Skip While I agree that AAF’s version of ‘Smooth Criminal’ is much better than Wacko Jacko’s, it’s not the lead singer who is yelping the high-pitched part. It’s the big fat manly mexican looking dude who plays (I believe) bass.
As far as best covers I have wayy too many to list, as I listen to a lot of Punk… but here are a few by my favorite band, the Destructos!
‘We belong together’ kicks ass, as well as their OI rendition of ‘Patience’. They also do a mean re-write of ‘Rock N’ Roll Radio’ (not a cover, they changed the lyrics).
First of all, I hate that Eric Clapton version of “I Shot the Sherriff”.
The Butthole Surfers do great covers of “American Woman” and “Hurdy Gurdy Man”. “American Woman” puts that Lenny Kravitz version to shame.
I have an mp3 of Radiohead doing “Nobody Does It Better” that kicks more ass than a Carly Simon song should. If anybody has heard that and knows if it is on an album or bootleg somewhere, please tell me.
Metallica - Whiskey in the Jar - Tin Lizzie
This is the first Metallica song I ever actually liked (there’s only been one more since). It amuses me to no end that it isn’t even their song originally.
Also, I know no one outside of my college has ever heard of 'em, but the all-men’s a capella group here on campus does amazing covers of everything from Alice in Chains to Dave Matthews to George Michael to people I’ve never even heard of (Ambrosia’s “How Much I Feel” comes to mind). In many cases I like their renderings of the songs much better than the originals.
Pretty much anything by Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies (an “all-star” Punk cover band). But I really like their covers of:
I Would Walk 500 Miles
Walk Like an Egyptian
Stand By Me
Brown Eyed Girl
Aerosmith and the Yardbirds versions of “Train kept a rollin” totally rock.
dead0man
As far as I know, it is. I’ve actually heard the original a couple of times, mostly while supermarket shopping. And interestingly enough, the edited version of the Radiohead cover - “so fucking special” changed to “so very special” - is the proper lyrics to the original song. Okay, so I found it interesting - but I’m getting the feeling no-one else will.
I have absolutely no idea who recored the original version though, sorry - I’ll see if I can dig up a link later.
I would recommend the following…it sure beats the orginal…sort of. I listen to A LOT of punk and as most of you may know, punk artists love to remake songs so here are some I would recommend.
NOFX - I want you to want me
New Found Glory - Don’t want to miss a Thing
"- Everything I do
"- Heaven isn’t too far away
? - Over the Rainbow
? - Cheers Theme
There are SOOOOOOOO many more but I’m just too lazy to list them…if you want some more, just say so…ok then
Funny, two of my all-time favorite cover tunes are of a song that’s pretty damn good in and of itself, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, by The Rolling Stones. Usually, the best cover tunes are of lesser-known songs by lesser-known artists – (often so lesser-known, you would never have known it was a cover to begin with). Covers of popular songs usually suffer from a lack of inspiration, thus the usual suckiness of tribute CDs.
Nevertheless, here are my two favorites:
[li]The Devo version: Absolutely brilliant. The herky-jerky rhythm (and the accompanying groundbreaking video) defined one band while deconstucting another.[/li]
[li]The Cat Power version: Talk about deconstruction! By reducing the arrangement to a simple strum on an acoustic guitar and ditching the chorus altogether, when Chan Marshall wails “…can’t you see? I’m on a losing streak?,” you just wanna reach into the speakers and give her a big ole bear hug. It’s funny to put this one on for my friends and ask them to identify the cut – without the chorus, they are completely lost (“Wait, I know, hold on, whazzit? Aw, shucks. I don’t have any idea.”).[/li]
Good stuff.
Version 2 – Tesla’s version of Signs (orig by Five Man Acoustical Band) deserves mention here.
Others:
- Murray Head’sOne Night in Bangkok (orig by cast of the play Chess). Version 2. - Eric Clapton’s *Bell Bottom Blues * (orig by Bob Dylan). Version 2. - Kim Carnes’Bette Davis Eyes (orig by Jackie DeShannon). Version 2. - Krokus’School’s Out (orig by Alice Cooper) Version 2.
An oldie is Louis Armstong’s (or Bobby Darin’s) Mack the Knife(orig from a German theater presentation). Definitely a version 1.
Thanks **broccoli! ** Yup, they’re the group… by the way, do you happen to know who made a punk cover of “i’m so in love with you honey” (something like that)…Thanx. That’s also one of my favorites.
I’ve actually heard the original a couple of times, mostly while supermarket shopping. And interestingly enough, the edited version of the Radiohead cover - “so fucking special” changed to “so very special” - is the proper lyrics to the original song. Okay, so I found it interesting - but I’m getting the feeling no-one else will. 