In contrast, I want to mention covers of songs by the legendary French singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Spotlight the Tzadik release Great Jewish Music: Serge Gainsbourg, in which John Zorn brings together a bevy heavy underground contemporaries to offer tribute to the icon. Some of my highlights:
Serge Gainsbourg w Jane Birkin - Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus - video
Cibo Matto - Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus - audio
Probably my favorite of the tracks, Cibo Matto provides uptempo optimism to this beautiful love song. I don't know, I'm not sharp on French. I think the singer especially did justice to the delicateness of Jane Birkin's part.
Serge Gainsbourg - Pauvre Lola - video
Ikue Mori - Pauvre Lola - audio
It's hard to beat the original, especially if you watch the video. His portrait needs to be on the wall of men between Wilt Chamberlain and Burt Reynolds. So you can't beat the original, but Ikue Mori does her thing via samples and programming, to go along with a nice female lead vocal, and turns in a nice tribute, not as good but still a good original take.
Serge Gainsbourg - Ford Mustang - audio
Mike Patton - Ford Mustang - audio
Mike Patton does a decidedly downbeat take on the original by bringing up the vocals and dropping the bass.
Others of note:
Blonde Redhead doing "Le Chanson De Slogan"
Fred Frith doing "Ballade De Melody Nelson"
Cyro Baptista doing "La-Bas C'est Naturel"
and John Zorn doing "Contact"
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