Joseph Gordon-Levitt's 10 Best Pop Song Covers

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a conundrum: He’s an immensely likable actor, though he’s also very self-serious. He’s hammy, yet pretentious. He’s always rousing crowds with spirited acoustic covers, yet he’s always pimping that website of his. Bottom line: He’s an interesting mix, and because he gave an amazing performance in Mysterious Skin, I grant him extra leeway — and a tribute to his best moments as a viral singing sensation! Yesterday we watched him strum the bejesus out of R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)” and today let’s tally up all his fun covers, sort out our favorites, and declare one favorite. 10. “You Can’t Hurry Love” JGL opts for a disturbing falsetto that Robin Thicke might admire with his cover of the Supremes classic. Apparently, you also can’t hurry this song, since he sings it at roughly half-speed. 9. “Don’t Look Back in Anger” He interrupts his fine piano work and rollicking vocals before the song can really pick up steam, but JGL’s cover of the Oasis tune is perfectly salable. 8. “Who’s Loving You” I prefer JGL’s fast-strumming, crowd-energizing moments, but he goes for gusto with this longing Jackson 5 track. I can hear Simon Cowell muttering, “It was loud, screechy, self-indulgent…” but I’d rather he be bombastic than simpering. Thumbs up, I say. 7. “La Valse Mille Temps” I won’t knock the singing (which is very good), but I will knock JGL’s girl-baiting French trilling. Come on. That’s level-one pandering in the flirt world. 6. “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon” I’m sticking mostly to live performances on the list, but his version of the heartbreaking Sesame Street song “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon” would do Aaron Neville and Ernie proud.