I already know what you're thinking: 'Great. Just what the world needs: Another f*c#ing superstar charity album.'

Well, you're right. And wrong. Yes, War Child Presents Heroes is the six zillionth CD (give or take) to feature contemporary artists covering classic tunes in a bid to guilt a few bucks from your wallet. But here's the twist: The oldsters being covered not only got to choose the songs they wanted to contribute, but also the newbies they wanted to cover them. And because of that, 1) The pairings make a little more sense than usual, and 2) These revamps are a lot less annoying than usual -- as in, you won't have to listen to Avril Lavigne covering Dylan.

So OK, maybe you don't need this. But there are probably a couple of cuts you want to hear. And for a superstar charity album, that's not f*c#ing bad.

Beck | Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

Naturally, Beck gets crazy with the cheese whiz, festooning Dylan's 1966 outing with a fuzzy boogie, mosquito-buzz guitars, screams, cawing crows and a squealing harmonica.

The Kooks | Victoria

It's virtually impossible to improve a Kinks song. So The Kooks play it safe by playing this choppy little ditty fairly straight -- if a little faster and poppier than the 1969 original.

The Hold Steady | Atlantic City

By bridging the stark desperation of Springsteen's Nebraska ballad with the sax-laced arena-rock of his 2001 live version, the Brooklyn rockers almost beat The Boss at his own game.

Hot Chip | Transmission

Perhaps unsurprisingly, these British electro-popsters upgrade Joy Division's propulsive post-punk into an understated robo-dance cut laced with Vocorders.

Lily Allen feat. Mick Jones | Straight to Hell

Twinkling keyboards, a dreamy vibe and Lily's girlish vocals charm The Clash's grim Combat Rock groove and send it heavenward. Jonesy adds vocal support.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs | Sheena is a Punk Rocker

Bet you thought Karen O and co. would get all artsy with The Ramones. Think again: They crank it up and crank it out -- though they do add a dreamy mid-song breakdown.

Franz Ferdinand | Call Me

The Scottish dance-rockers beef up Blondie's new wave come-on into a guitar-rock boogie. The deep vocals are a drastic change from Debbie Harry's siren song.

Duffy | Live and Let Die

If you ever wondered what Paul McCartney's Bond theme would sound like as a Memphis soul ballad performed by a Welsh songbird, now you know.

Estelle | Superstition

The British singer downshifts Stevie Wonder's upbeat strut into dark soul-mama funk driven by wah-wah guitars. It doesn't pop like the original -- but it beats the Jonases' Grammy version.

Rufus Wainwright | Wonderful/Song For Children

Rufus swans his way through two dreamy orch-pop numbers from Brian Wilson's SMiLE. Not bad, but something more iconic might have been a better idea.

Scissor Sisters | Do the Strand

We would have expected the Sisters to tackle an Elton John cut. Ah well; they do just fine with this percolating, falsetto-disco revamp of the Roxy Music gem.

Peaches | Search and Destroy

Bass and drums, a few keyboards, some double-tracked vocals -- and a few primal screams -- are all the mistress of electro-skank needs to recreate Iggy Pop's nihilistic anthem.

Adam Cohen | Take This Waltz

Leonard Cohen's 1988 version was based on a Spanish poem by Lorca. In this live recording, his son converts it into a passionate, sweeping ballad en Espanol.

Elbow | Running to Stand Still

This Joshua Tree drug ballad may not be the most familiar U2 cut -- but the British alt-rockers do it justice, starting out woozy and quiet and swelling to a white-light crescendo.

The Like | You Belong To Me

Since this female L.A. trio features Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas's daughter, it only seems fitting for them to tackle this jangly number from This Year's Model.

TV On The Radio | Heroes

The New York indie-rockers upgrade Bowie's 1977 oft-covered Berlin anthem into an arty electro-dancescape. It'll make you forget The Wallflowers' version.