impostor syndrome: five covers i didn't know were real
Let's talk covers. And not the ones you pull over your head at night.
Hi ya’ll, and thanks for tuning in to the b-side.
Recent events (aka “miss ‘rona”) have left me feeling detached from my own body. It feels a little “Invasion of the Bodysnatchers” except life has carjacked the wheel and I—the owner of said metaphorical car—have been locked in the trunk.
Credit: NBC, Parks and Recreation, Season 5, Episode 9.
At first, my worries took a backseat. Staying indoors? I like it. Not everyone has the personality (or luxury) to say that. Working from home? A white-collar luxury that has proven to make my life easier rather than harder. Uncertainty? I’ve handled it before. But there is something extra terrifying about being in the dark; in a moving vehicle with limited oxygen; merely enduring the surprise lurch of a speed bump you know you would have slowed down for.
Former Carnegie Mellon Computer Science Professor Randy Pausch, who died of cancer in 2008, talked about “brick walls” in his book “The Last Lecture.” In the book, which is a transcription of a hypothetical (or in his case very real) last lecture, Pausch talks candidly about doggedly pursuing your dreams, accepting that sometimes you just get lucky, and about scaling the “brick walls” that tower in front of the hypothetical goalposts.
“The brick walls are there for a reason.” He says, “The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”
If you live long enough, you will inevitably veer sharply into a brick wall. But there is usually a moment where you can pump the breaks, grab a sledgehammer, or even learn how to rock climb. Or at least that’s what I thought pre-quarantine. Pre-pandemic, I was sixteen again—holding a brand new license in my grubby little hands, ready to pick up my friends three streets over and drive off into the sunset towards something, whatever it was, fun.
Now, my own goals have taken a long detour. In fact, they’ve gone off-roading with the wrong type of tires and no insurance. Maybe I’m not trying hard enough. Maybe I’m turning into a pod person. Maybe this time, it’s not just one wall. It’s five. And they’re all made of metal and are inching in by the hour.
Back to the trunk. The metaphorical one that I am currently bouncing around in. Despite possibly being concussed from all the twists and turns life has thrown, unlike “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” I am not yet a pod person. I am still here, kicking out the tail-light, waving my arm hopelessly into the distance, hoping that someone will stop this car and give the driver a ticket.
Speaking of impostors, this week I thought I’d highlight some of my favorite covers. We’re not talking the best covers of all time because if we were I’d include Dolly Parton’s cover of “Stairway To Heaven.” No, this time we’re looking at covers that should be wrong but unexpectedly feel so right.
But first, a small contributor post from a reader!
what (you’ve) been smashing on repeat
“I've abandoned my activity of creating monthly playlists. I'm going rogue this month (if April can even count as a month!), compiling together whatever jazzy and soulful oldies that come to mind. From "Moon River" by Henry Mancini to "My Girl" by The Temptations, this playlist should inject a smidgen of romantic longing with a sprinkle of dance-floor funk into your mundane, oh-so-boring life. The timeless classics I've included ("Love Really Hurts Without You" by Billy Ocean) are timeless for a reason, especially now as the days run by like wild horses over the hills. That's a Charles Bukowski quote, in case that sounded too poetic to be true! And if you're yearning for something more of these times, I've got exactly two modern songs: "Is It So Wrong" by Rachel Mazer and "Old Man" by Stella Donnelly.”
-Terry Nguyen, Vox reporter and newsletter writer at genyeet.substack.com
feeling like a pod person? listen to this
So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings - Squirrel Flower (original: Caroline Polacheck)
[Original // Spotify link]
I’ve written about Caroline Polacheck’s original before, but Squirrel Flower’s recent cover of “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” made me hang up my cowboy hat and pedal back. Polacheck’s original drives you harder and faster with an opening verse that makes the chorus feel like a victory lap. Squirrel Flower chooses a slow burn that eventually roars into flames, giving the late-night texts you send to your crush a whole different meaning.
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack (original: Peggy Seeger)
[Original] // [Spotify link]
Ewan McColl’s original was a folk song that later came into the mainstream, even covered by the likes of Elvis. McColl hated all of them, saying Elvis’s version was like Romeo at the bottom of the Post Office Tower singing up to Juliet. The song, however, was a breakout success for Roberta Flack, whose rendition is doubly slow and was inspired by the tragic death of her pet cat. Flack’s version is discerningly different from the original, but both will leave a taste of nostalgia lingering in the back of your throat.
There is also an INCREDIBLE version sung by James Blake in an Instagram live concert, a lá quarantine.
Family Affair - Eagles of Death Metal (original: Mary J. Blige)
[Original] // [Spotify link]
Let’s give it up for queen Mary! J.! Blige! and an unexpected accomplice: the Eagles of Death Metal. Faithful to the original, frontman Jesse Hughes delivers a captivating cover faithful to the original without sounding like a night out for karaoke. Blige’s original hip-hop instrumental translates seamlessly into the band’s bluesy guitar riffs. The magical thing about this cover is how one song fits in so seamlessly across genres.
In line with the theme, this entire album from Eagles of Death Metal is comprised of covers. Including this gritty cover of “Careless Whisper” sans sexy sax man.
needy - Molly Burch (original: Ariana Grande)
[Original] // [Spotify link]
Ariana Grande’s original is a refreshingly honest ballad about love and acceptance. Showcasing a determination to persevere, Grande doesn’t miss a beat—literally. Molly Burch, however, leans in where Grande pulls away; throwing a little more desperation into the mix.
Fireproof- Mitski (original: One Direction)
[Original] // [No Spotify link, sadly.]
For all the girls that loved One Direction before Zayn went rogue, who adored Harry’s soulful vocals but wanted to hear him shred it on the guitar, who kept their Directioner merch hidden during Warped Tour: Mitski shreds on a boy band classic that would make Hayley Williams proud.
Thanks for listening. Cheers to escaping your demons a lá Liam Neeson’s daughter in “Taken 2.”
-j.b.