the final refrain, he ‘lets ‘er rip’ and you can easily feel the authenticity – you totally believe it.  Radio felt the same way about this distinct, Grammy-winning number one hit.  Honestly, after usurping Badfinger on their own song, it’s hard to imagine anyone giving Nilsson a run for their money on this gorgeous, superbly produced pop gem.

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14. Miley Cyrus, “Zombie”

Plastic Hearts • RCA• 2020

Miley Cyrus is a talented vocalist.  Sometimes, her antics have actually sold her musical talents short in my opinion.  Nonetheless, Cyrus is blessed with a capable instrument.  It’s not surprising that she’s able to take on this beloved The Cranberries classic, channeling her inner Delores O’Riordan. Cyrus’ cover from her 2020 album, Plastic Hearts, is a live recording.

In the portion of the review of Plastic Hearts dedicated to “Zombie (Live from the NIVA Save Our Stages Festival),” I complimented the energy, grit, and passion that Cyrus brings to the table.  Those ‘cutting’ pipes certainly go to work.  She’s not able to emulate those unique nuances that only O’Riordan could achieve but she definitely compels.  Furthermore, she reminds you of your love of one of the greatest alternative rock gems of all time.   Add this extra layer – Cyrus is known more for her pop and country endeavors as opposed to rock/alternative rock.

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15. Whitney Houston, “I Will Always Love You”

The Bodyguard – Original Soundtrack Album • Arista • 1992 

“If I should stay / I would only be in your way / So I’ll go, but I know / I’ll think of you every step of the way.” Sorry to every other R&B artist who released music in 1992.  Why? Well, the best R&B song of that year belongs to one woman and one woman only. Pretty amazing how Whitney Houston totally transformed “I Will Always Love You,” a country song written by Dolly Parton isn’t it?

There’s not much commentary needed for this record – it speaks for itself.  This is the greatest of Whitney Houston’s many, many hits.  At her best, who could out-perform her?  The best moment is the modulation (key change), where from then on, Houston goes to a completely different level. No matter who sings this masterpiece in the future, there will only ever be one definitive, truly iconic version.

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