We'll be celebrating the 50th anniversary of “The Sound of Music,” arguably the most beloved film musical of all time, tomorrow morning with a special interview. Get excited.
In the meantime, let's revisit some of the 1965 Best Picture's greatest songs with ten unexpected covers from the past and present.
1. Christina Aguilera mounts “Climb Ev'ry Mountain”
Christina Aguilera, as we'll soon discover, is a diehard “Sound of Music” fan. Here in a 2000 performance she decimates “Climb Ev'ry Mountain” and basically confirms she has very little in common with Britney Spears, talent-wise.
2. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jerry Seinfeld are “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”
Also in 2000: Julia Louis-Dreyfus displayed some tuenful gusto on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and belted “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” She proved she could sing, which I'd somehow forgotten. Surprise guest Jerry Seinfeld joined in on the fun and proved he could… vocally contribute. It's just sweet. More singing from JLD, please.
3. Christina's back and she has confidence.
You knew she'd be back, but Christina went through a quick run of “I Have Confidence” in an interview with Hoda Kotb. Somehow it feels as though her vocal talents were wasted on “Burlesque.”
4. Carrie Underwood chirped about the hills well before NBC came courting.
In 2007, Carrie Underwood took part in a CBS special called “Movies Rock!” where she gave us the first glimpse into her ability to channel Maria Von Trapp. Can I just say I thought her NBC live musical version was adorable? It made me miss high school theater. Sincerely.
5. John Coltrane, “My Favorite Things”
In 1961, jazz great John Coltrane covered “My Favorite Things” on a same-named album with a lovely 13-minute version. A shortened version ran on radio, and in 1998 the whole album was given the Grammy Hall of Fame award.
6. The cheeky “Glee” version of “My Favorite Things”
Naturally Lea Michele takes the lead here but let's remember two things about “Glee”: Amber Riley remains the most underrated cast member and Chris Colfer's voice is utterly distinct.
7. The Willis Clan explains its favorite things to Howard Stern
We seem to be short on family bands these days. No matter: The Willis Clan, who competed on season nine of “America's Got Talent,” included 12 siblings whose names all began with “J.” (How very Duggar, I know.) Their take on “My Favorite Things” has slightly more of a hoedown vibe than, y'know, John Coltrane's.
8. Gwen Stefani's goatherd is bizarre.
Gwen Stefani's leadoff single from “The Sweet Escape” was a thumping take on “The Lonely Goatherd” called “Wind It Up.” We expected this kind of behavior from Gwen, who riffed on a “Fiddler on the Roof” classic with “Rich Girl,” but I think this is catchier than her Eve collaboration.
9. The 45th anniversary cover of “Edelweiss” we didn't know we needed.
Oprah Winfrey invited the cast of “The Sound of Music” on to her show for a 45th anniversary performance. While that was a special occasion on its own, the inclusion of real-life Von Trapp descendants and their performance of “Edelweiss” was incredibly special.
10. Lady Gaga owns the Oscars
Only a few weeks after the death of Oscar season, Lady Gaga's “Sound of Music” medley remains the utter highlight of the telecast. Her command, commitment, and stage power were top-notch, but nothing compared to her run-in with Julie Andrews afterwards. Divine.