Success in the music industry is complex enough without mixing it with the world of cinema. Add the challenge of covering a previous hit, and the new artist can rarely win. Happily, these seven performances gave exactly the right spin to perfectly fit the films.
In almost every instance, the original performer was more successful than the cover artist. Some of the most renowned musicians of all time were the first to bring the song to the world. In most cases, the film simply called for a different interpretation of the material.
In others, the filmmaker may have been concerned that the audience would associate the song with their own memories and pull them out of the film. I cannot imagine that happening in any of these covers.
Seven cover versions that transformed original songs for the movies
Special mention to Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin';" it doesn't quite fit my criteria. No one remembers anything but Harry Nilsson's version for Midnight Cowboy. And a shout-out to the incomparable Dolly Parton and her classic, "I Will Always Love You."
She has graciously (and correctly) said that Whitney Houston made it her own in The Bodyguard. But Houston sang it as the character, and that's not what the filmmakers and composers did with these seven films.
"Mad World" by Gary Jules and Michael Andrews, Donnie Darko
The original artist was the British duo Tears for Fears, a band that charted several times, notably with "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." Their decidedly more uptempo pop melody for "Mad World" made for a stark contrast with the dark lyrics.
It's a terrific song, but for the intense psychological thriller Donnie Darko, the plaintive piano-based score is a perfect fit. The cover has appeared in no less than 17 TV shows and the trailers for two other movies. I guess it worked.
"Immigrant Song" by Karen O, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
You've probably heard of the original artist. For you Marvel fans, no, it wasn't Thor Odinson. I don't care who you are; it's hard to top Led Zeppelin. But this cover does exactly that. Sung by - make that howled by - Karen O, it's a perfect introduction to the take-no-prisoners Lizbeth Salandar.
To be clear, this version is a creation of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as much as it is Karen O's. Taken out of context from the film, I won't commit the sacrilege of saying it's better than Page and Plant. But for David Fincher's film, it's a perfectly brutal fit.
"Hotel California" by the Gipsy Kings, The Big Lebowski
As with the previous song, I'm pretty sure you know the original artist on this one. The Eagles have sold a few albums, probably even more than the Gipsy Kings. Now, I happen to like the Eagles. Having written that, this article may never see the light of day, as others hold a different opinion.
But to help flesh out the story of the Duderino, the flamenco-fueled cover was the only choice. When the Jesus rolls, nothing will do but the blistering strings of the Gipsy Kings.
"Superstar" by Sonic Youth, Juno
Delaney and Bonnie first recorded the song in 1969, and about 10,000 artists have covered it since then. Both Rita Collidge and Cher covered it in 1970, and Bette Midler sang it on The Tonight Show in 1971.
The Carpenters had one of their biggest hits with it later that year, with Karen Carpenter creating the definitive version. Sonic Youth then covered it in their decidedly alt-post-punk style for the 1994 Carpenters tribute album released in 1994. Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody had found their theme for the Oscar-winning comedy-drama.
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Santa Esmeralda, Kill Bill Vol. 1
If you don't know Nina Simone, please stop reading and jump to your music source of choice. It might be a month before you get back; that's okay. Now that you know Miss Simone, you've heard the original 1964 version. The Animals charted with it a year later. In 1977, the disco group Santa Esmeralda released a version with flamenco influences.
The 16-minute-long dance masterpiece filled one side of the album. This was a massive hit in Miami, friends. Movie music master Quentin Tarantino used about two minutes of an instrumental section for the fight between the Bride and O-Ren. The song serves as an apology, and that action is a crucial part of the scene. It's a masterstroke.
"Hazy Shade of Winter" by the Bangles, Less Than Zero
Yeah, yeah, more sacrilege, I hear you. Is this fool actually going to compare the freaking Bangles to one of the greatest duos in the history of popular music? If you don't know, Simon and Garfunkel were a pretty big deal. For a folk-rock group, this is a pretty banging song.
No pun intended - well, maybe. But for the frenetic Brett Easton Ellis story of decadence and drugs, only the Bangles version would do. For the record, Andrew McCarthy is awful in this, but Robert Downey Jr. saves it, as he does nearly everything.
"Nature Boy" by David Bowie and Massive Attack, Moulin Rouge
Finally, we reached a cover by an artist who's easily the equal of the original performer. Nat King Cole is one of the greatest singers of the 20th century. But David Bowie? Who can you put ahead of him?
The Thin White Duke influenced practically everybody. As for Bowie's version of Cole's seminal hit, it's a lush and powerfully operatic performance. When you're singing for Baz Luhrmann, nothing else will do.