If you're a non-hetero identifying person, finding a gender-swapped cover that keeps the original pronouns intact is possibly the BEST FEELING EVER!
Truly, a blessed moment.
Lyrics that reflect our lives are hard to come by — let us have this one thing.
Let's give it up for the musicians who, intentionally or not, give us the magical queer covers we crave:
1. Colbie Caillat covering "Rude" by Magic!:
View this video on YouTube
2. Calum Scott covering "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn:
View this video on YouTube
"Somebody said you got a new friend
Does she love you better than I can?
There's a big black sky over my town
I know where you at, I bet she's around
Yeah, I know it's stupid
I just gotta see it for myself
I'm in the corner
Watching you kiss her
Oh oh oh
I'm right over here
Why can't you see me?"
Dance along with the original.
3. Gabrielle Aplin covering "Best Song Ever" by One Direction:
View this video on YouTube
"Maybe it's the way she walked
Straight into my heart and stole it
Through the doors and past the guards
Just like she already owned it
I said, 'Can you give it back to me?'
She said, 'Never in your wildest dreams'"
Dance all night to the original as well.
4. Brandi Carlile covering "Work Song" by Hozier:
View this video on YouTube
"There's nothing sweeter than my baby
I'd never want once from the cherry tree
Cause my baby's sweet as can be
She'd give me toothaches just from kissin' me"
Listen to the original.
5. Mary Lambert covering "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield:
View this video on YouTube
"Jessie is a friend,
Yeah, I know he's been a good friend of mine
But lately something's changed
It ain't hard to define
Jessie's got himself a girl and I want to make her mine"
Here's the original.
6. Lyle Lovett covering "Stand By Your Man" by Tammy Wynette:
View this video on YouTube
"Sometimes it's hard to be a woman
Giving all your love to just one man
You'll have bad times, and he'll have good times
Doin' things that you don't understand
But if you love him, you'll forgive him
Even though he's hard to understand
And if you love him, oh be proud of him
'Cause after all he's just a man."
Get country with the original.
7. Melissa Etheridge covering "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart:
View this video on YouTube
"Wake up Maggie I think I got something to say to you
It's late September and I really should be back at school
I know I keep you amused but I feel I'm being used
Oh Maggie I couldn't have tried any more
You lured me away from home just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart and that's what really hurt"
Listen to the original.
8. The White Stripes covering "Jolene" by Dolly Parton:
View this video on YouTube
"Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can"
Listen to the original.
9. Kina Grannis covering "Sweater Weather" by The Neighbourhood:
View this video on YouTube
"All I am is a man
I want the world in my hands
I hate the beach
But I stand
In California with my toes in the sand
Use the sleeves of my sweater
Let's have an adventure
Head in the clouds but my gravity's centered
Touch my neck and I'll touch yours
You in those little high-waisted shorts, oh"
Listen to the original.
10. Joan Jett covering "Crimson And Clover" by Tommy James & The Shondells:
View this video on YouTube
"Now I don't hardly know her
But I think I could love her
Crimson and clover
Ah I wish she'd come walking over
Now I've been waiting to show her
Crimson and clover
Over and over"
Jam out to the original.
11. Kaki King covering "Love Stoned / I Think She Knows" by Justin Timberlake:
View this video on YouTube
"She grabs the yellow bottle
She likes the way it hits her lips
She gets to the bottom
It sends her on a trip so right
She might be going home with me tonight
She looks like a model
Except she's got a little more ass
Don't even bother
Unless you've got that thing she likes
I hope she's going home with me tonight"
Listen to the original.
12. Arden Cho covering Passenger's "Let Her Go":
View this video on YouTube
"Well you see her when you fall asleep
But never to touch and never to keep
'Cause you loved her too much
And you dived too deep
Well you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go"
Cry your little heart out to the original.
13. Jenny Owen Youngs covering "Hot In Herre" by Nelly:
View this video on YouTube
"I was like, good gracious ass bodacious
Flirtatious, tryin to show faces
Lookin for the right time to shoot my steam (you know)
Lookin for the right time to flash them keys
Then um I'm leavin, please believe in
Me and the rest of my heathens
Check it, got it locked at the top of the Four Seasons
Penthouse, roof top, birds I feedin
No deceivin, nothin up my sleeve, no teasin
I need you to get up up on the dance floor
Give that man what he askin for
Cuz I feel like bustin loose and I feel like touchin you
And can't nobody stop the juice so baby tell me whats the use"
Listen to the original.
14. Amy Winehouse covering (and totally owning) "Valerie" by The Zutons:
View this video on YouTube
"Since I've come on home,
Well my body's been a mess
And I've missed your ginger hair
And the way you like to dress
Won't you come on over
Stop making a fool out of me
Why don't you come on over, Valerie?"
Listen to the original, which you've probably never even heard before.
15. Maxwell covering "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush:
View this video on YouTube
"Pray God you can cope
I'll stand outside
This woman's work
This woman's world
Oh it's hard on the man
Now his part is over
Now starts the craft of the Father"
Listen to the original.
16. Kathleen Nguyen covering "Night Changes" by One Direction:
View this video on YouTube
"Going out tonight
Changes into something red
Her mother doesn't like that kind of dress
Everything she never had she's showing off
Driving too fast
Moon is breaking through her hair
She said it was something that she won't forget
Having no regrets is all that she really wants"
Listen to the original.
17. YouTuber franbirkby covering "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus:
View this video on YouTube
18. Lorde covering "Don't Tell 'Em" by Jeremih:
View this video on YouTube
"Rhythm is a dancer, I need a companion
Girl, I guess that must be you
Body like the summer, fucking like no other
Don't you tell 'em what we do"
Listen to the original.
19. Christopher & Theis covering "Call Your Girlfriend" by Robyn:
View this video on YouTube
"Call your girlfriend
It's time you had the talk
Give your reasons
Say it's not her fault
But you just met somebody new"
Call your girlfriend, and then listen to the original.
20. Janet Jackson covering "Tonight's The Night" by Rod Stewart:
View this video on YouTube
"Kick off your shoes and sit right down
Loosen off that pretty French gown
Let me pour you a good long drink
Ooh baby don't you hesitate 'cause
Tonights the night
It's gonna be alright
'Cause I love you girl
Ain't nobody gonna stop us now"
Here's the original.
21. T.V. Carpio covering "Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles in Across The Universe:
View this video on YouTube
"Oh please, say to me
You'll let me be your man
And please, say to me
You'll let me hold your hand"
Get all the feelings and then listen to the original.
22. Ellie Goulding covering "Take Me To Church" by Hozier:
View this video on YouTube
"My lover's got humour
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should've worshipped her sooner
If the heavens ever did speak
She's the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week"
Here's the original and here's another lovely one for you.
23. Sixpence None The Richer covering "There She Goes" by The La's:
View this video on YouTube
"There she goes
There she goes again
Racing through my brain
And I just can't contain
This feeling that remains"
Listen to the original.
24. Anya Marina covering "Whatever You Like" by T.I.:
View this video on YouTube
"Shawty you the hottest. Love the way you drop it.
Brain so good could've sworn you went to college.
100k deposit. Vacations in the tropics
And everybody know it ain't tricking if you got it
You ain't never ever gotta go in your wallet.
Long as I got rubber band banks in my pocket.
Five six rides with rims and a body kit.
You ain't gotta downgrade you can get what I get
My chick can have what she want.
And go in any store for any bag she wants.
I know you ain't never had a man like that.
To buy you anything your heart desire like that."
Listen to the original.
25. Suzi Quatro covering Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up":
View this video on YouTube
"Well, please don't ask me what'sa on my mind
I'm a little mixed up, but I'm feelin' fine
When I'm near that girl that I love best
My heart beats so it scares me to death!
Well she touched my hand what a chill I got
Her lips are like a volcano when it's hot
I'm proud to say that she's my buttercup
I'm in love
I'm all shook up"
Here's the original.
26. Kate Nash covering "I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance" by Black Kids:
View this video on YouTube
"You are the girl that I've been dreaming of
Ever since I was a little girl
You are the girl that I've been dreaming of
Ever since I was a little girl
[...]
Word's on the streets and it's on the news:
I'm not gonna teach him how to dance with you"
Listen to the original.
27. Save Ferris covering "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners:
View this video on YouTube
"Come on Eileen
Oh, I swear what he means (what he means)
At this moment you mean everything
You in that dress
My thoughts I confess
Verge on dirty
Oh, come on Eileen"
Dance along to the original.
28. Siouxsie And The Banshees covering "Dear Prudence" by The Beatles
View this video on YouTube
"Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?"
Listen to the original.
29. The Flaming Lips covering "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" by Kylie Minogue:
View this video on YouTube
"I just can't get you out of my head
Boy your loving is all I think about
I just can't get you out of my head
Boy it's more than I dare to think about"
And here is the original.
30. K.D. Lang covering "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen:
View this video on YouTube
"Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya
She tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah"
Listen to the original.
31. Florence and The Machine covering "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith:
View this video on YouTube
"Guess it's true, I'm not good at a one-night stand
But I still need love 'cause I'm just a man
These nights never seem to go to plan
I don't want you to leave, will you hold my hand?"
Try not to cry along with original.
Have a favorite cover? Add it in the comments below.
CORRECTION: Leonard Cohen wrote "Hallelujah". A previous version of this post stated Jeff Buckley instead — his cover is lovely as well.