10 fantasy cover versions we wish were real
Ever idly listened to a track and suddenly thought if this song was a dress, it would fit Nick Cave perfectly? Well, this feature leafs through figurative wardrobes from the past and present to peruse the ultimate cover versions in the playground of our imagination. Sadly, some of these fantasies have been rendered impossible owing to the cruel passage of time, but there are also others that could feasibly become a reality and we will not rest until we help Katy J Pearson achieve her dream of working with Kate Bush.
Whether it’s a voice that matches up perfectly with a pre-existing tune or an energy that seems to suit some other band, there are touchstones in certain songs that almost can’t be explained. These ties go beyond what is known to us, they are ethereal, strange, mystic matches of sonic science. What’s more, they are fascinating fantasies to consider, even if a lingering frustration slightly sours them.
While in the past we’ve eulogised the likes of Julia Jacklin’s take on ‘Someday’ originally by The Strokes and Angel Olsen’s recent gem stripping back the Roxy Music classic ‘More Than This’, below we’re worshipping covers that don’t even exist. From David Bowie rejoicing in rockabilly to Billie Eilish putting her hushed tones to the finest crooner of them all, we welcome you to share our dreams below.
10 fantasy cover versions we wish were real:
Elvis Presley’s ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ as performed by David Bowie
Bowie is simply the best Elvis impersonator there never was. Midway through his medley with Cher, he dons a verse by ‘The King’ and it’s a highlight in what is undoubtedly one of the finest music videos you will ever find. It’s an eternal paradox in music, can Bowie be really an underrated singer when everyone considers him an underrated singer? This cover would certainly bring that discussion back to the fore.
Furthermore, the cinematic edge to ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ is something that Bowie could have a lot of fun with. “I was never unaware of my strength as an interpretive performer,” he once said. The drama and story to this classic track would’ve seen Bowie at his best on that front.
Richard Hawley’s ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ as performed by Etta James
Richard Hawley’s music has a timeless quality to it that stretches well beyond his quiff. There is simply a soulful boon to his songwriting that soars with sweet humility. Seeing as though Etta James could make singing the phonebook feel like a spiritual entreaty then ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ would really tug at the heartstrings.
With a sound similar to ‘A Sunday Kind of Love’, this is the sort of melody that suits the soul of James beautifully. She would offer up a glamorous alternative to the sweet original, and boy oh boy, would it make for a lovely cushion to welcome you into a Monday morning. I can just hear it as I make a brew now.
Bob Dylan’s ‘Brownsville Girl’ as performed by Lou Reed
Reed’s ‘Street Hassle’ is one of the greatest double-figure songs ever written. In fact, it’s one of the greatest songs ever, period. The triumph of the track is in the narrative. Reed has a brilliant ability to tell a story in song and they don’t come much better than ‘Brownsville Girl’ on that front.
Fortunately, the Dylan track was also one of Reed’s all-time favourites. “The thing Dylan did with Sam Shepherd,” Reed once said, “‘Brownsville Girl’, I mean, I think that is one of the greatest things I ever heard in my life. I fell down laughing. You can listen to that, you can listen to the words going on and it’s tremendous.”
The Band’s ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ as performed by Otis Redding
When Richie Havens stripped down this belter to a bare-bones acoustic track, he unlocked something truly spiritual in the song. Otis Redding had this knack like no other, so it stands to reason that he could’ve picked up where Havens left off and blessed The Band’s opus with his stunning timbre.
The Band themselves have a fair dose of soul in the mix from years of travelling the circuits of the States. In truth, ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ has a near Motown melody in the mix, thus, the swaggering sound of Redding would’ve met it brilliantly to create another glorious iteration of this masterful song.
Katy J Pearson’s ‘Tonight’ as performed by Kate Bush
“She truly is the best,” Pearson told us recently when she was eulogising her hero, Kate Bush. “I think my dream collaborator would be Kate Bush,” she added. As stars who seem to be able to tap into the ethereal side of life with the ease of a bird taking to flight, there is certainly a kinship between Pearson and her hero.
It isn’t just the spiritualism on display either, both of them write what are, frankly, bangers. ‘Tonight’ has a hook akin to Fleetwood Mac at their catchy best and it’s an absolute certainty that Bush would seize upon that rhythm and make it rattle the rafters of heaven on high. Just please heed the call and hook up with the brightest emerging star in music.
Chet Baker’s ‘My Funny Valentine’ as performed by Billie Eilish
Eilish sings with such a hush that it’s almost like ASMR. However, she’s far from the first to get close to the mic. When the microphone was invented, it made crooning possible and suddenly stars were able to ladle more nuanced emotions of story into their songs without having to hit the back wall. Eilish relishes this tradition.
The phenom would no doubt add a beat to this track to help it waltz along and we’d all be rendered teary-eyed by the bracing result. She might be more urban in her approach, but Eilish is a fine appreciator of the past and I’d be surprised if she hasn’t been influenced by Baker in some capacity. He is, after all, the finest crooner of them all.
Leon Russell’s ‘A Stranger in a Strange Land’ as performed by Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner has often cited his love for Leon Russell, and with Joe Cocker having once made an album with the songwriter, there is even a Sheffield connection. Now, with the Monkeys being boldly cinematic with their approach, the almost over-the-top gem of ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ would suit them down to the ground.
The boys have been rather fruity with their covers in the past – covering the likes of Girls Around – but this would see them be rather more on the nose. And I can’t help but think that they could really grab this anthem by the lapels and make it dance to their tune.
Carpenter’s ‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’ as performed by Pulp
Jarvis Cocker has often written songs that deal with love in an honest sense. He is happy to embrace the nitty-gritty realities of life with another half. But buried somewhere beneath all the wry realism is a soppy old romantic that is revealed in the glossy instrumentation of the band.
Pulp’s rhythms have an inherent euphoria and the same can be said of this old classic. With the Sheffield band set to head off on a reunion tour soon enough, we’d love to hear Cocker croon this beauty with his own inimitable sultry whispery ways.
Iggy Pop’s ‘Nightclubbing’ as performed by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Iggy Pop’s ‘Nightclubbing’ features some of the finest production work that I’ve come across. The drama within the sound that Bowie and Pop managed to produce in the studio is a force to behold. All of the above could also apply to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with their latest masterpiece earlier in the year, Cool It Down.
Both the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Iggy Pop produce music that craves moonlight. The darkened tones of the artists make them a match made in dingy heaven. I can’t imagine the Yeah Yeah Yeahs simply not covering this in such a cinematic way that I’d ever have a Friday night in ever again.
Marlena Shaw’s ‘California Soul’ as performed by Julia Jacklin
Julia Jacklin has already proved that she can take a bombastic upbeat anthem and hush it down into a luscious lullaby with her cover of ‘Someday’ by The Strokes. With that effort, she put her finger on the beautiful melody lingering beneath the drama of the original—the same can be said for the rolling rhythm of ‘California Soul’.
Jacklin’s music has a soul of its own. She can hit lofty emotional heights without breaking stride or a hair straying out of place. This is exactly why I love to see her stand amid this hurricane anthem and make it her own humble ditty with bracing summery love.
