“Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Howe Gelb 2:58 (Confluence, Thrill Jockey 2001)

The intimacy of Howe Gelb’s interpretation of Elvis’ classic ballad is the most immediate sentiment conveyed here, probably recorded to an old tape deck in his living room (one can hear the natural analog compression). After Gelb concludes the song on a lounge-y Ebmaj7 chord, he brings the band in for a drunken instrumental reprise at 2:13. Gelb somehow seems to bring out the song’s inherent French origins in his translation, channeling less of Elvis’ blue-eyed Southern balladry and placing more emphasis on the centuries-old folk melody. Which is infinitesimally better than UB40’s nightmarish version from ’93 that we’re all trying to forget.

“So Into You” – Shudder to Think 3:43 (Pony Express Record, Epic 1994)

The insipidly-named Atlanta Rhythm Section, sort-of a poor man’s Steely Dan, never made much of an impact over the course of their career during the 70’s; their most notable achievements are performing for Jimmy Carter at the White House and “So Into You,” the group’s biggest hit. Shudder to Think proves why they were one of the most brilliantly clever and underrated bands of the last decade, turning this trashy, Pabst-soaked jukebox clunker upside-down with singer Craig Wedren’s hyper-effeminate crooning over dense walls of droning feedback and Nathan Larson’s stadium-sized guitars. Nearly all of the original’s harmonic content is either subverted into Shudder’s warped musical renderings or discarded altogether. This was hilariously shocking when it was originally released, and has lost little of its bite.

“I Want to Be Your Dog” – Swans 3:35 (Children of God/World of Skin, Atavistic 1997)

Only Michael Gira could transform Iggy Pop into a morbid, candlelit meditation on mortality, first stripping the original’s full-on psychedelic noise down to a lonely acoustic guitar and organ. Then Gira intones “Now I’m ready to close my eyes,” altering the meaning of Pop’s acid-fueled visions from burning ecstasy to a sobering, final acceptance of death. His seems to savor the sound of his mantra-like baritone echoing in your chest, and the taunting “come on”s at the end are just plain creepy.

“Mr. Grieves” – TV on the Radio 4:11 (Young Liars, Touch & Go 2003)

This cover drove me crazy when I first heard it – I could not, for the life of me, identify its original source, which is part of the reason why it’s so brilliant. How TV on the Radio thought of taking an energetic Pixies album filler and morphing it into a mournful slice of doo-wop is beyond me, but it’s absolutely marvelous. Vocalist Tunde Adebimpe’s multi-tracked crooning is rich and soothing, naked in its vulnerability, but supported by finger snaps and an upright bass. This is ideally what a cover should be: a respectful yet radical interpretation that preserves the essence and intentions of the original, but is a refreshing moment of familiarity.

“Be Thankful for What You’ve Got” – Yo La Tengo 4:58 (Little Honda, Matador 1998)

I laughed out loud the first time I heard this, not at Yo La Tengo’s choice of cover material (God knows they’ve been more audacious), but their courage in selecting a tune that so glaringly reveals their whiteness, which is part of its charm. There is an undeniable, innate comfort in hearing Ira and Georgia harmonizing the line “Diggin’ the scene with the gangster lean” without the slightest trace of irony. The warm, late-afternoon vibe and pace of William DeVaughn’s original is preserved, but in a low-key guitar/bass/drums simplicity, which the band skillfully makes the most of.