The whole Gin Blossoms story is just insane. The Arizona band signed with A&M in the early ’90s on the strength of the songs written by Doug Hopkins, the band’s guitarist. Hopkins had serious issues with alcoholism and depression, to the point where he wasn’t remotely functional, and he poured those issues into Gin Blossoms songs like “Hey Jealousy” and “Found Out About You.” Hopkins’ problems got so bad that the rest of the band kicked him out before the release of their 1992 album New Miserable Experience, and then they became hugely popular because of those Hopkins songs. Hopkins died by suicide in 1993, but the Gin Blossoms are still a band, and Hopkins’ songs continue to resonate.

Today, Kelly Clarkson opened her daytime talk show by covering “Found Out About You,” one of those Doug Hopkins Gin Blossoms songs. The bittersweet jangle of “Found Out About You” is tattooed into the brains of all the people who grew up listening to alt-rock radio in the ’90s. Even if you don’t know the whole Gin Blossoms saga, it’s a little jarring to see Kelly Clarkson singing this romantic-desolation hymn while wearing a Christmasy dress on a talk-show stage.

Still, it’s a Kelly Clarkson cover, and the lady knows what she’s doing. Clarkson only really sings about half of “Found Out About You,” and her band doesn’t hit the song’s central riff as hard as I’d like. But that’s mostly because the mix is focused on Kelly Clarkson’s voice, which is amazing. Clarkson really sings the song, as she always does. (We’ve recently posted her versions of some other ’90s alt-rock nuggets like Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” and Garbage’s “Only Happy When It Rains.”) Below, watch Kelly Clarkson’s cover and the original Gin Blossoms video.

Check out our recent Tracking Down interview with Gin Blossoms leader Robin Wilson here.