Best Cover Songs

[Wee67]

I want to put together a file of the best cover songs. You know, songs performed or, better yet, re-interpreted by a band different from the one who made it famous. I'm NOT talking about cover songs that, in and of themselves, became more attached to the second artist than the original. Songs like Jimi Hendrix's "All Along The Watchtower" or Elvis' version of "Hound Dog."

It could just be a version that rocks out (The Ramones, "Street Fighting Man") or maybe a whole new take (Sisters of Mercy's turn on "Give Me Shelter"). I do have an affinity for 80's indy bands doing their favorites songs (Redd Kross' "Black Diamond" or Husker Du's "8 Miles High"), but I'm looking for any suggestion.

An no, William Shatner doing "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" is NOT one of the great covers

[Mikey]

Hmmm,

Beach Boy's Rock and Roll Music first comes to mind.
First Chuck, then Beatles, then Beach Boys

YouTube - Beach Boys - Rock Roll Music

m

[4NDR01D]

I do have an affinity for 80's indy bands doing their favorites songs (Redd Kross' "Black Diamond" or Husker Du's "8 Miles High")

I have a tendency to watch this repeatedly whenever I get really drunk. Bob Mould's intencity can bring me to tears. Knowing the story of the band at this point in time (managers suicide, heroin addiction, band in fighting- namely Bob and Grant trying to out do each other in concert, etc) makes me appriciate it all the more. Good call Wee!!


YouTube - Hüsker Dü - Eight Miles High (Pink Pop Festival 87)

[fallensaviour]

"Knocking on heavins door" covered by Guns and roses.
"Live and let die" covered by guns and roses.
"Whiskey in the jar-o" covered by Metallica.

[Mikey]

Move It On Over

Hank Williams
YouTube - Move it on Over - Hank Williams

George Thorogood
YouTube - The Destroyers

m

[Wee67]

I have a tendency to watch this repeatedly whenever I get really drunk. Bob Mould's intencity can bring me to tears. [/url]

They also do a pretty fun cover of the theme from 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show', "Love Is All Around."

"Knocking on heavins door" covered by Guns and roses.

To quote Mego Milk- "Aw yeah!" Doesn't Motorhead also do a pretty good version of "Born to be Wild," too?

And Mike, for some reason you reminded of the The Who's amazing version of "Summertime Blues."

[Earth 2 Chris]

Johnny Cash did some great covers in his later years. Covers of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" and Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down" spring to mine. Great stuff. Of course "Hurt" was a Nine Inch Nails cover, but he pretty much made it his own, so it doesn't count here.

Van Halen's "Oh, Pretty Woman" is pretty good. Jimmy Buffet's cover of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" isn't bad either.

Chris

[kryptosmaster]

The Kinks - You Really Got Me
Van Halen---

Bob Marley - I Shot the Sheriff
Eric Clapton---

Slade - Come on feel the Noise
Quiet Riot---

Otis redding - Respect
Aretha Franklin---

Gloria Jones - Tainted Love
Soft Cell---

jackie Wilson - Higher and Higher
Rita Coolidge

Dolly parton - I will Always Love You
Whitney Houston---

Merrilee Rush & the Turnabouts - Angel of the Morning
Juice Newton---

Patsy Cline - Crazy
Willie Nelson---


Beatles - With A Little Help From My Friends
Joe Cocker---

Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal
Alien Ant Farm---

Guess Who - American Woman
Lenny Kravitz---

Tommy James - Mony Mony
Billy Idol---

Nine Inch nails - Hurt
Johnny Cash---

Neil Diamond - Red Red Wine
UB40---

Shocking Blue - Venus
Bananarama---

Rich

[spaceace35]

you must check out cheap trick sgt peppers live cd and dvd which came out today
it hasnt left my cd player yet

[Zemo]

For me, no doubt Manfred Mann's Earth Bands version of Springsteen's Blinded by the light.

Best cover and interpetation ever. To this day Springsteen is bitter that they crushed his song.

[The Bat]

John Lennon-"Stand By Me"
Ramones-"Out of Time"(Rolling Stones)
Ramones- TOO MANY great 50's & 60's covers to count!
Sid Vicious-"My Way"
The Pogues-"Danny Boy"
Social Distortion-"Ring of Fire"

[megoat]

Hey Bill, for 80's indie try:

The Feelies "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey"

Dinosaur Jr "Show Me The Way"

Yo La Tengo "Big Sky"--the kinks song

Urge Overkill "Wichita Lineman"

Rapeman "Just Got Paid"

Killdozer "I Am I Said" they actually did a whole record of covers

The Minutemen "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" their version rules.

You mentioned Redd Kross--i have a great version of them doing "Rhiannon"

I'm sure others'll come to mind....

[Mikey]

You're Sixteen

Johnny Burnette
YouTube - Johnny Burnette - You're Sixteen

Ringo Starr
YouTube - You're Sixteen - Ringo Starr

[Bill]

If you're in any way a Smiths fan you need to dig up a copy of "The World Still Won't Listen." A bunch of grunty hardcore bands covering Morissey, very funny and surprisingly good. H20, Slapshot, Leeway, The Meatmen, Subzero and a ton of other bands really put some effort into their interpretations.

White Zombie covering Kiss, God Of Thunder...
YouTube - White Zombie - God Of Thunder

Steve Earle with The Supersuckers covering The Rolling Stones Before They Make Me Run
YouTube - Steve Earle - Before They Make Me Run (1994)

The Supersuckers covering Ice Cube's Dead Homiez
YouTube - Dead Homiez - Supersuckers, The (Ice Cube Cover)

The Meatmen covering The Smiths How Soon Is Now from the album I mentioned above
YouTube - How Soon Is Now - The Meatmen

[Nostalgiabuff]

how about Jeff Healy band's version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps....great cover.
Joe cocker did some great covers of the Beatles too....With a Little Help from my friends, she came in through the bathroom window...etc
Cheap Trick - Don't be Cruel
Van Halen - Pretty Woman
David Lee Roth - california girls
The Beach Boys - California Dreaming