Dirac Angestun Gesept

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “yeah, yeah, William Shatner, I’ve heard those.”

Well, yes, but those aren’t the absolute weirdest.

Unlike the previous lists, I’m not going to rank these (except for The Winnah); think of them all as honorable (or dishonorable) mentions except for that one. The rest are in alphabetical order.

I will resist the temptation just to paste in the track listings from the Golden Throats CDs.

Baby, You’re A Rich Man - Fat Boys (originally by the Beatles)

Their versions of “Louie Louie”, “Wipeout”, and “The Twist” aren’t even in the running. A rap version of the Beatles classic, complete with the Human Beat Box’s vocal stylings. (I discovered the Fat Boys in high school, along with Run-DMC and The Time, long before the latter two met Aerosmith and Kevin Smith, respectively.)

Brown Eyed Girl - Everclear (originally by Van Morrison)

A very different take on the classic. Not so far as to become a parody, but it almost doesn’t sound like the same song at first listen.

Caroline, No - They Might Be Giants (originally by the Beach Boys)

Somehow, the concept of TMBG covering the Beach Boys is just weird in and of itself, even though (or particularly because) I like both.

Day Tripper - James Taylor (originally by the Beatles)

Another pair of artists I really like, but I don’t quite understand how this one was supposed to work the way Sweet Baby James sang it.

Don’t Give Up - Willie Nelson (originally by Peter Gabriel)

Also, instead of Kate Bush (or Paula Cole on the “Secret World Live” version), the female vocals were done by Sinéad O’Connor. That pairing alone would put this in the running for weirdest cover. (His covers of “American Tune” and “Graceland” don’t compare.)

Don’t You (Forget About Me) - Billy Idol (originally by Simple Minds)

Billy Idol is not Jim Kerr. (Chrissie Hynde is probably happier that way.)

Hot Hot Hot - Bina Mistry (originally by Buster Poindexter)

Yes, “Hot Hot Hot” done full-on Bollywood style, from Bend It Like Beckham. The version on the soundtrack CD is less funny than the version run over the movie credits, since you lose the visuals and the incongruous mix-ins from the cast, but it’s still pretty darn weird (and fun).

I Am The Walrus - Jim Carrey (originally by the Beatles)

“There! I did it! I defiled a timeless piece of art! For my next trick, I will paint a clown face on the Mona Lisa while using the Shroud of Turin as a dropcloth!” — actual quote from the song

The Joker - Fatboy Slim (originally by the Steve Miller Band)

What can I say about this? It’s exactly what you’d think it is.

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and Mr. Tambourine Man - William Shatner (originally by the Beatles and Bob Dylan, respectively)

There, I’ve listed them. They’re weird, but lots of people have heard them, so they’re not sufficiently weird. “Mr. Tambourine MAAAAAAAAAN!”

Ohio - Devo (originally by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)

Not weird in its genesis; Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale were at Kent State at the time, as was Chrissie Hynde. Very different sound than the original version, of course.

Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun Boy Three (originally by the Go-Go’s)

A much darker, slower version of the original. Not peppy; almost sedated.

Start Me Up - The Folksmen (originally by the Rolling Stones)

From the soundtrack album (but not the movie) A Mighty Wind. The same guys who were Spinal Tap, playing folk-music style. Hysterical.

White Wedding - Herman’s Hermits (originally by Billy Idol)

In response to Idol’s “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”? I don’t know. Peter Noone’s vocals are nothing like the original. He doesn’t go all the way to the music-hall sound of the old Hermits hits like “I’m Henry the 8th I am”, but it’s clearly Herman’s Hermits and nobody else.

Finally, the absolute weirdest cover song in my collection:

Shock the Monkey - Don Ho (originally by Peter Gabriel)

Yes, Don Ho, and it sounds like he’s imitating Bill Murray’s lounge singer from SNL. This absolutely must be heard to be believed. Someone’s even made a video.

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