I know Dylan covers are too easy, but I can’t not bring up “Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds.
Yeah, she does amazing things interpreting a song. Johnny Nash’s version is upbeat and joyous, Holly’s darker. Aaron David and David Piltch are absolutely genius players as well.
I know it’s fashionable to slag Sting, but the man is a brilliant performer and songwriter. Fields of Gold is a great song in his hands, but achieves transcendence with Eva Cassidy.
Linda Ronstadt greatly improved Betty Everett’s “You’re No Good.” Also her remake of Doris Troy’s “Just One Look.” Linda’s remakes were always good.
Not when covering Warren Zevon. Her version of Poor, Poor Pitiful Me, while beautifully sung, totally missed the irony of the original.
I was coming back just to mention this! Didn’t know I was the only one.
I love Sarah McLachlan’s gorgeous cover of Susan Enan’s Bring On the Wonder and Shawn Colvin’s version of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy.
Thank you. Gave me goose bumps.
Jimi Hendrix covering “Like a Rolling Stone” in addition to “All Along the Watchtower.”
Agreed - almost every song on that CD is amazing.
This is where I went first. Since it is taken, I’ll nominate Dave Mason’s version of Jimi Hendrix’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.”
Along with the requisite nods to every Dylan song covered by Peter, Paul and Mary and The Byrds.
I was lucky enough to see the Holly Cole Trio at the Daily Grill in Chicago. Though Holly had a microphone, I was close enough to hear her and her band acoustically. Astonishing.
Blackbird (Sarah McLachlan / Beatles)
Suzanne (Peter Gabriel / Leonard Cohen)
Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley / Leonard Cohen)
America (Yes / Simon and Garfunkel)
I’d add this version by Affinity to the list, although “artists you love” might be a little strong being as how they only ever did the self-titled debut album this is from (AFAIK).
Prince covering “Crimson and Clover” (originally Tommy James & the Shondells).
Funny, I opened this thread just to post that PEARL JAM has done the quintessential cover of the song, although I enjoy Hendrix’s version too.
Florence and the Machine’s cover of Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love”.
The Postal Service’s cover of Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds”.
Back when Matchbox 20 was popular, I was at one of their concerts and they covered Cyndi Lauper’s “Time after Time”. It was good, but I still prefer Cyndi’s.
I love The Smith’s “How Soon Is Now?” (though I’m not so hot on The Smiths themselves). I love t.A.T.u., one of the best electronic pop acts I’ve ever heard. And, luckily, I quite like t.A.T.u.'s cover of “How Soon Is Now?” from their debut album, and it meshes well with the album’s overall themes of frustrated love and longing. (Still prefer the original, though.)
I also love The Carpenters’ original “Superstar” as well as Sonic Youth’s cover version. I was really weirded out when it came out, though, as SY had a strange pop-culture-fascination crush on Karen Carpenter, doing a song about her death with an accompanying video that’s pretty non-respectful. In addition, the tribute album on which SY’s “Superstar” appeared was pretty clearly mocking the kitsch/easy-listening reputation that The Carpenters had at the time (with the album even portraying Karen and Richard as cheesy Keane big-eye children. :rolleyes:)… but SY managed to do a classy job on this one.
If Eva’s cover of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ is not the definitive version, what is?
As wonderful & hearfelt as John Lennon’s Jealous Guy is, I still prefer Bryan Ferry’s cover. The Everly Brothers Love Hurts is very sweet but I prefer the angst & passion of Nazareth’s cover (I’m normally a big Joan Jett fan but don’t like her version at all - a bit lifeless IMO.) & Soft Cell’s version of Tainted Love is way better than the original. (Gloria Jones?)