Top 10 Unlikely Cover Songs

Originally by Glen Campbell
R.E.M. became huge stars in the college rock circuit with their lyrically powerful take on alternative rock. 'Wichita Lineman' however is a country hit written by Jimmy Webb about the working man, which was quite a departure for the band. Since much of R.E.M.'s music on Monster has a loud rock energy, their quiet approach to Webb's song is the most surprising part. This said, the track's exploration of a man's desires and struggles is a great match to the stories they were telling at the time. With Michael Stipe's intimate vocals, R.E.M. gave 'Wichita Lineman' an update even Glen Campbell could enjoy.

Originally by Phil Collins
In 2001, there was enough demand from the hip hop community to make an entire album of Phil Collins covers. Despite his major stylistic differences from Collins, Ol' Dirty Bastard tackles 'Sussudio' with a surprisingly smooth tone. Rather than a straightforward cover, ODB creates an entirely new rap while another vocalist reinterprets the chorus to fit the times. Even the primitive vocoder sounds of the era help transition the upbeat dance track into the world of hip hop. Though ODB is certainly going wild with his boasting lyrics, he pulls back just enough to avoid feeling out of place on 'Sussudio.'

Originally by George Michael
For their debut album, Limp Bizkit decided to expand the possibilities of nu metal by covering George Michael's 'Faith.' The band stripped their sound down to rhythmic guitars and while Fred Durst offered surprisingly soft vocals. This changed in the chorus however where Durst howled out every repetition of 'Faith' painfully, while the guitars got equally grimy. The ending was particularly harsh, as Fred groaned so hard it sounded like he coughed from it. Their version however has amassed over 17 million views on YouTube. Though it couldn't sound farther from the original track, 'Faith' was the only single on Limp Bizkit's debut to chart.

Pop Standard
To honor Elvis' legacy on a live tribute show, Pet Shop Boys brought their synth styling to a dance version of 'Always On My Mind.' Their take was so well received that the duo recorded it and quickly had a hit. Though the song had been covered endlessly since its release, it had rarely ventured outside of conventional pop and country. Pet Shop Boys' additional harmonies and electronic undercurrents also helped the song feel less cookie-cutter than other renditions. As strange as it was for Pet Shop Boys to approach 'Always On My Mind,' they completely reinvented it.

Originally by U2
After gaining fame through party hits like 'Gonna Make You Sweat,' covering U2 was an unexpected move for the brains behind C+C Music Factory. Credited to Clivillés and Cole, the duo had the added challenge of remixing 'Pride' as a techno track rather than just adding a dance beat. The song's tempo and industrial drums gave the original a futuristic edge, but their use of the original vocal melodies and guitar tracks worked surprisingly well considering the change of pace. The cover even managed to move over halfway up the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the time, despite its heavy subject matter.

Popularized by Frank Sinatra
Sid Vicious usually critiques culture through actions, but his version of 'My Way' focuses on the music itself. Vicious spends an entire verse putting on a voice to mock the nature of Frank Sinatra's original. Sid also makes tonnes of silly faces and poses during the live version in 'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle.' But when the drums and guitars kick in, the song turns into a gritty punk rock cover that could start a mosh pit. Vicious even adds a line about killing a cat. By both parodying and updating 'My Way', Sid's cover is a lot to take in.

Originally by Toto
It took a lot of tweeting, but a 14-year-old Weezer fan convinced the band to cover Toto's hit song 'Africa.' While Rivers Cuomo and company stayed pretty faithful to the original track, they gave the synthesizers and drums a loud update. Weezer gave their own spin to the keyboard solo, and then brought Weird Al and his accordion out for good measure. This wasn't just a live one-off either, they even released the cover as a single. Instead of using a band photo however, Weezer framed the incendiary tweet as their artwork.

Simon & Garfunkel
With decades of screaming and thrashing behind them, Disturbed took a soft turn when they remade a Simon & Garfunkel classic. Though their cover of 'The Sound Of Silence' was undoubtedly louder, Disturbed never went into all-out rock. Singer David Draiman instead used his commanding shouts to make the song's climax more intense. With pounding drums and an orchestra, the band also gave the track an epic feeling without dishonoring what it stands for. Along with praise from Paul Simon, the cover has remained the band's highest performing single on the Billboard Hot 100. While unexpected, Disturbed showed their tender side on 'The Sound Of Silence.'

Originally by The Rolling Stones
The riff to The Rolling Stones' 'Satisfaction' was so iconic that Devo cut it out when they remade the song, and replaced the main hooks with angular melodies and off-kilter takes of the old vocals. If that wasn't robotic enough, the percussion popped with funky cymbals and a mechanical repetition. Mark Mothersbaugh's quirky delivery was all part of Devo's method of using a universally known song and deconstructing it. Though it was weird enough that Devo's label worried Mick Jagger wouldn't approve, Mick was reportedly dancing by the end of his first listen. Turning 'Satisfaction' upside down was a risk that paid off amazingly for Devo.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

"Stairway To Heaven" by Dolly Parton (2002)
Originally by Led Zeppelin


"I Heard It Through The Grape Vine" by The Slits (1979)
Popularised by Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye

"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Sheryl Crow (1999)
Originally by Guns N' Roses

Originally By Nine Inch Nails
When Trent Reznor heard Johnny Cash wanted to cover 'Hurt,' he thought the idea was a cheap gimmick. Cash however stripped the song down to guitar, piano and vocals, to focus on the lyrics. Johnny's vocals are rugged and almost seem to fall apart at times, as he fleshes out how sad the story is. Each chorus is heartbreaking as Cash ramps up the intensity of his arrangements. Mark Romanek's video for the track not only reflects on Johnny's entire career, but also just how fitting the words have become to him personally. Cash's reimagining of 'Hurt' was so moving, that Reznor believed it's not his song anymore.