The Tea Party's Middle Eastern Cover of Pink Floyd's 'Breathe' on Transmission (1997)

The Canadian rock band The Tea Party covered Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” for their 1997 album Transmission. It’s the only cover on that record, and they completely swapped out the original’s airy, slide-guitar psychedelia for droning sitars, tabla percussion, and Jeff Martin’s lower, more dramatic vocal delivery.

The transformation comes from the band’s signature sound—what they called “Moroccan roll,” a blend of hard rock and Middle Eastern instrumentation. Where Pink Floyd’s original feels like floating through a lazy afternoon, The Tea Party’s version is heavier, more ritualistic, with the sitar mimicking the melody while the tabla pushes a hypnotic, almost tribal rhythm. The result turns the song into a dark, meditative trance, giving it a completely different emotional weight.