As someone who absolutely adores the original Brinsley Schwarz version of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love & Understanding", we can all agree that Elvis Costello was definitely the right tool for the job when it came to covering the song in 1979.
Since then, untold numbers of artists have taken their own stab at the song, which remains one of Costello's most popular songs, appearing on all 3,425 of Costello's greatest hits compilations.
If only Brinsley Schwarz, themselves, had been just a little more photogenic, Lowe wouldn't have needed the gap-toothed Costello's assistance in taking the song to the rest of the world. We would rightly know the Brinmsley Schwarz version and, truth be told, Costello's version might not exist at all.
One can easily see what attracted Costello to the song.
After all, the song itself has a punk swagger that can be amped up or down to the artist's liking and, despite never being a bit in America, this writer has yet to see an audience that isn't intimately familiar with every last word.
Also, as far as the jukebox goes, Costello's version ranks second only to Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance" as the one song you can play in any barroom in any city, town, or brothel and watch every person in the place start grooving along in their own way.
Hence, you can see why so many artists have gravitated to the song over the years.
With that in mind, we've lovingly compiled the consummate list of the Ten Best Covers of Nick Lowe's "What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding".
Enjoy.
10. Midnight Oil - B-Side to Australian 7" release of "Put Down That Weapon in 1987.
The Oils give it the ol' college try and come up with a very decent facsimile of the original. Peter Garrett's voice either makes or breaks this version, depending on your love for over-enunciation and bald lead singers (ha!).
9. Bruce Springsteen w/ Jon Bon Jovi and Pals
When Bruce covers you, you know you've arrived. When Bruce covers you with Jon Bon, well, even your mechanic brother can appreciate this stadium-size cover of a bar band staple.
8. Cast of the TV Show "Legion" Season 3
You'll notice most folks stick pretty close to the Costello version and, well, why not? Leave it to the FX series "Legion" to take things in a whole new direction. If this were only about originality, this one would be #1 by a country mile.
We fully expect to see other shows use the song in much the same manner because, let's face it, this is pretty gripping.
7. Chris Cornell - Unplugged In Sweden album
See, every musician on the planet loves this song. Cornell's love is really audible, though. You can hear him getting off on wrapping his own voice around a favorite song and re-sculpting it with just a few choice taps of the chisel into something minimal yet ... monolithic.
6. The Cover-Ups (a couple of whom look awful familiar) - some bar in Albany, NY
Someone on this list had to represent the beer-soaked joy of performing this song in a damn bar in front of a bunch of shit-faced booze hounds. After all, the song is written to be sung in a pub by slovenly men and that was just Brinsley Schwarz, ba dum bum.
This particular bar band features Billie Joe Armstrong who does his best Keith Richards (side man) as Jason White takes the lead vocal and does a better job than most in giving the song an honest reading.
5. Bruce Springsteen with Eddie Vedder, John Fogerty, and Jackson Browne
Hey, wow, Bruce really likes this song, doesn't he?
4. Los Straitjackets - 'What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love And Los Straitjackets' album
Man, this song makes you wanna throw a hipster lounge party in your studio apartment, invite a few people to suck olives over light music and throw this on, then trade seductive googly eyes with the cute girl from accounting who actually showed up.
You meet in the hallway just as this song plays and kiss beneath a mistletoe left over from five Christmases ago.
In the movie version, you'll be played by Michael Cera.
3. Susannah Hoffs and Matthew Sweet - bonus track for Under The Covers Vol. 2
If there is any way to work Matthew Sweet into one of my Top 10 lists, I will take it. Also, if
Hoffs isn't your favorite Bangable, oops, what did I type?
2. Bruce Springsteen w/ Dixie Chicks, Dave Matthews and Eddie Vedder again
Yep, you haven't lived until Dave Matthews has sung your song. And, hey, more Eddie Vedder, folks. If Nick doesn't at least send Bruce a thank you note, with a check...
1. Puddles Pity Party - songs from the road
Sure, Puddles was funny the first ten times but you've got to admit, he gives the song a certain creep factor that is oddly unsettling, yet likable. I included this video for that reason and that reason alone. Also, the idea of your boss watching you watch a video of an over-sized clown playing an acoustic guitar in your cubicle cracks me up.
And we all work in cubicles. Self-made prisons of our own making. Think about that one for awhile.