Unlikely cover versions that are actually jolly good

[Gordon Neill]

I thought this was some kind of joke when I stumbled across it. Ella Fitgerald singing Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love'. Surely not. But it's true and it's actually rather good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiea8g6SqvQ

Any other suggestions of an unlikely meeting of minds?

[Adam Blake]

That messed with my mind so much I had to watch this:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=p6C4xn_5Y ... re=related

featuring Dusty in my favourite of her wigs and Burt can't help joining in on the last chorus which nearly throws Dust off her stroke...

[Ian A.]

Any other suggestions of an unlikely meeting of minds?

My shufflin' iPod threw up Shikisha's glorious township/soukous version of Pretty Vacant moments before I read this question . . .

[Gordon Neill]

How about Aretha Franklin doing a version of Lulu's 'Boom Bang A Bang'?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uSi0aQ2GhzA

Only kidding. It's actually, 'Oh Me Oh My' which was originally done by Lulu. As so often, it became Aretha's song.

[Tom McPhillips]

I thought this was some kind of joke when I stumbled across it. Ella Fitgerald singing Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love'. Surely not. But it's true and it's actually rather good.

it might be true... except when you compare it with this... let's face it Rock was just much better in those days, and so was Eric...

If you squint you can just see me up in the Gods bopping away in the reverse shot :-)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHfXoh4h ... re=related


thanks for letting me relive my late adolescence even if only for a moment or too..

[Gordon Neill]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I wasn't suggesting that Ella's take on Sunshine Of Your Love was better than Cream's. I still love the original. But it's just totally unexpected and, in it's own way, a success. It's hard to think of such a category-busting cover being done over the last 20 years or so, when niches have become deeper and narrower. Cleo Laine doing God Save the Queen, perhaps, or Norah Jones attempting something by Emineminem. I don't think so.

[Rob Hall]

Oh I don't know. Pat Boone did that metal album*, which features covers of "The Wind Cries Mary" and "Stairway To Heaven". And then, more recently, William Shatner did that wonderful versionof Pulp's "Common People".

(* = Note that I haven't heard this, have no desire to, and am not suggesting that it's any good - I was merely picking up on the unlikely aspect that Gordon mentions. But, like I say, I think William Shatner's cover of "Common People" is wonderful.)

[c hristian]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NIRLvp8p-1k

Kermit's song, by Frank. I hear that Tony Bennett does it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZJxL3PrrLM&NR=1

even better...ray charles! !





and to complete the series

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvlP6EIOkNQ&NR=1


Lena horne


I get tears in my eyes with that lena horne version.

[Hugh Weldon]

Dolly Parton did an interesting version of Stairway to Heaven a couple of years ago.

[Dayna]

Killing Me Softly With His Song by Roberta Flack and there was one by a group called Fugees. At first I didn't like it at all, but I guess it was OK.

[Gordon Moore]

Yes, the Fugees, loved them.

[Gordon Neill]

Hugh Weldon mentioned that:

Dolly Parton did an interesting version of Stairway to Heaven

Good grief! Which reminds me of Rolf Harris' take on that metal mainstay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy5KjaAS7nY

[Gordon Neill]

Which then reminds me of that spoof Beatles' take on Stairway. It was posted on SOTW months ago. was it Adam?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WfoccRn ... re=related

[Jamie Renton]

Now if it's Beatles related fun you're after ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEi9XScj1mc

[taiyo no otosan]

Has any one else heard the Mae West album (with The Sidewalk Sounds, I think) where she does 'Day Tripper', along with 'Shakin' All Over' and others? Actually really rather good - especially her purring and growling take on 'Treat her/him Right'.