Best Cover Songs
 

Cover songs most often done by unknown bands trying to please live audiences with songs that most people are familiar with. Typically, if you've ever been to wedding with a band, all they typically do is cover songs, as made popular in the movie, "Wedding Singer".

Sometimes they are good, sometimes they are bad. I think the best ones are when both the original and follow-up version(s) are good. A good example is Lenny Kravitz's version of "American Woman" (original by The Guess Who). Lately I've taken more of an interest in them, because it's often amazing how one artist/band can make such drastic changes to a song, yet it's still the same. I believe that Marilyn Manson has also done a number of cover versions that meet this requirement.

Anyway, my hands down favorite is the song, "Hurt" by Johnny Cash that became extremely popular before his death, especially because of the touching music video that accompanied it. The original version was performed (to many people's surprise) by Nine Inch Nails.

However, I do have a dark horse favorite. And, there are three versions of this song, all of which are good in their own ways. The first version came out in 1988 by New Order. The song is "Blue Monday".

The next version was released ten years later by Orgy.

And here's the dark horse...

In 2002, a little known Norwegian band called Flunk, who is mainly known for their electronica music, release their take on "Blue Monday". The lead female singer sounds amazingly like Byork, but thankfully, their music is much better. This song gained some notoriety in the movie, "Walking Tall" starring The Rock.

What are your favorites?

NOTE: All music links are Amazon.com Windows Media Player sample versions.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Personally, I am amazed when a cover song is BETTER than the original, as with "Haloween"- first by the Misfits, later by AFI. Come to think of it, every AFI cover of the Misfits is better, IMHO.

Blue Monday by Orgy....wow I didn't think anyone else listened to them.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

At the risk of getting mauled by OOT, I always preferred U2's version of Helter Skelter over the original Beatles song. It seems to have a bit a heated edge over the original. Whether or not this had anything to do with the events of Chuck Manson, I have no idea.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Try to find the cover of stairway to heavean done by the Leningrad Cowboys, i love that song.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Bob Dylan covered an old blues song "In My Time Of Dying", also titled as "Jesus Make up my dyin' bed" or some other variation when performed by delta bluesmen. I'm not sure the real author of the song is known, although it can be traced to a few guys. I also have the Blind Willie Johnson version as well, but can't really say which is better because they aren't in front of me now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_My_Time_of_Dying

Led Zeppelin later covered this on Physical Grafitti, turning it into a hard electric blues jam. Phenomenal performance by the whole group, but Bonzo really stands out here. This is easily better than any other version.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Jose Feliciano's version of the Doors "Light My Fire" is a great cover song by the man who may be the master of cover songs.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
At the risk of getting mauled by OOT, I always preferred U2's version of Helter Skelter over the original Beatles song. It seems to have a bit a heated edge over the original. Whether or not this had anything to do with the events of Chuck Manson, I have no idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

Prepare to get mauled.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

i've always considered Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" to be one of the best covers ever.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

There's another New Order song that has a brilliant cover: It's Bizarre Love Triangle, by Frente.

I also really like 'Who wants to live Forever' (the Queen song) done by Dune(?)

Also, 'There She Goes' (by the LAs) had a good cover by Sixpence none the Richer (the LAs one is one of the best songs ever, but this cover is quite sweet).

Actually, the above don't bear me out (except the Frente one), but I usually only like covers that are significantly different. Stuff like 'I heard it through the Grapevine' by the Slits, Prince's 'Kiss' by the Age Of Chance, and stuff that tends to be very different.

Strange I listed ones that are similar in composition/play, but with different singers.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

I really like Pearl Jam's acoustic cover of Bob Dylan's Masters of War. That's the first one that comes to mind.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Israel Kamakawiwo Ole's Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Hendrix's cover of Dylan's All Along The Watchtower is definitely better than the original. Also Hendrix's rendition of Hey Joe is also a cover version (but I can't remember who initially wrote the song).

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

I wonder how many hip hop devotees are actually aware that music made by artists these days is often cover versions of much older stuff.

e.g. Fugees - Killing Me Softly

original by Charles Fox & Norman Gimbel recorded in 1971 by Lori Lieberman in turn based on a poem by Lieberman "Killing Me Softly With His Blues" inspired by Don McLean's "Empty Chairs"

been covered in it's time by ...

Roberta Flack (who won a Grammy with it in 1974), Tori Amos, Eva Cassidy, Perry Como, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys and Shirley Bassey

Although I think the Fugees did it best.

Ludacris "samples" Charles Dickens...

"In this life one thing counts - in the bank large amounts" taken from Oliver Twist and the song from the 1968 musical Oliver! "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two" by Lionel Bart

and one of my favourite covers was the Happy Mondays "Step On"(1991) - original by John Kongos (1971) which according to the Guinness Book of Records was the first ever recording to use a sample of another recording (in this case African tribal drums)

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

I like Cake's version of 'I Will Survive'. Sheryl Crow's version of 'Sweet Child O' Mine' is vastly superior to GNR's.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

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Sheryl Crow's version of 'Sweet Child O' Mine' is vastly superior to GNR's.

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Vastly superior because you like Sheryl Crow I assume. Musically, I don't think any version of this song could be "vastly superior" to the original was was nearly perfect.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Buckwheat Zydeco's "Hey Joe" is my personal favorite cover. So many amazing covers of this song. Not sure if it's a folk song though.

Of course, there's Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" (Dylan) which has become the poster child for amazing covers.

Sinead O'Connor's "House of the Rising Sun" is also great, but since a folk song, not sure it counts, either.

Johnny Cash's "Rusty Cage" (Soundgarden) is so original sounding you'd think it was always a country & western song rather than heavy metal.

I'll throw Type O Negative's "Summer Breeze" in there because it's such a weird genre.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

I get flamed for this every time the subject comes up, but I vastly prefer Shinedown's version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man" to the original (particularly the WAAF in-studio performance they did before they actually released it as a single) - and keep in mind I love Skynyrd and think Shinedown is generally a pretty lame band.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

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Sinead O'Connor's "House of the Rising Sun" is also great, but since a folk song, not sure it counts, either.

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I think it's quite amusing that you can sing "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "House of The Rising Sun"

I still love Pat Boone's cover album - the cover of Van Halens "Panama" was about the best on there.

and possibly the best cover of "Stairway to Heaven" ever was Frank Zappa's - complete with 7 part brass harmony version of that guitar solo...

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

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Sheryl Crow's version of 'Sweet Child O' Mine' is vastly superior to GNR's.

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What the hell?!?

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Depending on my mood, I like the Derek & The Dominoes version of Little Wing more than Hendrix's original. The dueling guitars of Clapton and Duane Allman give me a chubby.

Someone else mentioned Buckwheat Zydeco, they do a mean version of Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad too.

I think some of the best covers are by the original artists, i.e., Queen's live version of We Will Rock You, or Dave Groehl's acoustic Everlong.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

no one mentioned that elvis did a ton of cover songs that were at least as good as the originals. my mind is fried right now...must be bedtime. elvis's covers became elvis songs.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
I wonder how many hip hop devotees are actually aware that music made by artists these days is often cover versions of much older stuff.

e.g. Fugees - Killing Me Softly

original by Charles Fox & Norman Gimbel recorded in 1971 by Lori Lieberman in turn based on a poem by Lieberman "Killing Me Softly With His Blues" inspired by Don McLean's "Empty Chairs"

been covered in it's time by ...

Roberta Flack (who won a Grammy with it in 1974), Tori Amos, Eva Cassidy, Perry Como, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys and Shirley Bassey

Although I think the Fugees did it best.



[/ QUOTE ]

I really like the Roberta Flack version.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

I rather like Stone Temple Pilots' rendition of Zeppelin's "Dancing Days." I like the original too, but STP took it and made it sound like an STP song.

I think most covers of Dylan songs are better than Dylan's versions. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

I really like Tears For Fears' "Mad World", and the cover of it from Donnie Darko by Gary Jules.

Also both Hendrix's (just Hendrix'?" and SRV's Voodoo Child (Slight Return) are high quality.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

One thing I hate about some covers is that they are played too faithfully, like note for note, to the original. If you're not going to bring anything new to the song, don't frigging play it.

The aforementioned STP verison of Dancing Days is one of those for me.

Grand Funk's version of The Locomotion is better than the original. Genesis' version of You Can't Hurry Love is great. And of course Manfred Mann's Earth Band's cover of Blinded By The Light blew the original Springsteen away. GNR's version of Knockin' on Heaven's door is a good version. Pearl Jam's version of that car wreck tune (can't recall the title) is good.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
One thing I hate about some covers is that they are played too faithfully, like note for note, to the original. If you're not going to bring anything new to the song, don't frigging play it.

The aforementioned STP verison of Dancing Days is one of those for me.

Grand Funk's version of The Locomotion is better than the original. Genesis' version of You Can't Hurry Love is great. And of course Manfred Mann's Earth Band's cover of Blinded By The Light blew the original Springsteen away. GNR's version of Knockin' on Heaven's door is a good version. Pearl Jam's version of that car wreck tune (can't recall the title) is good.

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The Pearl Jam cover is called "Last Kiss" and it was originally done by Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders. They had little success with it, but Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers covered it in 1964 and it was a number one hit.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
I like Cake's version of 'I Will Survive'. Sheryl Crow's version of 'Sweet Child O' Mine' is vastly superior to GNR's.

[/ QUOTE ]
l o l

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]

and possibly the best cover of "Stairway to Heaven" ever was Frank Zappa's - complete with 7 part brass harmony version of that guitar solo...

[/ QUOTE ]
Do you by chance have this? Send it to me plz.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
and possibly the best cover of "Stairway to Heaven" ever was Frank Zappa's - complete with 7 part brass harmony version of that guitar solo...

[/ QUOTE ]

I want to hear this.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Frank Zappa - Stairway is on ....

http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAud...150/159290.jpg
The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
Blue Monday by Orgy....wow I didn't think anyone else listened to them.

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That's why this part of the dark horse candidate. I honestly can't name another Orgy song, anyway.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

just found stairway heaven!
101 cover versions of stairway

Frank Zappa's cover is available for streamy listening here

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Sinead O' Connor's version of All Apologies.

Kirsty Maccoll's version of A New England.

Prize for being radically different while still great goes to the Scissor Sisters for their version on Comfortably Numb. Not exeactly better than the original but brilliant in its difference.

Same goes for Johnny Cash's version of The Mercy Seat.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Guns N Roses cover of McCartney's Live and Let Die is truely awesome. The original sounds wimpy by comparison.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
Frank Zappa - Stairway is on ....

http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAud...150/159290.jpg
The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life

[/ QUOTE ]

Meh, I just listened to it and I wasn't too impressed. I think I had my hopes up too high though. The only thing that song did for me was remind me that I haven't listened to Zappa in ages, and that I'll have to whip out the old Hot Rats from the record collection.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Van Halen's covers of the Kink's You Really Got Me and Where Have All the Good Times Gone? Also their cover of Martha Reeves and the Vandella's Dancing in the Streets.

Ten Years After's cover of Them's Baby, Please Don't Go recorded live at Woodstock.

Tesla's cover of The Five Man Electrical Band's Signs.


Probably my favorite though would be Joe Cocker's rendition of With a Little Help From My Friends

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

Little Wing by SRV
Voodoo Child by SRV

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
Little Wing by SRV
Voodoo Child by SRV

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Good, but not better than the originals.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

How about Janis Joplin's cover of "Me and Bobby McGee," originally by Kris Kristopherson.

I like "Sweet Jane" by the Cowboy Junkies, originally a Velvet Underground song. I enjoy both versions but like how the Cowboy Junkies changed the mood of the song, similar to Ryan Adams' cover of Wonderwall.

I think best cover of a Bob Dylan song probably deserves its own thread.

I like the "In My Time of Dying" call earlier in the thread. I love that song and never knew it was a cover.

Re: Best Cover Songs
 

[ QUOTE ]
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Little Wing by SRV
Voodoo Child by SRV

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Good, but not better than the originals.

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I've played SRV's and Hendrix's back to back before just to answer that question, and to me, SRV's is better.

But, as with all music, tastes vary.