Mar 282018
 

“Covering the Hits” looks at covers of a randomly-selected #1 hit from the past sixty years.

hold it against me covers

This fourth installment of “Covering the Hits” marks a first: the first time one of these was a hit during Cover Me’s lifetime. Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” topped the charts in 2011, well within this blog’s ten-year history. In fact, we wrote a feature on the song when it first came out. This is hardly a cut we’re dusting off from the archives of music history. Continue reading »

Nov 022016
 

Welcome to Cover Me Q&A, where we take your questions about cover songs and answer them to the best of our ability.

Here at Cover Me Q&A, we’ll be taking questions about cover songs and giving as many different answers as we can. This will give us a chance to hold forth on covers we might not otherwise get to talk about, to give Cover Me readers a chance to learn more about individual staffers’ tastes and writing styles, and to provide an opportunity for some back-and-forth, as we’ll be taking requests (learn how to do so at feature’s end).

Today’s question, from Cover Me staffer Mike Misch: What cover song makes you laugh?
Continue reading »

Aug 222011
 

Over the last year we’ve continued to keep you updated on the craziness and creativity that is Our Hit Parade. The live top-ten countdown show is a cabaret created by Tony nominee and Obie winner Kenny Mellman (Kiki & Herb), Bridget Everett, Neal Medlyn, producer and MTV cameraman Brendan Kennedy, and writers Ada Calhoun and Peter Schjeldahl. It is inspired by the musical sketch series Your Hit Parade that ran on radio and then television from 1935 to 1959. On that show, cast members performed the week’s most popular songs as comically literal skits. Today the show is performed as cabaret with a rotating cast of guest musicians in New York City. Continue reading »

Mar 022011
 

Hours after the release of a pop single, cover versions begin to appear on YouTube. Such was the case for Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way” and Britney Spears‘ “Hold It Against Me” (see our features here and here). The quality of covers varies, with the best versions often taking either a cross-genre or a humorous approach. Continue reading »

Feb 182011
 

As serious discussion about the new Radiohead album consumes the Internet, we’ll give you an analytical-breather with some straight-up ridiculousness. It’s theater-rock duo Hank and Cupcakes covering Far East Movement’s “Like a G6” with a lot of flair and not much shame.

Frenetic as ever, Hank and Cupcakes delivers a wild drum-happy bounce during the always-nuts Our Hit Parade concert. Watch it below. Then, for extra hilarity, watch it on mute while playing the new Radiohead album. A perfect pairing! Continue reading »

Aug 192010
 

When we last checked in with the loveable eccentrics at Our Hit Parade, they were mashing together Pocahontas and Ke$ha and going hair-metal on Rihanna. Well they’re back with more crazy theatrics from their monthly performance of New York artists covering top-ten hits. The pop love is flowing and the results are stranger (and funnier) than ever.

First: Bradford Scobie and his sister sing Taio Cruz’s hit “Dynamite” as sassy schoolteachers. Oh no you didn’t dance, dance, dance, dance!
Then: Jeffrey & Cole Casserole web star Cole Escola goes all Little Orphan Annie on K’naan’s World Cup hit “Wavin’ Flag.” It’s the hard-knock life for Somalian refugees.
Third: Trapper Felides, who we last saw singing Katy Perry’s “California Gurls,” return as a pirate gang reminiscing with 3Oh!3’s “My First Kiss.” The original features Ke$ha, for anyone whose first kiss gave them herpes.
Next: Don’t worry K.P. fans – “California Gurls” returns from southern rockers .357 Lover. Less cotton candy, more rye whiskey.
Finally: Jenn Harris dresses up as a giant bat for Miley Cyrus’ “Can’t Be Tamed.” Still less creepy than the jailbait original! Continue reading »