Greetings and salutations Hivers. Today let’s go into another Three Tune Tuesday post.
As always, thanks to 
Today I have three covers. One a cover by the original artist, but a cover nonetheless. Let’s dive in.
Middle Aged Dad Jam Band – “Rio” (originally by Duran Duran)
The original “Rio” by Duran Duran is pure neon 80s excess. It’s one of the songs that put Duran Duran on the map. Bright basslines, glossy production, yacht-club energy with just enough art-school weirdness to keep it interesting.
(Ok, I’m not exactly sure what that means. The whole “Yacht rock” thing seems to be a modern reinterpretation of a certain sound. But whatever — it kind of fits so we’ll use it.)
The Middle Aged Dad Jam Band version does their best to mimic that. They do a pretty good job, especially the keyboardist. Man, and these guys are just a joy to watch.
RAYE & Cyndi Lauper – “Time After Time” (Rock Hall 2025 Induction)
When Cyndi Lauper sings “Time After Time,” it still carries the same emotional clarity it did in the 80s. She’s in her 70s! Man… time flies.
I’m not so familar with RAYE. She does a pretty good job. She has a smoky modern phrasing, a kind of jazz-inflected control, but she doesn’t overpower the original sentiment.
Haley Reinhart – “Black Hole Sun” (Vintage Cover)
Now this one.
The original by Soundgarden is heavy, psychedelic, and ominous. Chris Cornell’s voice feels like it’s clawing its way through the sky.
Haley Reinhart takes it somewhere completely different. This arrangement slows it down into a smoky, late-night jazz swing. It feels like something drifting out of a 1930s speakeasy. If you told me this was playing in a backroom lounge in Chicago during Prohibition, I’d believe you.
What’s fascinating is that the instrumentation alone doesn’t fully explain that feeling. It’s her voice. She leans into phrasing in a way that makes the melody feel vintage. Slight bends. A relaxed pocket. Almost theatrical, but not campy. Maybe it’s that rasp in her voice.
That’s the magic of interpretation. The same lyrics, the same melody, but the emotional color shifts completely.
In some ways, this version makes the song darker. Not louder. Not heavier. Just darker in a more intimate way. Like the apocalypse has already happened and we’re just sipping bourbon while we wait for the sky to cave in.
So what’s your favorite?
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David is an American teacher and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Bluesky. |