I commend the Easy Star All-Star albums Radiodread (OK Computer) and Dub Side of the Moon, and (to a lesser extent) their take on Sgt Pepper (whose name escapes me at the moment).

In fact, I have been known to argue that their version of OK Computer is actually better than the original. When drunk.

Also Paul Anka's Easy Listening take on a series of rock classics, 'Rock Swings'.

Sublime stuff.

features our hero doing bosa nova versions of some of his own classics. I wouldn't want to listen to it every day but it's great fun once in a while.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twist/dp/B001IMCI7W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&...

have done some wonderful Nordic Electronic Torch Song versions of everything from Prince to Leonard Cohen via KISS.

And of course there's Nouvelle Vague, whose Bossa Nova covers of New Wave hits have been dulled by repetition in shoeshops and the like but are still pretty ace.

The University Challenge Theme Tune Hitmakers have done some good string quartet versions of David Byrne and Kraftwerk songs.

Another string-absed experiment that works is Apocalyptica Plays Metallica on Four Cellos. It does exactly what it says on the tin.

Following the Kraftwerk motif - Senor Coconut is an amusing listen, with (mainly) Kraftwerk songs done in a latin style.

One of my other favourites has to be Dread Zeppelin who do Led Zep songs in a reggae style but with all the vocals done by an Elvis impersonator. It shouldn't work but somehow it does.

Here's some Caribbean Corrie; a record honoured with a place in John Peel's special box of the records he'd save in the event of a fire:

(By the way, there were some relevant suggestions in this recent thread: http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/when-pigs-fly ).

A delightful collision of Indian drums and folk - has to be heard to be believed...

He's maybe a one trick pony, but it's a very good trick. This is inspired - I can hardly listen to the original any more without thinking of his take instead:

I used to love Dread Zeppelin. Reggae versions of Zep songs played sung by a Vegas era style Elvis. He even had Charlie Haj to bring him towels. I think they sometimes did shows with the gay Latino Elvis, El Vez. I remember their version of Black Dog being my favourite but here's "Heartbreaker".

plays a wonderful selection of popular tunes on his electric violin. Terrific stuff!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Echoes-Ed-Alleyne-Johnson/dp/B0006TMYMW/ref=sr_1...

If you don't know them, they're a West Coast punk supergroup, formed by Chris Shiflett (No Use For A Name, Foo Fighters) and Fat Mike (NOFX), who play very fast, very loud cover versions.

For my money, their first record, "Have A Ball", is their best. It contains the following, all played at 300 miles per hour, amps up to eleven. It's a great way of mining the basically good-natured fun of West Coast pop-punk, and KEEPING it fun, rather than tacking on some Identikit "dark" "lyrics" to try and make it edgy or political.

Anyway, "Have A Ball"'s big highlights, for me are:

Danny's Song
Mandy
Rocket Man
I Am A Rock

It's really silly, and tremendous fun. After that, they did an album of showtunes, which didn't work as well, and after that I'd lost interest. I completely recommend the first, though.

I have to agree with masked tortilla. I was a very serious fan of Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart in college, but finally got burned out on it. When I first heard Nouvelle Vogue's version I fell off my chair laughing. Broight back the joy (no pun) of the original. Both are now happily on my Ipod.

Moody Bluegrass. Marvellous!

My first pick would have been Easy Star All Stars, but that's been done. If you fancy some string arrangements of indie favourites, however, you can't go far wrong with these guys...

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain have a knack of making songs their own...

...I've seen them 4 times now, four of the best gigs I've ever been to. The ukulele seems set for world domination.

Union Avenue - Johnny Cash sings Motorhead, The Undertones and many more...

They were around in the 80's and they did (then) contemporary songs in a 50's style.

Their physical records are very difficult to obtain but easy enough to download for nothing if you care to look. Listening now is eerie, it's a double time shift, from now to the 80's then to the 50's. The Eddie Cochran style version of Van Halen's Jump is an excellent example of what they are like.

I believe the same blokes did The Benzedrine Monks of Santa Monica which was an ep with songs like Smells Like Teen Spirit in the style of those frigging Gregorian monks, it's actually not as good as it sounds.

I could however find Beatallica, guess what their schtick is!

Jim "The King" Brown plays the classics rather well

Whenever I DJ this is The Big Tune

Seu Jorge - from the soundtrack to The Life Aquatic:

Quite surprised to see nobody mentioning The Residents, famous deconstructors of material by various other more mainstream artistes (James Brown, Ramones etc)

And Julie London's last LP, "Yummy Yummy Yummy", released 1969ish, consisting of various covers all done in her trademark breathy style, with saccharine muzak backing, and mainly notable for a gushing take on "Louie Louie" (really).

The Temple City Kazoo Orchestra (on splatter vinyl, natch) doing the Theme From 2001, various Led Zep tunes etc, of course all on kazoos - Breaks the ice at parties!!

and Hybrid Kids, a late-1970s album of quite strange versions of pop tunes of the day ("Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" etc) by a lot of made-up bands but actually all the work of Morgan Fisher, from Mott The Hoople.

Ever wondered what might have happened had Metallica and Abba worked together?

The Thing (what a fantastically, spectacularly ungooglable name that is) from Norway mainly exist to cover garage rock (from the Sonics to the White Stripes) in fierce free jazz style. Here they are taking on the Sabs...

...and Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Hayseed Dixie?

Doo Wop version of Anarchy

Not listened to the clip so I hope it's the right one

or something. Many thanks for such a cornucopia of musical deviance to explore. I may be gone for some time...