got it covered

I don't know why, but I find myself mesmerized by the concept of current bands and singers covering other songs. And by "other songs", I'm not just referring to like the standard Beatles or Bob Marley or Police any other old-school classics that most bands typically cover. It's the current songs that you've heard a million times on MTV, and the radio (and nowadays, through people's myspace profiles I guess) that I'm really interested in listening to.

Maybe it's got to do with me having an obsession with getting an insight into artist's personal lives -not in the stalker way, but I am on wikipedia a freakish amount trying to find out what's behind certain song lyrics and stuff. I just find it interesting finding the types of songs people cover - like you get to know what music the singers and stuff like listening to, and how they interpret the song and stuff. I think it's also because covers provide a fresh take on something you're so used to, so it's kinda like hearing something again for the first time.

Anyway, that's why I'm a huge fan of BBC's Live Lounge - when they get singers to come in and do a couple songs, almost all the singers and groups do a cover of a song as well (list of the singers and the songs they covered is here). While there are some fairly standard covers, there are quite a few good ones there.

I've noticed I'm a fan of girls covering songs sung by guys, and vice versa - which is why I like Natasha Bedingfield's covers:

Natasha Bedingfield - Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)



And I do like when artists come up with interesting interpretations of songs - While this isn't as out there as Corinne Bailey Rae's jazz-loungey version of SexyBack, I like Keane's mashup of Destiny's Child & Christina Aguilera (also a guy covering girl songs)

Keane - Dirtylicious



And then there are the songs you just wouldn't expect to be covered... Didn't expect a non-offensive rock band to cover a weird hip-hop-infused latin song - It's no My Humps, but still pretty bizarre...

The Fray - Hips Don't Lie (Shakira)



(see what I did there with the title of the blog and stuff? wow, I'm so incredibly imaginative & witty...)