There are tribute bands and there are bands that earn their gold doing miserable and sloppy versions of popular songs, but countless covers abound that are weird and truly beautiful. You probably didn’t know most of these are actually versions so be prepared for a top 10 of the most underrated and bizarre covers ever. Start the journey!

11. Ken Boothe – Puppet on a String

There are times when a version really out-dates the original, and this is one of the cases. The first album from the Jamaican Ken Boothe features great Jackie Mittoo on the piano (and arrangements), and is a landmark of the Rocksteady genre. Sure, Jamaica was overwhelmed with North-American Soul and most of the hits from the 60s and 70s were covers, done in their perfect sun-kissed way. Sandie Shaw was no hit-wonder but this was her breaktrough, winner of the 1967 Eurovision contest. Weirder? Paul Mariat’s instrumental.

9. Devo – Satisfaction

Are We Not Men? No, they aren’t. Devo stands as the true weird band. Their mythology is as urgent as ever. They’ve done some pretty originals themselves but this version of the classic Rolling Stones tune is too wonderful to be put to words. The groove is tight, hints at some sunkissed reggae and turns the tune into a really desperate and insane scream. The way is should have been, initially.
There are also some other brilliant versions of this, Cat Power, Britney Spears (???) and a really great one by David McCallum.

8. Natacha Atlas – I Put a Spell on You

Really, the Screamin’ Jay Hawkins classic is one of the most haunting songs written, reportedly recorded over a night of partying and girls at the studio so Hawkings could record his spooky voice just like it sounded live. The Natasha Atlas version is something that words cannot describe, truly bad vocal rendition (la la la la la la….), interesting instrumental part (that has nothing to do with the original), some record scratching (wtf!!!), really overrated. Still it’s the weirdest version of the original, horrible or not.

There are truly bizzare versions of this song, but Atlas version outrates them all for being the stupidiest. The best rock cover is Credence Clearwater Revival’s rendition, from their first album. Arthur Brown’s version is wonderfully haunted as well, Buddy Guy’s Santana produced cover is also great, although a bit too guitar-wanking for my tastes. Speaking of guitar-wanking, David Gilmour also has a weird version of this, as well as The Animals. Other known version is by Marylin Manson, but you knew that.

It’s Nina Simone that tops the charts for making it her own, as well as everything the lady touched. Gold.

7. Jane Rossi – In the Year 2525

You know, I just had to have some italo in this selection. The Zager & Evans 2068, sorry, 1968 song is a truly weird composition, well know but still underrated in its haunting vision of the future. Talk about cyberpunk, man. Anyway, there are some horrible versions of this, Ian Brown has made it kind of cabaret, Fields of Nephilim turned it into a dark metal ensemble, Visage made it even cheesier, Venice Beat just simply fucked it up for the new millennia (don’t listen to it, you’ll regurgitate), Pete Stark does it the same way but even cheesier than Visage, Mystic turned it into a good Disco party, and Kitbuilders… well, fuck, just listen to it. But this Jane Rossi version exhales the sweet cheese that was Italo and Hi-NRG back in the day, making it happier but haunting as well. And bizarre. And with a great instrumental bit that makes 98% of the song. But even weirder is Robin’s 1969 chord-by-chord Finnish version, you just have to listen to it. And if you’re into translations, check up The Sounds rendition. Bliss.

6. Colorado – California Dreamin’

Okay. Disco. When you think of Covers and Disco, it’s Boney M you want. They have versions for almost everything but nothing like the Mamas & the Papas original gospel. Shame that this is only the Top of the Pops short version, on record it sounds more epic and even cheesier, the kind of good cheese. Rocks every dance floor. It’s not Santa Esmeralda, by the way. Heck, they’re British. This is taken from an album of covers that include a disco medley to Rolling Stones songs. Bliss!

Now for even weirder versions. Japan’s Hi-Standard wank this beautiful song into an hardcore bowl of screams. Just plain vomit. Life-time sentence for them. Of course, Beach Boys have a hit version of this, but check out Michael Chapdelaine’s finger-picking wonder, all-instrumental. Gorgeous. Even more perfect is Mr Bobby Womac’s version, that almost nears the original in its beauty. But it’s Jose Feliciano that rocks the bunch; sings it in a desperate tone, backed up by some gorgeous strings. Heaven. Check out the Carpenter’s rendition, just for some Karen caressing.

5. Carlos Bastos – Hey Jude

Pretty sure you haven’t heard this. Beautiful version of the ever-so-popular Beatles classic in glorious Fado. Carlos Bastos sings it in an ironic bad english. Yes, it’s a joke. Bastos has a version of (I can get no) Satisfaction as well. This is pure delight and a great arrangement by António Chainho on the Portuguese guitar. A really underrated classic. The Temptations have a really weird and wonderful vocal rendition to the classic, these guys could do whatever they wanted with their voices.

4. Goldfrapp – Yes, Sir, I can Boogie

Everybody knows that the Eurovision hit by Baccara is a beautiful love boogie, it doesn’t need any versions. But as scarse as they are, each of them is intensely exciting. Goldfrapp’s thing turns the boogie into plain raw sex, has a strong build up and never fails to be as sexy as the original, in it’s own peculiar contemporary way. Forget about Denice French’s eurodance cover or Sophie Elis Baxtor version. Goldfrapp is the true thing.

3. Flying Lizzards – Money (that’s what I want)

More bizzare than this version of the Barret Strong’s 1959 classic is the way this was a new-wave hit. Flying Lizards were a truly weird ensemble dwelling on minimal and experimental music. This version is tasty pop, with a razor sharp experimental edge, perfect for the new wave crowd. Check out their version of Great Balls of Fire, also bizarre. Also, check out Led Zep’s rendition, that doesn’t really sound anything like the original or Zep.

2. Iggy Pop – Family Affair

A hidden gem from the stooge, the original is no less weird and beautiful, in fact, it’s one of the greatest songs ever. Sly Stone recorded this for the 1972 album There’s a Riot Going on and his original is no less muddy and moody. The album sounds like it was picked from an underwater shipwreck, as the tapes he used for the final versions were erased and recorded countless times due to a year of cocain fueled late night sessions. Parties at Sly’s crib were famous, the funk master did hire security to prevent people from bringing outside stash, it was his own stuff, the way he wanted. A landmark album.

1. Grace Jones – She’s Lost Control

Joy Division are (unfortunately) very extensively covered, as if every hip head suddenly started to like one of the most beautiful weird bands ever, and the best of them. Truly bad covers were made of Love Will Tear us Apart, 99% of them suck, specially Nouvelle Vague’s. She’s Lost Control is another brilliant song from their debut, Unknown Pleasures, and in 1995 somebody decided to release A Means to an End, a collection of versions. Girls Against Boys angst-ridden and teenage riot version is the best of the compilation, but it’s Grace Jone’s version that tops them all. Eight Minutes of pure crazy dub.

There’s always need for some mental cutting, some specific scenery for despair and letting the heart bleed. Music helps you get in the feeling you want, when you heart is bleeding, when your heart is full of love, when happiness fills your day. Today I make my own personal list of heartbroken, desolated, windswept love songs for all those moments where a tear is not enough.

Stay tuned for a specific podcast regarding this beautiful and painful song list. And also for the top 10 happiest love songs, somewhere soon. Meanwhile, some of these might save your heart.

10. Kim Wilde, Cambodia

This is a little cheesy gem from the german pop artist. Truly heartbroken synthtetised loss, naive and easy but remarkably beautiful.

9. Noiserv, Bullets on Parade

Fellow Noiserv delivers some beautiful child pop for us, direct from his bedroom. Bullets on Parade is about a lot of confusing thoughts that come all at once and become less and less confusing. The song keeps growing and growing, becomes so hypnotic and sad that you almost cry for its purity. Just fucking beautiful. And I love the camera sound. It’s as gorgeous as it can get. It’s not directly about heartbreak or loss, but the feeling is so right.

8. Lhasa, De Cara a la Pared

Lhasa de Sela is beautiful. Every note from her voice is love. Her debut is all sung in Spanish and it’s truly remarkable. Cabaret and late night losses and gone lovers, sometimes aggressive and most of the times truly heartfelt. The opening song, De Cara a La Pared is devastating, takes you on a smooth ride between the veils of desperate love.

7. Brian Eno – By This River
(from The Son’s Room)

The master of sonic and synth landscapes can also be some heartbreaker. The Son’s Room deals with suicide, loss and painful memories. The room of the dead son is a personification of all things who are not right, a sanctuary of an almost evil entity. Moretti’s way of surpassing all these bad thoughts has it’s fuel in this song. It’s both utterly beautiful and utterly painful, overwhelming.

6. PJ Harvey, Who Will Love Me Now

(from The Passion of Darkly Noon)

The first time I saw The Passion of Darkly Noon it was really late at night and I wasn’t really sure I was awake. I was pretty sure I was dreaming, each sequence becoming more and more dream-like, as it reached its climax. I watched it in a trance. It blew my mind, but what truly woke me and kept me dreaming was the ending. Polly-Jean’s beautiful voice woke me up, as she sang “In the forest / there’s a monster / and he has done terrible things”. I can never dissociate the music from the film and the film from the music. It’s absolutely beautiful. It has an ethnic and noir vibe, so haunting. Just like the movie. Perfect.

5. Joy Division, Decades

Joy Division’s Ian Curtis is the absolute personification of a tortured soul, and its cult and legacy are overwhelming. Of all the songs, Decades stands as an immortal one. It’s the last song from their last album, Closer, and it’s an epic. Of course, Love Will Tear Us Appart and New Dawn Fades are equally heartbreaking, but Decades has nostalgia all over it.

4. Blonde Redhead, Messenger

Blonde Redhead’s music may be mostly about sadness in beautifully painful sonic landscapes, altogether in a faux-rock way. This wonderful trio delivers album after album some of the most beautiful songs in history of pop, and they stay as alternative as they can be. Their last effort, 23, is the most open and perhaps happiest record they created, yet, Messenger from Misery is a Butterfly stands out as one of my favorite heartbroken songs, so fragile so intimate and so delicate, it crawls into your skin like the blood that flows into your heart. Well, most of Blonde Redhead’s albums serve just as well this particular feeling, each of them particulary painful and truly beautiful, so I suggest you go digging for it – it will be a happy discovery. Here’s an interesting video rendition to the song, as there is no official video.

3. The Cure – Siamese Twins

The Cure’s Pornography is hailed as a desperate masterpiece, something so gothic and melancholic it hurts every chord. Every second of this record screams pain, loss and heartbreak. Siamese Twins perhaps better exemplifies this, a haunted tale of an unusual first time. Smith’s moaning lyrics and tortured singing are almost impossible to listen soberly. The Cure never got as desperate as this, the whole album is a personification of everything lost, of broken lifes and the end of it all. Still gives me the chills all this time.

2. Low, Shame

Paired with Red House Painters slow and narcotic desperation, Low’s music is deep and hypnotic, and incredibly and beautifully sad. Shame takes us to the corners of our broken hearts, it’s desolate and truly beautiful. There is a certain appeal to pain and loss that makes desperate love songs feel so intimate, and this is one of the best examples. Haunting.

1. Red House Painters, Katy Song

What’s to say about this utter desperation? Maybe Mark Kozelek is the personification of heartbreak, he is also capable of delivering some of the most melodic demonstrations of love, pain and loss. Katy Song’s 8 minute escalade of pain is a roller coaster, slow, deep, hipnotic. There’s nothing more beautiful as this, speaks from the heart straight into your own personal despair.