What, in your opinion are the best cover songs ever recorded?
My top picks, in no particular order:
Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen) Dar Williams' "Comfortably Numb" (Pink FLoyd) Matt Nathanson's "Romeo and Juliet" (Dire Straits) R.E.M.'s "Dream" (Everly Brothers) Jimi Hendrix' "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan) Johnny Cash's "Hurt" (Nine Inch Nails) The Beatles' "Twist and Shout" (Top Notes) The Cowboy Junkies' "Sweet Jane" (Lou Reed) The Sundays' "Wild Horses" (Rolling Stones) Mindy Smith's "Jolene" (Dolly Parton)
By Manfred Mann--Blinded By the Light, Spirits in the Night and For You (Springsteen) Mighty Quinn and Shelter From the Storm (Dylan) Play With Fire (Stones)
By Type O Negative --Summer Breeze (Seals & Croft)
Anything by Dread Zeppelin ditto Hayseed Dixie. Knockin on heathens door (bob)- Guns & Roses Knockin on gods door ( that man bob) - Sisters of Mercy. Every dream home a heartache (Roxxxie Muzik)- Fields of the dead people I fort de lor (clash) Dead Kennedys My Way (sinatra?)- Sidernee Vicious Man Who Sold the World (bowie)- (not Herr Bush), but Lulu 20th Century Boy (T.rex) & 5 years (boowie) by Placebo Whiskey in the Jaro- Metallica Creep (radioFMhead)-Kermit Honky Tonk Train Blues (Mead Lux Lewis)- keith Emerson. Help- (Bugbeetles) Deep Purple. Hoedown (cop-on)- Bela Fleck Band on the run (Paul Mcoldfartnee millions of $$$$ poorer)- Foo Fighters Black Velvet Allana miles)-Christina Aguilera (at 11 years old) Whats Up (4 non blondies)-Pink. Within You Without You' (beetlebugs) Oasis Dear Prudence (beeetles)-Suzie and the Banshees I love Rock n Roll (joan Jettttt)-Britney Spears Stairway to Heaven- (Leddy Zeppy)Dear Old Dolly Parton (hahaha) Sweet Child 0'mine (Guns)- Carrie Underwood 99 Red Balloons (nena) Gold Finger.... it sure kicks a** Have a Cigar (floyd)-Primus Can't get no (satisfaction) (Kentish Men) Devo!!! Maggies Farm (Robert Zimmerman)- Rage Against the Machine School day (chucking berries) ac/dc Sweet Dreams (eurythmics) Marilyn Manson Roll Over Beethoven (chucky) Elo. God Save your Queen (pistoleros) Motorhead Nuva Brick in the wall (floyd)- Korn, prefer the drumming on this one. Comfortably numb bum (floyd) Anathema
I am not saying these are "better" than originals, but, I like the following:
Be Good Tanyas "Waiting Around to Die" (Townes Van Zandt) Cowboy Junkies "Thunder Road" (Springsteen) Shonen Knife "Top of the World" (Richard Carpenter) Nouvelle Vague "Guns of Brixton" (The Clash) Sid Vicious "My Way" (Thibault/Anka) REM "First We Take Manhattan" (Leonard Cohen) Concrete Blonde "Everybody Knows" (Leonard Cohen) Nazareth "Love Hurts" (Roy Orbison) Diana Krall "A Taste of You" (Joni Mitchell)
Agree with Tvad about the Vanilla Fudge cover of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (we used to do that in my band back in high school and everyone loved it) and the multiple nominations of "All Along the Watchtower".
I'll add the Byrds' covers of Dylan songs, particularly "Mr. Tambourine Man", and of "Turn Turn Turn" (Pete Seeger). It seems Dylan songs were great for covers.
OH A big one that I forgot---The whole Dark Side of the Moon live at the Appolo in London by Dream Theater Great DVD--playing especially by Jordan Rudess and John Petrucci, singing by Teresa Thomason is incredible!
Academy Fight Song REM Across the Universe Rufus Wainwright After the Gold Rush Thom Yorke Angel The Faces Another Girl, Another Planet The Replacements Atlantic City The Band Badfish Jack Johnson Brand New Cadillac The Clash Bridge Over Troubled Water Aretha Franklin Chinese cafe/unchained Joni Mitchell Dancing Barefoot U2 Day Tripper Otis Redding Fire RHCP I am The Walrus Oasis
manfred mann(2)-the mighty quinn(bob dylan..the byrds-mr tambourine man(dylan)...the greg kihn band-the man who shot liberty valance(gene pitney)....the rationals-respect(otis redding, and yes it even trumps Aretha).....mc5-back in the usa(chuck berry)
Rickie Lee Jones - Marty Balin's "Comin' Back To Me" Matthew Sweet & Susannah Hoffs - BeeGees "Run To Me" Eva Cassidy - "What a Wonderful World" Sarah McLachlan - Tom Waits' "Ole 55"
Dylans I Was Young When I Left Home by Antony Hagerty and Bryce Dessner (National)from the Dark Was The Night compilation. Antony and the Johnsons also do a beautiful Knockin On Heavens Door on the I'm Not There soundtrack. If you have not heard that soundtrack I highly recommend it.
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