Best cover versions of a song

[Dnyr85]

Talking heads - Take me to the river

 

[JOC44]

I assume that anyone who prefers Springsteen’s Blinded by the Light over the Manfred Mann version is an undercover cop.

 

[orangefog]

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road by Sara Bareilles. She completely owns her version and it soars.

Holy crap, she changed that song forever. Amazing.

 

[orangefog]

That Blue Monday cover is a really good call.

Here's my vote:

Yeah, Johnny Cash owning this. Trent Reznor's was amazing with NIN, but JC made this his story. It doesn't happen often, but when a cover hits the emotions even harder than the original and it sounds authentic, it is crazy powerful.

 

[OttoMets]

This is a good one:

Nice cut, never heard that before. (Still think it's got nothing on George, obv.) I think my cousin's husband might be playing on that one, not sure. He's been on her last two tours and her Broadway residency a couple years ago.

 

[OttoMets]

 

[Ghost]

Since Springsteen keeps coming up:

 

[br801]

 

[Ghost]

I actually prefer the Tears for Fears version, but because of Donnie Darko I think this one may be more popular.....you can't really dance to Gary Jules' version.

 

[br801]

 

[br801]

 

[bevosu]

Our Russian friends.

 

[Briancuse]

Smashing pumpkins landslide
Lake street dive rich girl

 

[samspann1]

 

[mscanlo]

The Killers have some pretty good ones. Just to list two, of many, below

Bad Moon Rising

Bette Davis Eyes
BRANDON FLOWERS - BETTE DAVIS EYES

 

[mscanlo]

Teddy Swims has some pretty great covers and has become a "Youtube sensation" over the past two years


Teddy Swims - Tennessee Whiskey (Live From Our Basement)

 

[Shawn91111]

The Used - Under Pressure

 

[CuseFaninVT]

The Killers have some pretty good ones. Just to list two, of many, below

Bad Moon Rising

Bette Davis Eyes
BRANDON FLOWERS - BETTE DAVIS EYES

Brandon Flowers is really talented.

 

[br801]

 

[BomberOrange]

 

[BomberOrange]

This one is a reach but I thought it was an amazing interpretation of a song that we all know…

 

[obliterata]

 

[ScrabbCuse]

Taking it in a sort of weird direction but a cover is a cover. Does anyone else remember at some point in the mid 90s a bunch of rock bands did covers of classic cartoons opening themes? It was called Saturday Morning Cartoons’ Greatest Hits. The Ramones did a cover of the Spider-Man theme song, Sublime did a cover of Hong Kong Phooey, Violent Femmes did some Jetsons song and so on. I was probably 11 or 12 and loved it even though I was too young to know half the cartoons. That’s how I discovered the band Helmet who did a cover of Gigantor. Solid band who I still listen to today. Original and cover included for your listening pleasure. (Weird Drew Barrymore cameo included)


Helmet Gigantor

 

[Ghost]

Pretty dated now, but was a pretty radical take on PE's version at the time...

 

[Jables]

This is one of the best covers. They play it true to the original.