Cover songs that are better than the originals
Summary
Hosts Lars Gotrich, Dora Levitt, and Robin Young discuss cover songs that surpass their originals, starting with a "Mount Rushmore" list of iconic versions like Whitney Houston’s "I Will Always Love You" and Aretha Franklin’s "Respect." The trio then explores diverse examples, including Al Green’s soulful take on a Beatles hit, Björk’s haunting rendition of "It’s Oh So Quiet," and Yeji’s atmospheric reimagining of Drake’s "Passionfruit."
Topics discussed
Intro: Sunscreen SPF accuracy and show promotion
Host banter and introduction of guests
Concept: Cover songs better than the originals
The 'Mount Rushmore' top 5 definitive covers
Debate on Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You'
Al Green's cover of The Beatles' 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'
Discussion on Black artists covering The Beatles
Björk's cover of 'Shh, You're All Alone'
Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' vs. Otis Redding
Bob Dylan's 'You Belong to Me' and listener ads
Lowe's cover of The Smiths' 'Last Night I Dreamed...'
Andrew Paul Woodworth's 'You Gotta Fight'
Yeji's cover of Drake's 'Passionfruit'
Shonen Knife's cover of 'Top of the World'
Wednesday's cover of 'She Is Acting Single'
Discussion on untouchable bands and Low's covers
Harry Nilsson's 'I Can't Live Without You'
Beyoncé's 'Before I Let Go' from Homecoming
Gary Jules' 'Mad World' and its impact
Rapid-fire list of other great covers
Chaka Khan's cover of Prince's 'I Feel for You'
Outro and teaser for next episode
Sponsorship: Planet Money and Capital One
Listen ad-free on Castria