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Best cover tunes

Eva Cassidy-"Fields of Gold"

I realise "Live at Blues Alley" is already an audigon staple...but for a relative newbie...it is a rare breed that can take a song and really make it their own...and even more rare in this case...take a rather disposable song by a pompous Brit...and turn it into something transcedental and magical...

Dinosaur JR-"Just like Heaven"

A suprise find that doesn't surpass the original...which is a good pop song(hey...I like fat Bob)...but like Eva'a...sound as if Dino jr. wrote it in the first place...

Pixies-"Head on"

Doing a cover of the Mary chain is playing with fire...but the Pixies actually up the noise factor and outdue the a great, agressive, inspired version of one of the most overlooked bands of all time...every JAMC record sounds like a greatest hits collection...what is it with these sibling groups(AC/DC,Kinks) that kickass...mom...dad...why didnt you bless me with a guitar god little brother?

Otis Redding-"Satisfaction"

Borrowing from the Stones plagaristic ways...Otis turns in a great, hi-octane soul version of the most famous guitar riffs of all time...

Hendrix-"Wild thing" (live)

Many saw this as a farce...but jimi openly admitted his love for the song...and turns this 3-chord classic into a psychedelic monster...

Love and ROckets-"ball of confusion"

Few even know this is a cover...but it is a good one...

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20 responses Add your response
richingoth
326 posts
 
Frigid Pink "House of the Rising Sun" . Yes "America". X "Wild Thing". Sisters of Mercy "Knocking on Heavens Door", "Gimme Shelter", "1969". The Mission UK "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Like A Hurricane", "Dancing Barefoot". Switchblade Symphony "Nightshift". Best tribute cd is Dark Treasures - A Gothic Tribute to the Cocteau Twins.
4yanx
1,576 posts
 
Linda Ronstadt did quite a number of good covers, the best of which that come to immediate mind - Blue Bayou, Tracks of My Tears, Love is a Rose, and Heat Wave
bld63
109 posts
 
Dark End Of The Street. I beleive the original version of this tune was by James Carr, a Memphis soul singer on the Goldwax label. If you've have never heard it you gotta if you like soul music. His other 'hit' was Pouring Water on a Drowning Man. As far as covers of this song Clarence Carter had a hit with a reworked version in a kinda of 'Issac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul' rap style, and Gram Parsons did a great version with the Flying Burrito Brothers.
spindrifter
105 posts
 
More I forgot to mention and really should have: "I'm A Man"by Chicago Transit Authority, "Little Wing"by Derek And The Dominos, "Tin Pan Alley"by Stevie Ray Vaughan, "Season Of The Witch"by Super Session,"Rock'N'Roll" by Detroit, "Serves You Right To Suffer"by J. Giles, "Summertime" by Janis Joplin,"The House Of The Rising Sun" by The Animals, many Dylan covers by The Byrds, I could recall some other really good ones but I will try to stop now.
4yanx
1,576 posts
 
I am not, by any means, a Van Halen fan, but I thought their cover of Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" was pretty decent. Still like Roy's a bit better, but could make an argument for VH's rendition on occasion.

I also like Jennifer Warnes' covers of Burt Bacharach/Hal David's "Don't Make Me Over, and Dylan's "Sign on the Window".
paulwp
585 posts
 
Craig, it was Dan Penn (with Chips Moman) and he is. To my everlasting chagrin, Irma Thomas did a cd recently in tribute to him ("My Hearts in Memphis, the Songs of Dan Penn") and didnt do Dark End of the Street. Don't know if she has ever recorded it, but would sure like to hear it. Eva Cassidy's version is also up there. It's on the Chuck Brown cd, where the song is attributed, correctly, to Pennington (his original name) and Moman. Listening to Terry and Bobby right now.

Eva's version of Fields of Gold is great too. And if you like All Along the Watchtower, Barbara Keith on her 1972 lp is really good.
jpharris
41 posts
 
All of Willie Nelson's Stardust Album. Besides, he was hilarious on the super bowl commercial for H&R Block.

Also love Stevie Ray Vaughn's cover of Little Wing.

spindrifter
105 posts
 
Well, five of my favorites are: "All Along The Watch Tower" by Hendrix, "Sweet Jane" by Cowboy Junkies, "Mamma Told Me Not To Come"by Three Dog Night, "People Get Ready" by Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart and "Take Me To The River"by The Talking Heads
goheelz's avatar
goheelz
297 posts
 
"One" (U2) by Johnny Cash
dogeatpuppy
96 posts
 
van halen comes to mind........
easy_e
95 posts
 
Holly Cole's Temptation album; all Tom Waits songs. I once read that Holly Cole doesn't cover songs she "uncovers" them.
romakabi
28 posts
 
Feeling Alright / Joe Cocker (from Mad Dogs & the Englishman) / Grand Funk Railroad / ThreeDog Night / Huey Lewis (duets)/ Paul Weller. Any version will get your body to move or twitch. If not go see a doctor.
bld63
109 posts
 
I Fought the Law - The Clash
edesilva
768 posts
 
Hmmm... In the theme of tribute albums, I highly recommend Return of the Grievous Angel. Remarkable covers of Gram Parsons' tunes--not really a weak cover on the whole album.
waltersalas's avatar
waltersalas
952 posts
 

My favorite covers are often, perhaps not surprisingly, Dylan songs. To name just three:

1) Jimi Hendrix "All Along the Watchtower"
2) Byrds, "Mr. Tambourine Man"
3) Jason and the Scorchers "Absolutely Sweet Marie"

The first two will be familiar to most everyone. If you haven't heard the Scorchers' cover, I implore you to seek it out. It's on an EP called "Fervor," a record that surely belongs in the "canon."

Honorable mention: "Beat the Retreat"-An entire album of covers of Richard Thompson songs. It is superb.



mwilson
430 posts
 
If "best" can be taken as "most entertaining":

Gang Green's remake of Til Tuesday's "Voices Carry". You'll be in tears.

The entire "Anton Maiden" album. If you're an Iron Maiden fan, you must hear this to believe it.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Ramones do an excellent cover of Stones' "Out of Time" on their Acid Eaters CD; in fact the CD is covers of a lot of great songs from various artists...
edesilva
768 posts
 
The Avenger's "Paint it Black". Mick just wishes he had their angst.

I've always also had a soft spot for Magnapop's version of Alex Chilton's "13".
garfish
1,840 posts
 
Had to go look it up.....Dan Penn wrote "At the Dark End of the Street".
garfish
1,840 posts
 
Bobby King and Terry Evans "At the Dark End of the Street". The Committments also did an excellent version of this classic song. It eludes me at the moment who wrote it, but he should also be one of the great singer songwriters of the 1950-2000 thread. Cheers. Craig
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