If you are anything like me, you have probably listened to today's music and thought "By golly, gee whiz, this song sure is great, but how can it sound more like 'Cotton Eyed Joe'?" The answer to this universal question is the banjo.That glorious stringed instrument whose gentle clucking fills our minds with visions of chickens with impeccable rhythm. Couple it with the powerful strummings of a steel-stringed acoustic guitar, the beautiful harp of backcountry angels known as the mandolin and the thunder of an upright bass and you're left with a folk-lover's dream. Pair all of that with some of the biggest pop hits of the 2000s, and you get something beautifully strange. Or possibly just strange. You be the judge.
At any rate, if you're a fan of The Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers, or other like artists and are looking for something different to fill that banjo-shaped void in your heart, here is a list of covers to get you well on your way.
1. "I Believe in A Thing Called Love" - The Darkness
I believe in a thing called banjo, am I right? This cover is a melding of electric and acoustic guitars, steel drum, electric bass, banjo and tambourine, all pulled together by an excellent male-female vocal harmony, and of course performed in a backyard on a sunny day. What more do you need in a folk cover? Nothing, because Branches nailed it.
2. Daft Punk - "Get Lucky"
Covered by The Beef Seeds, Daft Punk's summer hit takes on a new life with powerful and gritty Mumford-esque vocals paired with rhythms reminiscent of Johnny Cash's distinctive bass. What a time to be alive.
3. "Hit 'Em Up Style" - Blu Cantrell
The Carolina Chocolate Drops give this romantic revenge anthem a distinct folk twist with a steel drum, a violin, and, you guessed it, a banjo. Nothing says "You done messed up real bad, son" like some banjo.
4. "I Bet My Life" - Imagine Dragons
This cover from the "Pickin' On" series is definitely more bluegrass, but it satisfies that primal banjo desire nonetheless while going above and beyond all that we could ever ask or think by including the tasteful whine of a fiddle.
5. "Dark Horse" - Katy Perry Ft. Juicy J
If you've ever listened to this song and thought to yourself, "Wow, this song could use 100 percent less Katy Perry and 100 percent more banjo," have no fear. The Beef Seeds come through again.
