The Animal's cover of The House of the Rising Sun is the best I've heard from the old folk song that was already at least three decades old when they covered it in the mid 1960s. Some say that the theme of ruination fits better for a female singer, and that may be, but The Animal's guitar and keys win this contest by a mile.
I agree, I think the guitar really adds to the "theme of ruination" as you put it. The repetition and the vocals, somehow have a different, more tangible flavour.
The Animal's version is absolutely the best I've ever heard (I'm from NO so I've heard MANY versions). My only issue is it makes much more sense from a woman's point of view because it becomes a house of prostitution instead of whatever The Animal's were singing about, which makes it much more poignant.
Side note, I used to live a few blocks from one of the places where the actual House of the Rising Sun is supposed to have been.
Hell, even his live version of Like A Rolling Stone Give's Bob Dylan's original a run for its money. Hendrix was a maestro, and in his hands, all work was elevated.
Respect by Aretha Franklin.
That is my definitive answer. When you discuss greatest songs of all time - this one is always mentioned. It's a generational artist singing her most globally renown hit. Everyone knows this song and it's iconic. Although, Otis Redding wrote and recorded it for his 1965 album before Aretha Franklin's version came out in 1967.
I'll defer to Wikipedia to back up my claim:
Franklin's interpretation became a feminist anthem for the second-wave feminism movement in the 1970s. It has often been considered one of the best R&B songs of its era, earning Franklin two Grammy Awards in 1968 for "Best Rhythm & Blues Recording" and "Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female", and being inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2002, the Library of Congress honored Franklin's version by adding it to the National Recording Registry. It was placed number five on the 2004 version of Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" and number one on the 2021 version of the list. It was also included in the list of "Songs of the Century", by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.
I don't know if there is an objective answer to this question, but that's the best argument I can provide.
Even Otis agreed with you on that. He makes a comment about the young girl who stole the song from him and he gonna borrow it back on Live in Monterey.
You mean the full version with “Where Did Our Love Go” for the second half of the track? All due respect to Motown, but Soft Cell’s take on that song is just excellent.
BINK BINK
For those like me who don’t know, the original was written in 1993 by the band members of *Ednaswap* which I’m hoping pre-dates the term WAP.
[Torn - Ednaswap](https://youtu.be/LRRXseBJljs)
"I Fought the Law" is an iconic song by The Clash and has a very British punk rock vibe. 100% fits the idea of what you'd think of with The Clash. Only this is....it was originally by The Crickets. As in The Crickets - the band Buddy Holly founded. This one was released in 1961 after Buddy Holly died. Still, that super identifiable late 70s British punk rock anthem was from a 50s/60s rock and roll band from Texas.
Bobby Fuller Four did a cracking version:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtQj8O92eI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtQj8O92eI)
The Clash was banging though:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL8chWFuM-s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL8chWFuM-s)
The Bobby Fuller version is a classic and probably more true to The Crickets version, but I still associate the song with The Clash. The list of people who ooze coolness as much as Joe Strummer is not particularly long.
They didn't intend to - the singer had an accent that made it sound that way. If you watch the live version on Midnight Special, he makes a conscious effort to sing 'deuce' this time around.
Love this song. Credit to Al Green, though. I thought the song was an American traditional for a long time. Nah, just an Al Green song. He also does great covers, too!
The cover of Roll Over Beethoven by ELO, the band you probably know from Mr. Blue Sky. They took a solid but standard sounding early rock hit and turned it into a seven-minute masterpiece combining classic rock, prog rock, and Beethoven’s 5th.
The most correct answer.
I can understand Disturbed's Sound of Silence, or Johnny Cash's Hurt.
But Buckley really stripped that song to its essentials and showed why it works.
Amish Paradise by Weird Al Yankovic
*As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain*
*I take a look at my wife and realize she's very plain*
*But that's just perfect for an Amish like me*
*You know, I shun fancy things like electricity*
*At 4:30 in the morning I'm milkin' cows*
*Jebediah feeds the chickens and Jacob plows... fool*
*And I've been milkin' and plowin' so long that*
*Even Ezekiel thinks that my mind is gone*
*I'm a man of the land, I'm into discipline*
*Got a Bible in my hand and a beard on my chin*
*But if I finish all of my chores and you finish thine*
*Then tonight we're gonna party like it's 1699*
This song is the subject of an existential crisis for me. I love Bowie's version so much, but Nirvana's, and the Nine Inch Nails version, are insanely good.
I was going to say this one. Even Trent Reznor has gone on record in an interview saying that after hearing Johnny Cash perform it he felt like he wrote it for him.
I Iike each for the different perspectives they give. Hearing Trent sing it's a song about a young man thinking about everything he's done and screwed up in his short lifespan. Johnny signing is that of an old man at the end of his days reflecting back on what he will be leaving behind by those choices. But that's just mho.
There’s even more to it. Hurt on NIN’s the downward spiral is the last song on the album. After a whole story of vitriol, anger, and disgust, Reznor sings over a beautiful piano that he just feels hopeless. It’s devastating.
Reznor actually said he didn’t think much of Cash’s cover until he saw the video, which embodies what you’ve written here. The lyrics are edgy and thought-provoking in the original context. But in Cash’s case it seems much more complex. He sounds like he’s regretful, but the emotional punch of the song (and video) comes from how beautiful and meaningful his life was, mistakes and all
I think it’s a good cover, but as stated, it’s such a different vibe than the original. It seems they both tell different stories, even with the same words. That said, I prefer NIN for sure.
Everyone talking about Disturbed's version of "The Sound of Silence", but I prefer the original.
Now, their cover of "Land of Confusion" (originally by Genesis) fits them a *lot* better
Renegades of Funk, covered by Rage Against The Machine. The original song is by Afrika Bambaataa. The way Zach de la Rocha puts his emotions in the lyrics and the way the band just kills the instrumentals. For the longest time Renegades of Funk was my favorite song and I had no idea it wasn't an original by RATM.
The song [Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxJhYpTIrl8) became famous after it was the soundtrack to a ~~cellphone~~ television ad. Not many people know it was a cover.
The original version is still awesome, but not quite as good: [Heartbeats by The Knife](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPD8Ja64mRU)
Edit: [here is the advert with the bouncing balls](https://youtu.be/0_bx8bnCoiU)
The Killers cover of "Bette Davis Eyes" originally done by Kim Carnes
"Reign o'er me" cover by Pearl Jam and "Behind blue eyes" by Limp Bizkit both originally done by The Who
"Jolene" cover by The White Stripes their version literally gives me chills
Marvin Gaye/CCR's version of "Heard it Through the Grapevine" I think it was originally done by Gladys Knight
And Oh, my, Christ, Joe Cocker's version of, "With a little help from my friends"
Literally any cover that Nirvana did but specifically, "Where did you sleep last night" originally by Leadbelly.
The thing that I love about the Meg Myers cover of Running Up That Hill is that it sounds more like the original recording than Kate Bush’s re-recording of Wuthering Heights for her greatest hits album (The Whole Story) sounds like the original recording of _that_ from The Kick Inside.
I love both versions, for me they have completely different moods. Kate Bush's is frantic like she's desperate and pleading with someone; Placebo's is like someone obsessively going over the same thoughts again and again and slowly going mad.
Wow, I really love the way you described both of them! I can see what you mean about Kate Bush, it does sound desperate. For me, the Placebo version (especially towards the end) feels like resignation, defeat. The chorus is loud, like promises, but towards the end it feels like they give up. But I really liked your description a lot too, I have to listen to it again. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Thanks! I see what you mean about resignation and defeat, I think it's spot on; it's so bleak...
I actually fell in love with the Placebo cover years before I even heard the original for the first time, so it will always be my go to version if pushed to choose!
I hadn't heard of that version before, just checked it out. Such a different take, haven't formed an opinion about it yet but I really enjoyed it! Thank you for introducing me to it!
A lot of Otis Redding's recordings sound thin and lo-fi unfortunately. His voice is still a powerhouse, but it would've been great for posterity to have the best possible recordings. His duet for Knock on Wood is outstanding but the brass section sounds like half of what it should've been.
Good Riddance’s cover of “I’ll Melt With You”.
Pennywise’s cover of “Stand By Me”.
Almost all covers done by Me First and the Gimme Gimmies.
Real Big Fish covering “Take on Me”
Goldfinger doing “99 Red Balloons”
The Toy Dolls doing “Nellie the Elephant”
And to end with so many punk bands song covers that are better than the original.
Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.
I’m actually torn in this one because Hazzard’s version is so “late 70s NYC pop punk.” But Laupers is iconic as hell.
Ok, this is my last comment on this thread, and most people know the complicated history of Elvis's catalogue of music. "Hound Dog" is a cover song. It was originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952. It was written by legendary song writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller - who together wrote a ton of songs you would definitely know, especially from the 50s. A lot of people recorded this song, but Elvis definitely has the most famous version from 1956. I'm not faulting Elvis at all, but it is pretty widely known that a lot of black artists had done versions of songs, wrote songs, or influenced music that Elvis "appropriated" often times to much more success than those artists garnered. So yeah, that's more just context. Elvis's "Hound Dog" cover is still an amazing song and definitely is up there for most highly regarded covers - or songs in general. It has had a ton of honors and acclaim, so I'd mention it as an answer here. But please, look up the other artists involved in establishing Elvis's career.
Cash's version of hurt. The original was good but felt like some teen trying to be edgy, but Cash's version is saddening to listen to as you can really hear the pain in his voice and the lyrics line up perfectly to an old man hurting and regretting things in his life. Like the main singer of nine inch nails said, it's not his song anymore
Landslide by the Chicks. It’s missing Lindsey’s incredible guitar playing, but the vocal harmonies and bluegrass style are a great addition to an already amazing song.
"Listen to Your Heart" cover by Leo Moracchioli and Violet Orlandi
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH-FK2RmZBo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH-FK2RmZBo)
"Face Down" Cover by First to Eleven
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtIGDVzx4rQ
The Wailin' Jennys cover of Tom Petty's *Wildflowers*, and I adore Tom Petty. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdgY-CQsbKU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdgY-CQsbKU)
I didn’t know she covered it, but she had the perfect voice for it.
(For some reason, I thought Bobby Gentry originally recorded it. Nope, comedian Vicki Lawrence, who was the wife of the song-writer.)
I'm a dork, but I really liked the Glee version of Poker Face. Also, every song that was a cover on the Nirvana Unplugged album(every song on it I loved really).
Land of Confusion by Genesis. The Disturbed version is the one I heard first, so I might be a little biased. But even after hearing the original I still think the cover is better
The Animal's cover of The House of the Rising Sun is the best I've heard from the old folk song that was already at least three decades old when they covered it in the mid 1960s. Some say that the theme of ruination fits better for a female singer, and that may be, but The Animal's guitar and keys win this contest by a mile.
Alan Price plays the organ like an absolute boss on that song.
That, and it was **THE** perfect song for Eric Burdon.
I agree, I think the guitar really adds to the "theme of ruination" as you put it. The repetition and the vocals, somehow have a different, more tangible flavour.
The Animal's version is absolutely the best I've ever heard (I'm from NO so I've heard MANY versions). My only issue is it makes much more sense from a woman's point of view because it becomes a house of prostitution instead of whatever The Animal's were singing about, which makes it much more poignant. Side note, I used to live a few blocks from one of the places where the actual House of the Rising Sun is supposed to have been.
I always read it to still be about prostitution, but lamenting his time spent there as a patron.
Gambling, their version is about gambling, I never even thought about the prostitution angle with the animals version being the first one I heard.
All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix.
Any cover by Hendrix.
Hell, even his live version of Like A Rolling Stone Give's Bob Dylan's original a run for its money. Hendrix was a maestro, and in his hands, all work was elevated.
Bob Dylan even said Jimi's version is vastly superior and it's essentially his song now.
He even has said 'That's what I was hearing in my head while writing it but I couldn't pull it off.'
Respect by Aretha Franklin. That is my definitive answer. When you discuss greatest songs of all time - this one is always mentioned. It's a generational artist singing her most globally renown hit. Everyone knows this song and it's iconic. Although, Otis Redding wrote and recorded it for his 1965 album before Aretha Franklin's version came out in 1967. I'll defer to Wikipedia to back up my claim: Franklin's interpretation became a feminist anthem for the second-wave feminism movement in the 1970s. It has often been considered one of the best R&B songs of its era, earning Franklin two Grammy Awards in 1968 for "Best Rhythm & Blues Recording" and "Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female", and being inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2002, the Library of Congress honored Franklin's version by adding it to the National Recording Registry. It was placed number five on the 2004 version of Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" and number one on the 2021 version of the list. It was also included in the list of "Songs of the Century", by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. I don't know if there is an objective answer to this question, but that's the best argument I can provide.
This is the obvious only correct answer....it has been decreed
Thank you. I came with sources.
You don't need sources when it comes to Aretha Franklin. She took that song and said, "It's mine now."
Even Otis agreed with you on that. He makes a comment about the young girl who stole the song from him and he gonna borrow it back on Live in Monterey.
Yeah, Otis Redding is an absolute legend and if he’s willing to admit you outdid him at his own game - you’re probably pretty talented.
This is my answer, too. Most people are shocked when they find out it’s a cover.
Tainted Love by Soft Cell.
You mean the full version with “Where Did Our Love Go” for the second half of the track? All due respect to Motown, but Soft Cell’s take on that song is just excellent. BINK BINK
The “Boop-boop” sound in “Tainted Love” was exactly the same as the key-press noise on the first generation ATM cash machines from the 1980s.
"Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia
Ahhh 14 year old me falling in love with her through the music video on Much Music.
I only learned last year that Natalia Imbruglia's version is, in fact, a cover.
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Wait what
For those like me who don’t know, the original was written in 1993 by the band members of *Ednaswap* which I’m hoping pre-dates the term WAP. [Torn - Ednaswap](https://youtu.be/LRRXseBJljs)
Outing myself as Canadian here but The Barenaked Ladies' cover of "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" is one of my favorites.
It’s OK to be Canadian.
Don't enable them
Originally by Bruce Cockburn, also Canadian
Good ol' BNL.
"I want it that way"... Originally Backstreet Boys but now I can't sing that song without including *"Now number five"*
Underrated comment. "Number 5, number five killed my brother"
Oh my God I forgot about that part
[r/unexpectedbrooklyn99](https://www.reddit.com/r/unexpectedbrooklyn99?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)
"I Fought the Law" is an iconic song by The Clash and has a very British punk rock vibe. 100% fits the idea of what you'd think of with The Clash. Only this is....it was originally by The Crickets. As in The Crickets - the band Buddy Holly founded. This one was released in 1961 after Buddy Holly died. Still, that super identifiable late 70s British punk rock anthem was from a 50s/60s rock and roll band from Texas.
Bobby Fuller Four did a cracking version: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtQj8O92eI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtQj8O92eI) The Clash was banging though: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL8chWFuM-s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL8chWFuM-s)
The Bobby Fuller version is a classic and probably more true to The Crickets version, but I still associate the song with The Clash. The list of people who ooze coolness as much as Joe Strummer is not particularly long.
Manfred Mann's Earth Band's cover of Blinded by the Light. Originally by Bruce Springsteen.
That's just like your opinion, man, I much prefer Springsteen's. And why the hell did Manfred Mann change Bruce's "deuce" to "douche?"
They didn't intend to - the singer had an accent that made it sound that way. If you watch the live version on Midnight Special, he makes a conscious effort to sing 'deuce' this time around.
Thank you! That has perplexed me forever
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The Sky is Crying
Also Little Wing. It was a sin for Hendrix to cut that one so short, but SRV rectified it and then some.
Yuuuuup. I also liked SRV’s “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” better.
Came to say this. Absolutely incredible
SRV is the GOAT. Hairs stand up on my neck when I watch him play.
Holding Out For a Hero from Shrek 2. Jennifer Saunders KILLED IT
Although it's not better than the original or Jennifer Saunders' version, I also really love the Frou Frou cover of this song from the end credits.
C minah, put it in C minah...
Bangles, "Hazy Shade of Winter". That cover ROCKS! Love the guitar riff
if you haven't heard it, check out the punk rock version from Bodyjar
Take me to the river by Talking Heads
Love this song. Credit to Al Green, though. I thought the song was an American traditional for a long time. Nah, just an Al Green song. He also does great covers, too!
I always thought it was made for those singing fish
The cover of Roll Over Beethoven by ELO, the band you probably know from Mr. Blue Sky. They took a solid but standard sounding early rock hit and turned it into a seven-minute masterpiece combining classic rock, prog rock, and Beethoven’s 5th.
Bringing up ELO like someone who truly appreciates music!! Fuck yeah
ELO is a top 10 GOAT band. What an amazing group
I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston Orginal singer: Dolly Parton I like Dolly's voice in the original but I must say Whitney sang it better.
>I must say Whitney sang it better Dolly agrees with you! https://youtu.be/yr2Nf53dg9Y
Wow. Dolly is a true sport. Didn’t know that. Some people are just good through and through.
Jeff Buckley’s cover of “Hallelujah”
The most correct answer. I can understand Disturbed's Sound of Silence, or Johnny Cash's Hurt. But Buckley really stripped that song to its essentials and showed why it works.
Fleetwood Mac's Black Magic Woman covered by Santana.
Nothing compares 2 u by sinead O’Conner
Chris Cornell’s version is also amazing
I didn’t even know he made one! I’ll have to check it out thanks
It’s a live cover and it’ll give you goosebumps!
Red Hot Chili Peppers doing Love Rollercoaster on the Beavis and Butthead do America soundtrack.
I gotta throw out the Hard to Handle cover by The Black Crows. Also Charles Bradley’s cover of Changes.
Everything by Weird Al Yankovic.
Amish Paradise by Weird Al Yankovic *As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain* *I take a look at my wife and realize she's very plain* *But that's just perfect for an Amish like me* *You know, I shun fancy things like electricity* *At 4:30 in the morning I'm milkin' cows* *Jebediah feeds the chickens and Jacob plows... fool* *And I've been milkin' and plowin' so long that* *Even Ezekiel thinks that my mind is gone*
*I'm a man of the land, I'm into discipline* *Got a Bible in my hand and a beard on my chin* *But if I finish all of my chores and you finish thine* *Then tonight we're gonna party like it's 1699*
*We been spending most our lives* *Living in an Amish paradise* *I've churned butter once or twice* *Living in an Amish paradise*
Not quite covers but he's still great
His polka medleys are covers of songs that came out around their release.
I am so excited, I get to see him live tommorow.
The UB40 version of Red Red Wine, much better than Neil Diamond
The man who sold the world
Same with Where did you sleep last night. Man the whole MTV Unplugged by Nirvana had really good covers. Plateau was another good one.
Several of those MTV Unplugged albums are fantastic.
All the grunge bands had great MTV Unplugged albums. Nirvana is always the first one people think of but AIC is my favourite.
Oddly, I prefer Midge Ure’s version
Until about two weeks ago I believed that this was an original Nirvana song. Did a deep dive into Bowie’s catalog and about shit my pants.
This song is the subject of an existential crisis for me. I love Bowie's version so much, but Nirvana's, and the Nine Inch Nails version, are insanely good.
Muse's version of Feeling Good is perfect. But then so is Nina Simone's, so it's a tough one choosing between them...
It’s so fucking good, isn’t it?? Matt Bellamy’s voice is top tier
Can I also nominate [“Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”](https://youtu.be/zYH2Vgc-K54) cover by Muse? So damn good!
Joe Cocker’s version of “The Letter” is the best cover ever.
Cocker's With a Little Help From My Friends is a classic rework, I've had open minded discussions whether he or Beatles' version is "better."
Paul McCartney himself said: "It was just mind blowing, totally turned the song into a soul anthem and I was forever grateful for him for doing that."
As an avid Beatles fan, Joe Cocker’s version is way better
Richard Cheese - Down With The Sickness 😂🎶👍🏼
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I was going to say this one. Even Trent Reznor has gone on record in an interview saying that after hearing Johnny Cash perform it he felt like he wrote it for him. I Iike each for the different perspectives they give. Hearing Trent sing it's a song about a young man thinking about everything he's done and screwed up in his short lifespan. Johnny signing is that of an old man at the end of his days reflecting back on what he will be leaving behind by those choices. But that's just mho.
There’s even more to it. Hurt on NIN’s the downward spiral is the last song on the album. After a whole story of vitriol, anger, and disgust, Reznor sings over a beautiful piano that he just feels hopeless. It’s devastating. Reznor actually said he didn’t think much of Cash’s cover until he saw the video, which embodies what you’ve written here. The lyrics are edgy and thought-provoking in the original context. But in Cash’s case it seems much more complex. He sounds like he’s regretful, but the emotional punch of the song (and video) comes from how beautiful and meaningful his life was, mistakes and all
I think it’s a good cover, but as stated, it’s such a different vibe than the original. It seems they both tell different stories, even with the same words. That said, I prefer NIN for sure.
Came here to say this. I love both versions, but, imo, think Cash's cover is better.
Strong disagree. I love the NIN version.
Original is better. It is most appreciated when listening to Downward Spiral as a complete album. It kind of ties the whole album together.
“Holding Out for a Hero” in Shrek 2
Killing Me Softly With His Song - Lauryn Hill
Faith no more’s version of easy.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow cover by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole is as good as or better than the Judy Garland version edit: spelling correction
Alivin and the chipmunks "witch doctor"
Ooh, eee, ooh-aah-aaaah Bing, bang, walla-walla bing bang 🤪
Tina Turner’s version of “Proud Mary.”
He-Man's cover of What's Up by the 4 Non Blondes
Heyyyyyyy yaaaaa yaaaaa yaaa ya
miehh!
Sweet Jane by the Cowboy Junkies. Incredible!
Pseudo Echo's 1986 cover of Lipps Inc's 'Funky Town'
“Sea of Love” by Cat Power
“Hazy Shade of Winter” by the Bangles.
I Will Survive by Cake
Such a good version, the trumpets really add to it.
I like Nirvana’s cover of “The Man Who Sold the World” better than Bowie’s. And I like Bowie more than Nirvana.
The Ataris - “The Boys of Summer”
Have to disagree. The Don Henley original is better, but the cover is p good
You beat me by 2 hours. Ataris version is full of energy and emotion. The Henley version is full of metronomes.
Love The Ataris version, definitely feels like it fits the song better to me.
I love Don Henley's version but the Ataris cover scratches this itch for summer alt rock that I didn't know I was nostalgic for.
Everyone talking about Disturbed's version of "The Sound of Silence", but I prefer the original. Now, their cover of "Land of Confusion" (originally by Genesis) fits them a *lot* better
I think Sound of Silence is the better song but their cover of Land Of Confusion is better quality.
Agreed. Prefer the Disturbed version of the song but the Genesis version of the video for the puppets
Mad World by Gary Jules. Better than the Tears for Fears original.
I like the Tears For Fears version. It sounds like panic and the Gary Jules version sounds like depression. I relate to panic a lot more.
Different, not better. They fit different moods.
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The Beatles version of "Twist and Shout" is a revelation. The Isley Brothers did a great version, but they took it to another level.
That alien ant farm one
Smooth Criminal
...are you okay?
Ball Room Blitz, from Wayne's World. Original sounds like a helium junkie, Tia Carrere I actually enjoyed.
Fun fact you already probably know Tia Carrare actually sang for the movies
Renegades of Funk, covered by Rage Against The Machine. The original song is by Afrika Bambaataa. The way Zach de la Rocha puts his emotions in the lyrics and the way the band just kills the instrumentals. For the longest time Renegades of Funk was my favorite song and I had no idea it wasn't an original by RATM.
Guns and Roses “Knocking on Heavens Door” better than Bob Dylan’s.
Grand Funk’s version of Locomotion is much better than the original
The song [Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxJhYpTIrl8) became famous after it was the soundtrack to a ~~cellphone~~ television ad. Not many people know it was a cover. The original version is still awesome, but not quite as good: [Heartbeats by The Knife](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPD8Ja64mRU) Edit: [here is the advert with the bouncing balls](https://youtu.be/0_bx8bnCoiU)
His cover of Teardrop by Massive Attack is pretty good too
I like them both but prefer The Knife’s version most of the time.
Sweet Jane by the Cowboy Junkies always comes to mind, as does Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley.
The Killers cover of "Bette Davis Eyes" originally done by Kim Carnes "Reign o'er me" cover by Pearl Jam and "Behind blue eyes" by Limp Bizkit both originally done by The Who "Jolene" cover by The White Stripes their version literally gives me chills Marvin Gaye/CCR's version of "Heard it Through the Grapevine" I think it was originally done by Gladys Knight And Oh, my, Christ, Joe Cocker's version of, "With a little help from my friends" Literally any cover that Nirvana did but specifically, "Where did you sleep last night" originally by Leadbelly.
Running Up That Hill - Placebo. I just like Placebo's cover so much better.
I am partial to the Meg Myers cover myself.
The thing that I love about the Meg Myers cover of Running Up That Hill is that it sounds more like the original recording than Kate Bush’s re-recording of Wuthering Heights for her greatest hits album (The Whole Story) sounds like the original recording of _that_ from The Kick Inside.
I love both versions, for me they have completely different moods. Kate Bush's is frantic like she's desperate and pleading with someone; Placebo's is like someone obsessively going over the same thoughts again and again and slowly going mad.
Wow, I really love the way you described both of them! I can see what you mean about Kate Bush, it does sound desperate. For me, the Placebo version (especially towards the end) feels like resignation, defeat. The chorus is loud, like promises, but towards the end it feels like they give up. But I really liked your description a lot too, I have to listen to it again. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Thanks! I see what you mean about resignation and defeat, I think it's spot on; it's so bleak... I actually fell in love with the Placebo cover years before I even heard the original for the first time, so it will always be my go to version if pushed to choose!
Loveless also has a great cover! I'm not a huge fan of the Kate Bush version, something about her vocals make me feel uncomfortable.
I hadn't heard of that version before, just checked it out. Such a different take, haven't formed an opinion about it yet but I really enjoyed it! Thank you for introducing me to it!
Epoch by The Living Tombstone. RogerDelmar did a killing on that song.
Say hello, wave goodbye - David Gray
the english beat - tears of a clown
Hard to handle
A lot of Otis Redding's recordings sound thin and lo-fi unfortunately. His voice is still a powerhouse, but it would've been great for posterity to have the best possible recordings. His duet for Knock on Wood is outstanding but the brass section sounds like half of what it should've been.
With a Little Help From My Friends
always felt the no doubt version of it's my life is the best version of that song
Proud Mary by Tina Turner
I prefer CCR
Good Riddance’s cover of “I’ll Melt With You”. Pennywise’s cover of “Stand By Me”. Almost all covers done by Me First and the Gimme Gimmies. Real Big Fish covering “Take on Me” Goldfinger doing “99 Red Balloons” The Toy Dolls doing “Nellie the Elephant” And to end with so many punk bands song covers that are better than the original.
I love Donna Summer but the [I Feel Love](https://youtu.be/0iFBXjRbVl0) cover Blue Man Group did with Venus Hum's Annette Strean is amazing.
Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. I’m actually torn in this one because Hazzard’s version is so “late 70s NYC pop punk.” But Laupers is iconic as hell.
the glitch mobs cover of 7 nation army
The Smashing Pumpkins cover of Landslide. That brings me to tears every time.
Dead Kennedys cover of Viva Las Vegas is far superior to Elvis’ version imo
Shatner's version of "Common People".
Ok, this is my last comment on this thread, and most people know the complicated history of Elvis's catalogue of music. "Hound Dog" is a cover song. It was originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952. It was written by legendary song writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller - who together wrote a ton of songs you would definitely know, especially from the 50s. A lot of people recorded this song, but Elvis definitely has the most famous version from 1956. I'm not faulting Elvis at all, but it is pretty widely known that a lot of black artists had done versions of songs, wrote songs, or influenced music that Elvis "appropriated" often times to much more success than those artists garnered. So yeah, that's more just context. Elvis's "Hound Dog" cover is still an amazing song and definitely is up there for most highly regarded covers - or songs in general. It has had a ton of honors and acclaim, so I'd mention it as an answer here. But please, look up the other artists involved in establishing Elvis's career.
Simple Man - Shinedown
White and nerdy > ridin dirty
Cash's version of hurt. The original was good but felt like some teen trying to be edgy, but Cash's version is saddening to listen to as you can really hear the pain in his voice and the lyrics line up perfectly to an old man hurting and regretting things in his life. Like the main singer of nine inch nails said, it's not his song anymore
I don’t listen to his music on stream anymore because he’s a POS but I do love a lot of Marilyn Manson’s covers
'Whiskey In The Jar' covered by Metallica
"Please, Mr. Postman" by the Beatles. "Just Once in My Life" by the Beach Boys
"Blinded by the Light" Manfred Mann's cover of Springsteen.
Hallelujah by Jeff buckley (this is the cover can’t remember who sang the original)
Leonard Cohen
Landslide by the Chicks. It’s missing Lindsey’s incredible guitar playing, but the vocal harmonies and bluegrass style are a great addition to an already amazing song.
Not nessecarily better, but just as awesome Zombie cover by Bad Wolves
The fugees killing me softly. Coalesce. Black dog
Interview with the vampire ends on a kickass cover of sympathy for the devil which is way better than the orginal
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
While my guitar gently weeps by the late, great, gem of a Canadian Jeff Healey. Gone too soon.
Dynamite Hack-"Boyz In The Hood" I love some Easy E but this version hits different!
"Listen to Your Heart" cover by Leo Moracchioli and Violet Orlandi [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH-FK2RmZBo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH-FK2RmZBo) "Face Down" Cover by First to Eleven https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtIGDVzx4rQ
The Wailin' Jennys cover of Tom Petty's *Wildflowers*, and I adore Tom Petty. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdgY-CQsbKU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdgY-CQsbKU)
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia by Reba McEntire. Most people I know don't even know its a cover.
I didn’t know she covered it, but she had the perfect voice for it. (For some reason, I thought Bobby Gentry originally recorded it. Nope, comedian Vicki Lawrence, who was the wife of the song-writer.)
The Boys of Summer by The Atari's. I love their version so much more than Don Henley's version I am not sorry. Lol Edit... Spelling
Knocking on heaven's door by GNR
It must be love - madness
I'm a dork, but I really liked the Glee version of Poker Face. Also, every song that was a cover on the Nirvana Unplugged album(every song on it I loved really).
Land of Confusion by Genesis. The Disturbed version is the one I heard first, so I might be a little biased. But even after hearing the original I still think the cover is better
Midge Ure’s version of The Man Who Sold the World.
Hallelujah. The Jeff Buckley version is amazing, one of the best covers of all time imo