Wednesday Top 5

Its a momentous day today, a day that perhaps will never be forgotten, perhaps even never forgotten by our children. Today marks the changing point for a lot of people.

Yes its the second Wednesday top 5!

I have spent most of my commute thinking what will I plunder Youtube for? Obama related? Maybe something else? Its difficult not to post a change is gonna come, its an easy choice.

But no, todays top 5 is...

Top 5 Hip Hop songs covered by non Hip Hop artists.

To kick things off is a rather splendid version of NWA's Straight Outta Compton, its fair to say that all of the songs pretty much aren't safe for work.
But anyway, this version is a rather beautiful version by Nina Gordon, formerly of Veruca Salt. She did a fair few covers, notably One More Night, 18 and Life etc, but this is the best by a fair chalk.

Straight Outta Compton by Nina Gordon



Nina Gordon

Second best Hip Hop cover I ever heard is covered by future Top 5 artist, it is Bitches Ain't Shit, a Dr Dre tune that is perhaps lost in transalation when it gets into the hands of Ben Folds. But it really does take on a life of its own and I challenge anyone who has heard the original not to listen to this and not think of this whenever they hear the Dr Dre original.

Bitches Ain't Shit by Ben Folds



Ben Folds

Following that is Jonathan Coulton, I know nothing about this man but he loves "open source" music and gives a lot of his music away for free, embarrassingly I only have his gorgeous version of Sir Mixalots, Baby Got Back. Maybe I need to get a lot more.

Baby Got Back by Jonathan Coulton



Jonathan Coulton

How to follow that, well, a few years ago I went to see the side project of the non Jack Black half of Tenacious D, Kyle Gas's band Trainwreck. I saw them in Los Angeles and they were OK, I guess, however the support band, The Evangenitals became very quickly one of my favourite bands, they are better than any cover, but this beautiful plaintive version of Outkasts Hey Ya really shows off their sound, the video is not much to look at but the sound is worth it.

Hey Ya by The Evangenitals



The Evangenitals

Finally Blackeyed Peas' My Humps, as covered by Alanis Morrissette, hmm, its an odd one and unsure if it really is out and out Hip Hop, that said I like the juxtaposition.

My Humps by Alanis Morrissette



Alanis Morrissette