Best New Covers of Great Old Songs

1. “Heartless” – (Kanye West) -- The Fray [4-7-09]. A more dramatic alt-indie cover by Denver-based band of the pop hip-hop smash hit from last summer.

2. “Use Somebody” – (Kings of Leon) -- Bat for Lashes [leaked]. Natasha Kahn combines spare tamborine and organ to cover this (itself new) sexy number by brothers band from Texas.

3. “War/No More Trouble” – (Bob Marley) – Playing for Change [4-28-09]. A cover of the great Marley track, done with a combination of fluid voices, simple guitar scales bongos and even violin.

4. “Goodbye” – Kristinia deBarge [4-7-09]. Her own mid-groove circles back to the all-too-familiar stadium chant of na,na,na,na – hey,hey,hey -- good-bye.

5. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” – (The Beatles) – Easy Star All-Stars [4-14-09]. Done reggae-style, gets you sining right along. Ya. Mon!

6. “Beggin’” – (Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons) Madcon [1-13-09]. An R&B track by hip-hop group that perfectly blends pop with rap for prime danceability.

7. “Give it to Me Right” – (The Zombies) Melanie Fiona [12-23-08]. Her own soulful groove laid over the infamous “Time of the Season Zombie backbeat.

8. “Over the Rainbow” – (Judy Garland) Melody Gardot [4-28-09]. A bossa nova, interpretive take on the musical original by young and savvy jazz vocalist.

9. “Hey ya” – (Outkast) -- Booker T. [4-3-08]. A pure, boppy rock instrumental of the wacky hip-hop hit of several years ago.

10. “Knock on Wood” – (Amy Taylor) – James Taylor [4-7-09]. Turning disco into a singer-songwriter staple almost sounds natural in the hands of beloved 70’s icon James Taylor.

11. “Aint No Sunshine” – (Isley Brothers) Wynonna [2-3-09]. A cover of the soul classic done by the sassy matron of country/Americana for more than 25 years.

12. “Show Me Love” –[Robin S] -- Steve Angello & Laid Back Luke [2009]. A remix of the disco classic re-mixed for a still danceable, club/house sound.

13. “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” – (Bee Gee’s) Diana Krall [3-31-09]. A breathy, bluesey rendition of the 70’s era disco classic.

14. “When I Grow Up” – (Pussycat Dolls) MayDay Parade [3-10-09]. Pop-punk cover of Pussycat’s big hit from an up-and-coming group out of Tallahassee.

15. “Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)” – (A.R. Rahman) The Pussycat Dolls feat. Nicole Scheringer [3/2009]. Ditching Bollywood for the Hollywood edition without the Hindi chants and with the cream puff pop lyrics.

16. “Cello Song” – (Nick Drake) -- The Books feat. Jose Gonzalez [2-16-09]. A lovely cover of the soothing original performed by The Books who concoct an original acoustic version featuring Jose Gonzalez’s dreamy vocals for the DARK WAS the NIGHT Red Hot compilation CD which sports an all-star indie line-up of artists and songs.

17. “So Human” – (The Cure) -- Lady Sovereign [2-3-09]. A rip on the cult classic alt-rock tune form the 80’s, done by sassy Brit rapper.

18. “Right Round” – (Dead or Alive) -- Flo-rida [2-1-09]. This hip-hop version is an instant pop R&B smash with its shameless rip on the 80’s dance classic by Dead or Alive.

19. “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight’ (James Taylor) by Boney James. [2-3-09]. A soulful jazz rendition of the 70’s classic pop tune complete with his big, phat sax.

20. “More and More of Your Amor” (Nat King Cole) Remixed by Bitter: Sweet [3-10-09]. A retro and James Bond-esque Nat joins with juicy female vocals.

21. “Clean Up Woman”(Betty Wright) – Leela James [3-24-09]. A big, soulful and funky rendition of the Motown classic.

22. “Staighten Up and Fly Right” (Nat King Cole) Remixed by Will.i.Am [3-10-09]. An upbeat twist on an old classic with piano solo, sassy vocals and lounge- percussion.

23. “Calypso Blues” (Nat Cole) Remixed by Damian Jr. Gong Marley and Stephen Marley [3-10-09]. Nat King Cole is cooler-then-cool in this rem-kae of a classic with the Marley brother providing island- background.

24. “Black Magic Woman” – (Carlos Santana) Mick Fleetwood Blues Band [3-3-09]. Big guitar riffs with blues-bent from classic rock and roll icon.

25. “When I Fall in Love” – Renee Olstead [1-27-09]. A fresh rendition of this classic from The Great American Songbook by Miley-Cyrus-like media megastar teenager.

26. “Veronica Sawyer” – (Edna Goldfish) – Reel Big Fish [1-20-09]. An upbeat ska and modern-rock rendition of the pop original.

27. “Womanizer” – (Britney Spears) – Lily Allen [leaked 12-1-08]. Every bit as poppy as the original but front- loaded with a slower pace and charming cockney Brit accent for which Lily Allen is known.

28. “At Last” (Etta Jones) – Beyonce (from Music From The Motion Picture Cadillac Records) [12-2-08]. The talented R&B diva pays homage to the original by belting out the bluesey classic like a champ.

29. “Turn Your Lights Down Low” (Bob Marley) – Colbie Caillet [11-11-08]. While it’s hard not to love this Bob Markey classic, it’s Malibu and MySpace’s Colbie Caillet (in duet) at her pretty and simple best.

30. “Live Your Life and Flo with Whatever You like [Medley] – Straight No Chaser [1-20-09]. A cleverly strung-together a capella medley of recent hit hip-hop tracks including “Low,” “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life.”

31. “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” (Vampire Weekend) – Peter Gabriel and Hot Chip (12-15-08). More synthy and less islandy atmospheric, Gabriel’s familiar voice rings through on this cover of Vampire Weekend’s relatively new track.

32. “Let’s Take a Walk” - Raphael Saadiq (from Music From The Motion Picture Cadillac Records) [12-2-08]. A contemporary soulful push on original dance hall boogie.

33. “Time of Your Life” (Green Day) – Glen Campbell [8-18-08]. Complete with big country strings, Glen Campbell makes a comeback with this rockin’ cover.

34. “People Get Ready” – Seal [11-11-08]. Along with the rest of the 60’s era-covers packed into this album -- entitled SOUL -- this one does soulful justice to the original a la Seal’s brave and beautiful voice.

35. “Folsom Prison Blues” (Johnny Cash) – Everlast [9-23-08]. Whitey Ford is the former front-man for House of Pain is the unlikely source for this version of the classic country track.

36. “Slow” (Kylie Mingoue) – Tricky. [9-2-08]. A downtempo, punky duet version of the pop diva’s dance track.