This is Flashback, where we’re reminiscing about some of the most iconic and obscure moments in alt-rock history. This week, we’re looking at when the All-American Rejects covered Britney Spears’ “Womanizer.”
Back in 2008, the All-American Rejects went from pop-punk to folk — for one song. In a performance for the Yahoo! Music “Pepsi Smash” show, Tyson Ritter and co. put an eclectic spin on Britney Spears’ Circus hit “Womanizer” with an accordion and a beer bottle in tow.
At the time, Ritter declared that the band decided to take on the track because they could do a “better job than Britney.” For the acoustic cover of the Spears banger, Ritter channeled Gogol Bordello and whipped out a mustache for the performance. Together, the All-American Rejects turned the dance-pop hit into a rather quirky and ominous affair.
Watch the 2008 performance below.