The Art of Covers

In my opinion, one of the most magical things about music are the ways it gets shared and reinvented. Musicians have been taking inspiration from each other since the beginning of time, a practice that has led to some of the most brilliant music that exists today. Although artists commonly produce music inspired by others or sample older releases, one type of release remains the most direct example of the creativity of artists and their ability to transform another song: covers. Covers are one of my favorite parts of music. I love hearing the ways artists choose to reinvent the original song and make it their own, whether that involves changing the tempo, adding more musical elements, or even trying to keep it as close to the original as possible. I believe that through covers, artists are able to show their technical musical ability, as well as simply have fun with a song that they love. Some of my favorite songs are covers, and in this article I will be going through my top three covers of all time. 

“Kids in America” – Maude Latour

Included in the soundtrack of the 2022 Netflix movie “Do Revenge,” Maude Latour’s cover of Kim Wilde’s 80’s classic “Kids in America” highlights both the changes and consistencies between teenagers in the 80s and currently. The original song, released in 1981, is full of musical elements inherent to the decade. The use of synth and quick drums paired with lyrics describing classic teenage yearning for community and excitement make for a perfect song to dance and sing along to. I particularly love the lyric, “There’s a new wave comin, I warn ya,” because of its reference to both the shifting teenage and music culture of the 80s. Maude Latour’s cover of this classic track perfectly aligns with the plot of “Do Revenge,” a snappy teen drama that follows two scheming best friends as they attempt to enact revenge on their exes. While the original version of the song would fit perfectly in an 80s coming of age rom-com, Latour’s revamped rendition matches the style of the 21st century, giving new meaning to the title, “Kids in America”. Latour’s version is significantly sped up and she sings in autotune, representing the “new wave” of music that Wilde sings about in the very song Latour is covering. Although the two versions are extremely different production wise, they both show that although teenagers may seem to have changed since the 80s, they have also remained the same at their core: always searching for excitement and community. 

“Prayer in Open D” – Phoebe Bridgers

Released in 2016 as a part of a collaborative tribute album to Emmylou Harris, “Prayer in Open D,” is probably my favorite cover of all time. The original is stunning, combining elements such as a string section and the twangy guitar common in bluegrass and Harris’ other music. In her version, Phoebe Bridgers is accompanied solely by a guitar, highlighting her unique vocals. This change aligns with Bridgers’ work early in her career; her debut album Stranger in the Alps clearly reflects bluegrass influence, but with Bridgers’ unique spin added. The main reason I love “Prayer in Open D” so much is because of its simplicity. Whereas Harris takes listeners on a journey and showers them with the sounds of the orchestra as the song builds, Bridgers strips this all back, leaving the listener to think about the lyrics while capturing themselves in her voice. 

“Just a Girl” – Florence and the Machine

Undoubtedly the song on this list that strays the farthest from the original, Florence and the Machine’s cover of the No Doubt’s 1995 pop-punk classic, “Just a Girl” totally reinvents the song, resulting in an eerie and dramatic cover. The cover is so different that the first few times I heard it, I didn’t even realize it wasn’t an original song. In the original, Gwen Stefani challenges stereotypical ideas of girlhood to mock those who perpetuate them. Her lyrics, paired with the upbeat tempo, electronic production, and intense drums work together to create an anthem for girls all over who feel underestimated and undervalued by society. Released for season two of the hit Showtime series Yellowjackets, Florence and the Machine’s cover completely changes the meaning of the song to match the feel of the show, which follows a girls high school soccer team after they crash in the Canadian wilderness in 1995 and follows their attempts to survive. Yellowjackets is one of my favorite shows, and in my opinion Florence and the Machine’s version of “Just a Girl” matches it perfectly. Almost a minute longer because of its slower tempo, the band’s cover adds elements such as a dissonant violin and haunting piano that match the premise of the show perfectly. Stephani’s lyrics match the struggles that the characters in Yellowjackets face, as they grapple with a terrifying fate while also attempting to navigate the difficulties of being a teenage girl.