Shine on you crazy dumbek.

October 7, 2006 6:50 AM

I want more world-music covers of modern Western music.

After having recently bought Yat-Kha's Re-Covers, I have become obsessed with finding more in the "covers of Western music in world style" genre. The only thing I have managed to think of which is similar is Iz's cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow/It's a Wonderful World.

Surely there's more out there? Can you suggest something? Bonus points for anything involving gamelan or didgeridoo.

posted by jammer to media & arts (18 comments total)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hCH2zzrwHI

Indian version of Thriller.
posted by BobbyDigital at 7:17 AM on October 7, 2006 [1 favorite has favorites]

There are actually TWO indian versions of Thriller this one is a bit funnier.
posted by BobbyDigital at 7:20 AM on October 7, 2006 [1 favorite has favorites]

Through a recent thread I found Ritmo Latino (ritmolatino.org) and on one of the podcasts (crazy mix!) I heard Mo' Horizons' version of 'Hit the Road Jack (Pena Estrada)! Love it! Some of the Seu Jorge covers of David Bowie tunes are fun too.

Don't have anything for the extra bonus points, but I'll keep thinking. Looking forward to seeing what people come up with.
posted by nnk at 7:20 AM on October 7, 2006

What do you mean? Like, is a Finnish band doing Devo's Mongoloid what you want? Or are you looking for the petite-ethnic "world" style? Would a Cantonese version of California Dreaming count?
posted by klangklangston at 7:20 AM on October 7, 2006

Japanese 'surf music' covers of Western classical music.

You might also look for Rolf Harris's (he's Australian) cover of Stairway to Heaven which features wobbleboard and didgeridoo. My father, a 'Stairway' fan, almost collapsed of shock when he heard it.
posted by wackybrit at 7:37 AM on October 7, 2006

Ooh, someone's used the music in a video on YouTube.. so I can present Rolf Harris's horrible Australian-flavored cover of Stairway to Heaven.
posted by wackybrit at 7:38 AM on October 7, 2006

Ananda Shankar
posted by forallmankind at 8:16 AM on October 7, 2006

Oh Susannah in German and YMCA in Cantonese are some of the things that can be found on April Winchell's site.
posted by horsewithnoname at 8:46 AM on October 7, 2006

Shonen Knife does a cover of '(Love Is Like A) Heatwave'. They also cover 'Daydream Believer' and 'All I Want for Christmas'. Playlists via the link.

Pizzicato Five doesn't cover songs per se, but on albums like 'A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular' they were definitely covering 60's sounds like the Bossa nova and others.

And I heartlily second nnk's suggestion of Seu Jorge's covers of David Bowie tunes. Mmm good!
posted by w_boodle at 8:54 AM on October 7, 2006

Like, is a Finnish band doing Devo's Mongoloid what you want? Or are you looking for the petite-ethnic "world" style? Would a Cantonese version of California Dreaming count?

Yes. No. Yes.

I don't want "world music". I want western music done in an unusual, perhaps "ethnic" style. The Cantonese version of California Dreaming sounds wonderful.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I'm going to check each one of 'em out. Keep 'em coming, and I'll post a playlist when I get one made.
posted by jammer at 9:11 AM on October 7, 2006

For a French/bossa nova-style take on some punk and new wave classics, check out Nouvelle Vague (covering New Order's Blue Monday here and Public Image Ltd.'s This Is Not A Love Song here).
posted by hangashore at 9:20 AM on October 7, 2006

The Gipsy Kings did a cover of Hotel California. I think it was on The Big Lebowski soundtrack.

Not sure if it's what you are looking for, but the Easy Star All-Stars' "Dub Side of the Moon" is fantastic. Looks like they also did an album of Radiohead covers.
posted by Otis at 9:40 AM on October 7, 2006

Natascha Atlas did I Put a Spell on You. Sounds pretty hot actually.
posted by idiotfactory at 10:16 AM on October 7, 2006

The soundtrack for 50 First Dates has several reggaesque covers of 80's tunes. You probably heard 311's version of "Love Song". I like Wayne Wonder's "Hold Me Now" and Will.i.am and Fergie doing "True".
posted by Rock Steady at 1:28 PM on October 7, 2006

The three volume Thai Beat A Go-Go features lots of great covers of 60's tunes by Thai singers.
posted by extrabox at 1:40 PM on October 7, 2006

Putumayo is the home of World Music. You might like the disc "Cover the World" with Albeto Pla covering 'Walk on the Wild Side' in Catalan, 'Hit the Road Jack' done Brazilian style, Toto's 'Africa' done by Senagalese musicians. My favorite is Angelique Kidjo's cover of 'Voodoo Child'.
posted by X4ster at 3:49 PM on October 7, 2006

Lucas Santtana - Doin' it the Death (James Brown's "Doin' It to Death")
The Skatalites - James Bond Theme

This askme thread on cover songs done in other languages might have some ideas for you.

A lot of American soul and R&B has been covered by Jamaican musicians. Some compilations:
Just My Imagination (There are three more volumes.)
Hustle: Reggae Disco: Kingston, London & New York
Studio One Soul
posted by hydrophonic at 5:06 PM on October 7, 2006

While they mostly don't do cover tunes like you're describing, you might be really into Gamelan Son of Lion, which is like a "fusion gamelan" that plays a huge range of American & Indonesian music.
posted by allterrainbrain at 9:52 PM on October 7, 2006