sometimes…
check out the stereophonics(welsh group) version of roberta flacks classic first time ever i saw your face…they do it justice
“Hallelujah.” Written and first performed by Leonard Cohen, far surpassed by Jeff Buckley.
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Done right by The Band, done better by Joan Baez.
This topic was also a recent Cafe Society thread: Cover songs that are better than the originals
Err…you mean Roberta Flack’s cover of Ewan MacColl’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”? 
All Along the Watchtower.
Nothing wrong with Dylan’s version, but even he preferred Jimi Hendrix’s take.
I have a Hendrix CD where he recorded a live version of Dylan’s Like A Rollin’ Stone (at least I think it was Dylan, yes I’m pretty sure that’s right). It is far superior to any other version I’ve heard. But then again I really like Hendrix.
Not surprisingly I also like his version of Hey Joe better than any other version I’ve heard although I am unsure who did the original.
yep didnt know it was a cover…
oh no whatever shall i do?!
ive shown my ignorance
damnit and i wanted it to be a secret 
I came here to post that exact same song! I love that cover. “Yeah, I know I missed a verse, but it’s still good…” Gotta love live 60’s music
I’ll add that I like many punk covers of pop songs much better than the originals (there are too many by too many bands to list though).
My favorite cover is Lick the Tins’ version of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” on the “Some Kind of Wonderful” soundtrack. Much more upbeat and happy, with a happy tin whistle.
JOhn.
Aw, I was just being a nitpicker! 
I think Loudon Wainwright III’s version of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” is superior to The Robins’ original.
I almost missed it… April’s over, it’s a new month, so we can have a new best cover songs thread.
Every Dylan song covered by practically anyone else, especially the Grateful Dead
Pretty much any cover of a Dylan song*.
While I greatly admire Dylan’s songwriting abilities, I don’t think that much of his singing.
*With the exception of the Stone’s cover of “Like a Rolling Stone” from a few years back, which sucked more than wee Sucky McSuck of the clan McSuck.
Tori Amos’ version of Smells like Teen Spirit. Off to Cafe Society.
Biffy~ just messin around, lol
A few ideas:
Johnny Cash’s cover of NIN’s “Hurt”
Arlo Guthrie’s cover of Steve Goodman’s “City of New Orleans”
Stevie Ray’s version of “Little Wing” may just top Hendrix
Pixies’s take on Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Head On”
Husker Dü’s cover of The Byrds’s “Eight Miles High”
Maybe Nirvana’s cover or The Vaselines’ “Son of a Gun,” though I must say I like the character of The Vaselines version.
Another maybe is Aretha Franklin’s take on Otis Redding’s “Respect.” Depends on my mood, though.
:eek: Uhm…errrrr…ohhhh…Uhmmmmm…You’re serious???:eek:
Well anyway, I’ll have to vote for two. The Beach Boy’s version of California Dreamin’ was much better than The Mama’s and the Papa’s (Sorry M&P fans).
And Orgy’s cover of New Order’s Blue Monday
Cough cough, this so obvious - John Coltrane’s cover of My Favorite Things. I don’t even consider it an R&H song.
Santana’s version of Black Magic Woman (combined with Gypsy Queen, also a cover).
I prefer Jimi’s version of Little Wing, but there’s much to be said for the SRV version.
It’s not really totally settled who wrote Hey Joe. The first guy to do it slow, the way Hendrix would do it, was named Tim Rose.
I agree. NIN’s version was just another song on the local “alternative” station. Cash’s version was extremely poignant.
I like Hazy Shade of Winter by The Bangles better than Simon & Garfunkel’s version.
Ditto No Doubt’s version of Oi to the World vs. The Vandals’s original version.
I like UB40’s version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” better than Elvis’s.