I don't mind you coming here.

Console "By This River" (Brian Eno cover)
One of my favorite covers of the past few years. Very pretty. Fans of the Notwist (whose Martin Gretschmann IS Console) and Lali Puna take note. See also the video for their cover of Sonic Youth's "Magnolia":

Neverending White Lights feat. 311's Nick Hexum "Age of Consent" (New Order cover)
Very pretty cover that inexplicably didn't make my New Order-themed post a while back. Neverending White Lights is a "band" or "project" with a rotating cast of performers. The album Act:1: Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies includes songs with lead vocals from bands such as Our Lady Peace, Finger Eleven, Hum, Creeper Lagoon, Shudder To Think, The Velvet Teen and many more.

Toshi Reagon feat. Marc Anthony "Chocolate Genius" Thompson "Just What I Needed" (The Cars cover)
Another very pretty cover. I guess that's just the mood I've been in lately.

Death Cab for Cutie "World Shut Your Mouth" (Julian Cope cover)
Hey! A DCFC cover that doesn't doesn't sound like Music to Slit Your Wrists By! Who knew?

Giant Sand "The Beat Goes On" (Sonny and Cher cover)
A huge jazz fan I'm not, but I still love this.

Happy Drivers "La Isla Bonita" (Madonna cover)
When I was in high school and college, I had the tendency to bust into hallways and bathrooms and other places with good acoustics and belt out the bridge to "La Isla Bonita" at the top of my lungs. It was pretty powerful stuff. But I like this French punk/rockabilly version, if only for the requisite ze in lieu of the.

The Jesus and Mary Chain "Tower of Song" (Leonard Cohen cover)
One of my favorite bands covers one of my favorite artists. Should be awesome, right? Then why am I sort of falling asleep at my keyboard?

Yum!Yum!ORANGE "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (Bobby McFerrin cover)
I honestly never thought I'd post a cover if this, one of my most-hated songs EVER, but dammit if those Japanese ska bands don't charm my socks right off everytime.


The following songs are from a 2005 German cover compilation called Quotenrocker. It was very difficult to choose which of its 30+ tracks to select, so I put WinAmp on random and picked the first four that came up.

Wolke "Mein Süβes Kind (Sweet Child O' Mine)" (Guns N Roses cover)
Another pretty one. I'm going all soft in my old age.

Little Shepherd "Beate Ausem Block (Jenny from the Block)" (J.Lo cover)
Wow. This is like a terrible car crash from which I inexplicably can't turn away.

Die Sterne "Du Hast Die Welt in Deiner Hand (He Has the Whole World in His Hands)"(Traditional)
I like this a lot. Traditional Bible school-type "hit" that sounds suspiciously like the Beatles' "Rain" gone all Wall of Sound.

Les Garçons "Oh, Glücklichkeit (Sweet Happiness)" (Newby & Johnson)
Okay, here's where I need your help. This is the only song from the disc whose original artist is unknown to me. It sounds super-familiar, but I can't place it. Since I don't have any liner notes, I don't know the songwriter's name and all of my Google searches have been fruitless. It kind of reminds me of a Chicago song, but I'm pretty sure it isn't. Experts in '60s/'70s-era pop (at least that's what it sounds like), please help!

Edit: I have sent an e-mail to a former member of the band in the hopes he can shine some light on this for us. I'll keep you posted as to the results.

Edit 2: Mystery solved!

From Martin H, former guitarist for Les Garçons:

Dear Liza,

Thanks for bringing this gem to my attention. I actually played the guitar
on the track, but most stuff has been added long after I left for the
States. It turned out pretty cheesy, but I guess that's what they wanted.
The original title is 'Sweet Happiness,' which is a Newby & Johnson track.

Best wishes,
Martin

Although Newby & Johnson are a bit obscure in the realms of '60s Northern Soul acts, I know I've heard it before. I'm thinking my dad, who had an extensive R&B/Soul vinyl collection must have exposed me to it at some point.