Johannes Brahms' Variations on a theme by Haydn.

Sergei Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini.

I haven't gone through all the responses in this string but....

Elton John: Lucy In The Sky
Sinead O'Connor: Nothing Compares to U
Tom Jones/Art of Noise: Kiss
Eva Cassidy: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Joe Cocker: With a Little Help from My Friends
Jimi Hendrix: All Along the Watchtower
Aretha: Respect
Patti Davis: Because The Night

Of course tons more, but I'd have been remiss if I didn't stick my two cents into this thread!   -Wayne
 

Molly Hatchet’s “Dreams I’ll Never See” over The Allman Brothers Band’s “Dreams.”

only because I’m about 5 years too young to have fully appreciated the Allman Brothers for  another decade of so.

Good one @normb .

Well.... you might have to listen to this to hear what I mean.  There's a gorgeous transsexual singer/composer called Sopor Aeternus. Every so often, she does a cover version - and makes it utterly her own! This is her doing 'Holding Out for a Hero', originally by Bonnie Tyler.  Think of the camp disco track, then listen to this....

 

I think Sopor's a hugely undervalued artist - hopefully after listening to this, you'll agree with me.

She's also got a wonderful, totally deadpan sense of humor going through everything she does!  I've met her a few times, guess I'm biased. Love to know what you think.

Yours respectfully

Chris.

Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music : Jealous Guy.

 Toots & the Maytals - Country Road

The Clash: Pressure Drop.

 The Clash - I Fought the Law.

Ring of fire: Social Distortion.

"I Will Survive" Cake

@painter24

The Airplane version of Wooden Ships was released 6 months after the CSN version, but they were both recorded in March of 1969.

Furthermore, Paul Kantner co-wrote the song with Crosby and Stills, and the narrative concept is really Paul’s. Lyrically, it has a politically edgy tone to it that CSN lacked until Young joined the trio. The “wooden ship” that the three were sailing on off the coast of Florida - when and where the song was written - belonged to Crosby.

Therefore the Airplane version is not a cover. It’s an original, and arguably THE original. The fact that it is in so many ways a Kantner song may go to why - at least imho - it is the decidedly superior version.

Kantner did not get authorship credit on the CSN version because of some record label or contract thing.

Just about anything that Eva Cassidy did.
Here is one.
 

Sandy Denny’s version of Richard Farina’s “Quiet Joys of Brotherhood”.

Hendrix - All along the watchtower

Twenty Flight Rock... cover by Montrose.

"Beggar's Day" Nazareth 

Blinded by the Light Manfred Mann with respect to The Boss

"Baby its You" by Smith. Singer Gayle McCormick.

@unreceivedogma - Very true about 'Wooden Ships' - I pointed that same thing out further up the thread. And I definitely prefer the JA version! 👍

Ziggy Stardust by Bauhaus.  I know I've said this before in other previous posts. 

Linda Ronstadt: Tumblin' Dice

While everything I was thinking was already mentioned, I just wanted to say how much fun this thread has been to read! And @dekay , Smoke on the water was fabulous! I went down the rabbit hole and watched several of her videos. Thanks for sharing.

Elvis covering my way

jerry garcia covering lay down sally

Ryan Adams' cover of the Oasis song Wonder Wall.

Patricia Barber Nardis (Miles Davis)

Stones Love in Vain (Rob't Johnson)

Leo Kotke Pamela Brown (Tom T Hall)

Led Zepelin When The Levee Breaks (Memphis Minnie)

Simple Twist of Fate Sarah Jarosz (Dylan)

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands Joan Baez (Dylan)

These last two are the only Dylan covers worthy of note IMHO.

How could I forget Arlo Guthrie's cover of Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans!

+Whatever number for JA version of 'Wooden Ships". I never get tired of hearing Grace Slick when she lets go and soars in a great song.

Tina Turner: Proud Mary

Looks like mostly modern rockers here:  how about Wimoweh, first produced in modern times (that I'm aware of by Solomon Linda), and more famously covered by the Weavers:

Annie Lennox, “Waiting in Vain”…

Happy Talk by Captain Sensible (of the Dammed)

Numerous covers by the Grateful Dead, including It's All Over Now Baby Blue. By Bob Dylan.

"What Do you Want the Girl to Do" - Lowell George

"Mercy Mercy Me" - Special EFX

"Respect" - Adeva

The Gourds- Gin and Juice

Love it when Audiogon members reveal that they also love music! Cover threads always turn me on to something new (in this case it was Eva Cassidy's version of Woodstock, which is unbelievably good). My contributions:

Slam dunk: (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding) by Elvis Costello (orig. Brinsley Schwarz/Nick Lowe) mentioned already I think.

Controversial pick: Dead Souls by Nine Inch Nails (orig. Joy Division)

70s Cultural Appropriation Choice: Take Me in Your Arms by the Doobie Brothers (org. Kim Weston)

Jazz selection: 107 Steps by Jeff "Tain" Watts (orig. Bjork)

Not sure it counts: Tears of Rage by The Band (orig. basement tapes w/ Dylan)

Linda Ronstadt did a lot of nice covers.  I especially like her cover of the Eagles' Desperado.

@kangatrax + 1 - The Grateful Dead and JGB almost always had wonderful taste in songs to cover, and I generally really enjoyed those, too. 

Faith No More - Easy

Nirvana - The Man Who Sold the World

Macarthur Park covered by Beggars Opera, original version by Richard Harris. 

Lee Ritenour and Kurt Elling add poignance and emotional coherence to ‘River Man’. Nick Drake really didn’t have a chance on so many levels. 
 

With all love and respect for Dionne Warwick IMO, Issac Hayes really nails ‘Walk On By’.

"Blinded by the light" - Manfred Mann / Bruce Springsteen

Phish - Lovin Cup (Stones)

phish - Peaches en Regalia (Zappa)

Phish - Frankenstein (Edgar Winter)

Phish - Drowned (The Who)

Phish - Roses Are Free (Ween)

Phish - Cities (Talking Heads)

Phish - Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House (Disney album)

Power of love - Celine Dion

Nothing else matters - Miley Cyrus and Elton John

Someone mentioned the ‘Sound of Silence’ by Disturbed which is great, so another fun one for me, (which was equally mentioned as a great cover by the Animals), would be ‘House of the Rising Sun’ by Five finger death punch.

Down By The River

Roy Buchanan 

Thanks for this thread and all these new and old things to listen to! I love covers, so it's hard to choose one. I've always been very partial to Shawn Colvin's version of Steve Earle. Also, while it's hard to best Neil Young, this cut by Jill Sobule and John Doe from the Cinnamon Girl benefit album is pretty awesome. (And a fun coincidence that @frazuli2 just posted another version right before me!)

Dancing On My Own - Robyn cover by Kings of Leon 

Stay - Rihanna cover by 30 Seconds To Mars 

Wicked Game - Chris Issak cover by Nadezhda Aleksandrova 

Roxanne - The Police cover by Morgan James 

Some I thought were missed by many ... all just my humble opinions of course. I hope you enjoy and/or rediscover these goodies.

Much love!!! ✌
         .ƹ.