When history recalls the pop music landscape of 2009, it will first remember Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face,” an infectious, sing-along dance track that created an icon. According to Gaga, the song’s obtuse lyrics tell the tale of a woman having sex with a man while fantasizing about women. Yet it’s difficult to pick up that message over pounding dance beats, and the wordy verses in the radio version are overshadowed by the simple, soaring chorus.
So these cover artists have taken a path commonly used to reinterpret a big pop song: they slowed it down, used real instruments, and professed the lyrics so sincerely that it must be ironic (or is it?). The difference between covering “Poker Face” and your average Top 40 radio hit, however, is that Gaga knows how to write songs that can have musical depth even when stripped down. All of these covers are a joy to listen to, in their own ways.
Ben’s Brother
This is a fairly typical acoustic cover, orchestrated with only an acoustic guitar and a melancholy keyboard that wouldn’t sound out of place on the Garden State soundtrack. It’s almost too slow, but it’s the sincerity of the raspy male vocals that saves it. He really gets into it, as well he should.
Orba Squara
This version’s also on acoustic guitar, but it’s enriched with bouncy chimes, a pleasant tempo, and back-up vocals, like it thinks it’s a Boy Least Likely To song. I love the way they swing it on the chorus – it’s maybe a little twee, but it works surprisingly well for the song.
Daughtry
This is how that kid from down your hall would do it at open mic night. Except this is American Idol’s rock crooner Chris Daughtry, letting his Nickelback-lite vocals – with surprising range – really soar on that chorus. It should be terrible; it’s actually awesome.
Mika
Mika, the silky-voiced falsetto enthusiast behind “Grace Kelly,” takes a different approach entirely: he covers Gaga’s own “acoustic” version of “Poker Face,” which you can (and should – it’s ridiculous) watch her perform here on YouTube. He polishes it up in places where Gaga just indulges in weirdness, thus creating a slick, more melodic, nearly-unrecognizable jam.
You Me At Six
This punk-grunge group produces the obligatory rock cover, with a jumping bass line and distorted electric guitars. The money here is the minor chord they hit in the “ooh-oh-ohs,” which brings in just the right amount of menace.
Eric Cartman
I would be remiss to not bring up this incredibly faithful cover by Trey Parker as his foul-mouthed South Park creation. No commentary needed.
