5 Genre-Crossing Cover Songs

In the music world, cover songs are a special treat. Often reserved for concert performances or special releases (such as Christmas albums), many musical artists have been known to perform a cover song or two. Sometimes covers pay homage to a band's own musical influences, or another artist with a similar vocal range. In a few cases, cover songs have even launched entire careers - back in the 80s, pop princess Tiffany had Tommy James and the Shondells to thank for "I Think We're Alone Now". There's something especially cool about cover songs that are complete departures from the original version. Here are 5 examples of that - great cover songs that cross genre borders.

"Hurt" - Johnny Cash Listen free at Last.fm

In its original form, "Hurt" was featured at the back end of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails' acclaimed 1994 album The Downward Spiral. A toned-down anthem of self-destruction with heavy doses of vulnerability mixed in, it makes for a pretty bleak song. Trent Reznor genuinely sounds like he's at life's lowest point, the very pit of his downward spiral.

In country legend Johnny Cash's version however, the bleakness takes on a different meaning entirely. Released after the passing of his wife, fellow country superstar June Carter Cash, his cover of "Hurt" is more about grief. The video for Cash's cover song features images of The Man in Black in younger years interspersed with footage of Cash sitting in his now-empty home. Truly moving, particularly since Cash passed away not long after the song's release.

"I Will Survive" - CAKE Listen free at Last.fm

Alternative rockers CAKE burst onto the mainstream scene in 1996 with racing opus "The Distance". Featured on the same album, Fashion Nugget, was their cover of Gloria Gaynor's disco smash hit "I Will Survive". Only CAKE could manage to make disco sound quite so sardonic, due to singer John McCrea's slow, not-quite-spoken-word singing technique. Heavy on CAKE's signature cool, this cover song still warrants a listen almost 15 years later. Listen for the trumpet towards the end!

"Mad World" - Gary Jules Listen free at YouTube

Tears for Fears were one of many synth-poppy bands swept up in the New Wave of the early 80s. Perhaps better-remembered for their later song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", "Mad World" was their first single to garner any real success. The synth-pop stylings of TFF didn't quite carry the song to its fullest potential, however. In Gary Jules' cover of "Mad World", featured prominently in indie film Donnie Darko, the tune takes on a wholly different sound. No longer just another irreverent '80s pop song, Gary Jules and his classical piano notes make "Mad World" a beautifully sad rainy-day moment. This was perfectly placed in Donnie Darko - the movie deserves watching for the soundtrack alone.

"My Way" - Sid Vicious Listen free at YouTube

One of Frank Sinatra's signature standards, "My Way" is the tale of a man looking back on his self-made lot in life. It's been covered time and again, by crooners similar to Sinatra as well as some off-center performers such as Nina Hagen. The song never sounded quite so raw, however, as when its lyrics were spat out by former Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. In Sid's sped up version of "My Way", it becomes a snarling theme song for the late-70s punk rock explosion. Some might say that Sid Vicious truly did do it his way. He died at the tender age of 21 of a heroin overdose, and is generally remembered as an icon of sorts - one of music's live-fast-die-young bad boys. Like him or not, Sid's status lends a little extra oomph to his cover song "My Way", putting it in a completely different class than the Chairman of the Board's ballad.

"Get Ur Freak On" - KT Tunstall Listen free at YouTube

Missy Elliot's "Get Ur Freak On" was one of the most memorable hip hop singles of the 21^st century thus far. In fact, according to influential music critic site Pitchfork, "Get Ur Freak On" was the 7^th best song of the last decade. It bears Missy Elliot's signature fun, brash sound and trademark off-the-wall beats that get stuck in your head - if you've ever heard the song, you know exactly what I mean. The song takes on a whole new flavor when performed by KT Tunstall. The beat machines are replaced by the Scottish singer-songwriter's acoustic guitar, and the chorus notes are sung in bluesy tones. Tunstall's take on "Get Ur Freak On" isn't quite as catchy as Missy's version, but winds up being an unlikely winner anyway. Unlike the bunch of ironic hip-hop and rap cover songs that have cropped up over the last few years, KT Tunstall's cover sounds earnest - and packs some serious soul.

Do any of your favorite cover songs stray from the original's genre? Feel free to comment below!

Sources:

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7693-the-top-500-tracks-of-the-2000s-20-1/2/

More information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Think_We%27re_Alone_Now

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurt_%28Nine_Inch_Nails_song%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_will_survive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Way_%28song%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Ur_Freak_On