Intro
New wave music was open to new ideas, whether sonically, visually, or lyrically. There were some new wave hits that were actually covers (some of which may surprise you). But while the lyrics are mostly the same, they often get an inspired reinvention. Let’s dive into five such songs that surpassed the ‘60s originals in popularity.
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
Soft Cell had a worldwide hit with Tainted Love, But the original was a soul number by Gloria Jones in 1964 which failed to chart. In the early ‘70s it crept into Northern England clubs but not much further. Emboldened, Jones recorded it in 1976 but it flopped again. A few years later, Soft Cell bravely decided to cover it. Deftly (and in line with their music style), Soft Cell completely flipped it to an icy-cold synthpop ballad. The emotionless, two-note synth riff in the chorus is now iconic. It shot to the top of the charts in their native UK and a top 10 in the US. It’s still considered a new wave classic!
Blondie - The Tide is High
This #1 hit by Blondie melds well with their pop-inflected sound at the turn of the ‘80s. But its actually the most faithful cover of the five. In this case, of a late ‘60s song by the Jamaican rocksteady group the Paragons. Still, there are some changes - Blondie added some horns and the edges were smoothed. It reminds me of the Frank Farian sanding of the song Rivers of Babylon for Boney M, which also came from Jamaica around the same time. Debbie Harry also gives the vocals a bit more dramatic flair.
Bananarama - Venus
By the mid-’80s, Bananarama had started to shift from ska-tinged pop to middle-of-the-road songs like Cruel Summer to glossy hi-NRG, courtesy of production team Stock Aitken Waterman. Venus marked the peak of this transition, shooting to #1. It's more restrained than SAW’s other hits (Dead or Alive's You Spin Me Round, I’m Looking at You). The original, recorded in the late ’60s by Shocking Blue, leaned psychedelic. It had energy, sure - but Bananarama’s version added polish, punch, and pure pop firepower.
Naked Eyes - Always Something There (To Remind Me)
Most know Naked Eyes for one song: the post-breakup anthem Always Something There (To Remind Me). Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David in 1963, it was first a minor US hit for Lou Johnson, then a UK #1 for Sandie Shaw. Both of these versions featured sweeping orchestration and dramatic vocals. Naked Eyes reinvented it two decades later with crisp synths, a triumphant bell-laced intro, and a tone that leaned more nostalgic than heartbroken. Pete Byrne’s delivery sounds less devastated and more resigned - closer to someone looking back than falling apart.
The Bangles - Hazy Shade of Winter
Queens natives Simon & Garfunkel wrote and released Hazy Shade of Winter in the late ‘60s, which was a decent hit. The original had the signature mellow sound that the duo had and is a great example of Dylan-influenced folk rock. It’s now 1987, and the Bangles covered it for the movie Less Than Zero. The Bangles take has a harder, grittier melody than the original Hazy (and interestingly, their other works). This is countered with Susanna Hoff’s vocals that are closer to the original. The result was an even bigger hit, especially in the US. Read more about Hazy's theme of new beginnings in the context of winter ending.
It’s All Covered!
These new wave covers didn’t just revive old songs - they reimagined them completely. With synths, attitude, and emotional rewrites, they turned vintage pop into something cooler, sharper, and unmistakably of the '80s. In true new wave fashion, they made the familiar feel strange - and the strange feel like a hit. We saved some songs for the sequel!
Like this article? The Vault has bonus writeups on four articles.
A new one every month.
($8/month USD) Secure checkout with Gumroad
Released This Week
How Kraftwerk, Roxy Music and others influenced new waveVault: Synthpop discography, influencer/follower infographics
2 free Synthpop song commentaries
New song - Wham's Club Tropicana - for our Summer songs article
