Thanks To Cover Music, These Songs Will Remain Popular Forever
Exploring the magic of cover music below
Great songs live forever. Most of the time, their longevity is due to the strength of the original song. However, a song’s longevity sometimes comes through its ability to be well-covered over time. Take the Beatles hit “Yesterday” for example. The nostalgic song has been covered well over 2200 times.
Wild, right?
Thanks to cover music, new generations are introduced to classic songs from the past. When musicians cover songs correctly, the new generation embraces the cover song as their own. After that, and sometimes without even knowing it, generations are connected through the commonality of their love for the same music.
I experienced this firsthand recently.
One day this Fall, I was playing Jeezy’s music. Thanks to his book, Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe, and double album, I Might Forgive… But I Don’t Forget, he’s been in the news lately. His current interviews for his projects inspired me to listen to his back catalog again.
In his 2010 collaboration with Drake, the two made the song “Unforgettable,” which interpolated Aaliyah’s 1994 tune “(At Your Best) You Are Love.” Growing up, I always enjoyed that song and loved its originality.
…Until I realized it was a cover.
Aghast, I chatted with my folks about it and played them Aaliyah’s version. Almost immediately, they identified the original Isley Brothers album highlight. They told me about the first time they heard the song and what it meant to them in their early adulthood. At this moment, I was amazed by our unknowing connection to this song and how it meant so much to several different generations. This conversation motivated me to search for more instances of time-tested songs that have touched the hearts of several generations.
I will discuss five classic songs that live forever through cover music in this piece. I will share some background for each classic song, how it sounded, and its reputation in music history. Next, I will share and describe three notable covers of that song that have graced the ears of future generations.
Song #1: “At Your Best (You Are Love)” by The Isley Brothers (1976)
Ernie Isley from the Isley Brothers wrote the classic Quiet Storm hit tune to honor the Isley Brother’s mother, Sally. In this original version, Ron Isley’s slick vocals balance gorgeously against slow echoing chords. The tune is a sincere tribute to someone who meant the world to the entire band their whole lives. The song captured a generation’s ears thanks to its spacious beat and slow tempo, which allowed its message to marinate in our hearts.
Notable Covers + Interpolations
“At Your Best (You Are Love)” by Aaliyah (1994) — At the tender age of 14, Aaliyah, with the help of R. Kelly, crafted a splendid new edition of the song. Thanks to Aaliyah’s charisma and youthful tone, the song takes on a romantic lens without changing words.
“Unforgettable” by Drake ft. Jeezy (2010) — Using Aaliyah’s posthumous vocals as a background singer, Drake and Jeezy rap about creating a proud legacy. Towards the song’s end, Aaliyah’s “At Your Best” Vocals intertwine with Drake’s like two angels singing to one another in heaven.
“At Your Best (You Are Love)” by Frank Ocean (2016) — In Frank’s impressive cover of Aaliyah’s version, he adds immense passion and even more excellent vocal dexterity. Able to sing a thousand emotions through his vocal range and control, Frank turns this heartbreaking love tune into the saddest love song you’ll ever hear.
Song #2: “A Song For You” by Leon Russell (1970)
Leon Russell pleads on this achingly beautiful love-sick tune for his ex-lover to recognize his good intentions. The label reportedly intended to give the song to country star Rita Coolidge. However, the song landed on Leon Russell’s well-respected self-titled 1970 debut album. Since the song first hit people’s ears five decades ago, hundreds of artists, including legends like Ray Charles and Willie Nelson, have covered it for their albums and live.
Notable Covers + Interpolations
“Song For You” by Cher (1972) — Two years after Russell’s version dropped, Cher brings her unmistakable style of soul and passionate emotion to the timeless song for her album Foxy Lady.
“A Song For You” by Aretha Franklin (1974 ) — When you listen to Aretha Franklin’s masterful cover, the song quickly reminds you why she’s called the Queen of Soul. In this phenomenal version, the virtuoso singer reconfigures the verses, extrapolates lines, and brings intense sincerity into the song’s heartbreaking message. Franklin’s versions add so much personality and depth that it feels like a new song.
“A Song For You” by Whitney Houston (2009) — Out of the bunch here, Whitney’s is the most sonically innovative. Building on a progressive dance beat, Houston’s version of “A Song For You” carries the song’s message into the modern sound.
Song #3: Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (1981)
The timeless love duet is as excellent as it is epic. In this classic hit, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie warmed our hearts as they sang to one another with love and adoration. Lionel Richie wrote the song for the film of the same name and knocked the songwriting out of the park. Heralding a long runway of accolades, “Endless Love” quickly became the gold standard for future man-woman love ballads in the mainstream realm.
Notable Covers + Interpolations
“Endless Love” by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey (1994) — Vandross and Carey were two of the defining voices of their generation. Therefore, hearing them on the same track was a dream for millions of fans worldwide. The results met expectations. On this magical match, their voices soar to ever-impressive heights as they sing their love for one another with exceptional grace.
“Endless Love” by Kenny Rogers (1996) — In this version, Kenny Rogers goes it solo and accomplishes something incredible. He takes the conversational nature of the original and turns it into a straightforward ode to a close lover. Roger’s version also has a fantastic electric guitar solo that adds a strong sense of raw emotion and urgency to the otherwise rose-covered-lenses, butterflies-in-my-stomach feeling this song emits.
I found his version far more endearing and alluring than I expected. Artists looking to cover this intimidatingly great song on their own should look to this version for guidance.
“Endless Love (live)” by Marc Anthony and Sara Evans (2012) — The vocal tones of Anthony and Evans complement each other wonderfully in this unpredictable pairing. The tropical salsa and country singers sing this classic tune on stage with great honesty and synergy. The performance was so mesmerizing that Lionel Richie, sitting in the front row, was visibly moved.
Song #4: “No Scrubs” by TLC (1999)
Since its release, “No Scrubs” has been among the most celebrated and recognizable TLC hits. Calling out all delusional underachievers, “No Scrubs” sets the record straight on relationships with low-quality men. The beat is ridiculously catchy, and the music video’s dance moves were even more memorable. “No Scrubs” is one of those songs that could play at just about any club worldwide and can get at least 90% of the partygoers to dance around and mouth the words to one another.
Notable Covers + Interpolations
“No Scrubs” by Glee Cast (2012) — The Glee cast turned the song on its head and let the men share their grievances for a change. On the production and vocal end, the music seemed to take more inspiration from late 90s boy bands like NSYNC than TLC. The cast hid the Spanish guitar deep in the mix on Glee and switched the hip-hop beat with spacey European-style synths.
“No Angles” by Bastille (2013) — Bastille’s version of “No Scrubs” is like the finale of an epic coming-of-age film. Borrowing the lyrics of “No Scrubs” and the production of The XX’s “Angels,” Bastille creates this cinematic retelling of the “No Scrubs” story. The tune is unbelievably majestic and meditative, utterly devoid of the original’s lean towards partying. By the end of Bastille’s version, a longtime fan favorite tune, the listener should seriously reconsider the nature of their romantic relationships.
“What It Is (Block Boy)” by Doechii ft. Kodak Black (2023) — “What It Is” sparsely adopted the drums of “No Scrubs” but kept the guitar wholeheartedly. In this 2023 hit tune, Doechii made the case to Kodak Black and bad boys everywhere: they need love and attention. “No Scrubs” is more interpolated than covered in this refreshing tune. Doechii made a lot of noise with this hit thanks to her ability to take a tried-and-true formula and take it to a different, more unique place.
Song #5: “Nothing Compares 2 U” by The Family (1985)
Prince penned the classic synth-pop song for one of the bands he signed, The Family. On top of intricate and dynamic synth chords, St. Paul croons about his dismal existence since losing his lover. While the song is heartbreaking, the production is magnificent, expansive, and undeniably beautiful. Also, who could forget the little church-style chords and gospel harmonies mixed in between verses?
Although the Family would only have one album, the lifespan of “Nothing Compares 2 U” would be everlasting and glorious. To this day, it is a staple in the hearts and minds of music fans desperate to get past old love and struggling in the process.
Notable Covers + Interpolations
“Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Conner (1990) — O’Conner carried unmistakable anguish in her intimate version of the timeless track. Turning the song into a bona fide hit, the young Irish singer made the listener feel like the only person who mattered to her. Replacing new wave production with more synth-pop, O’Conner’s version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” was more accessible to an audience that needed to hear the song’s vulnerable message.
“Nothing Compares 2 U“ by Prince ft. Rosie Gaines (Live) (1993) — Prince reclaimed ownership of the song in the public eye with this spectacular live version and shared the glory with the ever-brilliant Rosie Gaines. In addition to a lovely saxophone solo, Prince and Gaines sang the song as ex-lovers conversing about their relationship and how it was better than the lovers they had ever since. Half-comedic and half-serious, this live version evolves the original song’s meaning into an exquisite dialogue that rarely happens between old partners.
“Nothing Compares 2 U” by Chris Cornell (2015) — In Chris Cornell’s moving cover, the famous grunge band frontman turned singer-songwriter captured the true heart and essence of the track. His longing vocals and stripped-down live accompaniment helped the song’s message come through more rawly and beautifully. As a longtime admirer of Prince, Cornell happily shared his reasoning for covering one of the elusive artists’ most memorable tunes.
NICE! If I am recalling correctly from the great Bill Janovitz (of Buffalo Tom) biography of Leon Russell, I think "Song for You" was written for Rita Coolidge, too. In any event, not for nuthin, but the Ray Charles cover is one of those rare cases where the cover is better (and it is LEGIT hard to top Leon's version). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJom4uqpg2Q
FWIW - Janovitz is working with Elliot Easton on the definitive book about The Cars (the band, not to be confused with the vehicle). If the Russell book is any indication, we're in for a treat!!