Howlin’ Wolf “Back Door Man”

Although Back Door Man was written by Willie Dixon, he wrote it for the legendary Howlin’ Wolf  who released it in 1961 as a B-side.

In 1967 The Doors recorded the version that most people know today.

Willie Dixon himself recordered a “cover” of his own song in 1970.

"the men don't know, but the little girls understand."

Lyrics:

Argh! Huh!
Whoah, yeah.
Yeah! C'mon! Yeah!
Oh, yeah, I'm a — yeah, I'm a back door man,
I'm a back door man.
The men don't know,
But the little girls understand.
Well, all you people there tryin' to sleep,
I'm out there making it my midnight treat— yeah,
'Cause I'm a back door man.
The men don't know
But the little girls understand.
All right, yeah!
You men eat your dinner,
Eat your pork and beans
I eat more chicken
Any man ever seen — yeah, yeah.
I'm a back door man — wha!
The men don't know
But the little girls understand.
Well, I'm a back door man,
I'm a back door man.
Whoa, baby — I'm a back door man.
The men don't know
But the little girls understand.

Nine Inch Nails "Hurt"

In 1994 Trent Reznor released Hurt on the NiN album The Downward Spiral.

Not quite a cover but in 1995 When Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie were touring together David joined Trent in doing this duet.

In 2002 Rick Rubin was producing the “American Recordings” albums with Johnny Cash and suggested to Cash that he should cover Hurt.

Initially Trent was worried that it would be gimmicky but once he saw the video he became a fan although he did say it was like losing a girlfriend and that the song was no longer his…

Winning a host of awards for both the song and the video here is Johnny Cash’s Version...

The song has also received attention from “Gregorian” a band from Germany who make Gregorian chant style “Elevator music” which sanitised it for soccer moms and retards!

And finally possibly the best cover!

A Viral of “Sad Kermit” the frog" that appeared on YouTube in 2007

Lyrics:

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here

[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way

Toto “Africa”

 

Toto’s biggest song “Africa” was almost not included in their album “Toto IV” as the band felt that the song wasn’t “Toto” and they had grown so tired of it due to the time they spent producing it!

Guitarist and Singer Steve Lukather even said he didn’t think it was very good!

Luckily for us it was released and Toto went on to play it at every concert until 2008 when they split.

It is a very popular song amongst “acapella” bands.  Here are 2 different choirs singing Africa….

Perpetuum Jazzile:

unknown “Youtube” choir

French/Senegalese rapper put his own take on Africa.

But when Andy McKee posted his acoustic version on YouTube it went viral!

Over 9,000,000 views later it was taken down but here’s Andy playing it live in Shetland!

Since then multiple people have taken the song to their hearts and posted their own videos!

Jimmie Inch plays all the parts and sings his own harmonies in this version:

jotaburunov plays a bass version:

The Marvin Berrys in their living room:

And finally someone who adds nothing to the song at all….. fucking Chris de burgh

Lyrics:

I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way,
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, Hurry boy, It's waiting there for you

CHORUS:
It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never have

The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become

CHORUS

(Instrumental break)

Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you

It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa, I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa, I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never have

The Pixies "Where is my mind"

Famous from Fight Club, The Pixes Where is my mind

Here is the original for you...


Brian Molko had a chance to cover the tune with Frank Black and the results were VERY good!


and as much as i hate James Blunt his version is actually quite good....


But the ultimate cover in my opinion was done by Hurra Torpedo!




Lyrics:

"Where is My Mind"

Oh - stop

With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse
But there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself

Where is my mind [3x]

Way out in the water
See it swimmin'

I was swimmin' in the Caribbean
Animals were hiding behind the rocks
Except the little fish
But they told me, he swears
Tryin' to talk to me, coy koi.

Where is my mind [3x]

Way out in the water
See it swimmin' ?

With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse
If there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself

Where is my mind [3x]

Oh
With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Oh
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Oh
Oh

Rihanna "Umbrella"

When Rihanna recorded Umbrella i doubt she ever thought that a crazy norwiegan (Egil Hegerberg of the Bare Egil Band) would cover it and sing into a toilet whilst singing the ella bits!



Egil wasn't the only one to cover it though
Scottish indie rockers Biffy Clyro also covered it it a much nicer way.






Not to be left out The Manic Street Preachers have themselves covered it






Lyrics:
You have my heart
And we'll never be worlds apart
Maybe in magazines
But you'll still be my star

Baby 'cause in the dark
You can't see shiny cars
And that's when you need me there
With you I'll always share
Because

When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out till the end

Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella

(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh, eh eh eh)

These fancy things, will never come in between
You're part of my entity, here for infinity
When the war has took it's part
When the world has dealt it's cards
If the hand is hard, together we'll mend your heart
Because

When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out till the end

Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella

(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh, eh eh eh)

You can run into my arms
It's okay don't be alarmed
Come here to me
There's no distance in between our love

So go on and let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more
Because

When the sun shines, we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out till the end

Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella

(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella, eh eh eh, eh eh eh)

It's raining
Ooh baby it's raining
Baby come here to me
Come here to me

It's raining
Ooh baby it's raining
You can always come here to me
Come here to me

It's pouring rain
It's pouring rain
Come here to me
Come here to me


Any other covers out there that reach the hights of these covers??