Things I Find Fascinating: Amazing YouTube Cover Songs

In the digital age, it's easier than ever for unknown talent to get their work out there on video-posting sites like YouTube.com. Often, the easiest way to make yourself accessible to the public – where people will want to click on your video and watch it – is to "cover" a song previously recorded and made famous by someone else. Sometimes, a good cover song will generate millions of "hits", which can lead to the cover artist's original songs getting millions of hits, which can lead to them becoming an internet star. These days, internet (specifically YouTube) stardom can lead to mainstream success as well, including signing to major record labels – which has happened more often than you might think. Some of the artists below have already had that type of success, some are writing their own stories via the independent music scene, and some are content to make music for the masses whether they get famous or not. Regardless of their stories, here are 20 of the most amazing YouTube cover songs that I could find. Some of these versions are, in my opinion, as good as or better than the originals (most of which I am familiar with, for comparison's sake). All of them deserve to be heard and to be recognized. Enjoy!  ~  JH

NOTE: The original artist is listed in (parentheses) after the song title.



1)  Karmin Music  ~  "6 Foot 7 Foot"  (Lil Wayne ft. Cory Gunz)  (Note: They cleaned this one up considerably – no objectionable content)

2)  Pentatonix  ~  "We Are Young"  (fun.)

3)  Vazquez Sounds  ~  "Rolling In The Deep"  (Adele)

4)  Maddi Jane ~  "Jar Of Hearts"  (Christina Perri)

5)  Heather Rhea  ~  "Near To You"  (A Fine Frenzy)

6)  Noah ft. Christina Grimmie  ~  "Somebody That I Used To Know"  (Gotye ft. Kimbra)

7)  Megan Nicole  ~  "Live While We're Young"  (One Direction)

8)  Peter Hollens & Tyler Ward  ~  "It's Time"  (Imagine Dragons)

9)  Sam Tsui ft. Kurt Schneider  ~  "Mirrors"  (Justin Timberlake)

10)  Mike Tompkins  ~  "Firework"  (Katy Perry)  (Totally a capella = WOW!)

11)  Boyce Avenue  ~  "Ho Hey"  (The Lumineers)

12)  Alex Goot & Against The Current  ~  "Catch My Breath"  (Kelly Clarkson)

13)  Jason Chen  ~  "Grenade"  (Bruno Mars)

14)  Sophie Madeleine  ~  "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"  (Bob Dylan)

15)  Jess Moskaluke  ~  "Drops Of Jupiter"  (Train)

16)  Julia Sheer  ~  "Stay"  (Rihanna)

17)  Katy McAllister & Jeff Hendrick  ~  "Lights"  (Ellie Goulding)

18)  Helena Maria  ~  "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"  (Taylor Swift)

19)  Meghan Knight  ~  "Fallin' For You"  (Colbie Caillat)

20)  Greyson Chance  ~  "Paparazzi"  (Lady Gaga)

 

Songs By Katies, Katys, Kates, One Katherine, And A Kat

Don't ask why. Just enjoy some good music by a bunch of women with basically the same first name! ~  JH

1)  Katie Melua  ~  "Nine Million Bicycles"

2)  Katie Costello  ~  "How Do We Know?"

3)  Katie Waissel  ~  "Fight For Love"

4)  Katie Sky  ~  "Sweet Sweet Melody"

5)  Katie Cole  ~  "Lost Inside A Moment"

6)  Katie Herzig  ~  "Lost And Found"

7)  Katie Armiger  ~  "Scream"

8)  Katy B  ~  "Broken Record"

9)  Katy Perry  ~  "Wide Awake"

10)  Katherine Jenkins  ~  "Love Never Dies"  (this one's almost too classy for this collection)

11)  Kate Bush  ~  "Running Up That Hill"

12)  Kate Nash  ~  "Mouthwash"

13)  Kate Winslet  ~  "What If"  (yes, that Kate Winslet!)

14)  Kate Havnevik  ~  "Mouth 2 Mouth"

15)  Kate Miller-Heidke  ~  "The Last Day On Earth"

16)  Kate Voegele  ~  "Only Fooling Myself"

17)  Kate Micucci  ~  "Walking In Los Angeles"

18)  Kate Earl  ~  "Melody"

19)  Kate Tucker  ~  "Everything Went Down"

20)  Kat Edmonson  ~  "Be The Change"

Stories # 52 & # 53: "The Final Score" & "I Don't Want You To Take This The Wrong Way"

Fair warning: the first one's a bit violent in nature, and the second one's kinda mean. If you're squeamish or overly sensitive, you may want to steer clear of these. Just my twisted writer's imagination going to town again.  ~  JH

"THE FINAL SCORE"

I promised I wouldn't make more than a hundred cuts. This was the ninety-ninth, and he's bleeding so profusely I'm almost tempted to stop right here. But I must finish what I started.

Little cuts do not kill in and of themselves, but they do get the juices flowing. Literally.

I guess you could say that scoring is my signature. My modus operandi.

Many stab, often deeply, always continuously. I slice gently, taking my time, as though it were an art. And I guess, for me, it is.

This is it. The final score. I will make it count.

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY"

I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I've hated your guts since the first time I laid eyes on you. It was repulsion at first sight – a snap judgment, to be sure, but not one without merit.

As much as I've tried – and for some reason, I've given it a fair bit of effort – I can't find a single redeeming quality in you. You are thoroughly reprehensible, utterly deplorable, and eminently devoid of worth.

I was taught from an early age that if you can't say something nice about someone, it's best to say nothing at all. So these will be my final words to you.

Do the world a favor, and leave it. Or, failing that, leave society. Strike out on your own, choose your path, and lose yourself forever.

Do this, and I will have one positive thing to say about you – "He knew when it was time to go."

Songs By Bands With Body Parts In Their Names, Vol. 3: From The Waist Down

Okay, so here's the third and final entry in this miniseries. I've had fun with it, whether you have or not. Enjoy!  ~  JH

1)  Butthole Surfers  ~  "Pepper"  (Oh, lighten up! – The name of the band is the worst thing about this one – it's mostly a harmless song.)

2)  The Mother Hips  ~  "Precious Opal"

3)  The Tragically Hip  ~  "My Music At Work"

4)  Big Leg Emma  ~  "Hey Maker"

5)  The Shins  ~  "Simple Song"

6)  Big Foot Mama  ~  "Crn Tulipan"  (If you can't understand the lyrics, it's not because it's rock and roll – it's because you don't speak Slovenian.)

7)  Chickenfoot  ~  "Something Going Wrong"

8)  Gordon Lightfoot  ~  "If You Could Read My Mind"

9)  Switchfoot  ~  "Dare You To Move"

10)  Thousand Foot Krutch  ~  "Falls Apart"

11)  The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band  ~  "My Baby Just Cares For Me"

12)  Bare Feet  ~  "Revolutionaries"

13)  Clubfeet ft. Chela  ~  "Heartbreak"

14)  Spring Heeled Jack USA  ~  "Jolene"

15)  Toe  ~  "Goodbye"  (This one's a mix of English and Japanese lyrics – so if you can only understand half of it, you're doing all right.)

Songs By Bands With Body Parts In Their Names, Vol. 2: From Neck To Waist

It is what it is. Part two in a three-part miniseries. Enjoy!  ~  JH

1)  Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers  ~  "Runnin' Down A Dream"

2)  Heart  ~  "Alone"

3)  Aqualung  ~  "Brighter Than Sunshine"

4)  Belly  ~  "Feed The Tree"

5)  Spleen United  ~  "Hibernation"

6)  Backstreet Boys  ~  "I Want It That Way"

7)  Mother Love Bone  ~  "Stardog Champion"

8)  Redbone  ~  "Come And Get Your Love"

9)  Louis Armstrong  ~  "A Kiss To Build A Dream On"

10)  Elbow  ~  "Fugitive Motel"

11)  Clap Your Hands Say Yeah  ~  "Maniac"

12)  Five Finger Death Punch  ~  "The Bleeding"

13)  Badfinger  ~  "Come And Get It"

14)  Nine Inch Nails  ~  "The Hand That Feeds"

15)  Jimmy Nail  ~  "Ain't No Doubt"

Songs By Bands With Body Parts In Their Names, Vol. 1: From The Neck Up

Why? Because I'm weird, that's why. This is the first post in what will be a three-part miniseries. Enjoy!  ~  JH

1)  Radiohead  ~  "Fake Plastic Trees"

2)  Portishead  ~  "Magic Doors"

3)  Lemonheads  ~  "It's A Shame About Ray"

4)  Babyface  ~  "When Can I See You?"

5)  Northern Faces  ~  "Under My Skin"

6)  Bad Brains  ~  "Rise"

7)  Bright Eyes  ~  "First Day Of My Life"

8)  Stone Temple Pilots  ~  "Plush"

9)  Wet Nose Hero  ~  "Spectacular"

10)  Judy Cheeks  ~  "Mellow Lovin'"

11)  Labyrinth Ear  ~  "Snow White"

12)  Smash Mouth  ~  "All Star"

13)  The Flaming Lips  ~  "Powerless"

14)  Dr. Teeth And The Electric Mayhem  ~  "Can You Picture That?"

15)  Neck Deep ft. Laura Whiteside  ~  "A Part Of Me"