You're a Mean One

So it's post-Christmas, but you've still got some parties to go to and/or host. You're looking for that perfect Grinch cover. With music written by Albert Hague with lyrics by Dr. Seuss, the oft-covered You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch was originally performed by Thurl Ravenscroft for the 1966 Chuck Jones animated special based on the classic Dr. Seuss story How the Grinch Stole Christmas. From jazz to folk to punk to rock to rap, we've got it covered here.

Whirling Dervishes - (You're a Mean One) Mr. Grinch

Jim Carrey - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Busta Rhymes & Jim Carrey - Grinch 2000
This is Jim Carrey hamming it up (twice!) even more than his usual self. The latter track starts "This is a Flipmode Squad/Jim Carrey collabo..." which should set off warning bells immediately not to mention the constant self name-checking: "Jim Carrey!" "Busta Rhymes!" Yes, we know who you are, thank you. By the time the song ends with Jim Carrey giving a "shout out to the West Side of Whoville", your forehead is red from smacking yourself repeatedly during the preceding 3:35 of X-mas hell, if you even managed to listen that far. It's an atrocious affront to aural enjoyment. In other words, an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable, mangled up in tangled up knots (from the equally appalling dump heap of a live action film adaptation).

Blue Meanies - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Aimee Mann with Grant-Lee Phillips - You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch

Duboce Triangle feat. Orphan Gaby - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
This groovy cover is from the on-going Song Fight competition, winning the December 2001 X-Mas Cover Fight.

Rockapella - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Of all these covers, the Rockapella bass vocalist is the only one who can match up with Thurl Ravenscroft's deep vocals from the original. In fact, I think his voice is improbably even deeper than Thurl's.

Brian Setzer Orchestra - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Asylum Street Spankers - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
This cover from a live Christmas album is the most fun of all these Grinch covers with each verse performed in a different style.

D.I. - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Pete Nelson - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Thanks to Boyhowdy for this wonderful folk cover by Pete Nelson. If I'm not mistaken, it's got some nice accordion and mandolin going on in there. I was at a party last week and someone had an accordion and it's a fascinating instrument to play around with.

Fareed Haque - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
This jazzy guitar number could serve as soft background ambience for a more mellow party-going crowd. Only someone paying particularly close attention may realize they're listening to the Grinch.

Trish & Darin Murphy - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

I realize there are a ton of other Grinch covers as well, but being away from my home computer, this is all I could scrounge up from a back-up hard drive. One worth seeking out is by Sixpence None the Richer and another by Deanna Kirk who also incorporates part of the Whoville choral song into her cover (Fah Who Foraze! Dah Who Doraze!).