Ska has always had a mischievous streak. From its earliest days in Jamaica to the horn-heavy third wave of the ’90s and beyond, ska bands have thrived on energy, humor, and a sense of fun that sets the genre apart from most of its rock, punk, or reggae cousins. And if there’s one tradition ska bands have always embraced more than most, it’s the art of the cover song.
Covers in ska aren’t just filler material or novelty tricks. They’re celebrations, transformations, and often, the perfect way for bands to connect with audiences who might not know their originals. Ska takes songs you’ve heard a million times and makes them brand new—faster, bouncier, hornier (literally, with those blasting trumpets and trombones), and always dripping with a sense of tongue-in-cheek joy.
Whether it’s a faithful homage with brass stabs added or a total reinvention that makes you forget the original, ska covers are legendary. Every festival set, every Warped Tour slot, every ska-punk record compilation seemed to have at least one of them—and half the time, those covers would become the most beloved songs in the band’s setlist.
Here are 11 of the best ska covers of all time, guaranteed to make you smile, skank, and maybe even admit the ska version is better than the original.
11. Less Than Jake – “I Think I Love You”
The Partridge Family’s 1970 bubblegum pop hit was all sugary innocence, but Less Than Jake turned it into a ska-punk party anthem. Horns blast, drums pound, and the goofy charm of the original becomes pure chaos in LTJ’s hands. It’s the kind of cover that works perfectly in their festival sets: instantly recognizable, impossible not to sing along to, and a reminder that ska punk is best when it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
10. Reel Big Fish – “Take On Me”
If you know one ska cover, it’s probably this one. Reel Big Fish took A-ha’s 1985 synthpop masterpiece and gave it a punky, horn-laced makeover that turned into their calling card. The chorus hits harder, the horns scream with joy, and the whole thing sounds like it was meant to be played at warped speed. It’s campy, sure, but it’s also perfect—and no Reel Big Fish show would feel complete without it.
9. Save Ferris – “Come On Eileen”
Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come On Eileen” was already a rowdy pub-singalong kind of song, but Save Ferris pushed it into ska-punk bliss. Monique Powell’s vocals added swagger and bite, the band injected horns and faster tempos, and suddenly this ’80s classic felt made for skanking. It became a Warped Tour anthem in the late ’90s, and for a lot of ska kids, this was the definitive version.
8. MXPX – “Summer of ’69”
Bryan Adams’ ode to nostalgia and youthful rebellion has been covered a million times, but MXPX made it ska-punk friendly with offbeat guitar chops, up-tempo drumming, and a sense of raw energy. It keeps the anthemic core of the original while giving it a playful punk edge. For fans who grew up with MXPX’s mix of Christian punk roots and ska-adjacent sounds, this cover hit the sweet spot between sincerity and goofiness.
7. Bowling for Soup – “Stacy’s Mom”
This one’s an oddball. Bowling for Soup weren’t a ska band by trade, but their take on Fountains of Wayne’s pop-rock classic “Stacy’s Mom” leaned ska-punk in live performances, with upstrokes and horns added when guest players joined. It turned an already cheeky song into something even more over-the-top, and the ska flavor gave it that “festival cover song” vibe that fans went nuts for.
6. Goldfinger – “99 Red Balloons”
Nena’s Cold War-era German pop anthem is one of the most-covered songs of the ’80s, but Goldfinger’s ska-punk version might be the definitive take. They blast through it with horns and distorted guitars, but what makes it stand out is how they balance fun with seriousness—the political bite of the lyrics is still there, even if the music is jumpy and skank-ready. It became a staple of their live shows and a fan favorite, and it’s arguably one of the best ska covers ever recorded.
5. Sublime – “Scarlet Begonias”
This one stands apart from the punk-festival style of ska covers. Sublime took the Grateful Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias” and infused it with reggae, ska, and their own Long Beach vibe. It’s loose, dubby, and drenched in that hazy Sublime coolness. Unlike some covers on this list, this isn’t tongue-in-cheek—it’s a loving reinterpretation that made Deadheads and ska kids alike nod in approval. Sublime proved that ska covers could be more than novelty—they could be art.
4. Buck-O-Nine – “Pass the Dutchie”
“Pass the Dutchie,” originally by Musical Youth (and inspired by The Mighty Diamonds’ “Pass the Kouchie”), was already a reggae hit in the ’80s. Buck-O-Nine took it into ska-punk territory, speeding it up and adding the horn section blast. It’s silly, it’s fun, and it fits perfectly into their catalog of ska covers that lean on pure joy. This is the kind of track that gets the whole crowd bouncing even if half of them don’t know the lyrics.
3. Streetlight Manifesto – “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”
Paul Simon’s folk classic doesn’t exactly scream ska, but Streetlight Manifesto made it work beautifully. With their trademark tight musicianship, rapid-fire horns, and Tomas Kalnoky’s intense delivery, they turned a mellow strum-along into a frenetic ska-punk workout. It’s faithful enough to the original to be recognizable, but the transformation is so drastic that it feels like an entirely new song.
2. Mustard Plug – “The Freshman”
The Verve Pipe’s “The Freshman” was one of the most melancholy alt-rock ballads of the ’90s. Mustard Plug, never ones to shy away from absurdity, gave it a ska-punk twist. It’s weird hearing such a heavy song bounced up with horns and ska rhythms, but that’s exactly what makes it work. The contrast between the lyrical sadness and the upbeat ska-punk energy gives the cover an ironic edge that makes it unforgettable.
1. Catch 22 – “American Pie”
Don McLean’s folk epic “American Pie” is a daunting song to cover—eight minutes of lyrics, heavy nostalgia, and iconic imagery. Catch 22 didn’t flinch. They chopped it up, sped it into ska-punk madness, and made it into a rallying cry for their fans. Horns punctuate the verses, the tempo keeps things frantic, and the whole thing feels like a dare that only a ska band could pull off. It’s absurd, it’s messy, and it’s absolutely brilliant.
Why Ska Covers Work So Well
So why do ska covers resonate so much? Part of it is ska’s DNA: it’s a genre built on rhythm, reinterpretation, and playful energy. Ska bands can take a sad song, a serious song, or a straight-up pop hit and flip it into something you want to dance to. They’re a way of breaking the ice with audiences, pulling casual listeners into the party, and showing off the versatility of the genre.
Another reason is ska’s sense of humor. Ska bands have always leaned into the goofy and absurd, and what’s more absurd than a punky horn-driven version of a soft rock or folk classic? But behind the humor is real musicianship—tight horn sections, fast rhythms, and clever arrangements that keep the covers from feeling like throwaway jokes.
And most importantly, ska covers are about community. When a ska band launches into “Take On Me” or “Come On Eileen,” everyone in the crowd—ska kid or not—knows the words. Suddenly, the whole festival is skanking together, united by a familiar tune played in an unfamiliar way.
Closing Thoughts
The beauty of ska is that it never takes itself too seriously. Ska bands have always thrived on fun, energy, and connection, and the tradition of ska covers is the purest form of that. The 11 songs on this list show how ska can transform a piece of music into something brand new, whether it’s Sublime giving the Grateful Dead a reggae twist, Reel Big Fish making synthpop goofy and great, or Catch 22 turning an American folk epic into ska chaos.
These covers remind us of why ska endures. It may not always dominate the charts, but ska lives on in moments like this: familiar songs made fresh, played loud, and danced to with big smiles. Because at the end of the day, ska isn’t just about the offbeat—it’s about the joy.
