Lyrics You Hear Over and Over Again: Notable Song Covers

Nothing can beat the original, although there are always a brave few who would try. This is very applicable in music, where a number of artists who try to perform songs popularized by other artists. These are commonly known as covers. In a cover, the lyrics and the musical arrangement may be altered or changed, making the song an entirely entity at some point. However, changes in lyrics and arrangements aside, it is up to the listeners whether they would accept the new version of an old song or that. And despite the risk of not being accept by the masses, many artists have tried their hands on performing old favorites, giving familiar lyrics and music some new twists. So here are some song covers by artists who dared to try something new with already established music and lyrics from established songs.

“Beat It”

Fall Out Boy’s rendition of this Michael Jackson favorite attained moderate success; a considerable achievement considering the song—from its lyrics to its music—is significantly different from anything the band has performed. There were no changes in the lyrics of the song, but Fall Out Boy gave “Beat It” a character to similar to their own. So while the lyrics of the song still advocates anti-violence messages, the music itself may seem to be saying the opposite thing.

“Killing Me Softly”

A rare case when the cover was more popular than the original, this Roberta Flack song was made into an iconic hit by The Fugees. Of course, this isn’t to say Flack’s version was ignored; her original version was awarded as the Song of the Year, the Record of the Year, and the Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female Performer recognitions. Today, however, it is The Fugees’ version that remains in the conscious of the general public. This goes to show that beyond the artists who performed it, the song itself is remarkable (with splendid lyrics, such as : “Stromin my pain with his fingers / Singin my life with his words / Killing me softly with his song / Telling my whole life with his words / Killing me softly with his song”).

“Mandy”

The lyrics alone of this Barry Manilow original reflect the song’s age. For instance, the opening lines of the lyrics go: “I remember all my life / Raining down as cold as ice / A shadow of a man / A face through a window / Crying in the night / The night goes into.” Yet, this did not stop the numerous artists who covered the song.

“Umbrella”

There are instances when a new song would be covered by contemporary artists only a few months before the original was released. Of course, the covers are usually not released as singles, yet they can be acquired online. A notable example of this is Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” Of course, this is not surprisingly—the hooks of the lyrics and the catchy tune of the song are simply irresistible. Artists who covered “Umbrella” include Taylor Swift, Mandy Moore, Marie Digby, Linkin Park, and others. They did not change the lyrics but the arrangement of the song is usually different, giving a different light to the lyrics.