The 40 Best Peter Gabriel Covers Ever

Go to the beginning.

40. Unwoman — In Your Eyes

When I hear Unwoman’s version of “In Your Eyes,” I picture her playing it in a cool, dark room, seated behind her cello, spotlight on her and nothing else. It’s a vibe, and she makes that vibe suit the song very well. Goth is not a genre one associates with romance, but the heart that beats to this cover is a passionate one, no matter how black it may be. — Patrick Robbins

39. Primus — Intruder

“Intruder” would seem an apt cover choice for a band known for at least one-half of its rhythm section. The bass in the original is handled by synthesizer and electronic drums, but of course Primus leverage Les Claypool’s famously forward bass playing. His performance is uncharacteristically un-flashy, mostly hovering as a low growl underneath the booming drums, occasionally sliding fretlessly into the foreground. Certainly Tim Alexander’s drumming is the star of this cover, but Claypool’s creepy vocals and guitarist Larry LaLonde’s discordant stabs are prominent and feel very kindred to Gabriel’s original. The strange song feels tailor-made for the band, with its off-kilter, experimental sound, and Primus elevate the song to new heights. — Mike Misch

38. Sia — Solsbury Hill

Sia’s tasteful rendition of “Solsbury Hill” is easy to like if you loved the original. A piano replaces the guitar for the main riff, and the sonic underlayers of the song are updated to the 21st century. The production is less organic in feel, but the emotions are there in Sia’s singing. Evocative background vocal harmonies add a new dimension to the proceedings. — Tom McDonald

37. Arkells — Sledgehammer

There is a way that people have enjoyed themselves since the beginning of time, and will enjoy it for as long as we are a species as, without it, we cannot continue. You know it. I know it. Peter Gabriel wanted us to know that he knows it. And Arkells know it. Arkells’ dynamic live shows feature their own music but, in an attempt to increase the number of bookings they were getting, they spliced in some fun covers. Perhaps people coming to their concerts would end the evening in the traditional, enjoyable way, and they are down with that. They lay down a funk riff and get the party started. — Mike Tobyn

36. Justin Cottrell — We Do What We’re Told (Milgram’s 37)

Milgram’s experiment is a fascinating case study of psychology, one you’ve no doubt heard of before. In fact, maybe you thought it was the subject of Peter Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey.” It isn’t, and maybe Gabriel created this song so he could finally answer that one of his songs was indeed about the infamous experiments. Cottrell climbs into the song, slowly emerging from the sounds that only come together a few minutes into the track. Like Gabriel’s version, it leaves you with more questions than answers. In many ways, it’s a psychological study of itself. — Luke Poling

35. Brand X II — Can Utility and the Coastliners

This tune is about King Canute, a Dane who became King of England in 1016. The son of the wonderfully named Sweyn Forkbeard, Canute ruled England for nearly 20 years. One oft-told tale about Canute is that he commanded the tide to halt, and when it predictably failed to do so, he used it as an object lesson to his sycophants about the limited power of earthly kings. It is a great, oft-misunderstood story, even if it probably never happened, and not the usual source material for a rock and roll song. And it is a good song, even though it was rarely performed by Genesis. The original starts off gently, then turns into a rocker, as does the cover (from a Genesis tribute album), credited to “Brand X II,” which predictably has more of a fusion feel. The original Brand X was a side project formed by Phil Collins and guitarist John Goodsall which went through many personnel changes over the years. This lineup included Goodsall and drummer/vocalist Nick D’Virgilio, who had briefly replaced Collins on drums in Genesis during the best forgotten Calling All Stations era. — Jordan Becker

34. Coal Chamber (Feat. Ozzy Osbourne) — Shock The Monkey

Coal Chamber’s cover of “Shock the Monkey” with Ozzy has been their only charting single in the US. The idea of a nu metal band covering Peter Gabriel seems like a joke, especially when you add the Prince of Darkness into the equation. However, what they end up with is a song that could be mistaken for one of their own. Does the band treat the song like the examination of jealousy that Gabriel intended? Well, not really, but what they’re saying comes through as loud as the original — just a little bit rougher around the edges. — Luke Poling

33. Zia Hassan — Washing of the Water

This track originally appeared on Gabriel’s 1992 solo album Us. Gabriel has said in interviews that he wanted the imagery of water to act as a symbol for purifying and finding grace in a place of great hardship. In his version, Zia Hassan strips the song down to minimal instruments, but really focuses on the lyrics. Where in the record version Gabriel sounds like he’s singing in your ear, Hassan’s voice is a cry out for peace and help. Both produce the same effect, and both act as a balm on the soul. — Luke Poling

32. Jeff Buckley — Back In NYC

Once upon a time, about ten years ago, the official Jeff Buckley website shared pictures of his actual vinyl collection. The fascinating thing about it wasn’t that the collection was home to large swaths of traditionally foundational stuff like The Beatles and Bob Dylan. No, the most compelling and absolute coolest thing was seeing the bunch of Gen X rock touchstones rubbing up against them. Jeff loved Rush. He adored Queen. He couldn’t get enough Siouxsie & the Banshees or Cocteau Twins (indeed, he had a relationship with Elizabeth Fraser).

But the thing that caught my personal eye and endeared him to me forever was seeing just how many Genesis albums he owned. Jeff Buckley’s LP collection included eleven (freakin’) Genesis albums. There was stuff from the Gabriel era on through to the Collins years. That sealed the deal for me: He was a fan…and I was officially a fan of his fandom.

So here’s the weird part. The band’s 1974 opus The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway wasn’t in the collection. Now, I’m not a detective, but Jeff had to have owned The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and played the holy hell out of it at some point in his life. How do I know? Because of this cover of “Back in N.Y.C.”

This thing isn’t some nonchalant karaoke of a popular radio song or the product of a casual listener. It is a spiritual possession. A worshipful and destructive deep cut. A manic and abrasively beautiful animal. This cover is evidence of somebody who pored over an album and played a song over and over and over again. So I’m thinking, maybe the collection was picked through well before the pictures and list were published. Know what, though? I don’t blame anyone for wanting to grab Jeff’s copy of Lamb and keep it forever. That piece of plastic was imbued with genuine magical mojo. It inspired this gloriously insane cover. It was a treasure. — Hope Silverman

31. The Brand New Heavies — Sledgehammer

One thing that is rarely said about Genesis or Peter Gabriel is that they really get into a solid groove. Perhaps that’s why it’s so fun to hear what The Brand New Heavies do with “Sledgehammer,” possibly one of the grooviest of Peter Gabriel songs. Their take is one of my favorite kinds of covers. If you heard it playing in the background at a party or a store, you’d think, “is this what I think it is?” Plus, it just shows the talent of a great songwriter. You can’t beat a good song with a stick. — Luke Poling

NEXT PAGE →

Cover Me is now on Patreon! If you love cover songs, we hope you will consider supporting us there with a small monthly subscription. There are a bunch of exclusive perks only for patrons: playlists, newsletters, downloads, discussions, polls - hell, tell us what song you would like to hear covered and we will make it happen. Learn more at Patreon.