Best Covers or Song Remakes.

[SoulOnIce]

Stand by Me - John Lennon

What else?

[Eliot Johnson]

Don't know if it's the best cover ever, but Iron & Wine's cover of The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" is way better than the original.

(Speaking of Iron & Wine, I don't know if it's a technically cover, but the James Mercer/Sam Beam version of "New Slang" is awesome...and, even better, I get to go see Iron & Wine and Calexico tonight)

I like Jeff Mangum's cover of "I Love How You Love Me"

Cake's cover of "I Will Survive" is pretty fun

Radiohead's cover of "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" is just TOO awesome. The Sparklehorse/Thom Yorke cover of "Wish You Were Here" isn't bad but I like the original better. Tori Amos has an interesting cover of "Karma Police," which sounds really good considering it's just piano and her voice.

Camper Von Beethoven does a nice "Interstellar Overdrive"

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[Lubichev]

Jawbox's version of Tori Amos' Cornflake Girl.

NOFX's version of Fleetwood Mac's Go Your Own Way

Social Distortion's version of The Rolling Stones song Under My Thumb

Jaco Pastorious' version of Dear Prudence by the Beatles

Ramones version of the Beach Boys tune Do You Wanna Dance

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Guns n Roses : Live & Let Die: cover of Paul McCartney & Wings

This cover kicked a lotta ass. Even Sir Paul , loved it. He claimed that you can tell it had tons of energy. Whenenver they play football games a lot of the games will play the G'n'R version.

Guns n Roses : Sympothy for the Devil cover of the Rolling Stones

The Stones version is ok...and isn't a loud , rockin version. But for the Interview for The Vampire soundtrack , the people went to the biggest Rock Band in the world at the time and asked to redo it. Axl who had already taken a few old songs and added a touch of ass ass kicking did it here.

In thier last original work G'n'R delivered the typical Guns n Roses work. It had it all.....


U2 : Helter Skelter cover of Beatles:

I used to have this downloaded from Napster. It was in a concert and Bono starts it up. Its pretty decent for U2 for a concert song.

[Lubichev]

U2 : Helter Skelter cover of Beatles:

I used to have this downloaded from Napster. It was in a concert and Bono starts it up. Its pretty decent for U2 for a concert song.

That is from U2: Rattle and Hum probably. If it start out "Here's a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. We're stealing it back!" then it is from way back in 1988.

[CaptMagellan]

Judas Priest's cover of Joan Baez' "Diamonds and Rust"
Judas Priest's cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Green Manalishi"
Elvis' cover of Miller's "King of the Road"

[The Mirrorball Man]

Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".

The Red Hot Chili Pepper's version of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground".

Tricky's version of Public Enemy's "Black Steel".

Rage Against the Machine's version of Afrika Bambaaataa's "Renegades of Funk".

Alicia Keys' version of Prince's "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore".

Ryan Adams' version of Madonna's "Like a Virgin".

[Slam_Bradley]

Aretha Franklin's cover of Otis Redding's RESPECT is the answer.

What do I win?

[cactusmaac]

Johnny Cash's version of Hurt.

Jimi Hendrix's take on All Along The Watchtower.

[Hiromi]

The two Preist covers CaptMagellan mentioned

Cash took every thing Reznor had to say and said it a couple of thousand times better in Hurt.

While the original Kinks version of You Really Got Me was a good song in its own right I just think Van Halen turned it into a Hard Rock masterpiece.

[Pepsigirl]

Xiu Xiu's cover of Joy Division's "Ceremony"
The Shins cover of The Postal Service's "We Will Become Silhouettes"
The Mountain Goats cover of The Silver Jews' "Pet Politics"
Rufus Wainwright's cover of The Beatles' "Across the Universe
The Futureheads' cover of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love"
Mates of State's cover of David Bowie's "Starman"

[Alex]

Radiohead's cover of Can's The Theif.

[kmeyers]

Phish(New Years Eve 99) covering "After Midnite", easily the best version of this song ever.

Jimi Hendrix covering "Day Tripper"

Leftover Salmon covering "Gin and Juice", and also their cover of "Hey Joe" is incredible.

Widespread Panic and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, covering Stevie Wonder's "Superstitious."

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

Jimi Hendrix's take on All Along The Watchtower.

This is probably one of the best covers ever. It blows Dylan's version away, and I'm a big fan of Dylan.

[kmeyers]

This is probably one of the best covers ever. It blows Dylan's version away, and I'm a big fan of Dylan.
The best part is that Dylan knows it too. I forget the exact quote, but he said something like, "I may have written it, but it's Jimi's song."

That, and it gives me goosebumps everytime I read the end of Watchmen..."Outside in the cold distance, a wild cat did growl. Two riders were approaching, and the wind began to howl."

Awesome.

[bert]

Two great covers, both by $wan$ (or SWANS, as they started spelling it later in their career).

"Love will tear us apart" -- better than Joy Division's original. . and that's hard to do.

"Can't Find My Way Home" -- not *quite* as good as the orginal, but damn close.

[Grant]

I recently heard Sonic Youth's cover of "Superstar" by the Carpenters while watching The Frightners on DVD. It sounded like a tripped out Donovon song (well more tripped out).

Dinosaur Jr. cover of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" always rocks.

[Spike-X]

Bruce Springsteen's cover of Dylan's I Want You from the Main Point, Feb 5 1975 (only available on bootleg, unfortunately)
Robert Plant's cover of Tim Buckley's Song To The Siren
The Clash's cover of the Bobby Fuller Four's I Fought The Law
Rebekah Del Rio's version of Roy Orbison's Crying (from the Mulholland Drive soundtrack)

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

The best part is that Dylan knows it too. I forget the exact quote, but he said something like, "I may have written it, but it's Jimi's song."

That, and it gives me goosebumps everytime I read the end of Watchmen..."Outside in the cold distance, a wild cat did growl. Two riders were approaching, and the wind began to howl."

Awesome.

Yeah, that was about the best job of incorporating a song into a story that I've ever seen.

Haven't read the Dylan quote before. I'll have to look it up.

[DDM]

"Dear Prudence" by Siouxsie & the Banshees
"Right Now" by The Creatures
"This Wheel's On Fire" by Julie Driscoll
"Go West" by The Pet Shop Boys
"Stop Your Sobbing" by The Pretenders
"Tomorrow Wendy" by Concrete Blonde
"It's Only Money" by Concrete Blonde
"Mother of Pearl" by Pretty & Twisted

[Faded]

The Fugees' take on Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly"

"Whooooaaawhoooa whoa whoa...whoa-wo-wo"

[GozertheGozarian]

Type O Negative's cover of Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl.

[Neil]

Yeah, "Respect" by Aretha goes on that list with "Tainted Love" by Softcell, "Louie, Louie" by The Kingsman and whatnot. You can make a pretty substantial list just using those.

I'll nominate "Breed" by Steve Earle myself.

[Pinball]

On a Christmas note:
Bruce & Co's "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
Ray Charles & BB King's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

[Dennis K]

Van Halen ~ You Really Got Me

Guns N' Roses ~ Live and Let Die

Cheap Trick ~ Day Tripper

Rory Gallagher ~ Messin' With The Kid

The Hindu Love Gods ~ Walkin' Blues

Counting Crows ~ Carmelita

Oasis ~ I Am The Walrus

Gary Moore ~ Oh Pretty Woman

Ozzy Osbourne (w/Randy Rhoads) ~ Paranoid

[ZombieHavoc]

i've been into velvet underground covers lately:

-gang of four- sweet jane
-slaughter & the dogs- waiting for the man
-rem- femme fatale (and i think they did a couple more on the b sides record, but i cant remember which ones)
-the runaways- rock n' roll

other good non-VU covers:
-siouxsie- helter skelter
every song the ramones covered, which was many
-cradle of filth- death comes ripping
-the cardigans- mr. crowley, sabbath bloody sabbath, iron man, the boys are back in town
-guns n' roses- nice boys

[Eliot Johnson]

i've been into velvet underground covers lately:

-gang of four- sweet jane
-slaughter & the dogs- waiting for the man
-rem- femme fatale (and i think they did a couple more on the b sides record, but i cant remember which ones)
-the runaways- rock n' roll


Iron & Wine and Calexico last night did a GREAT cover of a VU song from VU and Nico (sorry...not all that familiar with VU, but i recognized it as from that album)

[TomGun13]

A couple that stick out to me are:

Sloan's cover of Joni Mitchell's A Case of You
Ryan Adam's cover of Wonderwall
Smashing Pumpkins cover of Fleetwood Macs Landslide
Blur's cover of Rod Stewart's Maggie May

[jessecuster]

Aside from a number of the ones already listed I have to second: Smashing Pumpkins - Landslide and also add:

Jane's Addiction - Sympathy for the Devil, something about Perry's voice seems so much more evil in their version.

Yonder Mountain String Band - Crazy Train, yes, a bluegrass version of Ozzy's classic. I am sure you have heard any of these bluegrass tributes and covers from ACDC to just plain classic bluegrass artists, but this is one of if not the best I have heard.

[Chiasm]

Ring of Fire - Social Distortion's much improved version of a Johnny Cash song.

Baker Street - Foo Fighters. Not quite as good but still pretty awesome.

[Buried Alien]

The Clash's cover of the Bobby Fuller Four's I Fought The Law


The Clash's version might have superseded the original and become the *definitive* version. Sometimes, that happens.


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Dennis K]

Ring of Fire - Social Distortion's much improved version of a Johnny Cash song.


Uh, hmmmmm, no.

[Lubichev]

The Clash's version might have superseded the original and become the *definitive* version. Sometimes, that happens.


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)
The Dead Kennedy's version is great too. Especially with its lyric changes.

[Lubichev]

The Pogues version of "Honky Tonk Woman" is rather fun.


And drunk.

[LiNo]

Oasis - My generation

Liam's the only singer from a current major rock band who can easily get away with singing those lyrics now.

[Phrozen]

Judas Priest did a great cover of "Mr. Crowley"

[Kirayoshi]

Guns N Roses' "Sympathy for the Devil".

Natalie Merchant's "Space Oddity".

Dave Edmunds' "Girls Talk"(originally written and performed by Elvis Costello, also covered by Linda Ronstadt, which we shall not discuss again.)

October 2001, TNT aired a John Lennon tribute concert staged in part as a benefit concert for the survivors of the WTC bombing. Highlights included "In My Life" by Dave Matthews, "Dear Prudence" by Alanis Morrisette, "Strawberry Fields" by Cyndi Lauper, "Nowhere Man" by Natalie Merchant and a scorching "Jealous Guy" by Lou Reed. Even Kevin Spacey got into the act, delivering a fairly listenable cover of "Mind Games".

During a 9/11 benefit broadcast, Limp Bizkit did a gorgeous acoustic version of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here".

[Dennis K]

Oasis - My generation

Liam's the only singer from a current major rock band who can easily get away with singing those lyrics now.


Have you heard the version of it they did on the Jools Holland show? Brilliant, with a classic Gallagher Brothers intro.

[Dennis K]

Come Together ~ Smokin' Mojo Filters

Blues With A Feelin' ~ Steve Miller Band

Shapes Of Things ~ Gary Moore

[Hiromi]

Ring of Fire - Social Distortion's much improved version of a Johnny Cash song.

I suggest you go look outside your window, that mob of angry people with pitchforks should be there any second.

[Slam_Bradley]

I suggest you go look outside your window, that mob of angry people with pitchforks should be there any second.


It's really not nice to send a mob after the mentally ill.

[Adam Crocker]

The Clash's version might have superseded the original and become the *definitive* version. Sometimes, that happens.

Let's also add "Armagideon Time", which was originally a somewhat more up-tempo (and conventional) reggae song with horns. Mind you it helps that the original version is rarely heard. I've heard sound clips of it and based on that I have to say that the Clash's spooky, heavy dub arrangement blows it out of the water. Especially good to hear on the original Black Market Clash when it's immediately followed by the dub instrumental version "Justice Tonight/Kick It Over" which ends with these piano keys being tapped repeatedly and given an echo. Fucking spooky.

[Zero Hunter]

Rob Zombies cover of the KC and the Sunshine Band's song Boggie Man. He took a poppy little disco song and made it sound evil as hell.

[Neil]

During a 9/11 benefit broadcast, Limp Bizkit did a gorgeous acoustic version of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here".I just need to jump in here. That was most not gorgeous and the rewritten lyrics were just plain embarrassing.

[TinMan]

Metallica-Turn the Page
Shadows Fall- Welcome to the Machine
Orgy-Blue Monday
Disturbed-Shout 2000 and Land of Confusion

[Totoro Man]

Uh, hmmmmm, no.


agreed, I like the Social Distortion cover of "Ring of Fire" but it's NOT an improvement.

[StoneGold]

Virtually everything off off the first Garage album from Metallica. Hell, there were songs on there I didn't even realize were covers.

[Hiromi]

Virtually everything off off the first Garage album from Metallica. Hell, there were songs on there I didn't even realize were covers.
The Black Sabbath medley was paticularly wonderful.

[Chevan]

Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Blinded By The Light (originally Bruce Springsteen)

[jabrams007]

Just wanted to add a couple more not already listed:

Rusty Cage by Johnny Cash

Two versions of Joline, a Dolly Parton song, one by Mindy Smith, the other by The White Stripes, are amazing.

The Little Wing instrumental version by Stevie Ray Vaughan is phenominal.

You Shook Me by Led Zeppelin, a classic blues song redone by the Zep.

Walk This Way combo version with Aerosmith and Run DMC.

I Wanna Be Like You by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Who ever thought that a Disney remake could be so good?

Hard To Handle by the Black Crowes. Great remake of a classic Otis Redding song.

Amazing Grace by the Dropkick Murphys

[Jessica Drew]

Not to say ALL of the following bested the original versions, but anyway...

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Aretha Franklin
"Remember (Walking in the Sand)" by Aerosmith
"Mustang Sally" by the Commitments
"Money" by the Beatles
"Twist and Shout" by the Beatles
"Beast of Burden" by Buckwheat Zydeco
"More Than This" by Bill Murray
"Ain't That a Shame" by Cheap Trick
"Turn the Page" by Metallica
"Bertha" by Los Lobos
"Starting All Over Again" by Hall & Oates
"Smokin' in the Boy's Room" by Motley Crue
"I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" by Pearl Jam
"Last Kiss" by Pearl Jam
"Cum On Feel the Noize" by Quiet Riot
"The Ghost of Tom Joad" by Rage Against the Machine
"Train Kept A Rolling" (MTV Unplugged version) by Aerosmith

...and I'm finally tired of typing.

[cbridentity]

You keep me hanging on - Vanilla Fudge

[Spike-X]

"I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" by Pearl Jam


Luka Bloom does a wonderful version of this.

[berk]

Bryan Ferry's done dsome great ones over the years -

practically the entirety of "These Foolish Things," his 1st solo album, whicc is all covers; the only ones I don't flat-out adore are Sympathy for the Devil and a couple others that slip my mind. Everything else is absolute perfection to my ears.

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - from the "Another Time, Another Place album

Will You Love Me Tomorrow - from Taxi

pretty much the entire "As Time Goes By" album

[PeteGunn]

The covers of the Miracles' I Heard It Through The Grapevine, done by (1) Marvin Gaye and (2) Gladys Knight and the Pips.

Rare Earth's cover of the Temptations' Get Ready.

[sschroeder]

Sweet Jane by Cowboy Junkies
Wild Horses by The Sundays
Comfortably Numb by Dar Williams
Tangled Up In Blue by Indigo Girls
Romeo And Juliet by Indigo Girls

[Cowlander]

Really digging 30 seconds to Mars cover of Bjorks Hunter right now. Its not better but it damn close to equaling it to me. Really well done.

[Smarty Jones]

"I recently heard Sonic Youth's cover of 'Superstar' by the Carpenters while watching The Frightners on DVD. It sounded like a tripped out Donovon song (well more tripped out)."

Luther Vandross made by far the best remake of The Carpenters' "Superstar." When you take someone else's song and make it a definitive song for a generation and that new audience is in a different genre, that's impressive.

"Aretha Franklin's cover of Otis Redding's 'RESPECT' is the answer.

What do I win?"

This may be the winner here, because Aretha Franklin's "Respect" is arguably the defining song for a music genre. I would say a close second would be Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," a song he wrote but originally was a big hit for Gladys Knight & The Pips.

[Pinball]

Talking Heads - Al Green's "Take Me to the River"
James Taylor - Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is"
Rita Coolidge - Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher"
Donna Summer - Richard Harris's "MacArthur Park" (Hey, it could hardly be worse :D )

[GreenHornet]

Coal Chamber= Shock the monkey
Fear Factory= Cars
Faster PussyKats = Your so vain

and me doing = The imiagration song ( or the Overlord song sometimes called)


AH A AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA A!!
Ah A AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA A!!

" WE COME FROM THE LAND OF ICE AND SNOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!........................ah AND THATS THE ONLY PART I KNOWWWWWWWWWWWWW"


True story thats how I song it once while I was playing in a band at a party.

[PeteGunn]

This may be the winner here, because Aretha Franklin's "Respect" is arguably the defining song for a music genre. I would say a close second would be Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," a song he wrote but originally was a big hit for Gladys Knight & The Pips.

Whitfield and Strong wrote "Grapevine" and cut it on Smokey and the Miracles as early as '66. (The Isley Bros. may or may not have cut a version around the same time; no one's found the session yet).

I am one of the few who prefers the original version of "Respect" to the Queen of Soul's cut. Know this about Aretha, one of her greatest talents is doing covers well. The only one even close is Ray Charles.

[howyadoin]

The best part is that Dylan knows it too. I forget the exact quote, but he said something like, "I may have written it, but it's Jimi's song."

That, and it gives me goosebumps everytime I read the end of Watchmen..."Outside in the cold distance, a wild cat did growl. Two riders were approaching, and the wind began to howl."

Awesome.I'm a pretty big fan of TSOL's version, too.

[Smarty Jones]

"Whitfield and Strong wrote 'Grapevine' and cut it on Smokey and the Miracles as early as '66. (The Isley Bros. may or may not have cut a version around the same time; no one's found the session yet)."

You're right, Norman Whitfield helped write "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." I should have looked that up on Marvin Gaye sets.

[Patient Boy]

Luther Vandross made by far the best remake of The Carpenters' "Superstar." When you take someone else's song and make it a definitive song for a generation and that new audience is in a different genre, that's impressive.


The Carpenters weren't the first to do Superstar either. It's a great song by almost anybody though.

http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=826

[howyadoin]

-rem- femme fatale (and i think they did a couple more on the b sides record, but i cant remember which ones)"Pale Blue Eyes" and "There She Goes Again", if I remember correctly.

[TomGun13]

I also like Sloan's version of A Case of You.

[Voncaster]

I like Manson's Cover of Sweet Dreams and the Pumpkins cover of Rock On/The Cradle will Rock.

[berk]

Al Green's version of the Bee Gees' "How Do You mend A Broken Heart." I think I still like the original better, but only just. Depends on the mood I'm in, really.

Wilson Pickett's version of "I'm In Love." I couldn't imagnie anyone doing a rendition that came close to `this until I heard Bobby Womack`s original, which I now prefer to Picketts cover.

Michel Pagliaro`s version of Dock of the Bay``. The only cover I`ve heard that`s worth listening to.

[Kid Seven]

Ani DiFranco has an awesome version of Dylan's "Most of the Time". It's done live and really breathes.

[mike rok lok]

i'm actually really digging sin kil moon's new album "tiny cities" it is an album of modest mouse covers. and although I don't like modest mouse I love these versions as mark kozelek doesn't do staright covers of these songs they reimagined so to speak. In a similar way to how he did with Red house painters when they covered The Cars "All Mixed Up" or Ace Frehley's "Shock Me".

Awesome stuff.

[PeteGunn]

Wilson Pickett's version of "I'm In Love." I couldn't imagnie anyone doing a rendition that came close to `this until I heard Bobby Womack`s original, which I now prefer to Picketts cover.

.

I think the Wicked One did his cut first, with Womack covering his own song later. Bobby and Pickett were working together during this time, and I know Bobby wrote(or co-wrote songs) for Pickett.

[berk]

I think the Wicked One did his cut first, with Womack covering his own song later. Bobby and Pickett were working together during this time, and I know Bobby wrote(or co-wrote songs) for Pickett.Yes, I just had a look at the liner notes of my Womack compilation, Midnight Mover (highly recommended if anyone out there wants to check out his music) and you're absolutely correct. So I can amend my choice to Womack's cover version of his own song, originally recorded by Wilson Pickett! You can't go wrong with either version, really.

[zilch]

Love me some Gary Numan covers...

We Are Glass by EMF (even tho the live version of this is usually an encore piece, they Get It)

Films by a brit rapper called Underdog (not really a cover, but a nice sample and his rap about movies is totally cool, even for this middle aged white guy)

We Are So Fragile by bis (love the way they jump genre like a drunk crossing the double yellow, start out pop/eletronic, move to rock with a ska chorus, my fave Numan cover)

and...

Workin in the Coal Mine by Devo (who does a hell of a lot of covers)

Sister Sledge does a gospel version of Handel's Halleluyah Chorus in cool three part harmony that doesnt skimp on the low parts

[Trystenn]

You know i prefer the Rammstein version of Stripped over Depeche Modes, DM was too depressing and the last part didnt have the sound to make it great, Rammsteins OTOH, did.

[TomGun13]

Just heard it for the first time on the weekend, but I really dig Mary J. Blige's version of U2's "One".

[howyadoin]

Love me some Gary Numan covers...Have you heard the Foo Fighters' version of "Down in the Park"?

[JerrBear81]

"Kiss Me Deadly" -- Reel Big Fish

"Forever Young" -- So They Say

"Let's Do It" -- Joan Jett

[Chiasm]

Run - Kittie (Pink Floyd cover)

[leonaozaki]

Emmylou Harris, "Pancho and Lefty." Yes, Willie and Merle's version is great, but Emmylou's is even better.

rob

[Headhunter]

Mock me if you must, but I love The Sundays' cover/interpretation of Wild Horses. Gives me chills every time.

[Kirayoshi]

No votes yet for Johnny Cash's version of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt"? I'm shocked! Plus, the same album also featured a smoky, bluesy version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus".

"Hello", "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina", "Phantom of the Opera", "Science Fiction Double Feature", among many others, by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Just for grins!

And seriously, on the subject of a band making someone else's song its own, which version of "Istanbul, Not Constantinople" do you remember, the Freshmen or They Might Be Giants?

I heard Barenaked Ladies sing their song "One Week" live, and for some reason they segued into brief bits of "Gettin' Jiggy With It" by Will Smith, "All About the Benjamins" by Sean Puffy Combs, "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve and "Ray of Light" by Madonna. Whatever.

Someone mentioned Mindy Smith's version of Dolly Parton's "Jolene". I think Dolly herself sang back-up on that one. And yes it was pretty damn good.

And I know I'm in the minority, but I liked Credence Clearwater Revival's version of "Heard it Through the Grapevine". As good as Marvin Gaye's, but for different reasons.

[Ilash]

And I know I'm in the minority, but I liked Credence Clearwater Revival's version of "Heard it Through the Grapevine". As good as Marvin Gaye's, but for different reasons.

Well, then that's two of us in the minority because I agree completely.

[JerrBear81]

Mock me if you must, but I love The Sundays' cover/interpretation of Wild Horses. Gives me chills every time.

Naw. It's a great cover.

[TomGun13]

Have you heard the Foo Fighters' version of "Down in the Park"?

Have you heard the Foo's do "Danny Says"?

[Negative Creep]

"Surfin' USA" -Melt Banana

"Suffragette City" -Turbonegro

"Season of the Witch" -Luna

"My Way" -Sid Vicious

"Video Killed the Radio Star" -Ben Folds Five

"Skulls" -Lemonheads

[howyadoin]

Have you heard the Foo's do "Danny Says"?Nope. I'll have to go look for that one; I think Dave's almost as good at covers as the Ramones were.

[Eliot Johnson]

I think that Tomorrow's cover of "Strawberry Fields Forever" is better than the original.

[PunkMC]

Talking about taking songs and making them theirs:

I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
Red Red Wine - UB40


Others that were good:

War Pigs - Faith No More

Never Let Me Down Again - Smashing Pumpkins

Crazy Mary - Pearl Jam (I could actually fill this with just Pearl Jam covers)

Mrs. Robbinson - The LemonHeads

[Ottmeister X]

Tesla does all kinds of great rock covers (no, I'm not talking about Signs). Rumor is they will be releasing a covers album sometime soon. Some of the outstanding covers that they do: War Pigs, Do You Feel Like We Do, & Cottonfields to name a few.

Great White does some great Led Zep covers such as In The Light and Since I've Been Loving You.

Anyone see the Dawn Of The Dead remake? There's a nice little lounge act rendition of Disturbed's Down With The Sickness.

Living Colour has an interesting remake of AC/DC's Back In Black. Corey Glover sings it with a falsetto.

Cinderella does Janis Joplin's Move Over.

[Phrozen]

Does the Primus version of NiB count? I mean Ozzy was doing the vocals.

[Chiasm]

Running up That Hill - Within Temptation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZe3AM69sQg

Its a remake of the Kate Bush classic and I like it much better than Kate's original which I also liked. I'd never heard of this group til last last night when I was watching a Lacuna Coil video on youtube. People were arguing in the comments who was better: Evanesecence, Nightwish, or Lacuna Coil. Someone piped in that Within Temptation was better than all of them so I looked up their youtube videos and came across this amongst many. For the record, I agree with the guy who said Within Temptation is better than the other three. This song, despite being a cover song, sounds much like their other stuff as they have made the song harder and faster without losing the melodic quality of it.

The best way for me to describe Within Temptation is to say they have the musical chops of Lacuna Coil with voice quality of Evanescence. Take that as you will.

[PanzerMega]

I really like In Flames' cover of "Everything Counts" by Depeche Mode. The original's a good song, but the melodic death metal makeover makes it even better.

[Ontir]

Crystal Ship & Watching the Detectives ~ Duran Duran

Ashes to Ashes ~ Tears for Fears

Life on Mars ~ Angun

California Dreaming ~ High Jinx

Breakdown ~ Grace Jones

Hurt ~ Johnny Cash

Gimme Gimme Gimme ~ Earasure

They Don't Know ~ Tracey Ullman

Save a Prayer ~ Eve's Plumb

Let Me Be the One ~ Matthew Sweet

On Top of the World ~ Shonen Knife

Dancin' Barefoot, Being Boiled & All Tomorrow's Parties ~ Simple Minds

[Prosthetic Head]

Green Day - "Outsider"
A great cover of The Ramones. Very underrated song on a fairly underrated record(Suburban Jungle). Green Day does it proud.

[Dennis K]

Aint That A Shame

&

Day Tripper ~ Cheap Trick

[scratchie]

"Willow Tree" - Alton Ellis
"Queen Majesty" (a.k.a. "Minstrel & Queen") - The Techniques
"Keep on Moving" - Bob Marley & the Wailers

[Jessica Drew]

I love Wilson Pickett's version of "Hey Jude" better than the Beatles' version (especially the horns, the belting, and the screaming guitar--and I think that's Duane Allman, too--on the coda). Damn thing gives me chill bumps.

Another Pickett cover I like is the Wicked One's version of "Sugar Sugar;" he completely transforms the song from bubblegum pop* to smooth Southern soul.



*though I think, in this song's case, it's bubblegum pop produced/performed at about the highest level it can be, and the "you're gonna make my life so sweet" line sung by (one time Juliard student) Toni Wine ("Betty"/"Veronica") is one of my favorite moments in any pop-music song.

*if you're at all interested in any bubblegum music, Kim Cooper and David Smay's Bubblegum Music Is the Naked Truth: The Dark History of Prepubescent Pop, from the Banana Splits to Britney Spears is a must-buy book.

[howyadoin]

I just heard a fuckin' great one courtesy of Mr. Spike-X: the Violent Femme's "American Music" as covered by the Hold Steady.

[Athena Bast]

Type O Negative's cover of Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl.

OMG I would love to hear that

[Athena Bast]

Great Big Sea's cover of "Run Run Away"

[Punch]

Creedance Clearwater revival-I Put A Spell On You
Marvin Gaye-Yesterday

[Ontir]

Grace Jones cover of Love is the Drug, is fantastic.

Lou Reed has sung the praises of Duran Duran's cover of Perfect Day, and I also love their cover of Elvis Costellos' Watching the Detectives, and the Doors' Crystal Ship!

Anggun's cover of Bowie's Life on Mars is wonderful.

[Motormouse]

"Born Slippy" ~ Barefoot

"Step On" ~ Happy Mondays

[Fish Sauce]

For me:

Guns N' Roses - Live And Let Die and Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower

And I quite like Muse's version of House of the Rising Sun, too.

[Karl H]

Hurt - johnny cash
Jolene - White Stripes
Hopipola - We are scientists

and I heard this only yesterday - Hotel Yorba by the Fratelli's

[jessecuster3]

"Step On" ~ Happy Mondays


This is a cover?

[Phrozen]

Foo Fighter's version of "Have a Cigar" is pretty good.

Blind Guardian's cover of "Mr. Sandman" is interesting.

[Ontir]

Marilyn Manson's cover of This is Halloween (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU6iP0WLsU8), which Disney hired him to do!

[Your Imaginary Pal]

I enjoy Stevie Wonder's cover of "We Can Work It Out"(Beatles)
and his cover of "Blowin' In The Wind"(Bob Dylan)

I thought "All Along The Watchtower" was Hendrix all the way, never knew it wa a cover.

[BlackShoes]

Bicycle Race-Be Your Own Pet it is more of tribute than a cover.

[Punch]

I enjoy Stevie Wonder's cover of "We Can Work It Out"(Beatles)

That is a great cover.

On the flip side Ive always been disappointed with Lennon's version of Stand By Me

[Valmore]

Has anyone said Gary Jules' cover of Tears For Fears' "Mad World" yet?

Because that's an AWESOME remake.

[SAMAS]

To know what the quintessential cover song is to me, you need only Walk This Way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AKaV911uJA)

[Christopher Cross Is God]

U2 - Dancing Barefoot
Depeche Mode - Route 66
Apoptygma Berzerk - Electricity (original song was by OMD)
Information Society - Are Friends Electric? (original was by Gary Numan)
The Cure - Purple Haze (original was by Jimmy Hendrix)
Rythmus - Balanced (cover/remake of Depeche Mode's "Get The Balance Right")
Erasure - SOS (original was by Abba)
Nine Inch Nails - Get Down Make Love (original was by Queen)
Pet Shop Boys - Where The Streets Have No Name (original was by U2)
Iris - The Picture (original was by Hubert KaH)
Kim Wilde - You Keep Me Hangin' On
Front Line Assembly feat. Tiffany - New Year's Day (original was by U2)
Brave New World - Shake The Disease (original was by Depeche Mode)
Battery - It's My Life (original was by Talk Talk)
Tom Jones & The Cardigans - Burning Down The House (original was by Talking Heads)
T42 - Let Me Go
Cosmicity - Nobody's Diary (original was by Yazoo)
Distain! - Nights In White Satin
Assemblage 23 - Love My Way
Yendri - Everything Counts (original was by Depeche Mode)
Marilyn Manson - Personal Jesus (original was by Depeche Mode)
No Doubt - It's My Life (original was by Talk Talk)

Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind (often mistaken for a Willie Nelson song, this was originally by Elvis Presley......PSB did a cover/remake, afterwards Willie Nelson did his own country version of the song)

I also like that hard rock/alternative remake of "Land Of Confusion", but don't know who it's by.

[Christopher Cross Is God]

You know i prefer the Rammstein version of Stripped over Depeche Modes, DM was too depressing and the last part didnt have the sound to make it great, Rammsteins OTOH, did.

Never cared for Rammstein's version of Stripped.

I don't like the original version done by DM, but the "Highland Remix" on the CD single is pretty good.

[Christopher Cross Is God]

.....................

[J. Robb]

Has anyone mentioned "Gin & Juice" by the Gourds? 'Cause I love that version!

[Camron Amaya]

Corinne does a dope version of Since I've been Loving You by Led Zeppelin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT5q4HxpcgE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40wZKmaJHqY

[Athena Bast]

I also like that hard rock/alternative remake of "Land Of Confusion", but don't know who it's by.

The remake is done by Disturbed but I'll be damned if I can remember who the original artist is.

[Christopher Cross Is God]

The remake is done by Disturbed but I'll be damned if I can remember who the original artist is.

Original artist was Genesis (The band with Phil Collins).

I always thought the original song had potential, but overall wasn't that great.....Plus, I don't care for Phil Collins, much.

The remake by Disturbed is excellent.

[Spike-X]

Corinne does a dope version of Since I've been Loving You by Led Zeppelin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT5q4HxpcgE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40wZKmaJHqY
Wow. That was fantastic. Thanks!

[Motormouse]

This is a cover?

Yeah, although for the life of me i can't remember who originally sung it, as i've only heard the original twice. They were signed by Elektra records, which is how the Happy Mondays came to record the track for an albumn of cover versions.

[Ontir]

Pat Benatar did a great cover of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights.

[Serik]

Bruce Springsteen's rendition of "Trapped," originally by Jimmy Cliff, totally transforms the song.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yGvJL38Id-4

[Ontir]

Oh, I just learned that David Bowies recording of Hard to be a Saint in the City is a cover, and I love that song!

[Spike-X]

Oh, I just learned that David Bowies recording of Hard to be a Saint in the City is a cover, and I love that song!
If you want to check out how it's supposed to sound, the version from the Live 1975-85 box set is the ultimate version.

[Ontir]

I'm fine with Bowie's version. Springsteen is nothing special, as far as I'm concerned.

[Spike-X]

You are dead to me.

[Ontir]

I can live with that! :p

You probably ought not venture over to the "overlooked" thread!

[Spike-X]

I'm sorry, did somebody say something?

[Ontir]

LOL! Just pick up the son of the Song Name Game thread, already!

[Spike-X]

wrong thread

[Dennis K]

Ain't That A Shame ~ Cheap Trick
I Am The Walrus ~ Oasis
California Man ~ Cheap Trick
Helter Skelter ~ Oasis

[Zebulon]

Nominations in this thread seem to run in two veins, well-known covers and unknown gems. While I am a fan of both, they probably need different threads.

In the well-known category, it might be possible to be somewhat objective. After all, we do have Billboard rankings, Rolling Stones's Top 500, etc.

So, starting with popular covers, and using Rolling Stone's Top 500 Greatest Rock Songs as a guide, the top 100 yields:

5. Aretha Franklin "Respect" (Otis Redding)
19. Elvis Presley "Hound Dog" (Big Mama Thornton)
44. Ray Charles "Georgia on my Mind" (Frankie Trumbauer in 1931)
48. Jimi Hendrix "All Along The Watchtower" (Bob Dylan)
55. Kingsmen "Louie Louie" (Richard Berry)
61. Jerry Lee Lewis "Whole Lotta Shaking Going On" (James "Roy" Hall)
77. Elvis Presley "Mystery Train" (Little Junior's Blue Flames)
79. The Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man" (Bob Dylan)
81. "Blueberry Hill" (The Sammy Kaye Orchestra)
91. Elvis Presley "Suspicious Minds" (Mark James)

Arguably, Marvin Gaye's "Heard It Through the Grapevine" should be on this list. However, while released after Gladys Knight's version, it was recorded before that version. So, it's tough to call it a remake. While the first Motown group to record the song was The Miracles, their version was never released. Similarly, "Good Golly Miss Molly" was recorded first by Little Richard, yet first released by The Valiants.

As far as personal favorites where the cover is more widely known than the original, I think that the following should be on anyone's list:

Joe Cocker "You Are So Beautiful" (Billy Preston)
Joe Cocker "Feelin' Alright" (Dave Mason)
Janis Joplin "Me and Bobby McGee" (written by Kris Kristofferson, first recorded by Roger Miller)
Santana "Black Magic Woman" (Fleetwood Mac)
Naked Eyes "Always Something There To Remind Me" (R. B. Greaves)
Manfred Mann "Blinded By The Light" (Bruce Springsteen)
Jeff Buckley "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen)
The Tokens "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (Solomon Linda)
George Benson "On Broadway" (The Drifters)

In the lesser known category, where the cover is lesser known than the original, here are some of my favorites:

E.L.O.'s "Roll Over Beethoven"
Billy Paul's "Your Song"
Reel Big Fish's "Brown Eyed Girl"
Gato Barbieri's "Europa"

[jessecuster3]

Wow. That was fantastic. Thanks!

Check out her Raconteurs cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFxPo8Dj24A


Yeah, although for the life of me i can't remember who originally sung it, as i've only heard the original twice. They were signed by Elektra records, which is how the Happy Mondays came to record the track for an albumn of cover versions.

Wow, it was a John Kongos cover, but it wasn't an album of covers it was on their own album of songs, with this as their only cover.

[Spike-X]

As far as personal favorites where the cover is more widely known than the original, I think that the following should be on anyone's list:


Manfred Mann "Blinded By The Light" (Bruce Springsteen)


And we could add Patti Smith - Because The Night (although I'm not sure if this counts as a cover, either; she took the half-finished demo and added a lot of her own lyrics), and The Pointer Sisters - Fire.

Edited to add: And maybe even Rage Against The Machine - The Ghost Of Tom Joad.

[Spike-X]

Check out her Raconteurs cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFxPo8Dj24A


That was unexpectedly rock-y!

[howyadoin]

And we could add Patti Smith - Because The Night (although I'm not sure if this counts as a cover, either; she took the half-finished demo and added a lot of her own lyrics), and The Pointer Sisters - Fire.

Edited to add: And maybe even Rage Against The Machine - The Ghost Of Tom Joad.Or "Ways to Be Wicked" by Lone Justice.

[Spike-X]

Or "Ways to Be Wicked" by Lone Justice.
Who was that by, originally?

[DrewTheXenocide]

Franz Ferdiand's cover of LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends" is surprisingly awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tagO7EL6siQ

[howyadoin]

Who was that by, originally?Tom Petty. If I'm remembering correctly, I think Jimmy Iovine was hoping for a repeat of what happened with "Because the Night".

[leonaozaki]

Tom Petty. If I'm remembering correctly, I think Jimmy Iovine was hoping for a repeat of what happened with "Because the Night".

That's what I read in the Tom Petty box set. As awesome as Lone Justice's version is, the Heartbreakers tear that song up.

rob

[Zebulon]

And we could add Patti Smith - Because The Night (although I'm not sure if this counts as a cover, either; she took the half-finished demo and added a lot of her own lyrics), and The Pointer Sisters - Fire.

Edited to add: And maybe even Rage Against The Machine - The Ghost Of Tom Joad.

All are good songs.

I left out Patti Smith and the Pointer Sisters as I think that they released those songs before Bruce did. That sort of parallels Sinatra's "My Way" and Johnny Nash's "Stir It Up." Although written by Paul Anka and Bob Marley, respectively, the authors did not record the song until after it became a hit for the other artists.

A nice Bruce cover that doesn't get heard much is Manfred Mann's "I Came For You."

[Spike-X]

Manfred Mann covered For You?

I know he also covered Spirit In The Night, but I didn't know that. You sure you're not getting mixed up with Greg Kihn, who did cover For You?

[Ontir]

Bowie's Young Americans was covered quite nicely by the Cure? back in the 90's.

[Montbars the Exterminator]

I never liked Back in the High Life Again, but after Warren Zevon covered it on Life'll Kill Ya it's one of my favorite songs. He put so much emotion into it which wasn't in the original.

His cover of Knocking on Heaven's Door is incredible too.

[Ontir]

Homosapien covered by Simple Minds!

[Ontir]

Comfortably Numb ~ Scissor Sisters

I don't know if I listed it earlier, so I'm going to throw it on now. There are some great re-mixes of it on iTunes as well.

[Montbars the Exterminator]

The Red Hot Chili Peppers did a fun cover of Robert Johnson's They're Red Hot on Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

[Ontir]

Wuthering Heights ~ Pat Benatar

It's actually fairly faithful to Bush's original version (not so much the "Best of..." version), but with a harder guitar.

[Montbars the Exterminator]

I love Headstone's cover of Tweeter and the Monkey Man by The Traveling Wilburys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8EaQizk_Q0

[marvelfan06]

I thought the different versions of that Big Yellow Taxi song were okay.

[Ontir]

Wicked Little Town ~ Ben Jelen

If you count Tommy Gnosis, it's the 2nd cover of the song.