Pat Green's cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 'Even the Losers' sets a great example for artists considering the inclusion of a cover track on their new album. The Texas country singer delivers a passionate performance of a lyric that is not his own -- but it sure feels like it. 

Green's rendition is more orchestral that the original, yet it never loses touch with the spirit and melody of Petty's hit. The country hitmaker begins slowly, starting with just a piano and an acoustic, before building into the first chorus with strings.

"Baby, time meant nothing, anything seemed real / Yeah, you could kiss like fire and you made me feel / Like every word you said was meant to be / No, it couldn't have been that easy to forget about me," Green sings. At the two-minute mark, the song begins to swell. Fifty seconds later, Green is reaching a climax not built into 1979 rock hit.

"Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes / Even the losers keep a little bit of pride / They get lucky sometimes," he sings.

It's not easy to create a cover that's met with approval from fans and critics -- especially one of a well-known and still relevant song like 'Even the Losers.' Green is an experienced musician who adds just enough of his own soul to the song to make it unique, yet he doesn't tamper with the hallowed fabric. Look for this song on Green's 'Songs We Wish We'd Written II' album.

4 Stars
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Listen to Pat Green, 'Even the Losers'

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