Top 5 Two-fer
The top 5 "the cover was more famous"
5) Der Kommisar - Falco
4) Sixteen Tons - Merle Travis
3) Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
2) I Love Rock 'n'' Roll - The Arrows
1) Respect - Otis Reading
Tip of my hat to Aretha Franklin, who turned a song about a man being okay with his partner's infidelity (as long as she still showed him the titular 'respect' [i.e. physical affection] in his presence) into a a song about a woman of means demanding the titular respect (consideration) as such.
A wag of my finger to Tina Turner, who messes up an elsewise good cover of Proud Mary by changing "I never missed a minute of sleeping worryin' 'bout the way things might have been" to "...never missed a minute of sleepin', I was worryin'..." which not only contradicts the original, but makes no sense, when drawn out logically. For shame.
Top 5 songs sung entirely (or nearly entirely) in one or more non-English language(s)
5) Bad Boy de Marseilles - Akhenaton feat. the Fonky Family (shout out to my quiz bowl peeps)
4) La Mer - Charles Trenet
3) 99 Luftballons - Nena
2) La Vie en Rose - Louis Armstrong
1) Babalu - Yma Sumac
I almost gave Babalu to Desi Arnaz, and then I remembered the greatness that is Yma Sumac. Happy listening!
5) Der Kommisar - Falco
4) Sixteen Tons - Merle Travis
3) Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
2) I Love Rock 'n'' Roll - The Arrows
1) Respect - Otis Reading
Tip of my hat to Aretha Franklin, who turned a song about a man being okay with his partner's infidelity (as long as she still showed him the titular 'respect' [i.e. physical affection] in his presence) into a a song about a woman of means demanding the titular respect (consideration) as such.
A wag of my finger to Tina Turner, who messes up an elsewise good cover of Proud Mary by changing "I never missed a minute of sleeping worryin' 'bout the way things might have been" to "...never missed a minute of sleepin', I was worryin'..." which not only contradicts the original, but makes no sense, when drawn out logically. For shame.
Top 5 songs sung entirely (or nearly entirely) in one or more non-English language(s)
5) Bad Boy de Marseilles - Akhenaton feat. the Fonky Family (shout out to my quiz bowl peeps)
4) La Mer - Charles Trenet
3) 99 Luftballons - Nena
2) La Vie en Rose - Louis Armstrong
1) Babalu - Yma Sumac
I almost gave Babalu to Desi Arnaz, and then I remembered the greatness that is Yma Sumac. Happy listening!