Devo–Head Like a Hole (NIN cover)
Blind Melon–Candy Says (Velvet Underground cover)–this cover is amazing*. I miss Shannon Hoon.
Nirvana–Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie cover)
White Stripes–One More Cup of Coffee (Bob Dylan cover)
and my favorite is Mercury Rev’s cover of Burt Bacarrach’s “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”; it is just such a sweet rendition of the song you can’t help but like it.
Mercury Rev also does a really good cover of Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer”.
“**Wicked Game” - HIM **(a rockin’ version of Chris Isaak’s hit)
i forgot Jackson Browne and Bonnie Rait doing [Kisses Sweeter than Wine** Pete Seeger/ Weavers tune
Wish You Were Here - The Catherine Wheel (Pink Floyd cover)
Let It Be - Five For Fighting (The Beatles cover )
'Taint heard 'em yet, I reckon!
Which sort of makes this thread a cover!
Time, originally by Tom Waits, covered by Tori Amos
I’m really going to regret posting this but I rather like the Bangles version of Hazy Shade of Winter (originally by Simon and Garfunkel). I’m sure I’m the only one.
I really do like the Atari’s version of Boys of Summer (originally by Don Henley, unless I’m wrong).
Also the Liz Phair cover of Turning Japanese (originally by the Vapors)
My man Jimmy Buffett does great covers /remakes/ whateveryoucall them, in particular “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Mexico”, “Uncle John’s Band” and “Another Saturday Night (and I Ain’t Got Nobody).”
Travis’ “…Baby One More Time.” Cracked me up the first time I heard it. It’s actually much better; he actually sounds broken up about the whole thing.
Faith No More’s “Easy.” The song, originally done by The Commodores, is as smooth as silk anyway, but Faith does its usual nice job.
Cake’s “I Will Survive” (Gloria Gaynor) is nice in a dry, casual way.
The Presidents of the USA’s “Video Killed the Radio Star” (The Buggles) always gets me revved up.
A lot of mine have already been addressed. And I’d also like to make a blanket recommendation of any Stevie Ray Vaughn cover of a Jimi Hendrix tune.
But my most recent favourite is a fascinating re-interpretation of Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head by none other than the brilliant absurdist art-rock group The Flaming Lips. They effectively turned a bouncy yet monotonous piece of dance fluff into an almost dirge-like lament to obsession. It’s a fantastic bit of re-invention.
“Boys in the Hood” by Dynamite Hack (Easy E cover)
I don’t know NIN from Adam, but I do know that coming from anyone else that video (and the song itself) would be disgusting, self-indulgent garbage. Coming from The Man in Black, though, it is just fine.
Ditto on the White Stripes, also Cake’s I Will Survive was my first thought when I saw this thread