Cool cover song of the week...

While it's difficult to truly assemble a list of my favorite songs given how long I've been a music fan, one song that continually comes to mind when I think about tackling that task is Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine. First of all, Withers' voice is so resonant and rich (on this and so many of his other songs), and this song in particular is plaintive and mournful, yet I don't find it depressing in any way. It's just such a beautiful song.

Amazingly, Ain't No Sunshine was originally released by Withers as the B-side to another single called Harlem (remember B-sides?), yet disc jockeys played Ain't No Sunshine instead. In September 1971, it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 on the U.S. R&B charts. Rolling Stone ranked the song as #285 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

I stumbled on this cover version of Ain't No Sunshine by a band called Silent Rider, and I can't get it out of my head. It's totally different from Withers' version and some purists may totally loathe it, but I think it's pretty cool and ethereal sounding.

Here's Silent Rider's version:

Here's a version by American Idol's Season 8 winner, Kris Allen:

And here's the master, Mr. Withers himself:

Check out my previous Cool Cover Songs of the Week:

Borderline by The Counting Crows

How Deep Is Your Love by The Bird and The Bee

Life in a Northern Town by Sugarland, Little Big Town, and Jake Owen

I Don't Want to Talk About It by The Indigo Girls

Only You by Joshua Radin

Pure Imagination by Maroon 5

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by Blake Stratton

What a Fool Believes by Neri Per Caso

Poker Face by Daughtry

Back to Black by Ronnie Spector

I Will Survive by Cake

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by The Stereophonics

Rolling in the Deep by John Legend

Go Your Own Way by Lissie

Winner Takes it All by McFly

What a Wonderful World by Joey Ramone

Careless Whisper by Seether

I Walk the Line by Live

Dear Prudence by Siouxsie and The Banshees

Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm

Who Wants to Live Forever by Breaking Benjamin

Redemption Song by Chris Cornell and Audioslave

Love Me Tender by Chris Isaak and Brandi Carlile

All You Need is Love by The Flaming Lips

Lovesong by Adele

I Love It by Robin Thicke

Billie Jean by The Civil Wars

Across the Universe by The Scorpions

Can't Hold Us by Pentatonix

Wicked Game by James Vincent McMorrow

Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) by The Postal Service

Jolene by The White Stripes

Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) by Justin Timberlake

More Than This by Norah Jones

Royals by Mayer Hawthorne

I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) by The Bird and The Bee