Everyone loves a good cover. The kind where an artist really taps into a song they didn’t write and bring to it something completely new. We at The Wild Honey Pie are big, big fans of covers, so much so that we all spend our days dreaming up the ones that we want to hear the most. From bands long since gone singing new songs, to a compilation of artists singing the same exact song, these are the covers that exist in our wildest dreams. But honestly, guys, lets make all these happen.
1. James Blake covers Francoise Hardy
James Blake has already demonstrated his affinity for female singer/songwriters through excellent covers of songs by Feist and Joni Mitchell, which is why he needs to hop on the Francoise Hardy train. Because, really, what would be better than a hybrid of dubstep and surf guitar? Nothing, that’s what. – Michael Sotkin
2. Florence and the Machine covers Deer Tick
I’m not the biggest fan of Deer Tick, but I’ve loved their song “Ashamed” since high school because of its Americana, feet-tapping quality and intensely sad lyrics that of course the lead singer’s unique voice and effective vocal delivery only make better. Ever since I heard Florence + the Machine’s cover of “Oh! Darlin”, I’ve thought that she could do an amazing cover of “Ashamed”. I always like a female singer covering a traditionally male sung song, and Florence’s voice is as strong as the guy from Deer Tick’s. She’d inevitably add her epic, sweeping arrangements and maybe compliment the clean guitar work with the harp, it’d be so good. – Christine Campbell
3. Local Natives cover Death Cab for Cutie
One of the most epic live songs of all time is Death Cab for Cutie’s “Transatlanticism”. This 8 minute track is as near to floating as I think I’ve ever gotten. Who else has a dreamy voiced lead singer, solid guitarist and fantastic drummer? Local Natives. I would love to hear some “Who Knows Who Cares” harmonies, “Breakers” oohs and “Sun Hands” drumming interlaced with Ben Gibbard’s genius. – Christine Cook
4. Dirty Projectors cover Usher
Lucky for me, my dream cover already exists. I can pretty much assume that I’ll love anything and everything that the Dirty Projectors do; so, when I heard about the existence of this cover back in January, you can bet that I sprinted home and played it constantly for the five following months. Rumor has it that Amber and Dave of Dirty Projectors were going through a breakup when it was recorded, adding even more depth to the sadness already drenching this breakup song. Dave’s falsetto is equally as impressive as Usher’s in the original, and Amber, as usual, sings with precision so sharp it feels like she’s piercing my heart. Turning the song into a duet turns it into a conversation, and by the time Dave arrives at the bridge you can feel the tension that has been building the whole song–and yet never really resolves itself. I always love a good indie cover of R&B/soul, and these guys really nailed the task of of re-imagining the spirit of this song to make it their own. – Camellia Hartman
5. The Beatles cover Lady Lamb
It was between St. Vincent doing “Crimson and Clover”, Patti Smith covering Torres, Bob Dylan covering Sufjan, but… The Beatles covering Lady Lamb the Beekeeper’s “Comet Flies Over the Underbelly”. The Beatles are a given in any dream show scenario, and this song totally works with their trippy Sgt. Pepper phase – I feel like it’s somewhere in the vein of “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” with its slightly nonsensical stream-of-consciousness lyrics. – Charity Painter
6. One Direction cover Joy Division
At one point, Harry Styles (or whichever, they all bleed into each other at this point) wore a Joy Division shirt, which I found absolutely hilarious. Well, show that you really respect the band and give us your teenybop interpretation of one of the most intense songs on one of the most intense albums ever. It would be enlightening for some pre-teens, to say the least. (Note: I don’t actually think this would be a good cover — I’m mostly interested in how much it would probably terrify and confuse people). – Lauren McKinney
7. Japandroids cover Brand New
Why not is the question here? Whether you’re proud to admit it or not, you likely went through a phase of loving Brand New. And whether or not bands are going to admit it, they were influenced by not only Brand New but also emo bands like Taking Back Sunday, Bayside, Motion City Soundtrack, and more. Japandroids would kill it with a cover of “Sic Transit Gloria … Glory Fades”. Come on guys, do it! – Eric Weiner
8. 4AD covers Bruce Springsteen
A little while ago, Twin Shadow put out a pretty great cover of the very moody Springsteen song “I’m on Fire”. It was good, and while I’m an unabashed fan of “I’m On Fire”, my favorite Springsteen album will always be Tunnel of Love (I’m an iconoclast, what can I say), and the best song on there is the heart-wrenching and amazing “Tougher Than the Rest”. So, my mind jumped to the most obvious conclusion possible — get Twin Shadow and all of his label mates past and present to cover “Tougher Than the Rest”! They would all bring something new, The National would tap into it’s reserved angst, Purity Ring would make it glitchy and post-modern, Cocteau Twins would amp up the vibes, who knows what tUnE-yArDs would do, but it would be totally awesome and I’m actually getting goosebumbs thinking about Mark Lanegan’s version of the song. Camera Obscura already covered it, so we’re one down already! – Hannah Angst
9. Kranky’s Benoit Pioulard covers Nick Drake
Drake and Pioulard’s styles seem somehow blood-related, ripped apart from each other in time, leaving thirty years between them. They both appeal to undeniably folkish tendencies, but they turn their backs on tried and true forms. They are guitar-men who think differently. Nick Drake always used alternate tunings, and Pioulard doesn’t go anywhere without looper and delay pedals. Hearing Nick Drake’s words and melodies run through that signature aged and distorted tinge that Pioulard conjures up on records like Hymnal and Précis would be perfect. — Ryan Pivovar
10. Miley Cyrus covers Queens of the Stone Age
Miley Cyrus doesn’t have the vocals typically associated with top 40 pop, so much so that her nasally, vaguely raspy voice is typically covered with auto-tuned nonsense, which is a shame. I think that the spawn of “Achy Breaky Heart” could live up to her “bad girl” status if she left behind licking phallic inanimate objects and embraced alt-metal. I wanna see Hannah Montana rock out to “Do It Again” by Queens of the Stone Age. — Livi Angst
