Genre-Bending Cover Songs

Genre-crossing songs are fun. There's no doubt about the amusement you feel when you're listening to a song you think you've never heard before and suddenly you recognize the lyrics - and what on earth are they doing in that kind of music?! Everyone can name a few of these. Here are my favorites. You can find all of them (both the original and the covers) on YouTube without much difficulty.

Soft Rock into Punk

867-5309/Jenny - One of my favorite songs, this was originally performed by Tommy Tutone in 1982. Punk band Less Than Jake, well known for their renditions of classic songs that weren't ever punk, covered this one. They did a song called "Jenny Doesn't Like Me Anymore" as well, which makes me wonder if a Jenny did something awful to someone in the band.

Soul/Disco into Alternative

I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor made this song famous in 1979; everyone knows it. But when Cake covered it for their album Fashion Nugget many people heard it in a much different way. They added some profanity, which Gaynor wasn't terribly fond of.

60s Pop into New Wave into Shock Rock

Tainted Love - This song has been covered many times, and into most genres. The three best known versions were Gloria Jones in 1964, Soft Cell (probably the most well known) in 1981, followed by a new generation hearing a very dark version of it in 2001 from Marilyn Manson.

60s Pop Rock into Punk

Happy Together - American band The Turtles released this song in 1967. It's another song that has seen many, many covers, but my favorite is by New Found Glory; it tricks you at the beginning, then doubles the speed of the song for a punk rock flavor. It's over quickly though!

Rock into Alternative Rock/Post-Grunge

Darling Nikki - First released by the one and only Prince (or the Artist Formerly Known As), and not a terribly appropriate song for kids, this song has a great beat to it. The Foo Fighters remade, added some of their signature grunge, and introduced it to a new generation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/867-5309/Jenny
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_will_survive
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tainted_love
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Together_(song)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darling_Nikki