One Minute of Silence, by John Lennon (Soundgarden covered this on an early album; I guess they were trying to be stupid but were too successful)
Actually, I think a lot of John’s solo stuff is uncoverable. The really personal stuff (like God) would sound very strange coming from anyone else. Some Beatles tunes, like All You Need is Love, should also be left alone.
I agree about The Sound of Silence.
Ender_Will, have you heard Primus’s version of The Thing That Should Not Be?
I guess you wouldn’t want to know that a version of this song was recorded by one John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne, then, would you?
At least I’m almost certain that it was “Stayin’ Alive”–some BeeGees disco hit, anyway.
Jayne’s Addiction did a kickass rendition of “Sympathy for the Devil” (sorry, Mephisto). I’ve also heard a C&W rendition of “Spirit in the Sky” that was really, really good. I started a thread many moons ago about covers that are better than the original, that went on for quite a while, died and was resurrected. (My nominees included the Sid Vicious version of “My Way”, and the Nazereth version of “Love Hurts”.)
Billy Idol’s version of “L.A. Woman” didn’t suck. Neither did his version of “Mony Mony” (you make me feel-ride the pony-so-ride the pony-good-ride the pony-yeah)
I, and many of my co-Dopers, just feel that there are some songs that should just be left alone.
I heard a short-lived local band, Faces In Cabs, do a very good version of Rush’s complex “La Villa Strangiato”. So good Rush covers can be done.
I bought a Yes tribute album once that was incredibly bad because while the members of the bands involved were all skilled musicians, they either stayed note-for-note loyal to the originals - all technique and no energy - or thought that piling on even more bombastic keyboard and guitar histrionics would be an improvement. Restraint was needed as bigger, louder versions of “Don’t Kill the Whale” and “Going for the One” are just overkill or “musical masterbation”.
Ice Wolf, actually some band named Zebrahead did a punk (?) version of the Spice Girls song “Wannabe”. It’s kinda funny hearing this song done in that style. The singer sounds a bit like the guy from the Offspring. If you can find it, try to get it. It’s good.
Actually, I believe the band Coheed & Cambria could cover Rush farely well. They are compared to them by many people. The vocals are very similar and Co&Ca’s instrumental skills could probably could easily be able to play some of Rush’s work.
Some songs I don’t think can be covered (very well, or not near as good as original) are:
NOFX- The Decline
CKY - (most any from their new CD IDR)
Rage Against The Machine - (any song because there are no bands like them)
Ozzy with Dweezil Zappa on guitar. Dweezil hosted some gameshow thing on USA for five minutes and Ozzy was on it. I prefer it to the original Stayin’ Alive.
