My astute brother recently turned me on to three very different covers of Vampire Weekend’s “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”, off the band’s self-titled debut Vampire Weekend (2008). The Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel collaboration wins out. Peter Gabriel’s name is actually in the song, which creates some beautiful irony. Slightly silly, but he sings, “It feels so unnatural. Peter Gabriel, too. And it feels so unnatural to sing your own name…”

It’s great to see Gabriel back on the scene. He’s reemerging with a covers album, Scratch My Back (March 2, 2010), that includes his versions of songs by Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, David Bowie and others. All of the artists whose songs Peter recorded for the album are returning the favor by recording a song of his. These creations will be heard on a forthcoming companion album justly called I’ll Scratch Yours.

mp3: Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa

The Very Best’s version of “Kwassa Kwassa” brings together singer Esau Mwamwaya of Lilongwe, Malawi, Africa with Belgian DJ/production duo Radiocli, infusing the tune with an Afro-Western mix of dance, hip-hop, pop and the traditional music and language of Malawi.

mp3: The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit) – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa

Then there’s the remix by French synth-pop duo, The Teenagers…

mp3: Vampire Weekend – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Teenagers Remix)

And in case you’re a Lykke Li fan, check out her version live.

Vampire Weekend’s MySpace | Website Peter Gabriel’s MySpace | Website
Hot Chip’s MySpace | Website The Very Best’s MySpace
The Teenagers’s MySpace | Website Lykke Li’s MySpace | Website