5 of P!nk's Best Cover Songs

Pink has had a long and successful career thanks to her creative song writing, death-defying stage shows, and rebellious personality.

She's also no strangers to catchy hits.

But live she isn't afraid to dig down into the bottomless well of fun songs to cover.

Here's a few of her best cover songs over her 23-year-career.

"What's Up" - 4 Non Blondes

Alecia Beth Moore Hart, now known as P!nk, was born in September of 1979, meaning she was 14 years old when the yearning song by the scruffy 4 Non Blondes was a worldwide hit in 1993.

Written by the talented songwriter Linda Perry, the oddly titled "What's Up" does not include those two words. The chorus does ask "what's going on." No matter, the song went to #1 in a dozen countries and peaked in the Top 20 in the US but made a huge impact on MTV where young Miss Moore probably first saw it.

Years later Perry would give P!nk her first hit with "Get The Party Started" after Madonna passed on it.

P!nk has performed "What's Up" 329 times, most recently a year ago in Austin, TX.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen

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This is why people love P!nk.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a tricky song to cover because you know you aren't going to be able to pull it off better than Freddie Mercury and Queen. But it's also one of those songs where even if no one in the crowd is prepared for it, they can easily sing along to it.

During her Funhouse Tour in 2009 it was a staple in her set.

Many artists would put that epic classic at the end of the show because it would be so hard to follow it, but not P!nk. There it is leading into the title track of the album she's supporting.

And best of all: she stayed true to the song. No monkey business. And it helped she had a full band with singers to help with all the great nuances of the tune.

P!nk has performed "Bohemian Rhapsody" 155 times, mostly in 2009, but last year she whipped it out four times.

"Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" - Joan Baez (and also Led Zep)

Fun fact: the song most people think is a Led Zeppelin classic from 1969 was first recorded by Joan Baez in 1961, and written by a woman in the 1950s by the name of Anne Bredon.

With her soaring high notes, P!nk successfully brings it back to the sisterhood.

What's great about P!nk's version is she completely embraces the heft and guitar solos of Zep while letting her band rock out. She generously shares the stage with them letting them have the spotlight on this song.

P!nk has performed "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" 163 times. The first time she did it was in 2009 in France.

Me & Bobby McGee - Kris Kristofferson (and Janis Joplin)

This is another tune most people associate with the singer and not the songwriter. Kris Kristofferson wrote this love song in the '60s, but it wasn't recorded until Roger Miller in 1969.

That year three others embraced it including Roy Clark and Kenny Rogers. In 1970, seven artists recorded it from Gordon Lightfoot to Bill Haley to Kristofferson himself.

In 1971 everyone from the Grateful Dead to Olivia Newton John to Loretta Lynn took a stab at it. But it was the posthumous release by Janis Joplin in '71 that sent the song to #1.

Only the most confident female singer would date harken a comparison to the boozy blues legend that was Joplin, but again P!nk has no fear and nailed it.

P!nk has performed "Me and Bobby McGee" 232 times, most recently this past July in Germany.

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana

If we are to assume P!nk was enjoying MTV in the early '90s when she heard 4 Non Blondes, then it would have been impossible for her to avoid the onslaught of Nirvana on her TV set, radio, and Sony Walkman.

One could also assume she would have embraced the riot grrrls, punk, and grunge movements happening while she was in high school.

Thus "Teen Spirit" and all things Cobain would have been part of the soundtrack of her youth. Many would avoid the trio's biggest hit and tried to dig into a deeper cut, but like she did with Queen, P!nk goes for the most iconic tune and wraps her arms around it. All while wearing flannel, like Kurt would have.

P!nk has rocked "Smells Like Teen Spirit" 107 times, all while on the Beautiful Trauma Tour of 2018-2019.

It's October but P!nk is still on her Summer Carnival 2023 Tour where she's making her way through the west coast right now. Tickets are available on her website.

Without giving away specifically which covers she's doing this tour, let's just say the top three artists she's borrowing from include Prince, Sade, and Bob Dylan.

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Last updated: 11 Oct 2024, 16:54 Etc/UTC