An Exhaustive History of German Cover Songs

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Dreadful Shadows – True Faith (New Order cover)

A band on the verge of dark wave/gothic and metal. Classy and classical tune. And once more New Order.

Dune – Who Wants to Live Forever (Queen cover)

Originally, Dune have been eurodance/eurotrash – a female voice with lots of artificial sounds, an artificial melody and definitely no real instruments played! Nobody knows if an epiphany had taken place, but they issued two albums with cover versions of ballads – and instrumental orchestral tracks! No idea why…

Einstürzende Neubauten – Jet’m (Serge Gainsbourg/Jane Birkin cover)

Most likely the most difficult German band. They work with tools and metal on stage, but there is more harmony in their more recent works. Blixa Bargeld, the singer, worked with Nick Cave for ages (he’s the second singer in “The Weeping Song”).

Element of Crime – You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You’re Drunk (Pet Shop Boys cover)

By far my favorite German band – pure poetry and so much fun. Sven Regener, the singer, has published five novels, which were quite popular. Some ten years ago, they issued an album consisting only of cover songs. Everybody who understands the German language should listen to that band – a strange bastard of blues, chanson, punk and pop.

Emil Bulls – Take on Me (A-ha cover)

Crossover, once more. Turning a nice, catchy popsong with a sweet melody and a lasting hook into something rough has been common for a while. At a certain time, it was state of the art to have dreadlocks and baggy trousers along with that…

Erdmöbel – Der Weg nach Mandalay (Robbie Williams cover)

The name is quite a strange one. In Eastern Germany, in Communist times, authorities wanted to get rid of any religious connections and connotations. Angels, for instance, were “year’s end figures” and a coffin was “soil furniture” – in German, Erdmöbel. But this band formed in formerly-known-as Western Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall. They are witty, funny and have a real pop appeal.

Die Fabulösen Thekenschlampen – Du Scharfes Ding (Hot Chocolate cover)

Some alcohol added might help to stand more than two or three tracks by this band. It must be considered a joke, translating pop music word by word into German. Adds up to all this…

Falco – It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob Dylan cover)

Let’s step over to Austria. Due to “Rock me Amadeus,” Falco is popular in the rest of the world as well. Flamboyant, outgoing, and extravagant – which makes it all the more surprising what song he picked here. And doesn’t he do it bad? Lazy style, mixed with some Austrian dialect.

Frau Doktor – Egyptian Reggae (Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers cover)

What genre is the original? Eclectic. At least we know what genre this is – ska. And obviously done by excellent musicians who do their solos quite convincing… Nice!

Die Frohlix – Drei mal Drei (Pippi Longstockings cover)

A fun-punk band, whose name is not only what English readers might understand, but also makes fun of the national dogfood brand called “Frolic.” I don’t know if the TV film Pippi Longstocking is popular in the English world, but in Germany it is!

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