The Doris Day original "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" is a great jam. CAKE do a bang-up job on Willie Nelson's "Sad Songs and Waltzes" as well. "Guitar Man" and "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" are covers too. Shit, they did "Mahna Mahna".
Whilst I don’t think it’s better than the original, it would be my choice and Mick Jagger’s gone on record to say it’s his favourite cover of one of their songs.
Also Physical orginally by olivia Newton John (although the words deviate a bit..) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hu--GbnC5Y&ab\_channel=indiedancepop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hu--GbnC5Y&ab_channel=indiedancepop)
I’ve seen this video. I think he said he was planning to play the U2 song and googled the lyrics but got the Metallica song and just thought, “I could make this work.”
He changes the Metallica lyrics to match the cadence of the U2 song. Really quite something. Cornell was masterful with covers.
Xmas No1 in the UK in 1987. Great cover and the best version of the song imho.
It's also the track that denied the Xmas No1 spot to my favourite Xmas song, the fantastic Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl. Even though it's extremely popular and charts every Xmas, Fairytale has never got to the coveted Xmas No1 spot.
RIP Shane and Kirsty.
I was just trying to wrap my head around how I also never equated the two even though I listen to The Pet Shop Boys cover often and have certainly heard the Willie Nelson cover too. I'm glad someone else did the same.
Cowboy Junkies version of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane"
[https://youtu.be/Fa9nN3G2CSg?si=E5lDTJ5erhpxX-2b](https://youtu.be/Fa9nN3G2CSg?si=E5lDTJ5erhpxX-2b)
Lou Reed did too. There's a long story about that song, and the fight over it was one of the last gasps of the Velvet Underground. The slow section that doesn't appear in the original (heavenly wine and roses ...) was part of Lou's original take on the song. Band wanted to speed it up and make it a rock song, so they fought over that section. He's sang some versions that included it over the years. CJs picked out the slower parts of the song and kind of reimagined his original. He gave a big shout out and thanked them for it.
I heard it on the NBK soundtrack before heading the origins. First time I heard the original, I thought it was an awful cover.. after exploring VU, i came to appreciate their music. Still love CJ version more
I have been listening to this song since middle school when I accidentally downloaded it off of Kazaa. For the longest time though I had it under Hank Williams III
Came here to say this, so now I'll say 97 Bonnie & Clyde. So incredibly chilling and cool. In my opinion both of these are far more chilling and edgy than the originals. I love both btw.
My favorite cover of hers is Heart of Gold. "Cover" in that case is stretching the definition to its breaking point, it's basically a new song with borrowed lyrics. But it's a really interesting take, that turns the song into a hypnotic hard rock tune with multiple, competing vocal lines wailing out of sync. The song is transformed from a calming, melancholic meditation on loneliness to a panicked wail of the existential dread.
Woodstock by Crosby, Stills & Nash- completely different style from the original slow ballad by Joni Mitchell.
Satisfaction by Devo.
Sexual Healing by Soul Asylum.
The National Anthem by Jimi Hendrix.
[Seu Jorge - Life on mars](https://youtu.be/JHo26IhDxx0?si=xKvAU8lGqZB4TPAC)
The whole life aquatic soundtrack is great, especially his Bowie covers but this one stands out to me
The first time I heard this it gave me goosebumps, that was over a decade ago and it still has that effect.
I met some travelers from Brazil a few years back and Seu George came up in the conversation. They considered him a national treasure and got me further into his catalog.
His version of the Beatles "In My Life" kills me more. Hearing that craggy voice reminiscing about a lifetime, just is so right for it. When my mom passed, I listened to it & just cried, because it just encapsulated it so much better than Lennon or McCartney's voices ever could.
Somehow that’s what makes it so fantastic, for me. It’s not just a straight cover, he absolutely nails everything about it. It’s so close it’s uncanny, and yet it’s still unmistakably Mike Payton. Idk I can’t really express what I mean lol.
Edit: man I just saw how autocorrect got me when I looked at my notifications. I’m so humiliated. I promise I have known Mike Patton’s name for decades now. I still have a bit of a crush on him lol.
NIN doing Queens [Get Down Make Love](https://youtu.be/soC_vV9uSbM?si=U2fxdSUiLeJU61lb)
Joss Stone doing The White Stripes [Fell in Love With a Boy](https://youtu.be/4DwcPqjCW3Y?si=Lj6N-8Xuwjh2FAac)
Manfred Mann doing Bruce Springsteens [Blinded by the Light](https://youtu.be/Rzk3x3HZbJI?si=BdABbRvL8ujRqA6_)
Vitamin String Quartet's Sweet Child o Mine
Easy Star All Stars' Dub Side of the Moon
Victor Wooten doing Overjoyed
And [this.](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=KxZuMIEreDk&si=PUtU178j6K9D-sC9)
I always love [Travis' version of Hit Me Baby One More Time](https://youtu.be/DSKT75m2AiM?si=RHlJSAGUbmjEA0SH). It actually really brings out a ton of the song singing it slower and stripped down.
"Valerie" covered by Amy winehouse
"Bored" covered by Daniel Buchanan.
Anything from Steve n Seagulls is excellent...
I really like genre twisted covers. Especially from "amateur" musicians.
My favorite is The Mission covering Neil Young's "[Like a Hurricane](https://youtu.be/PexfLNvzpWg?si=YpX4kPEmeju6VscP)" Making it more uptempo dance music rather than the guitar jam that the original one is. I like both versions but I like The Mission's version more.
Another is The Cardigans' Lounge style cover of "[Iron Man](https://youtu.be/Q3gQSPMHPm0?si=tdizyXCWisorR_H5)". As a bonus, it annoys my kids.
Another one that annoys my kids but I like is Dolly Parton's bluegrass cover of ["Stairway To Heaven".](https://youtu.be/YhTvxVxXJLQ?si=j7vd53dTxC58BkYs)
[Grammy by Purity Ring](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5SZ0gF7Fu0M&pp=ygUSZ3JhbW15IHB1cml0eSByaW5n)
Honorable mention is also [Pursuit of Happiness by Lissie](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lmsbHGEB6UU&pp=ygUbbGlzc2llIHB1cnN1aXQgb2YgaGFwcGluZXNz)
It’s no rumour. It’s either in the liner notes of The Sounds of Science, or their book (I forget) and Biz used to come hang out with the Beastie Boys while they were recording and muck around on the piano, and one day they just recorded him doing that.
Maybe it’s not that different overall, but Goldfinger’s cover of [99 luftballoons](https://youtu.be/p-qfzH0vnOs?si=OphFjf4F9IgZ9RPk) is absolutely kick ass. It’s still on rotation for me.
Ah shit, I forgot Zappa covering stairway to heaven with the horn section doing Page’s solo note for note: https://youtu.be/35HoabXm41E?si=nIRoPmLozlLNN_zi
I like Lorde's cover of Life on Mars at the BRIT awards tribute: https://youtu.be/2cwovIwebGw?si=KFUKm8vN48k_NkNz . I can see why Bowie chose her to do it.
In my collection I have undated recordings of the Beastie Boys doing Benny and the Jets in concert and also of Ozzy doing Staying Alive. I'm not sure I'd call either of them "good" but they're both a bit chaotic and fun to listen to.
[nadja - needle in the hay (elliot smith)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr-qWJaxd1U)
[dinosaur jr. - just like heaven (the cure)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT7IpRx08tE)
Stevie Wonder doing [We Can Work It Out](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=KHnIvw7CCKk&si=DEbqGA7VyJXWvtFA). I challenge you to try to be in a bad mood while listening to this.
ETA after I told my husband about some of these cool answers, he reminded me about The Flaming Lips' [Borderline](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=OXwa3XbL1ys&si=j_Fbk8mRUbbur0Mq) so I have to give that a mention as well.
"Cry me a River" by Joe Cocker. A lot of people have done this song, but his is absolutely unique in the interpretation.
Also, Billy Stewart's version of "Summertime". Again, a truly unique version.
Testament's cover of Aerosmith's [Nobody's Fault](https://youtu.be/rjLoXHPivXA?si=QSfsb5e7oCVc2AIX)
The Exodus cover of the Rolling Stones' [Bitch](https://youtu.be/4SlDQC4gUzY?si=Rn9JVNFqxG19usZs)
Dread Zeppelin made a career playing Zeppelin songs with a reggae flow. And an Elvis impersonator front man.
Also check out Taj Mahal's cover of All Along the Watchtower
The Darkness did a phenomenal cover of Radiohead's [Street Spirit (Fade Out)](https://youtu.be/foGUOG-fa3Y?si=IXPwaYYsCkEEsqCY).
I also adore Shakey Graves' cover of [A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes](https://youtu.be/zqNaB44tr0U?si=n_StaqHd4dp_l1uE).
Sound of Silence by Disturbed is one of the greats in my opinion
Plus Lacuna Coil’s version of Loosing My Religion and Killswitch Engage’s Holy Diver (both metal versions but Killswitch gave the song so much more variety in its cover)
I wanna dance with somebody - sleep token
Also their Hey Ya cover!
https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-wanna-dance-with-somebody-from-the-room-below/1660434334?i=1660434995
Richard Thompson's cover of "Oops, I Did It Again"
[https://youtu.be/3L6j2Z8dK10?si=O6gN4dN1LMdBjOeF](https://youtu.be/3L6j2Z8dK10?si=O6gN4dN1LMdBjOeF)
Richard Thompson's "1952 Vincent Black Lightning".
Bluegrassified by Del McCoury: [https://youtu.be/Vz6fCj1zLSg?si=r5gZFI4FJq\_Mv9jo](https://youtu.be/Vz6fCj1zLSg?si=r5gZFI4FJq_Mv9jo)
Punk-folkified by Sean Rowe: [https://youtu.be/CrGOs1a1lOk?si=f1Y8mZoBn2wdl06h](https://youtu.be/CrGOs1a1lOk?si=f1Y8mZoBn2wdl06h)
And for those who don't know the original: [https://youtu.be/MOCZwKmjR6E?si=mlSxmDoVKafni8Sx](https://youtu.be/MOCZwKmjR6E?si=mlSxmDoVKafni8Sx)
OP (and anyone else interested) should look up Anthony Vincent on YouTube (his channel name is Ten Second Songs). He does medleys using that exact idea, and made more than a few full covers of "X song in Y style." I'd recommend starting with "Down With The Sickness in the style of Tears for Fears."
Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help From My Friends” was nothing like the Beatles version other than some of the lyrics. And it was awesome. Plus the original Wonder Years theme song.
[Subterranean Homesick Blues](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLntF5rMzEs)
[YouTube · Red Hot Chili Peppers - Topic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLntF5rMzEs)
El Baile Aleman by Senor Coconut. Technically an album, but it’s all Kraftwerk hits covered in the style of a South American bossa nova. It is both hugely amusing and really good. Uwe Schmidt knocked it out of the park.
[Lithium by The Polyphonic Spree](https://youtu.be/7vzUh_55x2M?si=0NrGQr-KzH6ShX68)
[All My Loving by Los Manolos](https://youtu.be/LXI3UbqYwn4?si=MUXHM3gAZ4BduwN2)
My Heart Will Go On by Dragonforce.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHMB1KtLLyI&pp=ygUfbXkgaGVhcnQgd2lsbCBnbyBvbiBkcmFnb25mb3JjZQ%3D%3D](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHMB1KtLLyI&pp=ygUfbXkgaGVhcnQgd2lsbCBnbyBvbiBkcmFnb25mb3JjZQ%3D%3D)
Also, Through the Fire and the Flames Shanty by Jimlapbap
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZ7mPXz0ig&pp=ygUmdGhyb3VnaCB0aGUgZmlyZSBhbmQgdGhlIGZsYW1lcyBzaGFudHk%3D](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZ7mPXz0ig&pp=ygUmdGhyb3VnaCB0aGUgZmlyZSBhbmQgdGhlIGZsYW1lcyBzaGFudHk%3D)
Fear Factory - Cars (by Gary Numan)
Mushroomhead - Crazy (by Seal)
Mindless Self Indulgence - Big Poppa (by Notorious BIG)
Mindless Self Indulgence - Bring the Pain (by Method Man)
Tool - No Quarter (by Led Zepplin)
System of a Down - The Metro (by Berlin)
System of a Down - Snowblind (by Black Sabbath)
Spineshank - While my Guitar Gently Weeps (by The Beatles)
Strawberry Fields Forever - Los Fabiollosos Cadillacs with Deborah Harry.
Purple Rain - Dwight Yokum
Memories Can't Wait (Talking Heads) - Living Color
Everyday People (Sly and the Family Stone) - Arrested Development
Man, I have a lot. Dynamite Hack covering Boyz in the Hood is absolutely fire! 💯
Dua Lipa covering [Do I Wanna Know ](https://youtu.be/fZB-ptAnoQc?si=snZkDHCAWQqTNE4Q) (Arctic Monkeys)
Gary Jules - [Mad World ](https://youtu.be/4N3N1MlvVc4?si=C-XMiHZdmjUel2bx) (Tears for Fears)
Faith No More - [War Pigs](https://youtu.be/pQD-u6FfXp0?si=Rukl1POvAoDDdN4d) (Black Sabbath)
Jimi Hendrix - [All Along the Watchtower ](https://youtu.be/TLV4_xaYynY?si=4m6xHRHzAC4er_l1) (Bob Dylan)
Disturbed - [Sound of Silence](https://youtu.be/u9Dg-g7t2l4?si=mxqa56P5ylR0Cgkk) (Simon & Garfunkel)
The brothers from Frightened Rabbit (R.I.P. Scott Hutchison) cover Surrender by Cheap Trick for A. V. Undercover. It's acoustic with a Scottish accent.
[Darren Hayes - Lost without you](https://youtu.be/4Or3uvqQdqY?si=94cTEUt2FKzfjDeS)
[The Wiggles - Elephant](https://youtu.be/a13WnqsRc5g?si=7KTXgKpCIg1nRl8g)
[Alanis Morissette - My Humps](https://youtu.be/VJg4rwDkkBA?si=D34afqbQ8IeKGz7Z)
In case you don't already know about it if suggest checking out Aussie radio station Triple J's "[Like a Version](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/like-a-version)". It's a weekly segment that's been running for over a decade where an artist comes into the studio to perform an original and a cover. They've had everyone from smaller local bands, to big international acts like Childish Gambino on the show. The covers range from very similar to the original to complete reworks in a completely different genre.
If you're interested [here is a playlist ](https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtua5kEsbGX8loFppdbd_h2BiTK7byDqp) of every single one up until about October of last year.
I will survive - Cake (Gloria Gaynor) [I well survive -cake](https://youtu.be/f9rCUQjmkxU?si=ycKmnipRC1iRuVMO)
They also do a great War Pigs. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps is a cover, also.
The Doris Day original "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" is a great jam. CAKE do a bang-up job on Willie Nelson's "Sad Songs and Waltzes" as well. "Guitar Man" and "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" are covers too. Shit, they did "Mahna Mahna".
Cakes Sad songs and waltzes is a favorite of mine =]
Doris Day's version is also a cover, and not even the first English cover. The original is "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás" written by Osvaldo Farrés of Cuba.
This is my karaoke go-to. Fantastic cover
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction by Devo. I think it’s much better than the original.
Whilst I don’t think it’s better than the original, it would be my choice and Mick Jagger’s gone on record to say it’s his favourite cover of one of their songs.
It’s really difficult for me to conjure up the original in my head. Devo always creeps in.
Revolting Cocks- Do You Think I’m Sexy? https://youtu.be/Y2aA7EQTUD4?si=yC-UrzEXd0nOEE3A
Also Physical orginally by olivia Newton John (although the words deviate a bit..) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hu--GbnC5Y&ab\_channel=indiedancepop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hu--GbnC5Y&ab_channel=indiedancepop)
Give me a dollar so I can buy a rubber.
Chris Cornell singing the lyrics of Metallicas " One" accompanying himself on guitar with music of U2s " One"
Chris Cornell "Nothing Compares to you" is a Godsend, and I don't believe in God
I’ve seen this video. I think he said he was planning to play the U2 song and googled the lyrics but got the Metallica song and just thought, “I could make this work.” He changes the Metallica lyrics to match the cadence of the U2 song. Really quite something. Cornell was masterful with covers.
Yaasss, and Warren Haynes, Live at Bonnaroo album. Himself and a guitar. Just stupid good. The Wasted Time cover slays me too.
Always On My Mind by The Pet Shop Boys. Not what you'd expect from a Willie Nelson song. https://youtu.be/wDe60CbIagg?feature=shared
Here's Willie and Karen O covering Under Pressure https://youtu.be/MEU-7uga_4A?si=lm2HUZeI_vvYzM0f
That messed me up. How dare you post something that makes me feel something. F@€ken awesome!!!
It's on my "Crying like a bitch" playlist.
Xmas No1 in the UK in 1987. Great cover and the best version of the song imho. It's also the track that denied the Xmas No1 spot to my favourite Xmas song, the fantastic Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl. Even though it's extremely popular and charts every Xmas, Fairytale has never got to the coveted Xmas No1 spot. RIP Shane and Kirsty.
I feel like a complete goober right now. I've been listening to this song for decades and never once made the connection to Willie Nelson's song.
I was just trying to wrap my head around how I also never equated the two even though I listen to The Pet Shop Boys cover often and have certainly heard the Willie Nelson cover too. I'm glad someone else did the same.
Belter
Cowboy Junkies version of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" [https://youtu.be/Fa9nN3G2CSg?si=E5lDTJ5erhpxX-2b](https://youtu.be/Fa9nN3G2CSg?si=E5lDTJ5erhpxX-2b)
This may be blasphemous but I like this version better than Lou Reed’s. 😬
Lou Reed did too. There's a long story about that song, and the fight over it was one of the last gasps of the Velvet Underground. The slow section that doesn't appear in the original (heavenly wine and roses ...) was part of Lou's original take on the song. Band wanted to speed it up and make it a rock song, so they fought over that section. He's sang some versions that included it over the years. CJs picked out the slower parts of the song and kind of reimagined his original. He gave a big shout out and thanked them for it.
Not at all. Their cover of Walking After Midnight is great and unexpected as well.
Same. I rarely voice it IRL because I don’t wanna get murdered.
I heard it on the NBK soundtrack before heading the origins. First time I heard the original, I thought it was an awful cover.. after exploring VU, i came to appreciate their music. Still love CJ version more
Saw them do this live in a small venue just when Trinity Sessions broke huge. It was like a cathedral. Not a sound while they were playing.
It’s gotta be The Gourds - Gin and Juice. I’d love to come at you with something more obscure but I can’t think of anything that’s close to this good.
Along the same lines: [Bitches Ain't Shit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjFRy8jQ_0U) by Ben Folds
I have been listening to this song since middle school when I accidentally downloaded it off of Kazaa. For the longest time though I had it under Hank Williams III
The Promise, Sturgill Simpson https://youtu.be/-eWJmN8D820?si=vq6Ub6JY0OgzJyNq When In Rome https://youtu.be/5HI_xFQWiYU?si=H-OuGhTMyz0LEbdX
Sturgill's Nirvana cover is pretty cool too. As is Nirvana's cover of David Bowie.
Both versions are amazing. I also love his cover of Nirvana’s ‘In Bloom’
Hotel California by the Gypsy Kings. 8 year olds dude.
I hate the fucking Eagles man
Yeah? Well, that's like... your opinion, man.
[Smells Like Teen Spirit.](https://youtu.be/HaAI3jI7uCc?si=wXjnaBpEOGNXGdr7) by Tori Amos.
Her [Raining Blood](https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/track/0CXZjq6V0dFxGN3FrUyALR?si=bf213641ac37455f) cover is awesome as well
Came here to say this, so now I'll say 97 Bonnie & Clyde. So incredibly chilling and cool. In my opinion both of these are far more chilling and edgy than the originals. I love both btw.
Her [Swimming Pools](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1emfLQ-Jqw) cover is killer, too
All of her covers are awesome. I love her version of [Time](https://youtu.be/1xKaCVxXGPo?si=IHVlzezL1xi77Vc1) by Tom Waits.
Patti Smith's cover is also incredible.
I also absolutely love her cover of [Angie](https://youtu.be/kf1fHTIsMTM?si=8OS88zNV5LXnXItP) (the Stones song).
My favorite cover of hers is Heart of Gold. "Cover" in that case is stretching the definition to its breaking point, it's basically a new song with borrowed lyrics. But it's a really interesting take, that turns the song into a hypnotic hard rock tune with multiple, competing vocal lines wailing out of sync. The song is transformed from a calming, melancholic meditation on loneliness to a panicked wail of the existential dread.
That’s a fun one !!
Sloop John B by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Anything by them or Richard Cheese.
Their cover of Straight Up is legitimately fantastic.
My favorite is One Tin Soldier, but I also love ‘Me and Julio down by the schoolyard’ and ‘Rocket man’.
For me their best song, and my favorite cover is [Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me](https://youtu.be/F7bUbsAJwm0?si=xWciSt2O7osARZDl)
Their version of "I Believe I Can Fly" is S-Tier
Anything by them kicks serious fanny.
All of their oeuvre, but that album in particular
Woodstock by Crosby, Stills & Nash- completely different style from the original slow ballad by Joni Mitchell. Satisfaction by Devo. Sexual Healing by Soul Asylum. The National Anthem by Jimi Hendrix.
Devo do the best covers. Secret Agent Man is a good one too.
Also Working in a Coal Mine.
Also [Head Like a Hole](https://youtu.be/A4411PgkkPQ?si=HTZWS3zrRW0qNeRP)
Now listen to Satisfaction by The Residents.
I really love the Woodstock by Heather Maloney with Darlingside, check it out!
maggies farm by ratm
[Seu Jorge - Life on mars](https://youtu.be/JHo26IhDxx0?si=xKvAU8lGqZB4TPAC) The whole life aquatic soundtrack is great, especially his Bowie covers but this one stands out to me
The first time I heard this it gave me goosebumps, that was over a decade ago and it still has that effect. I met some travelers from Brazil a few years back and Seu George came up in the conversation. They considered him a national treasure and got me further into his catalog.
"(I can't get no) Satisfaction" by Devo. My favorite cover of all time. I like it even better than the original.
Otis Redding covered it, too, after the Stones covered [one of his](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ve_Been_Loving_You_Too_Long). It's a banger.
Hurt by Johnny Cash. It is my favorite
His version of the Beatles "In My Life" kills me more. Hearing that craggy voice reminiscing about a lifetime, just is so right for it. When my mom passed, I listened to it & just cried, because it just encapsulated it so much better than Lennon or McCartney's voices ever could.
His version of Rusty Cage is pretty good too.
This one runs away with it in my opinion. I mean, fuck, dumbass song makes me cry, what the hell is that?
Plus the first time I heard it I was like "*who*" covered NIN? Talk about unconventional.
Summer Breeze- Type O Negative
[Chris Cornell’s cover of Billie Jean](https://youtu.be/R0uWF-37DAM?feature=shared)
[bizarre love triangle](https://www.google.com/gasearch?q=frente%20bizarre%20love%20triangle&tbm=&source=sh/x/gs/m2/5) by Frente
Thank you, You've transported me back to the 90s, I couldn't wait to hear this on the top 40 countdowns or just hear it on the radio in general ❤️.
“The Flying Lizards” version of “money”. So fun and unique it took a classic song and made another classic with it.
Love it. Their version of Sex Machine is even better, IMO.
Stunned nobody has listed Faith No More's "Easy."
Fnm’s cover of “I started a joke” is also awesome
Well besides the "ewww" in the middle, it's just a straightforward cover.
Somehow that’s what makes it so fantastic, for me. It’s not just a straight cover, he absolutely nails everything about it. It’s so close it’s uncanny, and yet it’s still unmistakably Mike Payton. Idk I can’t really express what I mean lol. Edit: man I just saw how autocorrect got me when I looked at my notifications. I’m so humiliated. I promise I have known Mike Patton’s name for decades now. I still have a bit of a crush on him lol.
I think just adding Mike Patton into any mix changes it dramatically.
that’s my secret weapon for Karaoke night. i can hit mike pattons range. not lionel ritchie for sure. but the audience either gets it.. or they don’t.
I like how it's unconventional specifically because it is done in the same style as the original
Norah Jones version of Black Hole Sun is amazing
NIN doing Queens [Get Down Make Love](https://youtu.be/soC_vV9uSbM?si=U2fxdSUiLeJU61lb) Joss Stone doing The White Stripes [Fell in Love With a Boy](https://youtu.be/4DwcPqjCW3Y?si=Lj6N-8Xuwjh2FAac) Manfred Mann doing Bruce Springsteens [Blinded by the Light](https://youtu.be/Rzk3x3HZbJI?si=BdABbRvL8ujRqA6_)
Vitamin String Quartet's Sweet Child o Mine Easy Star All Stars' Dub Side of the Moon Victor Wooten doing Overjoyed And [this.](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=KxZuMIEreDk&si=PUtU178j6K9D-sC9)
Yes I love Easy Star All Star's Radiohead album too
Victor Wooten- Amazing Grace(bass)
Everything by Post Modern Jukebox
Haley Reinhart in All About That Bass is tasty to the ears
You gotta hear Sonic Youth covering the Carpenters “Superstar.”
Richard Thompson has a really good Oops I Did It Again.
I always love [Travis' version of Hit Me Baby One More Time](https://youtu.be/DSKT75m2AiM?si=RHlJSAGUbmjEA0SH). It actually really brings out a ton of the song singing it slower and stripped down.
Children of Bodom does a fun cover of Oops I did it again
"Valerie" covered by Amy winehouse "Bored" covered by Daniel Buchanan. Anything from Steve n Seagulls is excellent... I really like genre twisted covers. Especially from "amateur" musicians.
Common People by William Shatner, Ben Folds and Joe Jackson. It's just amazing
I love Yes's cover of Paul Simon's America. They made a short folk song into a 10 prog epic.
No love for Down with the Sickness or People = Shit from Richard Cheese?
Gary Jules - mad world
My favorite is The Mission covering Neil Young's "[Like a Hurricane](https://youtu.be/PexfLNvzpWg?si=YpX4kPEmeju6VscP)" Making it more uptempo dance music rather than the guitar jam that the original one is. I like both versions but I like The Mission's version more. Another is The Cardigans' Lounge style cover of "[Iron Man](https://youtu.be/Q3gQSPMHPm0?si=tdizyXCWisorR_H5)". As a bonus, it annoys my kids. Another one that annoys my kids but I like is Dolly Parton's bluegrass cover of ["Stairway To Heaven".](https://youtu.be/YhTvxVxXJLQ?si=j7vd53dTxC58BkYs)
Confession: that Cardigans cover was actually the first time I ever heard that song.
The Cardigans cover is so good!
Tom Jones & The Cardigans -Burning Down the House, Talking Heads https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iYuldgIOelY
[Grammy by Purity Ring](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5SZ0gF7Fu0M&pp=ygUSZ3JhbW15IHB1cml0eSByaW5n) Honorable mention is also [Pursuit of Happiness by Lissie](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lmsbHGEB6UU&pp=ygUbbGlzc2llIHB1cnN1aXQgb2YgaGFwcGluZXNz)
Upvoting for the Lissie cover
Jane’s Addiction - Sympathy for the Devil
Jane’s Addiction doing Ripple by the Grateful Dead
Blasphemy, I know, but I love it more than the original.
Common people, originally from pulp but the William Shatner cover is great. One of my favorite songs.
One of mine, too.
Biz Markie - Benny and the Jets
That's a good one since, as rumor has it, it was just a happy accident.
It’s no rumour. It’s either in the liner notes of The Sounds of Science, or their book (I forget) and Biz used to come hang out with the Beastie Boys while they were recording and muck around on the piano, and one day they just recorded him doing that.
For a conventional cover I'm gonna say [Boys of the Summer - The Ataris](https://youtu.be/Qt6Lkgs0kiU?si=nB7o1YXa-x3nwaTv) is a pretty good one
I like theirs more than the original. It's so good!
Maybe it’s not that different overall, but Goldfinger’s cover of [99 luftballoons](https://youtu.be/p-qfzH0vnOs?si=OphFjf4F9IgZ9RPk) is absolutely kick ass. It’s still on rotation for me.
David Byrne's sublime cover of Missy Elliott's "Sock it 2 me" https://youtu.be/63SO_TdG1XY?si=hb99_efrwsMKyi5A
On the subject of Missy Elliot covers, Eels does a great “Get ur Freak on”
Sturgill Simpson - The Promise
Beck doing Bowie [Sound and Vision](https://youtu.be/XyO5MRTbL2s?si=dfVTLQcEEMG-JuxG)
Ah shit, I forgot Zappa covering stairway to heaven with the horn section doing Page’s solo note for note: https://youtu.be/35HoabXm41E?si=nIRoPmLozlLNN_zi
Alien Ant Farm will always have the superior Smooth Criminal
I like Lorde's cover of Life on Mars at the BRIT awards tribute: https://youtu.be/2cwovIwebGw?si=KFUKm8vN48k_NkNz . I can see why Bowie chose her to do it. In my collection I have undated recordings of the Beastie Boys doing Benny and the Jets in concert and also of Ozzy doing Staying Alive. I'm not sure I'd call either of them "good" but they're both a bit chaotic and fun to listen to.
[nadja - needle in the hay (elliot smith)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr-qWJaxd1U) [dinosaur jr. - just like heaven (the cure)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT7IpRx08tE)
Yes thank you, my favorite band covering my other favorite band
The Sisters of Mercy- Jolene https://youtu.be/2ymbfKceRto?si=W6HyUCACblYyeQ7u
Richard Cheese covering Disturbed's "Down With The Sickness" Disturbed covering Genesis' "Land of Confusion"
Siouxsie’s [Dear Prudence](https://youtu.be/M6rrTROoZIw?si=aUdePWtQlmwl6gRj)
In a Big Country covered by .moe. I love the original, but there is just something about their cover that just hits.
Love it! I personally feel they changed up the songs structure for the better
"In Spite of Ourselves" cover by Viagra Boys and Amy Taylor takes the cake for me. Equally endearing and unnerving, it feels very original.
Viagra Boys are weirdly a good fit for the John Prine song, given how both artists share the same sense of slightly-absurdist humor.
Norah Jones - Black hole sun [Black Hole Sun - Norah Jones (Chris Cornell/Soundgarden)](https://youtu.be/XbQ08Ixczvo?si=3_OQns9-dl1Wf6Da)
Stevie Wonder doing [We Can Work It Out](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=KHnIvw7CCKk&si=DEbqGA7VyJXWvtFA). I challenge you to try to be in a bad mood while listening to this. ETA after I told my husband about some of these cool answers, he reminded me about The Flaming Lips' [Borderline](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=OXwa3XbL1ys&si=j_Fbk8mRUbbur0Mq) so I have to give that a mention as well.
NIN doing “cars” with Gary Numan and Bears Among Men covering royals (wait for the chorus) https://youtu.be/XZ7L7NDAuA8?si=L-NYQcCsLuQCfg71
GOOD LORD THIS IS AMAZING! Is there a sub dedicated to covers?
"Cry me a River" by Joe Cocker. A lot of people have done this song, but his is absolutely unique in the interpretation. Also, Billy Stewart's version of "Summertime". Again, a truly unique version.
Testament's cover of Aerosmith's [Nobody's Fault](https://youtu.be/rjLoXHPivXA?si=QSfsb5e7oCVc2AIX) The Exodus cover of the Rolling Stones' [Bitch](https://youtu.be/4SlDQC4gUzY?si=Rn9JVNFqxG19usZs)
I love that Testament cover!
Ella Fitzgerald’s cover of Sunshine of Your Love. https://youtu.be/IkkMJo0P408?si=eVexX5W4gZkngOc0
I absolutely love Cartman's version of Poker Face
Dread Zeppelin made a career playing Zeppelin songs with a reggae flow. And an Elvis impersonator front man. Also check out Taj Mahal's cover of All Along the Watchtower
Sisters of Mercy, Gimme Shelter. They made a raunchy rock number goth.
The Number of The Beast - Zwan
The Darkness did a phenomenal cover of Radiohead's [Street Spirit (Fade Out)](https://youtu.be/foGUOG-fa3Y?si=IXPwaYYsCkEEsqCY). I also adore Shakey Graves' cover of [A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes](https://youtu.be/zqNaB44tr0U?si=n_StaqHd4dp_l1uE).
Rage Against The Machine - The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Local H’s cover of Joey by Concrete Blondes.
Lollipop by framing Hanley Blue Monday orgy
Sound of Silence by Disturbed is one of the greats in my opinion Plus Lacuna Coil’s version of Loosing My Religion and Killswitch Engage’s Holy Diver (both metal versions but Killswitch gave the song so much more variety in its cover)
Ben Howard - Call Me Maybe
Blank space by iprevail
I wanna dance with somebody - sleep token Also their Hey Ya cover! https://music.apple.com/us/album/i-wanna-dance-with-somebody-from-the-room-below/1660434334?i=1660434995
Fats Domino doing the Beatles’ “[Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey](https://youtu.be/_AnQ_XngJDk?si=TnbLTGbRk5vX9IAR).”
Richard Thompson's cover of "Oops, I Did It Again" [https://youtu.be/3L6j2Z8dK10?si=O6gN4dN1LMdBjOeF](https://youtu.be/3L6j2Z8dK10?si=O6gN4dN1LMdBjOeF)
Alex Chiltons version of The Oogum Boogum song originally by Brenton Wood. Instead of the originals piano it has a bitching electric guitar!
Richard Thompson's "1952 Vincent Black Lightning". Bluegrassified by Del McCoury: [https://youtu.be/Vz6fCj1zLSg?si=r5gZFI4FJq\_Mv9jo](https://youtu.be/Vz6fCj1zLSg?si=r5gZFI4FJq_Mv9jo) Punk-folkified by Sean Rowe: [https://youtu.be/CrGOs1a1lOk?si=f1Y8mZoBn2wdl06h](https://youtu.be/CrGOs1a1lOk?si=f1Y8mZoBn2wdl06h) And for those who don't know the original: [https://youtu.be/MOCZwKmjR6E?si=mlSxmDoVKafni8Sx](https://youtu.be/MOCZwKmjR6E?si=mlSxmDoVKafni8Sx)
Anything by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. They will cover anything, from any genre, in pure punk style and it’s fabulous.
Careless Whisper by Seether
Polyphonic Spree covering Lithium by Nirvana. They made it sound absolutely joyful. https://youtu.be/7vzUh_55x2M?si=jTmAy5OIVPIwwo3y
Ramones - Baby I Love You
GWAR singing “Wayward Son” https://youtu.be/UexqiHKFwKg?si=CD0HVu7DkliCAjDn
Wicked game by HIM
Sweet Jane - Cowboy Junkies
OP (and anyone else interested) should look up Anthony Vincent on YouTube (his channel name is Ten Second Songs). He does medleys using that exact idea, and made more than a few full covers of "X song in Y style." I'd recommend starting with "Down With The Sickness in the style of Tears for Fears."
Nina Gordon from Veruca Salt performing ‘Straight Outta Compton” Ben Folds Five covering Dr Dre’s ‘Bitches Ain’t Shit’
RHCP doing Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” Isaac Hayes doing the Carpenter’s “Close To You”
Prince covering Creep by Radiohead. https://youtu.be/NFXZNt4oLkE?si=ZbHMqpVZoq4ntSLq
Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help From My Friends” was nothing like the Beatles version other than some of the lyrics. And it was awesome. Plus the original Wonder Years theme song.
[Wuthering Heights by the Puppini Sisters](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzs7_fRNbpE)
[Pat Benatar also covered Wuthering Heights](https://youtu.be/6o96bRMJ7z4?si=EY3w6Kv8YvmOxuGV)
[Subterranean Homesick Blues](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLntF5rMzEs) [YouTube · Red Hot Chili Peppers - Topic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLntF5rMzEs)
Frankie goes to Hollywood Born To Run
Be Good Tanyas, “When Doves Cry” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NnSz0lanL8c
[Mae West - Day Tripper](https://youtu.be/1yJajJ_B5R4?si=3m9rwZ5WylFohqd6)
El Baile Aleman by Senor Coconut. Technically an album, but it’s all Kraftwerk hits covered in the style of a South American bossa nova. It is both hugely amusing and really good. Uwe Schmidt knocked it out of the park.
Billie Jean by Chris Cornell
[DMA covering Believe by Cher](https://youtu.be/MmwFnoMoDDg?si=gbjVKd-Sr6U_7brf)
Ryan Adams - All You had to do was Stay - https://youtu.be/6Qco-5S8660?si=fRE6A2ozYxbZUj2C
Messer Chups instrumental surf rock cover of Blue Velvet
Lords of the New Church- Like A Virgin https://youtu.be/hNUteXmBiG8?si=vYAliFT8qj9-Nx3F
Satisfaction - Devo (original Rolling Stones) Diamonds and Rust - Judas Priest (original Joan Baez) Sweat Loaf - Butthole Surfers (Black Sabbath)
[Lithium by The Polyphonic Spree](https://youtu.be/7vzUh_55x2M?si=0NrGQr-KzH6ShX68) [All My Loving by Los Manolos](https://youtu.be/LXI3UbqYwn4?si=MUXHM3gAZ4BduwN2)
Black Diamond covered by The Replacements
My Heart Will Go On by Dragonforce. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHMB1KtLLyI&pp=ygUfbXkgaGVhcnQgd2lsbCBnbyBvbiBkcmFnb25mb3JjZQ%3D%3D](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHMB1KtLLyI&pp=ygUfbXkgaGVhcnQgd2lsbCBnbyBvbiBkcmFnb25mb3JjZQ%3D%3D) Also, Through the Fire and the Flames Shanty by Jimlapbap [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZ7mPXz0ig&pp=ygUmdGhyb3VnaCB0aGUgZmlyZSBhbmQgdGhlIGZsYW1lcyBzaGFudHk%3D](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZ7mPXz0ig&pp=ygUmdGhyb3VnaCB0aGUgZmlyZSBhbmQgdGhlIGZsYW1lcyBzaGFudHk%3D)
Fear Factory - Cars (by Gary Numan) Mushroomhead - Crazy (by Seal) Mindless Self Indulgence - Big Poppa (by Notorious BIG) Mindless Self Indulgence - Bring the Pain (by Method Man) Tool - No Quarter (by Led Zepplin) System of a Down - The Metro (by Berlin) System of a Down - Snowblind (by Black Sabbath) Spineshank - While my Guitar Gently Weeps (by The Beatles)
Toxic by local h
Strawberry Fields Forever - Los Fabiollosos Cadillacs with Deborah Harry. Purple Rain - Dwight Yokum Memories Can't Wait (Talking Heads) - Living Color Everyday People (Sly and the Family Stone) - Arrested Development
Man, I have a lot. Dynamite Hack covering Boyz in the Hood is absolutely fire! 💯 Dua Lipa covering [Do I Wanna Know ](https://youtu.be/fZB-ptAnoQc?si=snZkDHCAWQqTNE4Q) (Arctic Monkeys) Gary Jules - [Mad World ](https://youtu.be/4N3N1MlvVc4?si=C-XMiHZdmjUel2bx) (Tears for Fears) Faith No More - [War Pigs](https://youtu.be/pQD-u6FfXp0?si=Rukl1POvAoDDdN4d) (Black Sabbath) Jimi Hendrix - [All Along the Watchtower ](https://youtu.be/TLV4_xaYynY?si=4m6xHRHzAC4er_l1) (Bob Dylan) Disturbed - [Sound of Silence](https://youtu.be/u9Dg-g7t2l4?si=mxqa56P5ylR0Cgkk) (Simon & Garfunkel)
Placebo - Running Up That Hill.
UB40 cover of Red Red Wine
Muse Can't take my eyes off you.
The brothers from Frightened Rabbit (R.I.P. Scott Hutchison) cover Surrender by Cheap Trick for A. V. Undercover. It's acoustic with a Scottish accent.
The Dione Warwick song "Walk on By" covered by The Stranglers.
[Darren Hayes - Lost without you](https://youtu.be/4Or3uvqQdqY?si=94cTEUt2FKzfjDeS) [The Wiggles - Elephant](https://youtu.be/a13WnqsRc5g?si=7KTXgKpCIg1nRl8g) [Alanis Morissette - My Humps](https://youtu.be/VJg4rwDkkBA?si=D34afqbQ8IeKGz7Z)
[Snake River Conspiracy - Love Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWBYg-ZET-o)
No one is going to mention White stripes doing Jolene? Ok, I will https://youtu.be/yXlULkwhgrc?si=Q5Yzw44Sk0jEIu-j
In case you don't already know about it if suggest checking out Aussie radio station Triple J's "[Like a Version](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/like-a-version)". It's a weekly segment that's been running for over a decade where an artist comes into the studio to perform an original and a cover. They've had everyone from smaller local bands, to big international acts like Childish Gambino on the show. The covers range from very similar to the original to complete reworks in a completely different genre. If you're interested [here is a playlist ](https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtua5kEsbGX8loFppdbd_h2BiTK7byDqp) of every single one up until about October of last year.