I came across this list the other day and thought overall it was a good list. Missed a couple that I like but was curious if other people here had great covers that they enjoy. I have always loved it when a band does a cover of someones song and it is as good, if not better, then the original.
Now for me the definition of ‘cover’ is that you make the song your own. Not an exact replica of the original. For me it is when a cover brings it own emotion to the song that intrigues me.
So when a band or singer takes a song that was successful on its own, then remakes that song into basically a new song, well that is some kind of awesome right there! Sometimes it is the beat or pace of the song, sometimes it is an inflection of voice, or whatever. But the cover can and does stand alone on its own.
I liked this list overall. I think they should have included Chris Cornell’s ‘Billie Jean’ which he slows down to a great blues tempo and throws his heart into the lyrics
I also like Tommy Emmanual’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, just simply beautiful with his guitar.
Any other songs you can think of that should have been included? Or what is your definition of what makes a good cover song?
Oh, twist my arm. This makes it look like she’s mainly a cover artist, but it’s the opposite, she’s mainly known for her original music (11 albums). These are her covers over the course of several years.
I’m biased as alll hell, but I do like all of them a lot, some more than others. I didn’t include one I don’t like at all, her cover of Bowie’s “Station To Station.” I like the song a lot, just not her live cover.
I was a bit surprised to see Cat Power on that list, and even more surprised it wasn’t the cover I’ve been telling all my friends about for the past little while: her cover of Oasis’ Wonderwall.
Peter Gabriel has famously covered it, but I think my favorite version is the Airborne Toxic Event’s (Skip to 1:10 to avoid the sad story about the singer’s grandmother.)
Isn’t SRVs cover of Hendrix’s Voodoo Child universally considered the definitive version? That’s the first one that popped into my head when I read the thread title.
The list you linked to is pretty good though. Hard to argue with many of them, though the absence of Voodoo Child is bizarre to me.
ETA: GnR Knocking on Heavens Door is also hard to beat. Surprised that’s not on there either.
Judy Garland sang a great version of “Over the Rainbow” and died at 47.
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole did a better version and died at 38.
Eva Cassidy did an even better version and died at 33.
Connie Talbot, consider this as a warning. Do not get any better at this song. Yes, I loved how great you were on Britain’s Got Talent singing “Over the Rainbow” at the age of 6. If you continue to improve though, by the time you’re 18 you will do the best version of the song ever, and the curse will cause you to keel over dead immediately.
I slightly prefer Earth, Wind and Fire’s version of “Got To Get You Into My Life”. My friend who’s a HUGE Beatles fan sneered at this version, but it wasn’t really one of my favorite Beatles songs to begin with, so for me at least it had a bit of room for improvement.
Other songs that get my vote:
~ Led Zeppelin, “When the Levee Breaks”
~ Jimi Hendrix, “All Along the Watchtower”
~ Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Heard It Through The Grapevine” (this one’s a push, I like the Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight versions, too)
~ Smith, “Baby It’s You”
~ They Might Be Giants, “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)”
