Last year during lockdown, Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin decided to help spread holiday cheer by launching a series of “Hanukkah Sessions,” where they covered other Jewish artists in playful, at-home performances. Among last year’s covers were The Knack, Elastica, and Drake, which shows the range that Grohl and Kurstin truly have. But perhaps nothing illustrates their versatility more than the cover the pair have chosen to kick off this year’s sessions: Lisa Loeb’s iconic “Stay.”
In the Youtube description for this cover, here’s what the guys had to say: “Welcome back to the menorah, y’all. Let’s kick it this year’s Hanukkah sessions with one of Dallas, Texas’s favorite Jewish daughters. So put on your coffee shop spectacles and your Betsey Johnson dress and HAVA listen to this… “Stay” by Lisa Loeb.”
And what could be a better homage to the song’s overt femininity than Grohl doing the honors of donning a dress while he delivers the lines? As Greg begins the clip laying on the couch clutching a guitar, Dave quickly transitions from his loving Loeb cosplay into full-on metal screamed lyrics and hardcore sonics, before swapping back to Loeb, and then back to the hardcore… you get the idea. Eventually, it’s the two aesthetics overlayed, which also, surprisingly, works!
The whole thing is a hilarious juxtaposition made better by the fact that Grohl and Kurstin clearly have respect for the song, and though I love the swapping back and forth, I’d love to get a full version of the angry, screaming version, which happens to capture a whole new level of emotion in the song’s lyrics. Check out the playful cover above and keep your eyes peeled for more all Hannukah season.
