Best Cover Songs of All Time

Discussion in 'Cactus Cafe' started by Alex_de_Large, Aug 25, 2010.

  1. OldHippie

    OldHippie 2,500+ Posts

    I agree with Joe Cocker's "A Little Help From My Friends" and "Proud Mary" by Ike and Tina Turner. I didn't see Jimi Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" anywhere.
     
  2. TexasRx

    TexasRx 500+ Posts


     
  3. No ACL

    No ACL 250+ Posts

    Baker Street- Foo Fighters
     
  4. The Eyes of Texas

    The Eyes of Texas 500+ Posts

    You really think some jackass saying "ONE TIME....TWO TIMES" in the background made Killing Me Softly better? I think it made them sound like one of the most idiotic bands I've ever heard.
     
  5. slughead42

    slughead42 Guest

    I'm on board with Aretha's "Respect" and Ike and Tina's "Proud Mary" as maybe the best ever, but I'll throw out one from my favorite band, and say R.E.M doing "Superman".

    Also, though, I agree with the above poster that Gary Jules' "Mad World" cover is a revelation, especially when you first hear it (as I, and probably lots of other people did) at the end of "Donnie Darko".

    Oh, yeah, and also Israel Kamakawiwo'ole doing his mashup of "Over the Rainbow"/"What a Wonderful World". Didn't see it listed above, but if it was, I'm on board that train too.

    Nice thread, btw. Lots of great songs listed by all.
     
  6. CottonEyedHorn

    CottonEyedHorn 1,000+ Posts

    2 pages and no Power Station - Get It On (Bang A Gong) ? A great cover song cranked out by a supergroup [​IMG]

    The Link

    Placebo did a good cover of Running Up that Hill a few years ago too.
     
  7. Alex_de_Large

    Alex_de_Large 1,000+ Posts

    Fail. Look at the 12th response down by Pasotex.
     
  8. bierce

    bierce 1,000+ Posts

    I really don't think this is what Holland, Dozier, and Holland had in mind. Totally unlike and superior to the original recording.

    The Link
     
  9. uisge beatha

    uisge beatha 1,000+ Posts

    OK, just discovered two of my favorite jiJmmy LaFave songs are Dylan covers - check out I'll Be Your Baby Tonight and Tonight I'll be Staying Here With You and tell me the original! is better

    Also like X versions of Wild Thing, Breathless, and Soul Kitchen.
     
  10. l00p

    l00p 10,000+ Posts

    Original: The Cure - Just Like Heaven

    The Cure

    Dinosaur Jr. - Just Like Heaven

    Dinosaur Jr.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    Madonna - Into the Groove

    Madonna

    Ciccone Youth - Into the Groove(y)

    Ciccone Youth

    In case you were curious, Ciccone Youth is a collaboration of Sonic Youth and Mike Watt of the Minutemen and later, Firehose.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

    Van Halen - Jump

    Van Halen

    Aztec Camera - Jump

    Aztec Camera

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

    Beach Boys - Surfin' USA

    Beach Boys

    Jesus and Mary Chain - Surfin' USA

    Jesus and Mary Chain

    ---------------------------------------------------------------

    Joan Baez did, Diamonds and Rust, but I loathe her so I will skip to the Judas Priest version and then to the Stormtroopers of Death classic and epic take on it.

    Judas Priest - Diamonds and Rust

    Judas Priest

    Stormtroopers of Death - Diamonds and Rust (Extended Version)

    S.O.D.
     
  11. Bevo Incognito

    Bevo Incognito 5,000+ Posts

    Rufus Wainwright's version of Across the Universe
     
  12. bierce

    bierce 1,000+ Posts

    Big Daddy with what is undoubtedly the greatest version ever of Hotel California.
    The Link
     
  13. Alex_de_Large

    Alex_de_Large 1,000+ Posts

    Nobody f&#^$ with de Jesus! The Link
     
  14. hookem2003

    hookem2003 500+ Posts


     
  15. pasotex

    pasotex 2,500+ Posts

    4th post on the thread.
     
  16. AustinTejasFan

    AustinTejasFan 1,000+ Posts

    Janis Joplin's Ball and Chain
     
  17. scottsins

    scottsins 1,000+ Posts

    Interesting that no one has mentioned:

    Landslide, covered by Smashing Pumpkins and
    Hurt, as covered by Johnny Cash.

    Definitely two of the best covers EVAR.
     
  18. Statalyzer

    Statalyzer 10,000+ Posts


     
  19. nych 1

    nych 1 250+ Posts

    Actually, I mentioned Hurt.
     
  20. accuratehorn

    accuratehorn 10,000+ Posts

    The envelope please...and the winner is...Whiskey River by Willie f'n Nelson.
    California Girls by David Lee Roth...pretty entertaining, in a novelty way.
    Joe Cocker, A Little Help from my Friends, and Aretha's RESPECT go to the top with Whiskey River.
     
  21. SunBurntOrange

    SunBurntOrange 500+ Posts

    John Belushi covering Joe Cocker covering A Little Help From My Friends.
    The Link
     
  22. YoLaDu

    YoLaDu Guest

    l00p...

    my first two were Aztec Camera's Jump and Dinosaur Jr's Just Like Heaven. You got taste.

    But hey, i knew that when you slagged Joan Baez while praising Judas Priest in the same sentence. [​IMG]
     
  23. Big Ess Fro

    Big Ess Fro 250+ Posts

    scottsin...is my sarcasm meter not working? I detect just a hint of sarcasm...

    My least favorite cover ever is Smashing Pumpkins Landslide.

    My favorite ever is Dixie Chicks cover of Landslide.
     
  24. txtxyeha

    txtxyeha 250+ Posts

    First thing I thought of was the Flying Lizards' "Money". Two others I haven't seen are:

    "Sweet Home Alabama" by the Leningrad Cowboys
    "boys of Summer" by The Ataris

    This is a little on the nit-picky side; however, for Willie Nelson's song "Crazy" you would have to call his vocals of the song the cover of Patsy Cline since was the first to sing it. I heard an interview a year or so ago when a fan was commenting how horrible it was that Willie didn't own the rights to the song, to which Willie replied it wasn't "horrible" b/c he probably needed the $50 he got for the song in 1961 pretty badly.
     
  25. MAROON

    MAROON 250+ Posts

    Gin & Juice - The Gourds

    just great!
     
  26. TRRW#31

    TRRW#31 250+ Posts

    Metallica - Whiskey in a Jar
    Van Halen - You're No Good
    Foo Fighters - Darlin' Nikki
    Cream - Crossroad Blues
    Anthrax - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
    Stevie Ray Vaughan - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) and Superstition
    Dream Theater - Have A Cigar
     
  27. Crockett

    Crockett 5,000+ Posts

    She didn't get the words right, but Joan Baez had the sweet voice to make the Band's the Night They Drove Old Dixie Down a haunting, memorable piece of music.
     
  28. Statalyzer

    Statalyzer 10,000+ Posts

    Ugh, no. That cover wasn't 1/5th as good as the original.
     
  29. CottonEyedHorn

    CottonEyedHorn 1,000+ Posts

  30. rhorn27

    rhorn27 250+ Posts

    The Shins cover Squeeze
    Ryan Bingham cover Otis Redding
    The Kills cover Velvet Underground
    Dirty Projectors cover Bob Dylan
    Passion Pit cover Smashing Pumpkins

    and more, all FREE here:
    www.levispioneersessions.com/

    The Shins cover of Squeeze and Dirty Projector's cover of Dylan are fantastic.
     

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