25 Best Cover Songs of 2008
Wrapping up the year-that-was would seem incomplete without taking a look back at the year’s best cover songs. (After all, 2008 seemed to be a particularly ace year for cover-lovers…)
If you’re as busy as I am swilling eggnog and trying to organize for the travel home, you’ll understand why the commentaries on each song selection are incomplete. I just wanted to get this post up ASAP so you could fill up your iPod with cover goodness for the journey home. Anyhoo, happy holidays everyone and here’s to a GREAT 2009!!!
I know what you’re thinking - Conan O’Brien ain’t a musician. However, in the midst of the ‘08 writer’s strike, The Cone Zone performed a raucous cover of Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky” and once again proved that he’s more than just “low-concept nonsense” - he’s one of late night’s finest.
MP3s:
Conan O’Brien - “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (Bill Monroe cover)
Bill Monroe - “Blue Moon of Kentucky”
MP3s:
Boyce Avenue - “4 Minutes”
Madonna Ft Justin Timberlake - “4 Minutes”
MP3s:
Pete Yorn & Kinky - “Use Me” (Bill Withers cover)
Bill Withers - “Use Me”
MP3s:
The Flaming Lips - “Tommy Medley” (The Who cover)
The Who - “Pinball Wizard”
MP3s:
Adam Green & Lissy Trullie - “Just A Friend” (Biz Markie cover)
Biz Markie - “Just A Friend”
MP3s:
Calico Horse - “Idioteque” (Radiohead cover)
Radiohead - “Idioteque”
MP3s:
Lightspeed Champion - “Thriller” (Michael Jackson cover)
Michael Jackson - “Thriller”
Big thanks to Matt @ The Music Slut for recommending this song!
MP3s:
Bat For Lashes - “A Forest” (The Cure cover)
The Cure - “A Forest”
MP3s:
The Flying Change - “All My Friends” (LCD Soundsystem cover)
LCD Soundsystem - “All My Friends”
MP3s:
The Honorary Title - “No One” (Alicia Keys cover)
Alicia Keys - “No One”
MP3s:
Radiohead - “Tell Me Why” (Neil Young cover)
Neil Young - “Tell Me Why”
BONUS MP3s:
Radiohead - “The Rip (Portishead cover)”
Portishead - “The Rip”
MP3s:
Of Montreal - “Jimmy” (M.I.A. cover)
M.I.A. - “Jimmy”
Parvati Khan - “Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja”
MP3s:
The Kooks - “Kids” (MGMT cover)
MGMT - “Kids”
BONUS MP3s:
The Kooks - “Violet Hill (Coldplay cover)”
Coldplay - “Violet Hill”
MP3s:
Miniature Tigers - “Mamma Mia (ABBA Cover)”
ABBA - “Mamma Mia”
MP3s:
The Last Shadow Puppets - “S.O.S (Rihanna cover)”
Rihanna - “S.O.S.”
BONUS MP3s:
Pun Lovin’ Criminals (Alex Turner & Lightspeed Champion) - “Reptilia (The Strokes cover)”
The Strokes - “Reptilia”
MP3s:
Max Vernon - “I Kissed A Girl” (Katy Perry cover)
Katy Perry - “I Kissed A Girl”
MP3s:
Gnarls Barkley - “Reckoner” (Radiohead cover)
Radiohead - “Reckoner”
MP3s:
First Aid Kit - “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” (Fleet Foxes Cover)
Fleet Foxes - “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song”
MP3s:
The Morning Benders - “He’s A Rebel” (The Crystals cover)
Maureen McGovern - “He’s a Rebel”
MP3s:
Her Space Holiday - “I’ll Believe In Anything (Wolf Parade cover)”
Wolf Parade - “I’ll Believe In Anything”
MP3s:
Willie Nelson - “Gravedigger” (Dave Matthews cover)
Dave Matthews - “Gravedigger”
MP3s:
Spoon - “Panic” (The Smiths cover)
The Smiths - “Panic”
MP3s:
Timid Tiger - “Womanizer” (Britney Spears cover)
Britney Spears - “Womanizer”
BONUS MP3:
All-American Rejects - “Womanizer (Britney Spears cover)
MP3s:
Prince - “Creep” (Radiohead Cover)
Radiohead - “Creep”
Covering a song entitled “Everywhere” makes perfect sense for a band as ubiquitous as Vampire Weekend in 2008. Thankfully, the “A-Punk” preps brought their A-game to the Fleetwood Mac tune and delivered the year’s best cover. (As further evidence of Vampire Weekend’s omnipresence, just check out the bonus MP3s!)
MP3s:
Vampire Weekend - “Everywhere” (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Fleetwood Mac - “Everywhere”
BONUS MP3s:
Banjo or Freakout - “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” (Vampire Weekend cover)
Ben Povey - “The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance” (Vampire Weekend cover)
dublinStu - Oxford Comma (Vampire Weekend cover)
Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel - “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” (Vampire Weekend cover)
Lykke Li - “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” (Vampire Weekend cover)
The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit) - “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”