The 25 worst cover songs of all time, ranked

Even great musicians with the best intentions can serve up a bad cover of a cherished song. In some cases they might try too hard to be faithful to the original, leading to an interpretation that’s too stiff or slick. Or they can alter a song until it contains just the vaguest air of what made the first version special. In some cases they can wildly misconstrue the classic track, turning their take into a memorable monstrosity.

Whatever the reason for the failings by these artists, there’s no disputing that the original songs remain beloved, which is why brutally bad updates can be so difficult to swallow. This list of the 25 worst cover songs, like our look at the 25 best cover songs of all time, doesn’t pretend to be comprehensive. Still, as we surveyed the last five decades of pop and rock music, we’ve done our best to corral the truly awful covers and order them in a way that metes out some semblance of order, if not justice.

25. UB40, “The Way You Do The Things You Do” (1990)

One of the leading British reggae bands of the 1980s, UB40 broke into the mainstream through a cover of Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine.” Fate brought that 1983 cover back to the American charts in 1988, where it topped the Billboard charts, creating a market for a sequel. Hence, Labour Of Love II, a generally amiable record marked by a cheerful rendition of the Temptations’ “The Way You Do The Things You Do” that sounded as if it was designed for a cruise ship. It was the first flowering of an unfortunate slick side of UB40 that brought them straight to the middle of the road.