Cover songs that are better than the originals.


There is an active thread about terrible cover songs so I thought I'd start one about cover songs that are better than or have completely eclipsed the originals. I'll start:

Randy Newman wrote Momma Told Me Not to Come for Eric Burdon who recored it with the Animals and Newman recorded it too. I have the Newman version and like it but Three Dog Night really seem to capture the mood of the song best in my opinion.
n80
Anyone recall the great cover letter of the live version of the 59th Street Bridge Song ( Feelin Groovy) by Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper?
I wholeheartedly second OBLGNY's nomination of Joe Cocker's cover of "A Little Help From My Friends".  And, I'll bet, so does Ringo Starr.
+ 3 for Joe Cocker with "A little help from my friends " A true force of nature! A nice guy too. He was on the same ferry I was from Germany to Denmark , gave a liitle concert to about 20 of us on deck .