Cover to Cover is our weekly comparison of two versions of the same song. Sometimes it’s two covers, sometimes it’s one cover and the original.

This week, we’re taking a look at the Gnarls Barkley hit “Crazy“. This song was covered by so many people during the first few months after its release, we could probably feature a new version every week for a year. I had intended to compare Nelly Furtado’s popular, yet underwhelming version to one of my favorite interpretations, done by soulful singer Ray Lamontagne. But in my search for the songs on YouTube, I came across a different version that I felt compelled to share instead.

So, here’s Ray Lamontagne:

And here’s Randy George’s “Crazy Theremin Jam”

The simplicity of Ray Lamontagne’s version really shows how great the lyrics are, and it really gave me a much greater appreciation of the song. He also puts so much feeling into his performance, I don’t even mind the fact that I just had to stare at one picture the whole time.

Randy George’s version, while much more similar to the original, is cool for the obvious reason: The theremin! Not only is his theremin playing excellent, but it’s run through a filter that makes it sound very similar to a human voice. The theremin was the first electronic musical instrument, developed in 1918, and it has never quite caught on as a mainstream instrument. Maybe Randy George can help change that.

All that being said, I still prefer Ray Lamontagne’s version – but Randy George has definitely made a new fan.