10 Greatest Rock Cover Songs Of The 1980s
8. Superman - R.E.M.
The song Superman by The Clique is lowkey one of the strangest songs of the 1960s.
A curious combination of jangle pop and sounds that wouldn't become popular until several decades later, this track sounds completely out of place for a year where Sugar, Sugar by The Archies was the best-selling song.
Perhaps this is what caught the eye of R.E.M, themselves fans of the strange, nearly 20 years later.
The indie kings put out their own rendition of Superman in 1986, as part of their fourth album, Life's Rich Pageant. A much fuller-sounding record, R.E.M.'s take is bolstered by some glorious self-harmonising by Michael Stipe, as well as having the benefit of two decades' worth of production advances.
Whilst The Clique version is fascinating for how bizarre it is, nobody would be talking about it today were it not for the Georgia-based unit. That's not to say that the R.E.M. version is bad or anything; it's fun, upbeat, and showcases the musical talents that would make the band megastars in the near future.
But seriously, The Clique version is just so odd. How did this come out in the same year as Suspicious Minds?