A Whole Damn Week with the Same Song, Part 5: …and John Darnielle for the win.

I think I’ve really saved the best for last in covers week. At first glance, this cover by The Mountain Goats (which is really just one guy named John Darnielle… more on him next week) seems to be pretty straightforward, not all that distinct from Jon Brion’s—just exchange one forceful nasally voiced singer for another.

Then, at about 2:48 into the song, everything changes. Somehow, Darnielle sees it fit to launch into the chorus of R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)”. Yes, the whiny voiced white boy sings about “Cristal poppin' in the stretch Navigator,” and it’s everything you’re imagining right now and then some. Here’s the truly miraculous thing: it works, fitting with the theme of the original song and everything. I don’t know how he does it.

As if all this wasn’t enough, at the end we find out that this was performed live on a radio station apparently DJ-ed by the Swedish Chef from The Muppets, who makes an appearance in the bumper at the end… classic.

The Mountain Goats- The Boys are Back In Town

So that concludes our whole damn week of the same song… for those of you who haven’t stopped reading, thank you for your devotion (I’m assuming you exist, mind you). It’s actually been a lot of fun for me to write, and it’s given me time to think up some great new posts for the next few weeks. See you next week.