Step Outside Your Musical Box: Cover Songs

Are you getting tired of playing the same tunes over and over again? Are you looking for something different? Then it’s a perfect time to play the same songs again.

Huh? How is playing the same songs again different than what you’re currently doing?

Try using cover songs! Covers are songs performed by an artist other than the one who recorded the original version. This allows instructors to provide music that is familiar yet different. Using covers allows you to expand your own musical tastes where you might not have gone before.

Some covers are true to the original, like The Stray Cats’ version of The Clash’s iconic “I Fought The Law.” Others take a completely diverse approach to the same song. Listen to Amanda Palmer’s ukulele interpretation of Radiohead’s electronic “Idioteque.” It’s hard to tell that they’re the same song.

Often covers will cross genres. What was previously considered a dated folk song piped into the halls of a hospital waiting room is transformed into a powerful alternative track worthy of an Olympic performance. Here are Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres at the Worlds 2017, skating to this emotional cover of a Paul Simon classic.

Instructors are using Disturbed’s “The Sound of Silence” as a powerful climb. Try it in silence—you and your riders might get chills!

We’ve had a few covers that we’ve highlighted in our weekly music posts. Here is a Wednesday Timeless Classic with four versions of a Motown favorite and Friday Favorite with a cover that is so amazing that I think the original artist will like it even better than his own!

Out-and-Back Profiles
What if you created an out-and-back ride and used two versions of the same song? Here is an example of an out-and-back ride on ICA. Create a similar layout but use some of your favorite covers with one version on the way out and the other version on the way back. Since some versions are more aggressive than the alternative (sometimes it’s the original, sometimes it’s the cover), you’ll have to fit the songs in where they work best, and not necessarily at the same stretch of road on the “back” portion of the profile. Use the softer folk songs (like “The Sound of Silence” original referenced above) for the cool-down or recoveries.

Note that cover songs are not the same as remixes. Remixes are modified versions of original songs by the original artist. We will be exploring SOYMB remixes at a later date.

Below are some of our own favorite covers and what we do with them, with contributions from Bill Pierce, Jennifer Sage, Karen Cruz, and Julianne Lafleur. You’ll find a link to a Spotify playlist with both the original and the cover (sometimes more than one). Let us know in the comments your own favorites and how you teach them!

Original Version:
Artist: Phil Collins
Song: In the Air Tonight (2015 Remastered)
Album: Face Value (Deluxe Edition)
Length: 5:36
BPM: 95
Contributor: Julianne Lafleur/Jennifer Sage
The original, often called Phil Collins’ signature track, has a wonderful cool-down/stretch vibe, but you can use it for much more than that. If you are able to disassociate from the beat (95 rpm is too fast and 47 rpm is too slow), this iconic song fits perfectly as a powerful and emotional climb. When Phil rips out his climactic drum break near the end (it has been described as “the sleekest, most melodramatic drum break in history”), add gear and rise from the saddle to share in the emotional pain of the songwriter (he wrote this after his wife left him).

Cover Version:
Artist: Natalie Taylor
Song: In the Air Tonight
Album: Single
Length: 2:53
BPM: 95
Contributor: Julianne Lafleur
Once the beat kicks in at 0:43, the cover has a fast-flat feel; start with a moderate effort at 95 rpm and every 20 seconds add gear until you are fighting (but winning) to hold the cadence. It also works great for an endurance profile when you are looking for consistency.

Original Version:
Artist: Fleetwood Mac
Song: Tusk
Album: Greatest Hits
Length: 3:30
BPM: 90
Contributor: Jennifer Sage
iTunes will tell you how many times you’ve played a song and what playlists it’s in—this one is up there among the songs I’ve played the most and it’s in 21 of my playlists over 13 years of being on iTunes! It’s so versatile for indoor cycling, and I can’t imagine anyone not loving this track. It’s the perfect cadence at 90 rpm. Use it for intervals at threshold or above, or throw it in for a mid-intensity effort. I’ve used it in racing scenarios like a Tour de France profile when I am describing the peloton or a small breakaway group holding a consistent higher cadence at a sub-threshold pace.

Cover Version:
Artist: The Crystal Ark
Song: Tusk
Album: Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
Length: 5:30
BPM: 91
Contributor: Jennifer Sage
I love this version! It’s peppy and fun and employs different instruments than the original. While still retaining the qualities of the original that made you love it so much, it’s different enough that you can play it in the same profile without feeling like you’re repeating a song. It’s the same tempo, so use it in the same way. The fact that it’s 2 minutes longer makes it even better when you need a longer flat segment.

Original Version:
Artist: Harry Nilsson
Song: Jump Into The Fire
Album: Nilsson Schmilsson
Length: 7:00
BPM: 146
Contributor: Bill Pierce
Harry Nilsson was primarily known for his ballads, like “Without You” and his popular novelty song “Coconut.” “Jump Into The Fire” marked his entry into the hard rock arena. The song debuted as a single in 1971, was featured in the Goodfellas soundtrack in 1990, and can still be heard today in an IBM Cloud commercial. Use it for a long 73 rpm climb. If desired, stand at 3:57 during the drum solo for about a minute.

Cover Version:
Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Song: Jump Into The Fire
Album: Daft Punk Is Playing At My House (B-side)
Length: 5:57
BPM: 152
Contributor: Bill Pierce
Increase the bpm and energy of Nilsson’s original version, add in the genius of James Murphy and some cowbell, and you have my favorite cover song ever. The song remained a favorite of the group and fans, and was included in the playlist of their final performance at Madison Square Garden (before they unretired). It makes for a great progressive climb, increasing resistance and intensity to above threshold at the end.

Original Version:
Artist: Simon & Garfunkel
Song: A Hazy Shade of Winter
Album: Bookends
Length: 2:17
BPM: 142
Contributor: Karen Cruz
This song was released in 1968 and was the second-most-popular song (it reached #13) on Bookends after “Mrs. Robinson.” The beat lends itself to a sustained seated climb at 71 rpm with moderate to heavy intensity.

Cover Version:
Artist: The Bangles
Song: Hazy Shade of Winter
Album: Greatest Hits
Length: 2:47
BPM: 150
Contributor: Karen Cruz
You know this ’80s girl band from their #1 hits like “Walk LIke an Egyptian” and “Eternal Flame.” In 1987 they released this cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s song; it was featured on the Less Than Zero soundtrack, which hit #1 as well. The first 30 seconds start off slow with bells in the background—great for a quick recovery from previous work. At 0:30 the guitar kicks in and it’s time to climb! I like to alternate in and out of the saddle, coming up on the guitar riff.

Original Version:
Artist: George Michael
Song: Careless Whisper
Album: The Final
Length: 5:03
BPM: 153
Contributor: Julianne Lafleur
RIP George Michael—we’ll always miss him. If you were of age in the 1980s, this song will no doubt spark some memories. In your cycling classes, this track works so well as a cool-down/stretch.

Cover Version:
Artist: Seether
Song: Careless Whisper
Album: Seether: 2002–2013
Length: 4:57
BPM: 134
Contributor: Julianne Lafleur
Climb at 67 rpm; option to add gear and stand 1:05–1:47, 2:59–3:28 (remove only what you added when you sit back down); at 4:10 do a cadence surge (add 5–10 rpm) and push to the end.

Original Version:
Artist: Beyonce and JayZ
Song: Crazy in Love
Album: Dangerously in Love
Length: 3:56
BPM: 99
Contributor: Julianne Lafleur
This song makes for a good warm-up.

Cover Version:
Artist: Swing Republic
Song: Crazy in Love
Album: Crazy in Love (Radio Edit) (single)
Length: 3:55
BPM: 101
Contributor: Julianne Lafleur
Fast flat. Hold a consistent, moderately hard effort at 101 rpm. If it’s too fast, feel free to dissociate from the beat as needed.

Original Version:
Artist: Chaka Khan
Song: Ain’t Nobody
Album: Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Volume 1
Length: 4:41
BPM: 104
Contributor: Karen Cruz
Every time I hear this song it brings me back to the early ’80s. I love Chaka Khan’s voice and this song is a classic. You can either ride a fast flat, or perform accelerations at 1:31–1:54, 2:22–2:41, and 3:18–3:54 (or keep going until 4:10).

Cover Version:
Artist: Felix Jaehn, Jasmine Thompson
Song: Ain’t Nobody
Album: I
Length: 3:06
BPM: 118
Contributor: Karen Cruz
Personally, I think you can’t beat the original, but I like this version as a recovery. The xylophone catches your attention at the start, and Jasmine’s dreamy vocals will pull you in.

Original Version:
Artist: The Postal Service
Song: The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
Album: Give Up
Length: 4:44
BPM: 154
Contributor: Bill Pierce
The interesting story behind the recording of the album is that due to their busy schedules, the artists (who were all part of other bands) were unable to get together in the studio to record. So, they each recorded their own parts and mailed digital audio tapes back and forth. The band adopted the name The Postal Service because of this. The song can be used as a 72 rpm climb with out-of-the-saddle surges on the choruses.

Cover Version:
Artist: Birdy
Song: The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
Album: Birdy
Length: 4:44
BPM: 135
Contributor: Bill Pierce
I initially heard Birdy’s cover of “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight” in a yoga class. It’s a beautiful interpretation and makes for a perfect cool-down song.

Original Version:
Artist: The Beatles
Song: Come Together
Album: Abbey Road
Length: 4:20
BPM: 84
Contributor: Jennifer Sage
To me, this song shows the genius of the Beatles. For Lennon, the hypnotic rhythm was the most important thing. He said, “It’s one of my favorite Beatles tracks. It’s funky, it’s bluesy, and I’m singing it pretty well.” In your cycling class, that hypnotic rhythm works fabulously as a (mostly) consistent flat road. (I say “mostly” because my bpm reader ranges from 82 to 86 bpm throughout the song.)

Cover Version:
Artist: Michael Jackson
Song: Come Together
Album: History—Past, Present and Future—Book 1
Length: 4:02
BPM: 89
Contributor: Jennifer Sage
A little bit faster and filled with that Michael Jackson flair, including plenty of “wow”s so indicative of Jackson’s style. Your class will love this version. It works well for any harder fast flat, including an FTP test.
Also, check out Aerosmith’s cover of “Come Together” (86 bpm).

Original Version:
Artist: Bob Marley
Song: Waiting in Vain
Album: Legend
Length: 4:16
BPM: 158
Contributor: Jennifer Sage
 Ah, Bob Marley. Who can listen to this song (or almost any of his songs) and not imagine being on a beach sipping a drink with an umbrella in it? This track works great for a warm-up or a gentle flat for when you need to pull back the intensity mid-profile. And of course, it should be on your Anti-Valentine’s playlist, too. Who among us hasn’t sung along with this song from a knowing place of heartbreak?

Cover Version:
Artist: Annie Lennox
Song: Waiting in Vain
Album: Medusa
Length: 5:41
BPM: 160
Contributor: Jennifer Sage
Annie Lennox brings her unmistakable soothing voice to this classic song. I’m pretty sure it will become one of your favorite cool-down songs, like it has mine. You may even find you start to use it too often—I had to put myself on a moratorium for a while!

Original Version:
Artist: Led Zeppelin
Song: Whole Lotta Love
Album: Led Zeppellin II
Length: 5:34
BPM: 92
Contributor: Jennifer Sage
Such a great classic rock-and roll-song, one that will appeal to your hard-rock riders, especially those north of 40 years old. This is a perfect hard-effort song for a race like a criterium, but it has a few breaks in it so it’s not great for a field test. Here’s how I deal with those: Start at 92 rpm right around threshold (“hard”). It gets very rock-and-roll-y and a bit weird with wailing voices from 1:18 to 3:05. You can either stand here for part of it (change cadence if needed), or add a little gear and imagine pushing through a headwind. Then at 3:20, grab the beat, recommit, and drive the legs. Hold on, there’s a hill coming. At 3:58, add gear and stand (the beat drops away, so lower the cadence). Then when it picks back up at 4:28, get back into your race pace on the beat. Push it hard until the end, letting Jimmy Page’s guitar be your engine.

Cover Version:
Artist: Tina Turner
Song: Whole Lotta Love
Album: Funkier Than a Mosquito’s Tweeter
Length: 4:42
BPM: 157
Contributor: Jennifer Sage
This changes everything! Tina adds her delightful R&B twist to this classic; it’s quite a bit slower and the musical energy stays consistent throughout the song with no breaks. Use it for a quicker climb or describe a flat with a headwind. Take the intensity down a bit for this one; a tempo pace in high Zone 3 (moderately hard) works well.

Also, don’t miss Mary J. Blige’s version (very quick at 105 bpm) or The Dynamics’ (at 83 bpm, more similar to Tina Turner’s).

Check out our full playlist below with over 400 tracks for you to use in your covers playlist!