I should probably have some grand overarching theme to end the year but I don’t. Life’s like that sometimes.

30 Seconds to Mars “Stronger” (Kanye West)
Being an old white guy, Kanye West is pretty much off my radar. I’ve heard of him and I know he’s from Chicago and that his mother was killed by an incompetent plastic surgeon.

I had never heard any of his music before I found this song, so I downloaded the original to find out if this cover was different enough to post. The cover is almost unrecognizable, which is good because I hated the original.

Tortoise and Bonnie “Prince” Billy “Thunder Road” (Bruce Springsteen)
Bruce Springsteen is another in a long line of popular artists whose appeal has completely eluded me. There are some covers of his songs that I enjoy, like this one. I’ve even considered doing a post of Springsteen covers but I just don’t like him enough.

This is a slow, almost meditative version that puts a lot of emphasis on the lyrics. That’s probably why I like it.

Tricky “Love Cats” (The Cure)
A very slinky, sexy take on a song I never thought I’d ever want to hear again.

Hanson “Never Been To Spain” (Three Dog Night)
I was shocked to hear how loose and funky Hanson could be. Yes, I just used “Hanson” and “funky” in the same sentence. I think that’s one of the signs of the Apocalypse.

The Puppini Sisters “Crazy In Love” (Beyonce Knowles)
Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if the Andrews Sisters worked with Beyonce’s songwriters? Well, now you know. There’s a nice violin solo in there too.