Our 8 Favorite Covers from Musicians in Quarantine
Are you bored in your house? So are these artists.
Stars, they're just like us—stuck in their homes and probably pretty bored.
Here in the states, we're going on a month and a half of practicing social distancing. We could very well go the rest of 2020 without being able to safely attend large gatherings like concerts, which is a huge bummer for both musicians and their fans. Thankfully, plenty of singers have turned to the magic of the Internet to help us get our live music fix, and there's nothing that spices things up quite like a good cover of somebody else's song.
Here are just eight of our favorite covers we've heard over the past month or so to help make your quarantine a little less bleak.
The Offspring - “Here Kitty Kitty,” made famous by Tiger King
Just about everyone and their mothers have tuned in to Netflix's Tiger King since quarantine started, including the members of the Offspring. The band came together (six feet apart from each other, of course) to perform a rendition of "Here Kitty Kitty," the modern classic made famous by Tiger King's instantly-infamous Joe Exotic.
▲Waxahatchee - “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” by Caroline Polachek
"So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings" is a song about missing your long-distance partner, which might be relevant for those of us who aren't lucky enough to be quarantined with a significant other. Caroline Polachek's original version is a synthy, '80s-inspired bop, but Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield gave it a heartbreaking Americana twist.
▲James Blake - “No Surprises” by Radiohead
It's no surprise (pun intended) that James Blake takes inspiration from Radiohead; he's covered their 2007 song "Videotape" before, and his music often calls to mind Thom Yorke's solo material. Recently, on an Instagram livestream, the multi-instrumentalist gave his best go at "No Surprises," a sullen standout song from Radiohead's 1997 magnum opus, OK Computer.
▲Charly Bliss - “Hey Julie” by Fountains of Wayne
We sadly recently lost Adam Schlesinger, the founding Fountains of Wayne member who also wrote the title track for Tom Hanks' 1996 film, That Thing You Do. Schlesinger was a melody mastermind and shaped the fabric of pop-rock to come, influencing modern bands like Brooklyn quartet Charly Bliss. Their singer Eva Hendricks posted a cover of Fountains of Wayne's "Hey Julie" on Instagram to honor the late musician.▲
Hayley Williams - “Smoke Signals” by Phoebe Bridgers
Hayley Williams has been releasing a steady stream of songs from her forthcoming solo debut, Petals For Armor and enlisted guest vocals from Phoebe Bridgers on one of them. The Paramore vocalist recently saluted Bridgers again by posting a cover of "Smoke Signals," a highlight from her 2017 album Stranger in the Alps. Williams shared the cover in honor of her friend Lindsey, whose father had just passed away. "One of her favs is Phoebe Bridgers so this self-serenade is actually for her since I can't hang with her or hug her tight," Williams wrote on Instagram.
▲Ben Gibbard - “Don’t Cry No Tears” by Neil Young
Ben Gibbard has been keeping himself incredibly busy with live streams since quarantine has begun, and we admire his consistency. One of the many highlights so far was when the Death Cab for Cutie frontman did a rendition of Neil Young's "Don't Cry No Tears," a cut from the legend's 1975 debut record, Zuma.
▲Amber Mark - “Heart-Shaped Box” by Nirvana
Amber Mark has become a promising rising star in R&B, so it's pretty shocking to hear that voice doing a '90s grunge hit. Nonetheless, the singer makes Nirvana's 1993 classic "Heart-Shaped Box" sound effervescently smooth.
▲Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding, Sean Paul, and more - “Times Like These” by Foo Fighters
Ahh...there really is nothing like a bunch of people singing Foo Fighters together, right? In an expert move of coordination and precise video editing, BBC Radio 1 brought together some of the biggest artists today for a massive group cover of the rock giants' "Times Like These." Among those enlisted are Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding, Sean Paul, Hailee Steinfeld, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Zara Larsson, YUNGBLUD, and members of Foo Fighters themselves. It's guaranteed to make middle-aged white men say, "That's nice."
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