Some covers should have stayed in the studio. Join us as we count down our picks for the most regrettable cover songs. From rock legends to pop stars, these artists took beloved tracks and turned them into cringe-worthy renditions. Which cover made you wish for earplugs?
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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.