Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, eg as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range, here are – in random order – ten of our favorite covers from last month – links to the pages where you can add them to your wantlist included.

You already read our review of Dandy Boy’ Cleaners From Venus tributeTales of a Kitchen Porter today, and earlier that of The Half-Cubes’ Pop Treasures LP, but as always there are many more covers worth sharing.

Yipi Yipi Hey! || Cover: Generador || Original: Chan Romero
The title probably doesn’t immediately ring a bell, but this is a raucous cover of the 1959 rock ‘n’ roll classic Hippy Hippy Shake in Spanish. It is the closing song of Generador’s four-track Queremos Diversi​ó​n EP, out on 7″ vinyl through Discos Marginales and Snap!! Records. Cool stuff by Annie Baby (drums, vocals) and J.Horror (guitar, vocals), produced by Jorge Explosión, unfortunately already over after 01:37.

In Between Days || Cover: Vista Blue || Original: The Cure
The Cure returns on November 1st with Songs of A Lost World, their first new album in sixteen years, a good reason to look back at their old work beforehand. Nashville’s Vista Blue picked up 1985 hit In Between Days and poured their characteristic pop-punk sauce over it. It is the opening track of their Be Good EP, which also contains covers of Lemon Demon, Waxahatchee and Lightning Seeds. At the same time, they proved once again that they also write fun songs themselves with the Vista Blue Are The Pop Punk Preservation Society single.

Take On Me || Cover: Pacifica || Original: A-ha
Last year, Argentinian rock duo Pacifica — internet friends Inés Adam and Martina Nintzel — released their debut album Freak Scene (via Tag Music). Six of the eleven tracks are now revisited in alternate versions on Freak Scene (Live), supplemented by a cool cover with a rocking rhythm section that catapults this 1985 pop tune into 2024.

Autobahn || Cover: Caleb Fraid || Original: Kraftwerk
Almost Halloween Time Records, an independent record label based in Italy that you see on our blog with some regularity, has brought together nineteen of their artists on the compilation AHTung! (subtitle: Eine Sammlung von Sauerkraut). The handmade cover art is a nod to Neu!‘s influential eponymous album from 1972, musically it concerns Krautrock in the broadest sense of the genre. Houston-based DIY artist Caleb Fraid unleashed his lo-fi hometaping techniques on Kraftwerk’s 1974 masterpiece (one of three covers here)—the result couldn’t be further from the electronic original, but it’s quite intriguing, as are the rest of the songs on this collection.

Daniel || Cover: Real Estate || Original: Elton John
Earlier this year, New York indie rock outfit Real Estate released their Daniel LP (on Domino Recording Co Ltd). It doesn’t have a title track, so they kicked off their “for Daniels only” release show with a cover of Elton John‘s 1972 hit Daniel. According to BrooklynVegan, the British icon gave it his blessing, reason enough to record a studio version as well. A good story, a good song too.

Baby, I Love You || Cover: The Beatersband || Original: The Ronettes
The Beatersband are an Italian trio – Donatella Guida, Leonardo Serrini and Caio Nipi – who have made a trademark of rearranging the 60s girl group style in a punk rock key. As a tribute to Joey Ramone and Ronnie Spector, they just released the album Bad Girl, featuring nine attractive covers, with this one as one of the highlights.

Intergalactic || Cover: ’68 || Original: Beastie Boys
Pure Noise Records will release the compilation Dead Formats Volume 3 on October 17th, featuring sixteen loud cover songs (be sure to check out Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 if you don’t know them yet). A few tracks are already available, including Misfits’ Halloween by Cloud Nothings and Pavement’s Harness Your Hopes by Lavalove – very nice – but most notable is this contribution from Atlanta’s noise rock duo ’68 (they made waves last year with their album Yes, and​.​.​.), delivering 3:48 of musical madness.

Comfortably Numb || Cover: Body Count feat. David Gilmour || Original: Pink Floyd
Body Count, the legendary rap metal outfit from Los Angeles fronted by Ice-T, will release a new full-length on November 22nd, called Merciless (on Century Media Records). A six-minute-plus intense cover of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb, featuring none other than David Gilmour himself (the guitarist, vocalist and songwriter of the British rock band), is already out as a single. Wow.

On the Darkside || Cover: Broken Gold  || Original: John Cafferty
Broken Gold is an Austin-based punk rock four-piece, who released the Wild Eyes LP last May, and now surprise with a solid and intense cover that excels in heartfelt vocals.

Death Star || Cover: The Hold Steady & Jesse Malin || Original: Jesse Malin
As you probably know, New York songsmith Jesse Malin has been paralyzed since May last year due to a spinal stroke. Since then, a lot has happened, and his musician friends have not been idle. With big names like Bruce Springsteen, Billie Joe Armstrong, Dinosaur Jr., Frank Turner, Lucinda Williams & Elvis Costello, Spoon, Susanna Hoffs, Graham Parker, Ian Hunter, Low Cut Connie, Willie Nile and Rancid, no less than twenty-seven of his wonderful songs have been re-recorded. Proceeds from the tribute and benefit album Silver Patron Saints (out via Glassnote Records), will go to his Sweet Relief Artist Fund as a contribution to the artist’s recovery journey. We could have chosen almost any of the tracks, but we embedded The Hold Steady’s successful take on New York Before The War‘s Death Star.

Also worth mentioning, alongside The Poor Choices’ Punk Canada Volume 3 compilation:
Accidentally In Love (Counting Crows) by LAKE
The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel) by Gabriella Cohen
Cannonball (The Breeders) by Thunder Queens
Cry (Godley & Creme) by M. Ward feat. Folk Bitch Trio
Happier Than Ever (Billie Eilish) by The Kills 
I Fought The Law (The Crickets) by Steve Earle
Let’s Get Lost (Chet Baker) by Fontaines D.C.
Mind Contorted (Daniel Johnston) by Poppy Robbie
Pancho & Lefty (Townes Van Zandt) by Restos
Star Star (The Frames) by White Star Bulb Company
Trucker Speed (Fred Eaglesmith) by Bobby Lee
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane) by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Check out our Dusted playlist on Spotify for more cool cover songs.