Lake Street Drive completely reinvents the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back.”
That’s Dive, not Drive. Can’t edit on this mobile app.
Excellent choice!
Duh, of course I knew that, my fingers just failed to type that. But, to be fair, our local BILL Campbell may well approve of their cover as well. Especially if there were a few dollars in it for his tax evasion convicted self.
Way too many to list…but some of my oddball faves that haven’t been mentioned yet:
Susanna Hoffs Different Drum. She did a couple of albums of all covers which have some other gems, but this is my favorite of hers.
Nena After the Goldrush. Wonderful tender emotion in her singing on this.
Blue Man Group / Venus Hum I Feel Love.
Ra-on Gangnam Style, completely reworked and owned this one.
Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 redid Fool On The Hill, knocked it out of the park.
And as much as I love Linda Ronstadt’s version, I gotta admit that Terri Clarke outdid her on Poor, Poor Pitiful Me.
Well, there’s Jackson Browne/David Lindley doing Stay, at about 5:39.
Speaking of David Lindley, here’s Werewolves of London, originally from Warren Zevon and Danny Kortchmar.
In a similar vein, Black Box Recorder do perhaps my favourite version of Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide.
Joan Jett’s cover of Everyday People. She took Sly Stone’s anthem to how all people can live in harmony and added some power chords and a sense that all people can be goofy…especially her. And a video that must have cost at LEAST $100 to make.
That’s what I get for not checking the link before posting and then being offline for a few days. This is the correct link.
That was the first to come to my mind and still the prime candidate.
I’d put it differently: Jimi was the innovator, SRV polished it. Some might say that it’s better without the polish, but I love Stevie’s version. After studying his, I appreciate Jimi’s even more.
Me too.
A serious talent, but a talent nearly wasted, unfortunately.
Like “I Got To Get You Into My Life”, this one is a complete re-invention of the song, and one that really works.
I first heard this when I was learning the tune for my soul band, looking for different elements or ideas, and was really floored by it.
I respectfully disagree. SRV’s version was tighter, more like a pop song. Hendrix did more with his version. Listening to the original with headphones as the solo alternates between sides - that’s quite an effect. SRV’s version is nice, but not great IMHO.
Now I’LL get me head bitten off, but I really respect Rage Against the Machine’s version of ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’. They really reclaimed the song, made it into something new. The first time I heard it, I didn’t even recognize it as the same piece; I thought they were just quoting from Steinbeck as Springsteen had. Well done.
Bitches Ain’t Shit. Originally by NWA, now remade by Ben Folds and The Bens.
Joss Stone’s remake of Fell In Love With a Girl (changed to “Fell In Love With a Boy”) is 38 kinds of awesome.
Billy Joel absolutely OWNED Leonard Cohen’s To Make you Feel My Love
I’m not sure about better, but different and very very good:
Jose Feliciano’s Light My Fire (The Doors).
CCR’s Heard it Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye).
Honorable mention to 10000 Maniacs’ cover of Because the Night.
It’s not bad, but how in the world is she pronouncing “done”, as in “Look what they done to my song.”
The ridiculously talented bass player Les Claypool’s most recent endeavour, the 2-piece rockabilly Duo De Twang, just released their first recording a couple of weeks ago. Covers on the album include
The Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive
and
Alice in Chains’ Man in the Box.
French-Canadian progressive/heavy/thrash metal (they’ve experimented with so many sounds over the years it’s easier to classify their music album-by-album) band Voivod has always credited late '60s/'70s prog-rock and scifi as very influential to them.
Pink Floyd’s Astronomy Domine
and
King Crimson’s 21st Century Schizoid Man
are among their best covers, both rightly included as integral songs to the two concept alba upon which they were included.
This is one of my favorite covers. The Weight, by Tok Tok Tok.