Wet Willie’s cover of “That’s All Right” by Arthur Crudup
The Allman Brothers’ cover of “Trouble No More”
Johnny Winters’ cover of “Highway 61”
I really enjoy.
Holly Cole’s cover of I Can See Clearly Now
Does anyone else remember this one?
In 1975, Katfish–an otherwise obscure band from New England–did a cover of the Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.” I liked it better than the original.
- Postal Service’s cover of Take a Look at Me Now
- Gary Jules’ cover of Mad World
- Paul Anka’s version of Jump
- Jeffrey Gaines’ version of In Your Eyes.
The Stubbs the Zombie soundtrack. Indie bands from today covering '50s music. For instance, you will find an amazing Cake version of Strangers in the Night, Death Cab for Cutie doing Earth Angel, Ben Kweller doing Lollipop, and The Ravonettes doing My Boyfriend’s Back.
Then, check out the one I always talk about, Elliott Smith doing Cat Steven’s Trouble, the Beatle’s Blackbird, and Blue Oyster Cult’s Don’t Fear the Reaper.
Blue Suede’s cover of “Hooked on a Feeling” was much superior to BJ Thomas’s, because it was almost identical except that it added “OOGA CHAKA, OOGA CHAKA!”
You can never have too many Ooga Chaka’s in a song. Especially in a love song.
Ditto on the Ooga Chakas.
Now, even though it has no Ooga-Chakas, the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s cover of “Sing, Sing, Sing” is absolutely SMOKIN’ hot! Blew my mind when I heard it and Terror Cotta told me who did it.
I’ve liked her version of Jersey Girl since I saw it used on La Femme Nikita.
I’m also glad to see I’m not the only one who liked the Comfortably Numb cover by Scissor Sisters. Maybe because I’m not overly attached to the original.
Always on My Mind - Pet Shop Boys
Go West - Pet Shop Boys
River Deep, Mountain High - Erasure
Take a Chance on Me - Erasure
Susan
The best one I’ve heard lately is a live cover of “War Pigs” (orig. Black Sabbath) done by the Dresden Dolls. (Click here to see it in QuickTime.)
I also really like Ben Folds cover of "B***s Ain’t St. Very funny.
Wilson Picket’s cover of “Hey Jude.”
The Cowboy Junkies’ cover of “Sweet Jane.”
Mott the Hoople’s cover of “Darkness Darkness.” (Original by the Youngbloods)
Aretha Franklin’s cover of “Respect.” (Original by Otis Redding)
The bluegrass cover of “Gin and Juice”, done by… I don’t know. Anybody know? I’m not a fan for bluegrass, but this is the Best. Cover. Evah.
No one has mentioned* Jonny Cash*'s version of Hurt?
Dang, what I get for being a latecomer to a thread, most of my favorites are taken.
But one I haven’t seen in the thread is Ryan Adams’ cover of “Wonderwall” (orig. Oasis), which is far superior in that it actually has some bleedin’ emotion to it, and takes a few chances with melody that blow the original, which is so rote, out of the water. And it looks like it’s going to come out the winner on the current 6@6 thread (though “Oh My Sweet Carolina” should win) .
Though somebody said Marilyn Manson’s cover of “Tainted Love,” let us not forget that Soft Cell’s version, the best known, is itself a cover (orig. recorded Grace Jones).
Pearl Jam “Last Kiss” and Joan Jett “I Love Rock and Roll” are both way beyond their bubblegum oldies originals.
I have a live recording or two of Counting Crows covering Van Morrison’s “Caravan” that, sorry Van, are better.
Twist and Shout, by the Beatles
Every Time You Go Away, by Paul Young
Somewhere Over the Rainbow, by Livingston Taylor
All Along The Watchtower, by Jimi Hendrix
No, no, Gloria Jones. Different person altogether.
Oops. Yeah, quite different. Yikes.
Lots of great covers, but there’s only two I can think of off the top of my head that are as good or better than the originals:
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Yngwie Malmsteen’s cover of Kansas’s Carry on my Wayward Son[. Not superior, but just about as good. There’s another really good cover on that album, but I can’t remember what song it was.
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Nevermore’s cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence. The original is brilliant, but the cover does an even better job of catching the darkness and mood of the lyrics.
Yes, blasphemy. Good, but not as good as KaTie. Sorry.
However, Maxwell’s cover of This Woman’s Work was quite good.
These two are spot on, though.
Me? In addition to others already mentioned, I’d like to add:
Mr Somewhere - This Mortal Coil
Song To The Siren - This Mortal Coil
Wheel’s On Fire - Siouxie & The Banshees
Because The Night - 10,000 Manicacs
Yes! I love that as well. He’s probably the only skinny, piano-playin’ white boy who could pull that off.