Canadian band, Walk Off The Earth, are an incredibly tight musical unit. When you’re in the business of performing musical transformations, you have to be.
In fact, Walk Off The Earth are one of few pop groups to find fame and fortune by playing other people’s music.
That’s not to say that they don’t write their own music too. They do, and it’s very good. But Walk Off The Earth’s journey to stardom has their innovative cover versions to thank.
To paraphrase Spiderman, with a great amount of covers comes a great amount of responsibility. And even greater questions: how do you develop a sound for your band when you mainly play other people’s songs? What will you bring to the table that the original artist didn’t? How do you improve the original?
Or perhaps more importantly, when you’re covering the likes of Adele, The Beatles and The Police… can you even improve the original?
Walk Off The Earth have had fourteen years to attempt answers to these questions. You can find them on the band’s eight albums and eight EPs. One thing’s for sure: when you answer the cover conundrum with unusual instruments, tight vocal harmonies and a wide palette of musical influences, few will be disappointed.
Here’s our seven favourite Walk Off The Earth covers.
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Honourable mentions: “Party Rock Anthem”, “Someone Like You”, “Material Girl”.
#7 “Happy”
Somewhat unusually for Walk Off The Earth, this cover isn’t too far removed from the individual. But that’s part of “Happy”’s charm: rather than re-invent the wheel, the band focus on upping the fun of Pharrell’s already infectious original. Any of Walk Off The Earth’s covers that features multiple lead vocalists has real power to it, and this one is no exception.
#6 “God Only Knows”
When you’re a band that boasts unrivalled vocal harmonies, an EP of piano instrumentals comes straight from left field. But the fact that they pull it off speaks to the eclecticism and adaptability that has ensured Walk Off The Earth’s success.
This Beach Boys cover is one of many gorgeous vignettes found on Beard Ballads, Volume 1. Tragically, Walk Off The Earth’s supremely talented pianist, Mike Taylor, passed away in 2018, making this track tug at the heartstrings even more readily.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH5TWbyfNoU
#5 “Teenage Dirtbag”
A favourite choice of cover version for high school rock bands the world over, “Teenage Dirtbag” has been re-invented to the point of ridiculousness. But there’s a paired-back rawness to Walk Off The Earth’s version that gives the listener plenty to “give a damn about”.
#4 “Walking On The Moon”
Given how partial Walk Off The Earth are to reggae, you’d think that covering The Police would be a foregone conclusion. Despite this, “Walking On The Moon” is their only recorded cover of Sting’s trio to date.
The temptation to go full-reggae must’ve been real, but interestingly, the band steer the ship in the other direction for most of this cover. The inclusion of an audio sample from the Apollo 11 landing just confirms the lengths that this band will go to to keep listeners on their toes.
#3 “Cheerleader”
Walk Off The Earth excel at hand-picking the best modern pop and putting their own spin on it. “Cheerleader” is one of their biggest successes.
Is it the brass instruments? Or is it the melodica? Is it the slide whistle leading into OMI’s indelible chorus? Is it the vague hoedown-ness? Maybe it’s all of the above that make this one a truly classic cover.
#2 “People Of The Sun”
It seems appropriate that one of Walk Off The Earth’s very first musical homages should’ve been to a band with a long history of cover versions themselves. Rage Against The Machine’s “People Of The Sun” is less a call-to-arms here than a reggae-inspired romp.
That might raise eyebrows amongst the Rage faithful, but if you’re anything like me, you won’t be disappointed.
#1 “Somebody That I Used To Know”
This really is the cover that launched Walk Off The Earth into the musical stratosphere. The band’s version of “Somebody That I Used To Know” has more than 187 million hits on YouTube.
Like their cover of “Happy”, this one doesn’t stray too far from the original, but that just makes Walk Off The Earth’s personal touches feel all the more powerful.
Walk Off The Earth 2020 Australian Tour
Tue 21 January
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, QLD
Wed 22 January
Sydney Opera House, NSW
Sat 25 January
Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena, SA
Sun 26 January
Plenary Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Mon 27 January
Astor Theatre, Perth, WA
