A Mexican glam-rock band wipes the tears off a sad pop tune and gives it a more aggressive edge. A Colombian singer turns a macho ballad into a feminist anthem. A melancholy Brazilian remake of a rock 'n' roll classic. Some crazy kids tackle a Rolling Stones song. There's more, but you'll have to listen to this week's show, which is all about remakes in the world of Latin Alternative music.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but let's be honest: There are awful remakes in every language and genre. We'll leave it to you to tell us which remakes you wish had never existed -- let us know your thoughts in the comments section below -- but in the meantime, we're unearthing and sharing our favorite jewels on today's show.
As we listened to our favorites, we asked ourselves: What makes a good remake? By the end of the show, we came to a few conclusions:
1. One recipe for a good cover song is taking something totally unexpected and the opposite of your style, and making it your own.
2. If you're going to make fun of another artist's song, you should be able to make fun of yourself -- otherwise, you might come off as a pretentious jerk.
3. Ask for permission, or you could get sued you for all you're worth.
4. Don't try to impersonate other musicians; pay tribute to them while holding on to your cultural and personal identity.
Below, you'll find some of our favorite remakes -- plus the original versions -- in their entirety. And, as always, we want to hear from you: What are your favorite remakes of all time? What about the worst ones?
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No Podras
Romantic crooner Christian Castro's "No Podras" ("You Cannot") is a synthetic pop ballad about falling out of love.
No Podrás
Years after Christian Castro released the original version, the Mexican glam-rock band Moderatto released another. We caught up with the band members before the show, and they said the pop singer loves their version.
Mil Horas
The original version of "Mil Horas" ("A Thousand Hours"), sung by the Argentine band Los Abuelos de la Nada, is a melancholy song about a guy who waits for his girlfriend under the cold rain for what feels like a thousand hours. When she finally arrives, she takes one look at him and scoffs, "Dude, you're wet. I don't love you anymore." That's rough.
Mil Horas
Sindicato Argentino del Hip Hop (Argentine Hip-Hop Syndicate) masters this remake.
Mil Horas (D.R.)
Dominican-American reggaeton artist Magic Juan remakes "Mil Horas" into a far more danceable, cockier song -- but he's still waiting in the freezing rain for his girl.
Mil Horas
Colombian cumbia group La Sonora Dinamita takes the melancholy "Mil Horas" out for a spin on the dance floor. Check out this highly danceable version.
Baracunatana
This cumbia song addresses a very bad woman. There are many versions, mostly sung by men and here played by Colombian musician Lisandro Meza.
Hear "Baracunatana" on YouTube.
Baracunatana
Aterciopelados takes the cumbia song "Baracunatana" and remakes it into a feminist song which mocks men who criticize women for being "loose."
Hear "Baracunatana" on YouTube.
Overture
Lawrence of Arabia is the favorite movie of Alt.Latino's Felix Contreras. He watches it at least once a year at his local theater, and according to him, "The soundtrack is a perfect companion to such an epic movie."
La Bestia Pop
"La Bestia Pop" ("The Pop Beast"), by the Argentine ska/rock band Patricio Rey y Sus Redonditos de Ricota, builds an entire song out of the theme to Lawrence of Arabia. Incidentally, this group gets an award for most creative band name: King Patrick and His Ricotta Cheese Dumplings.
Hear "La Bestia Pop" on YouTube.
La Bestia Pop
Uruguayan singer Maia Castro specializes in fantastic modern tangos. Her milonga version of "La Bestia Pop" is stunning. (Milonga is a softer but faster cousin of tango music.)
Hear "La Bestia Pop" on YouTube.
Life on Mars?
David Bowie's original "Life on Mars?" is a glitzy operatic song, with all the elements of rock 'n' roll theater. Bowie has a unique voice and persona, which makes covering his work a daunting task for any musician.
Hear "Life on Mars" on YouTube.
Life on Mars?
Seu Jorge's cover of David Bowie's "Life on Mars?" could be a disaster, but instead the Brazilian singer turns it into a rare jewel. With his throaty voice and lonely guitar, Seu Jorge's version deserves a place alongside the original.
Hear "Life on Mars" on YouTube.
Last Time
The orchestrated version of The Rolling Stones' "The Last Time" was produced by then-manager Andrew Loog Oldham. It doesn't sound a whole lot like the original, but it's quite a beautiful tune.
Bittersweet Symphony
"Bittersweet Symphony," by British band The Verve, took the melody of the orchestrated Rolling Stones song "The Last Time" and added lyrics that amount to an existential crisis. According to the song, "You try to make ends meet / You're a slave to the money, then you die." That might have been prophetic, since The Verve got sued for using too much of the original melody.
Hear "Bittersweet Symphony" on YouTube.
Sinfonia Agridulce [Bittersweet Symphony]
Mexican Institute of Sound's cover of "Bittersweet Symphony" retains the essence of the original, but adds its own cultural flavor by giving it a distinctly Mexican sound. It even enhances the mood of the original: It sounds as if lead singer Camilo Lara is stumbling out of a tavern and weeping about a girlfriend leaving him.
Hear "Sinfonia Agridulce (Bittersweet Symphony)" on YouTube.