Los Straitjackets did a surf guitar version of “My Heart Will Go On” a few years ago, complete with the sound of waves. 'Twas much different from Ms. Dion’s version.
The Derailers do a country music cover of Prince’s “Raspberry Beret”. Highly recommended.
Salamander Crossing does a bluegrass cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Two Faces Have I” which works well.
Then there’s T-Bone Burnett’s talking blues cover of "Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend."
I may regret forevermore posting this on a message board, but I like The Cure’s cover of Purple Haze much better than the original…
Cibo Matto’s cover of “About A Girl.” Sounds like it was peeled off an AM radio on Japan. Just lovely.
Barbra Streisand turned the ebullient “Happy Days Are Here Again” into an ironic, bitter plaint.
Aztec Camera did a great, slow version of Van Halen’s “Jump”.
All these posts, and no one’s mentioned Pat Boone’s attempt at hard rock? I still laugh until I cry when I hear him sing “Holy Diver.”
Cassandra Wilson does a (quite sultry) version of Last Train to Clarksville.
I almost forgot about this album: George Martin’s In My Life. There are some great Beatles covers on this one. I particularly enjoy Because and Come Together (the latter by Robin Williams and Bobby Mcferrin.)
I will have to find that one! Thanks.
Pet Shop Boys’ cover of Elvis’s Always On My Mind?
And let’s not forget (all right, let’s do forget) Rolf Harris’s version of Stairway to Heaven.
The Kronos Quartet does an amazing version of Purple Haze.
And then there are the Dickies…
Warren Zevon does a melancholy cover of Steve Winwood’s Back in the High Life that’s very good. And Hindu Love Gods, which is just Zevon backed by REM, did a weird and good gover of Prince’s Raspberry Beret.
Frente, "Bizarre Love Triangle"
The New Order song reduced to light female vocals and a simple acoustic guitar arrangement.
Slowdive, "Some Velvet Morning"
Nancy Sinatra, if she were staring at her shoes with a Rickenbacker in her hands.
Primal Scream, "Some Velvet Morning"
Same song, done as some kind of electronic monstrosity.
Saint Etienne, "Only Love Will Break Your Heart"
Neil Young’s song goes pop electronic.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Higher Ground"
Stevie Wonder’s funk and soul out, straight-ahead rock in.
The Vines, "Sorry Ms. Jackson"
More of a remake of the Outkast song than a true cover (The lyrics are rearranged). To me, they sound a lot like Ride here.
Red House Painters, "All Mixed Up"
The Cars song. A standard 80’s pop-rock song slowed down, simplified, and sung with enough emotion to make Bob Mould proud.
Ottmar Liebert, "Mercy Mercy Me"
Marvin Gaye’s classic, done in Spanish with a flamenco guitar.
Love And Rockets, "Ball Of Confusion"
The Temptations’ Motown classic by goes modern rock.
The Austin Lounge Lizards recorded a bluegrass cover of “Brain Damage.”
I was also going to say Smells like Teen Spirit by Tori Amos, and also her version of 97 Bonnie and Clyde. Unbelievably haunting, but very good.
You misspelled “boring, sleep-inducing crapfest.”
Cyndi Lauper did a reggae-ish cover of her own “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” which I disliked fairly intensely when I first heard it but now like at least as well as the original.
Were it for nothing else, i’ll always consider Joey Ramone a genius for his cover of What a Wonderful World.
I’m also kind of partial to Type O Negative’s cover of Cinnamon Girl.
I ran across “Gregorian” on iTunes, awhile back. Not bad, though I think I’d like it a lot more as a cappella.
And Kashmir: Symphonic Led Zeppelin holds a very dear place in my heart.