# The best covers you ever heard
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [August 10, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708 "2001-08-10T01:59:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dasceder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasceder)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/1 "2001-08-10T01:59:52Z")
In the spirit of the worst covers, how about the best? I’ll submit:
“Baby I want you back” Graham Parker
“Another Girl, Another Planet” The Replacements
“It’s My Party” Bryan Ferry (great because he doen’t change the gender refs, a [straight] guy singing about another guy)
“Like a Virgin” Teenage Fanclub
“Rocketman” Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
“Mrs. Robinson” The Lemonheads
“The Spiderman Theme” The Ramones
I could go on and on and on…
---
### Author:  [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/2 "2001-08-10T02:10:58Z")
‘Underdog Theme’ Butthole Surfers
‘Heard It Through The Grapevine’ Credence Clearwater Revival
---
### Author:  [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/3 "2001-08-10T03:05:49Z")
Eight Miles High - Husker Du
---
### Author:  [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/4 "2001-08-10T03:21:23Z")
Ian Dury’s “If I Was With A Woman” sung by Cerys Matthews of Catatonia. I positively melt when I hear her sing that song, which was already one of my favorite Ian Dury tunes.
---
### Author:  [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/5 "2001-08-10T03:36:08Z")
Anything by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.
---
### Author:  [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/6 "2001-08-10T03:53:57Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Purd Werfect \*
> \*\*Eight Miles High - Husker Du \*\*
Dammit, **Purd** , you and **Snooooopy** better stop coming in here and beating me to the punch!
OK, number two, I guess, would be “Superman” by **R.E.M.**. I’ve heard the original by the Clique, and it doesn’t even come close.
And I’ll agree with **Demo** ’s assessment of **MF&tGG’s**.
---
### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/7 "2001-08-10T04:18:36Z")
_The Jonny Quest Theme_ by The Reverend Horton Heat
_White Room_ by The Bobs (but only when Janie used to do it live, the studio version isn’t quite as good)
_New York City_ by They Might Be Giants
_SenSurround_ by Blue Peter Schnitzel
---
### Author:  [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/8 "2001-08-10T05:12:07Z")
Swans-Love Will Tear Us Apart(Joy Division)
Hate Dept-Spin me Around(Dead or Alive)
Bigod20-Like a Prayer(Madonna)
Rammstein-Stripped(Depeche Mode)
Cut Rate Box-Behind the Wheel(Depeche Mode)
---
### Author:  [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/9 "2001-08-10T05:28:22Z")
I can’t believe somebody mentioned the Swans before me. But I was going to say - “Can’t Find My Way Home”.
The Butthole Surfers- “American Woman”
Bryan Ferry- “The In-Crowd”
The Dickies- “Knights In White Satin”
The Residents- “Blue Suede Shoes”
Patti Smith- “Gloria”
Bauhaus- “Telegram Sam”…and “Third Uncle” too.
Sid Vicious- “My Way”
---
### Author:  [@SteveinSpain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveinSpain)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2001, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/10 "2001-08-10T08:22:01Z")
Save it for later - Pete Townsend
Heard it through the grapevine - The Slits
Strange weather - Marianne Faithfull
You make me feel (like a natural woman) - Aretha Franklin
The Hunter gets captured by the game - Grace Jones
Money - Flying Lizards
Smoke gets in your eyes - Bryan Ferry
---
### Author:  [@Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/11 "2001-08-11T06:32:12Z")
Anything by Riders In The Sky
Joe Cocker - “Unchain My Heart”, “The Letter” and “Feelin’ Alright”
Beatles - “Roll Over Beethoven”
---
### Author:  [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/12 "2001-08-11T06:50:00Z")
best cover band of all time, bar none, is the isley brothers. ever heard them do ‘summer breeze’? yeah, summer breeze by seals and crofts. they are friggin miracle workers, im tellin ya. they do a bitchin ‘lay lady lay’, too. and a ton of others. ‘ohio’ comes to mind.
‘girl from the north country’ by joe cocker and my hero leon russell, offa ‘mad dogs and englishmen.’
but, and i am personally astonished by this, the best cover song of ALL TIME is hendrix’s ‘all along the watchtower’.
sheesh.
---
### Author:  [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/13 "2001-08-11T06:51:16Z")
d’oh! i am personally astonished, of course, cuz no one mentioned it before me.
---
### Author:  [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/14 "2001-08-11T07:08:23Z")
One of my favorites is U2’s cover of Helter Skelter by the Beatles.
---
### Author:  [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/15 "2001-08-11T15:28:59Z")
“Light of Day” - Joan Jett
“Landslide” - Smashing Pumpkins
and I’ll second “The Spiderman Theme” by the Ramones
---
### Author:  [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/16 "2001-08-11T15:42:26Z")
Another vote for Spiderman, by the Ramones. Actually almost any one of their covers is great.
“I got you babe” - Joey Ramone & Holly Beth Vincent
“All Along the Watchtower”.
Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version of “Voodoo Chile” (hendrix)
Most any cover by George Thorogood, but especially “Move It On Over” (hank williams sr.)
“Rock and Roll, Part II” by D.I. (I know I’m probably the only one who’s even heard of the band, let alone the song…_sigh_)
---
### Author:  [@Spoonbender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoonbender)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/17 "2001-08-11T15:45:03Z")
Jimi Hendrix, _All Along the Watchtower_.
---
### Author:  [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/18 "2001-08-11T15:47:58Z")
DOA’s version of “Takin’ Care Of Business”
---
### Author:  [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/19 "2001-08-11T15:54:09Z")
Song to the siren - This Mortal Coil
This masquerade - Carpenters
Torn - Natalie Imbruglia
Suzanne - Peter Gabriel
The first time ever I saw your face - Roberta Flack
Blinded by the light - MMEB
Nothing compares 2U - Sinnead O’Connor
and last but by no means least:
The whole “As time goes by” CD - Bryan Ferry. Awesome.
---
### Author:  [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2001, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708/20 "2001-08-11T16:04:15Z")
A mighty nod to This Mortal Coil’s version of Song to the Siren.
Also:
Dancing Barefoot - U2
Shake the Disease - Hooverphonic
Thank You - Tori Amos
Tangled Up in Blue - Indigo Girls
There’s A Light That Never Goes Out - Divine Comedy
(It’s lovely in a depressing kind of way. They managed to out-Morrissey Morrissey.)
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-covers-you-ever-heard/75708.md?page=2)