00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the cover songs fans wish
00:08were never done.
00:18Number 10.
00:19Behind Blue Eyes, Limp Bizkit, originally by The Who.
00:23This song is often cited as one of the band's worst, and it's understandable why.
00:28The album the song appears on is already a major departure from their previous work in
00:37terms of sound.
00:38Their approach to this Who track didn't sit well with many.
00:41Its stripped-down approach is very tame and overly earnest, while there's something
00:51to be said about vocalist Fred Durst's performance on the track, it's not enough to save it.
00:56Comparing it to the Who's version, it's missing so much nuance and flavor that makes
01:00the song a worthwhile listen.
01:09Number 9.
01:10Dancing in the Street, Mick Jagger and David Bowie, originally by Martha and the Vandellas.
01:16Listening to the original Martha and the Vandellas version of this song, it's quite clear it's
01:19a loud and upbeat number.
01:29It even became part of the civil rights movement, lyrics were interpreted as calls to action.
01:33Jagger and Bowie's version has none of that.
01:36However, it's loud and so over-the-top that it's just tacky.
01:46Apparently, the track was completed in half a day, and when listening to the end result,
01:51that's not surprising to find out.
01:53Don't even get us started on the music video, where the two singers ham it up beyond belief.
02:06Number 8.
02:07American Pie, Madonna, originally by Don McLean.
02:10Madonna's cover of this Don McLean classic was made to promote her then-upcoming film,
02:15The Next Best Thing.
02:21Apparently, she was convinced to cover the song at the suggestion of her co-star, Rupert
02:26Everett.
02:27Maybe she shouldn't have listened.
02:28While it's not the worst cover ever, it lacks the emotional depth found in McLean's
02:32version.
02:40It ends up sounding like a generic pop song.
02:42It also doesn't help that Madonna cut out the majority of the lyrics, presumably to
02:46get the length of the song down to a more radio-friendly playtime.
02:57Number 7.
02:58These Boots Are Made For Walkin', Jessica Simpson, originally by Nancy Sinatra.
03:03Conceived to promote the 2005 film, The Dukes of Hazzard, Jessica Simpson re-envisioned
03:08song to be from the point of view of Daisy Duke, the character she played in the movie.
03:16Because of this change, the lyrics focus on Daisy and her experiences, whereas in the
03:20Nancy Sinatra version, the song is about a wronged lover.
03:28A bridge and breakdown were also added by Simpson, but perhaps the worst aspect is her
03:33vocal delivery.
03:34She has a breathy approach that we guess is supposed to be sexy, but it just falls flat.
03:44Number 6.
03:459-1-1 Is A Joke, Duran Duran, originally by Public Enemy.
03:49The only real positive of this song is that Duran Duran came up with a decent guitar loop.
03:59Maybe if they put it towards something different, we wouldn't have this mess.
04:02The band is completely out of their element.
04:05Their take on this track from Public Enemy just doesn't translate.
04:14The original serves as a commentary of how black communities are underserved by emergency
04:18medical services, and Duran Duran doesn't have the wherewithal to make their cover work.
04:22It makes the song a bit of a joke, and not a good one at that.
04:31Number 5.
04:32American Woman, Lenny Kravitz, originally by The Guess Who.
04:36Aside from skipping out on the original's guitar solo, Lenny Kravitz's take on the
04:40Guess Who track takes itself way too seriously.
04:48The modest guitar riff from the original becomes the centerpiece for Kravitz, but its heavy
04:53crunch is way overdone.
04:54The focus shifts from anti-war and anti-American imperialism themes embodied by a metaphorical
05:00to those of the sex appeal of actual American women.
05:08The end result is a song that ends up being way less enjoyable, even if you don't care
05:12about political commentary present in the song.
05:19Number 4.
05:20Boys in the Hood, Dynamite Hack, originally by Eazy-E.
05:25If you like the gimmick of preppy college kids singing gangster rap lyrics, then this
05:29is the song for you.
05:34However, it's something that wears thin real quick.
05:38Dynamite Hack's soft delivery and chill guitars might work if you're goofing around
05:41with your friends.
05:42Eazy-E's version describes a day in the hood in a fairly shocking and graphic manner.
05:54Dynamite Hack's spin on the song doesn't add anything, and their approach gives off
05:58a mocking tone, as if they're putting down rap lyrics.
06:00It's not as clever as it seems, and the joke becomes tired after the first two verses.
06:14Number 3.
06:15Fortunate Son, U2, originally by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
06:20Why U2 decided to cover the seminal tune from Creedence Clearwater Revival is beyond us.
06:31Their interpretation is simply perplexing.
06:33They give it a dance-pop feel that doesn't add anything.
06:36It's one thing to put your own spin on a cover to differentiate it from the original,
06:40but in this case, it does not work.
06:48They've completely changed the tone of the song, and you would never know it was an anti-war
06:52protest song.
06:53They would have been better off sticking to just a straight-up cover, or better yet, just
06:57leaving the CCR classic alone.
07:06Number 2.
07:07Peace of My Heart, Faith Hill, originally by Irma Franklin.
07:11Perhaps it's not Faith Hill's fault that her cover of Peace of My Heart isn't up to snuff.
07:23Maybe the most well-known version of this song is sung by Janis Joplin, and supposedly,
07:28Hill wasn't allowed to listen to it by her producers until she recorded her version.
07:35Whereas Joplin delivers a performance of a lifetime with a powerful and raw vocal delivery,
07:41Hill, by comparison, turns the song into a generic country tune.
07:44Listening to it, you would never guess it's a song about having your heart broken.
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08:11Number 1.
08:12Aerials, Machine Gun Kelly, originally by System of a Down.
08:15We're not sure if Kelly is cut out for rock music based on his choice of covers.
08:26He's done Rage Against the Machine, Paramore, and System of a Down.
08:30His performance is lackluster, to say the least.
08:33Aerials has a sense of fear and paranoia that Serge Tankian conveys.
08:38Kelly, on the other hand, sounds like he's bored.
08:45There's a faux sense of intensity to his vocals.
08:48It all comes off as bland and monotonous.
08:50It's a real shame, because his backing band does a pretty good job in terms of their instrumentation.
08:55But unfortunately, MGK just brings the whole thing down.
09:06What's a cover song you want to forget?
09:08Let us know in the comments.
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