Blog Flashback: The 1st "Covers Gallery"

Since next month is the official 5th Anniversary of the blog, we're re-featuring some posts from the past. This entry (originally from 2011) was the first in our "Covers Gallery" playlist series, which looks at a group of noteworthy cover versions of well-known songs:

1. "Last Train To Clarksville" by Cassandra Wilson from New Moon Daughter. Jazz singer Wilson re-interprets The Monkees classic in a hip, funky style.
2. "Hit Me Baby One More Time" by Travis from the Turn single. Travis takes the Britney Spears hit and recasts it as a mournful ballad.
3. "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" by Freedy Johnston from Right Between the Promises. A faithful, poppy cover of the Edison Lighthouse song from 1970.
4. "Money" by The Beatles from With The Beatles. The Beatles recorded a bunch of covers on their early albums. John shreds his vocal cords belting out the Barrett Strong classic.
5. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Santa Esmerelda from Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. A wild, ten minute disco version of the The Animals hit. Quentin Tarantino used this song on the soundtrack of Kill Bill, Volume 1 (2003).
6. "You Know That I'm No Good" by Wanda Jackson from The Party Ain't Over. Jack White of The White Stripes produces rockabilly singer Jackson performing the Amy Winehouse hit.
7. "Your Own Special Way" by Steve Hackett from Watcher of the Skies: Genesis Revisited. Paul Carrack (Squeeze, Mike & The Mechanics) handles the vocals on this one. It's from an album of re-interpretations of songs that guitarist Hackett originally recorded with Genesis back in their progressive rock days.
8. "I Will Survive" by Cake from Fashion Nugget. Cake twists the Gloria Gaynor classic into a slowed down, darker direction.
9. "Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm from ANThology. The alternative rockers kick out the jams on this Michael Jackson cover.
10."Comfortably Numb" by Scissors Sisters from Scissors Sisters. A very different version of the Pink Floyd classic.
11. "The Man Who Sold The World" by Nirvana from Unplugged. Great live version of the David Bowie original.
12. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Aretha Franklin from 30 Greatest Hits.  Amazing version of the Simon and Garfunkel song by The Queen of Soul.