Favorite Cover Songs and Why?

[gene]

A great song is a powerful tool and can be interpreted many different and entertaining ways. Cover songs can be equally powerful, meaningful, and a creative tool for a performer. While you might not own the songwriting, what if you are running low in the creative department and need an avenue to explore your musical prowess. We discuss the implications of the cover song and Why investors love owning the rights to various recording artists?

Read: Wall Street Loves Music Publishing & the Cover Song

What are your favorite cover songs and did the artist make it their own?

 

[NINaudio]

Is probably one of my all time favorite covers, ever. I really like most of Disturbed's covers (Land of Confusion, Shout, etc.) and Type O Negative has had some great covers (Cinnamon Girl, Summer Breeze, Day Tripper)) over the years as well .

 

[SithZedi]

So much out there. The many early Rolling Stones covers of older songs always stand out for me.
One of my all time favorites is a cover of "Everybody Knows". Love her powerful voice towards the end.

 

[ryanosaur]

Johnny Cash performing Mercy Seat

Tori Amos performing Real Men

Monophonics performing Bang Bang

I could do this for a while!

But let’s not forget one of the top covers of all time:
Jimi Hendrix performing All Along The Watchtower

 

[WookieGR]

Stevie Ray Vaughan's cover of Little Wing is still the all time greatest.

 

[ryanosaur]

Stevie Ray Vaughan's cover of Little Wing is still the all time greatest.

Just sticking with the Concrete Blonde theme for a second, performing Little Wing:

And the Jimi Hendrix theme, Medeski Martin and Wood performing Hey Joe:

...And one more, non sequitur style… very NSFW; Ben Folds performing B!tches Ain't Sh!t:

 

[snakeeyes]

Santana - Black Magic Woman

 

[SithZedi]

And this by one of my fav Canadian bands. The very underrated Cowboy Junkies. She defines the Smokey voice...

 

[j_garcia]

So many to list, I am not sure where to start. IMO, a great cover keeps the flavor and is immediately recognizable as the original, but definitely feels like something new and identifiable as the artist doing it.

Probably my all time favorite cover is The Damned's cover of Love's Alone Again Or:

Deftones did a whole cover album with some great tracks. I liked this cover of The Cure's If Only Tonight We Could Sleep. I like the Cure. I like Deftones, so it it is a great mashup.

Godsmack doing Beatles - nice heavy twist

Great cover of Dream On by Blacktop Mojo. Again, great heavy twist

White Stripes doing Dolly Parton's Jolene - I was impressed by this one. Keeps a bit of the original feel, but really they make it their own too

 

[j_garcia]

Self explanatory Johnny doing NIN's Hurt:

Pumpkins covering Landslide

Gary Jules doing Mad World - I was blown away by the use of this in Donnie Darko, just amazing cover

Yep, that was a cover. I also really liked the Marylin Manson re-cover of it.

 

[ryanosaur]

I’ll contribute a few more and call it a day.

White Stripes performing Jolene:

The Kills performing Desperado:

One more from The Kills, homage a Lou Reed, Pale Blue Eyes:

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Swing Out Sister covering "Am I the Same Girl"

Swing Out Sister "Am I The Same Girl" 1992 (audio remastered) - YouTube

In my mind Corrine Drewery in her 30's = most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

 

[panteragstk]

 

[SithZedi]

Swing Out Sister covering "Am I the Same Girl"

Swing Out Sister "Am I The Same Girl" 1992 (audio remastered) - YouTube

In my mind Corrine Drewery in her 30's = most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

Wow, thanks for posting. I forgot about her. Smoking hot.

 

[SithZedi]

Don't know if anyone's an early REM fan. Below is a song list from a throw away album they released in 1987. It contains many covers they did live from their early days, including some Lou Reed, Aerosmith, and a cool version of King of the Road...

 

[MaxInValrico]

A great song is a powerful tool and can be interpreted many different and entertaining ways. Cover songs can be equally powerful, meaningful, and a creative tool for a performer. While you might not own the songwriting, what if you are running low in the creative department and need an avenue to explore your musical prowess. We discuss the implications of the cover song and Why investors love owning the rights to various recording artists?

View attachment 54803

Read: Wall Street Loves Music Publishing & the Cover Song

What are your favorite cover songs and did the artist make it their own?

Dwight Yokum - Wichita Lineman
Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower
Richie Havens - Here Comes The Sun

 

[j_garcia]

This guy is weird, but basically most of his career is metal covers of other songs. Some don't work, but some are pretty fun:

Foos did a whole album of Bee Gees as "DeeGees" and they are surprisingly good

 

[j_garcia]

Another Blacktop Mojo

 

[rjplummer]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Aretha

Or Otis Redding (Respect's writer)

And then two (of many) great covers of Van Morrison

Sorry I can't find a better version of Jimi

 

[Kvn_Walker]

My wife loves both the Shinedown "Simple Honest Man" and Disturbed "Sound of Silence" covers. I've heard her play both on youtube before.

When her last printer crapped out and she had to use my computer upstairs she called me at work to "remind" me how awesome my speakers were. I could hear the Disturbed cover playing in the background. Ha, I know, I know.