This Is What Beck’s Sheet Music Album Sounds Like

He hasn’t recorded any of the tunes in Song Reader, but plenty of musicians have been sharing their renditions on YouTube.

Image by Katy Winn / AP

Beck made a point of not recording any of the tunes in Song Reader, his new book of original sheet music, because he didn’t want musicians to be overly influenced by his own performances. As you can tell from these versions recorded by a variety of professional and amateur musicians, some went their own way with the material, while others hemmed close to his own established styles.

1. “Don’t Act Like Your Heart Isn’t Hard”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PIka1IqJvYg.

Source: youtube.com

2. “I’m Down”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=UtZvo8LbIcM.

Source: youtube.com

3. “Saint Dude”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=TDdTUEAlUgY.

Kurt Andersen put together a band of staffers from two New York public radio stations for this cover on “Studio 360.”

Source: youtube.com

4. “Do We? We Do”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-gxQliHI0i0.

Source: youtube.com

5. “Eyes That Say ‘I Love You’”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=if8-oLD_SjM.

The Portland Cello Project has actually recorded every song from the Song Reader.

Source: youtube.com

6. “Now That Your Dollar Bills Have Sprouted Wings”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=yyZwq_VU_vw.

Source: youtube.com

7. “Please Leave a Light on When You Go”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ENWJkXRrcHY.

Source: youtube.com

8. “Rough On Rats”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=UXaYBiA0fxs.

This version, which features Ed Harcourt on keys and the Libertines’ Carl Barat on vocals, was recorded during a special performance of the full album at Rough Trade East in London.

Source: youtube.com

9. “Old Shanghai”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=LmQ77rHVxgg.

Stephin Merritt from the Magnetic Fields performed this version on WNYC’s Soundcheck.

Source: youtube.com

10. “Sorry”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=j3A1t8TBqz4.

Source: youtube.com

11. “Why Did You Make Me Care?”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=liNuSzLKNmY.

Source: youtube.com

12. “Heaven’s Ladder”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uaq9uAFawSY.

John Lewis also recorded every song on the album.

Source: youtube.com

13. “America, Here’s My Boy”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=23LgNIqtmPg.

Liela Moss from the Duke Spirit joined Ed Harcourt for this track, also from the London show.

Source: youtube.com

14. “Just Noise”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=jMc7k9xN-RU.

Source: youtube.com

15. “We All Wear Cloaks”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fDu3eQyHTQg.

Here’s an adorable home video take on “We All Wear Cloaks.”

Source: youtube.com

16. “Mutilation Rag”

Here’s another track from Kurt Andersen’s “Studio 360” session. Did I mention he wore a Beck mask and played xylophone with a Sharpie?

17. “The Wolf Is on the Hill”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KjwnmRiORjw.

These guys are taking a cue from Beck’s Record Club and recording a new song every week.

Source: youtube.com

18. “Title of This Song”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=YT5xvzkmGLA.

Source: youtube.com

19. “The Last Polka”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-G0zLwfkn9I.

Source: youtube.com

20. “Last Night You Were A Dream”

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9wjtM7Prsrc.

Source: youtube.com

Feeling inspired? Grab a copy of the Song Reader from McSweeney’s and submit a cover to Beck’s site.