By Parker Theis
Are your playlists not hitting the same as they used to? Do you wish you could experience hearing your favourite song for the first time? You can experience the magic all over again by switching up who’s singing the song.
Cover songs are a cultural phenomenon that every musical artist has dabbled in at some point—whether they want to admit it or not. Read below to discover five cover songs that some might argue are better than the original and find some new jams for your commute.
“Somebody That I Used to Know” covered by Three Days Grace
If you’re looking to headbang in your room, look no further. Taking the emotionally charged dialogue of the 2011 hit “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye featuring Kimbra, Three Days Grace turns this classic duet into a rock ballad about the pain of love lost. This cover forgoes genres, replacing the subtle Brazilian guitar sample with similar riffs in deep synth and lighter guitar melodies. The delicacy of the verses builds up to the powerful bass of the chorus, making the song a lot more of an aggressive break-up song.
The use of two voices in the original—a man and a woman—expresses contrasting feelings of pain about the aftermath of their mutual breakup. Kimbra’s verse, originally intended to reveal the other side of this fictional relationship, is turned into a heavy-hitting bridge about realizing how poorly you were being treated by someone and not wanting to go back to them.
The emotional dialogue of the original is subverted in the cover by making the voice a single perspective. Instead of seeing both sides, it becomes solely about the emotional turmoil that the narrator is experiencing. The drums on this song are absolutely wild, making this a perfect sing-along for releasing all your stress after a long day of studying or scream-crying about your ex.
“I Will Survive” covered by CAKE
Are you feeling beaten down by the world? So is CAKE.
This late ’90s alt-rock band does a subtler take on the Gloria Gaynor classic, replacing the grand piano and disco synth with funky bass and crashing cymbals. The empowerment and rebirth projected in the original are played with in this version and the vocals are much more jaded and moody. The band also chooses to articulate the verses at different paces throughout the song, giving a more reluctant confidence—like the narrator is trying to convince himself that he will survive.
While the disco sound of the original version stays fairly consistent, the instrumental breaks on this cover are much more intriguing with its creative riffs and melodies. The horns near the end are also a fun touch. This is the type of song to play while you’re getting ready for the day and need a grungy kind of confidence.
“Holding Out For A Hero” covered by Frou Frou
Yes, this is from the Shrek 2 soundtrack and yes, it is a legendary cover. This classic ’80s pop anthem was transformed in 2004 into an eerie electronic pop song by the iconic early-2000s electro-pop duo Frou Frou.
It replaces the strong choral interludes with haunting vocals and distorted guitar, changing the song from a pleading pop ballad into a groovy dance track. Knowing better than to compete with Bonnie Tyler’s vocals, this version turns the bridge into a creepy spoken verse that builds into the electrifying chorus full of vocal layers and dark synth rhythms.
The style of the song almost makes it about literally needing rescuing rather than about wanting a good man. This cover pays homage to the original song while reimagining it with a synth-pop style and infusing it with Imogen Heap’s signature breathy vocals.
“Say My Name” covered by Hozier
One of the more legendary Spotify Studio session singles came in January 2019 when folk music icon Hozier decided to cover legendary R&B trio, Destiny’s Child.
Hozier even admits on Spotify’s podcast, Under Cover that he would never have been able to hammer out the “machine-gun of a pre-chorus” without making the song into something slower. While the original version is confrontational and lyric-heavy, the choice to slow down the strings and change the tempo and key gives the song a much softer energy—turning “Say My Name” into a plea rather than a demand.
It’s a beautiful bluesy cover, the light drums and strings pair amazingly with baritone vocals and an electric organ. Later in the same Spotify podcast, Hozier explained there are so many innovative nuances to the production of the original song that the band wanted to explore with a more country-style arrangement.
“Across the Universe” covered by Fiona Apple
Originally made for the movie Pleasantville, Fiona Apple’s 1998 cover gives a perspective to the song that a male singer could never be able to capture—sorry, not sorry, John Lennon apologists.
Her cover is much more sedated and has a slower tempo than the Beatles.’ Her slow pace stays constant throughout the song, with her mellow vocals flowing through subtle guitar and percussion. Her pace and tonality keep with the meditative feel of the original.
The sensitivity with which she sings the lines is so reassuring to listeners, and the music video is not one to be skipped. In black and white, Fiona Apple sits in a soda shop as men smash through windows and destroy the space. Surrounded by chaos, she wanders through it, smiling into the camera while reminding viewers that “nothing’s gonna change our world.” This is a particularly poignant message that still hits close to home for many women.
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