cover me- i'm going in...

Covering a song is a tricky wicket indeed. Be too reverential & induce boredom; stray too far & risk ugly fanboy reprisal. I enjoy covers very much when the cover-er comes to the party prepared~ knowing the host's tastes but bringing a snackity-snack that surprises & delights. A good cover is rare; a great cover is a cause for celebration. The following are covers I dig for some reason reason or other. I warn you now, dear listener, some are not very good (& some are indeed extraordinary!), but all bring something new to the soiree. Let us commence with the listening party...:
Frankie Goes To Hollywood doing Bruce, slapping the bass in lieu of the Big Man's blowin'? Blasphemy was never so much fun! (& I still wear my "Lust plus fear plus love plus faith times Frankie equals some kind of bang" sweatshirt to do yardwork.) The Violent Femmes answer Gnarls Barkley's funkafied cover of "Gone Daddy Gone" with a quintessential Gano-fied "Crazy".
Beck, as always, concocts the perfect alchemy of irreverence & reverence with his take on Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat". Then we rock out to 8 year old Jack Marley & his band, the J7, asking the musical question, "Should I Stay or Should I Go". The Clash would be damn proud. You always need an English chap to classy up the joint, & Mark Ronson brings Daniel Merriweather to disco-fy The Smiths "Stop Me..." Then Pharoahe Monch does the unthinkable & covers Public Enemy & even more unimaginably does it some sweet justice. "Welcome To The (goddamn) Terrodome" indeed! Finally bringin' some Latin flavor, Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz assures us that, "(She) Will Survive" & backs it up with some mighty congas.
Enjoy at your own risk...