What is it about clapping? Both a way of showing appreciation, and a way to join in with the music we appreciate. Our hands are like our own personal drum kits that we take with us everywhere we go. Is it any surprise that the simple act of clapping has been the focus of many a great song?

Clap Your Hands – A Tribe Called Quest

Clap Hands – Tom Waits

Clap for the Wolfman – The Guess Who

Clap Hands – Beck

Is this Love – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
* Ok, this one is a bit of a cheat, but how could I leave out Clap Your Hands Say Yeah in a post about clapping?

I tried to find some sort of theme for these covers in this post… a clever association to bring them all together, but I got nothing. They are all pretty awesome, so enjoy them, like french fries covered in cheese and gravy!

It Was A Very Good Year by The Flaming Lips originally by Frank Sinatra

Shore Leave by John Hammond Jr originally by Tom Waits.

Heigh Ho by Tom Waits originally by Disney.

Have you heard about what Beck is up to these day? It’s super cool. He calls it Record Club: “is an informal meeting of various musicians to record an album in a day“. He brings together a wide variety of artists to record a classic album in its entirety, all in one day. Beck is the coolest. For real.

I love the creativity involved in this project. And the musicians involved! The collaborations are pretty neat. Beck even put together little videos for each of the tracks. Check out a sampling of my favourite offerings from the 3 albums worth of material Beck has released through Record Club.

The Velvet Underground & Nico

For the first album of the project Beck brought together Nigel Godrich one of Radiohead’s producers, drummer Joey Waronker, Beck’s keyboardist Brian Lebarton, Bram Inscore, and Thorunn Magnusdottir, among others to cover the 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico.

Heroin (Alt version)

All Tomorrows Parties

Record Club: Velvet Underground & Nico “All Tomorrow’s Parties” from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Beck brought together Devendra Banhart, Ben, Andrew and Will from MGMT, Andrew from Wolfmother and Binki from Little Joy, among others to cover every song from the 1967 album The Songs of Leonard Cohen.

Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye

Winter Lady

Record Club: Songs Of Leonard Cohen “Winter Lady” from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Skip Spence’s Oar

Wilco, Jamie Lidell and Feist came together with Beck and others to redo Alexander “Skip” Spence’s 1969 album Oar.

Books of Moses

Little Hands

Record Club: Skip Spence “Little Hands” from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

If you are left wanting more, head over to Beck’s Record Club!

20. Campus – Vampire Weekend

From the self titled album Vampire Weekend, released in 2008.

19. No one does it like you – Department of Eagles

From the 2008 album In Ear Park.

18. Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

From the 2009 album Up From Below.

17. Long Way Home – Tom Waits

Off the 2006 triple album Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards.

16. Electric Feel – MGMT

Off the 2008 album Oracular Spectacular .

15. Sing – Travis

From the 2001 album The Invisible Band.

14. Do You Realize – The Flaming Lips

Off the 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.

13. Love of my life… – Erykah Badu & Common

Erykah Badu & Common collaborated on this soulful tune for the soundtrack of Brown Sugar in 2002. The film barely made an impression, while this stand out track will likely last for many decades to come.

12. All These things that I’ve Done – The Killers

From the 2004 album Hot Fuss.

11. Crazy – Gnarls Barkley

From the 2006 album St. Elsewhere.

40. The General Specific – Band of Horses

Off the 2007 album Cease to Begin.

39. Transatlanticism – Death Cab for Cutie

The title track from the 2003 album Transatlantism.

38. Come Away With Me – Norah Jones

The title track from her debut album Come Away with Me, released in 2002.

37. We Are Your Friends – Justice vs. Simian

Released in 2006.

36. Do Your Thing – Basement Jaxx

From the 2001 album Rooty.

35. Young Folks – Peter, Bjorn & John

Off the 2007 album Writer’s Block.

34. Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes

From the 2003 album Elephant.

33. Lux Aeterna (LOTR Version) – Requiem for a Dream

32. Hoist that Rag – Tom Waits

From the 2006 album Real Gone.

31. Bombs Over Baghdad – Outkast