The Art of the Cover Song
There’s an old saying, often attributed to Picasso but popularized in music by David Bowie: “Good artists borrow, great artists steal.” Nowhere is that more evident than in the world of cover songs. A great cover is more than just a tribute—it’s a reinterpretation, a reinvention, or, in some cases, a complete takeover. Inspired by the book Cover Me: The Stories Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time, I put together a playlist of some of my favorite covers—eight hours of artists borrowing, stealing, and making songs their own.
When the Perfect Storm Hits: A Favorite Artist Covering a Favorite Song
Every music fan knows the feeling: you see a new release from an artist you love, and it’s a cover of a song you already adore. It’s a rare and magical moment when admiration collides with nostalgia. For me, one of the most satisfying examples of this is Wild Nothing’s cover of Cloudbusting by Kate Bush. The original is ethereal and cinematic, filled with Bush’s singular energy, while Wild Nothing’s take leans into dream pop, draping it in shimmering synths while maintaining the original’s haunting beauty. When done right, a cover like this feels like a gift—a fresh perspective on something already deeply cherished.
When the Cover Becomes the Definitive Version
Sometimes, a cover song doesn’t just honor the original—it eclipses it entirely. Think about All Along the Watchtower. Bob Dylan wrote it, but Jimi Hendrix transformed it. His version is explosive, electric, and has become so iconic that even Dylan himself started performing it in Hendrix’s style. This phenomenon happens time and again in music, where the emotional depth, energy, or sheer reinvention of a cover overtakes the original in the public consciousness.
Playing It Close vs. Taking It Somewhere New
Covers can either stay faithful to the source material or completely turn it on its head. Foo Fighters’ take on Sister Europe by the Psychedelic Furs is a great example of a band stepping outside their usual sound but still honoring the original’s moody, atmospheric vibe. On the other hand, there are covers that feel like a complete reimagining. Fun Boy Three’s version of Our Lips Are Sealed, originally by the Go-Go’s, strips away the bright, upbeat energy and replaces it with something darker, almost eerie. This contrast is one of the things that makes cover songs so fascinating—sometimes the best ones sound nothing like the original.
Genre-Jumping Covers: From Rocksteady to Soul to Country
Some of the most interesting covers happen when a song moves across genres. The rocksteady and reggae world has long been a goldmine for brilliant reworks, with artists like Jackie Mittoo and Alton Ellis putting their own spin on well-known tracks. Similarly, soul and R&B artists have a way of injecting raw emotion into rock and pop songs—Junior Walker & The All-Stars, Charles Bradley, and others have turned mainstream hits into deep, soulful experiences. And of course, there’s country—artists like Johnny Cash and Ryan Adams have taken rock songs and stripped them down to something more intimate, often exposing the songwriting in ways the original never did.
Eight Hours of Reinvention
Cover songs prove that music is fluid, always evolving. They show us how different artists interpret the same emotions, lyrics, and melodies in completely unique ways. If you love hearing songs through a new lens, check out my playlist—eight hours of some of the most compelling covers out there. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite, or maybe you’ll finally hear a song in a way you never expected.
