Best and Worst Covers

[xerq]

some covers are so good they overshadow the original(rarely) while others are so bad you wanna shoot the artist responsible for such crap.
what are the best covers you heard? the worst? and some songs you think are too perfect to be even covered.

 

[xerq]

Best:

Twist and Shout-The Beatles
original by:Top Notes

hallelujah- Jeff Buckley
original by: Leonard Cohen

Hurt-Johnny Cash
original by: Nine Inch Nails

Knockin' on Heaven's Door-Guns N' Roses
original by: Bob Dylan

Cum On Feel the Noize-Quiet Riot
original by: Slade

Under the Milky Way- Sia
original by: the Church

Shadowplay-the Killers
original by: Joy Division.

Can't Get You out of My Head-Coldplay
orginal by:Kylie Minogue

Worst:
How soon is now?-Snake River Conspiracy
original by:The Smiths

Under Pressure- the used/my chemical romance
original by: David Bowie and Queen

that's all i can think of for now.

 

[Scott]

bat for lashes-a forest
original-the cure

bat for lashes-sweet dreams
original-eurytmics

bat for lashes-i'm on fire
original-bruce springsteen

bat for lashes-use somebody
original-kings of leon

fever ray-stranger than kindness
original-nick cave & the bad seeds

goldfrapp-physical(uk girls)
original-olivia newton john

goldfrapp-yes sir...
original-yes sir i can boogie by baccara

goldfrapp-boys will be boys
original-the ordinary boys

bjork-you only live twice
original-john berry with nancy sinatra on vocals

the shortwave set-slave to rhythm
original-grace jones

chicks on speed-warm leatherette
original-grace jones

kate bush-rocket man
original-elton john

my morining jacket-rocket man
original-see above

tori amos-smells like teen spirit
original-nirvana

tori amos-angie
original-rolling stones

rotary connection-lady jane
original-rolling stones

pj harvey & john parish-is that all there is?
original-peggy lee & benny goodman

pj harvey-ballad of a soldier's wife
original-kurt weill

chromatics-i'm on fire
original-bruce springsteen

chromatics-running up that hill
original-kate bush

placebo with alison mosshart-running up that hill
original-kate bush

siouxsie and the banshees-sea breezes-
original-roxy music

siouxsie and the banshees-passenger
original-iggy pop

martina topley bird-i only have eyes for you
original-the flamingos

nico-my funny valentine
original-from the babes in arms play that's been covered by hundereds of artists over the last 7 decades.

roisin murphy-slave to love
original-bryan ferry

 

[ChloeFrancoise]

I'm also listing Bat For Lashes' version of A Forest, Goldfrapp's version of Yes Sir I Can Boogie and also Sophie Eliis Bextor's version too

They're not on any albums but I like St. Vincent's covers of These Days and I Dig A Pony

She & Him-Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths and I Should Have Known Better by The Beatles

Scott Walker-Amsterdam, Mathilde, Jackie, Funeral Tango by Jacques Brel

Jarvis Cocker-I Just Came To Tell You That I'm Going by Serge Gainsbourg

Cibo Matto- Je t'aime moi non plus by the same

Ivy-covers of another Serge song L'anamour and The Ronettes Be My Baby

Those are the only ones I can currently remember from my choices for best.

 

[isa.b.elle.]

best cover:
nirvana - the man who sold the world (original David Bowie)
the killers - shadowplay (original Joy Division)

 

[milourh]

Best covers: On The Beach - acoustic by Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) - original: Neil Young

Everybody's gotta learn sometimes by Beck (from The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack) - original: the Korgis

Never Let Me Down Again by The Smashing Pumpkins - original: Depeche Mode

 

[milourh]

Best covers (cont. The Rip - acoustic by Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)- original: Portishead

Elliott Smith made nice covers of some Beatles and Kinks songs.

 

[vivalavida]

Best
Twist & Shout - The Beatles
Personal Jesus - Marilyn Manson (original by Depeche Mode)
Some Velvet Morning - Primal Scream (original by Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra)
Take a Walk on the Wild side - Vanessa Paradis (original by Lou Reed)
Jolene - The White Stripes (original by Dolly Parton)

 

[Citypigeon]

The Jonas Brothers' cover of the Beatles' Hello Goodbye is pretty bad...

 

[Scott]

a couple more i've remembered

anita lane & barry adamson-these boots are made for walking
original:lee hazlewood & nancy sinatra

einsturzende neubauten-sand
original: lee hazlewood

 

[dorien]

Placebo's cover of Where is My Mind is top!!!

also,

311's cover of The Cure's Love Song is class.


will think of more.

 

[dorien]

my all time fav cover


Caetano Veloso - Cucurrucucu paloma

not sure who is the original composer but his version is


some others.


Orgy - Blue Monday

or

Dope's cover of Dead or Alive's - You Spin Me round.

 

[japoelflaco]

I can´t remember many but one of the best is:
Metallica "Whiskey in the Jar"
Original: Thin Izzy

and the worst

Sheryl Crow "Sweet Child O´Mine"
Original: Guns N´ Roses

 

[ckgirlbr]

Great thread!

Best

I Fought the Law * The Clash
Originally by Sonny Curtis & The Crickets

Romeo & Juliet * The Killers
Originally by Dire Straits

The Man Who Sold the World * Nirvana
Originally by David Bowie

The First Cut is the Deepest * Rod Stewart / Sheryl Crow
Originally by Cat Stevens

Mercy Mercy Me * Julian Casablancas & Eddie Vedder
Originally by Mavin Gaye

Blowin' in the Wind * The Hollies
Originally by Bod Dylan

What a Wonderful World * The Ramones
Originally by Louis Armstrong

Twist & Shout * The Beatles
Originally by Top Notes

Working Class Hero * Green Day
Originally by John Lennon

Hallelujah * Jeff Buckley
Originally by Leonard Cohen

Maybe I'm Amazed * JEM
Originally by Paul McCartney

Mr. Tambourine Man * The Byrds
Originally by Bob Dylan

With a Little Help from my Friends * Joe Cocker
Originally by The Beatles

Babe I'm Gonna Leave You * Led Zeppelin
Originally by Joan Baez

Life's a Gas * The Strokes / The Ramones
Originally by T.Rex

Worst
American Idiot * Avril Lavigne
Originally by Green Day

Take it or Leave it * Arctic Monkeys
Originally by The Strokes

Behind Blue Eyes * Limp Bizkit
Originally by The Who

My Generation * Hillary Duff (??)
Originally by The Who

Seu Jorge singing Michael Jackson. (??)

Guns of Brixton * Nouvelle Vague
Originally by The Clash

Knockin' on Heaven's Door * Avril Lavigne
Originally by Bob Dylan

That's all I remember.

 

[ms-nietzsche]

Some good covers, off the top of my head.

I'm Your Man - Nick Cave (Originally Leonard Cohen)

Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds (Originally Dylan)

Hallelujah - John Cale and Jeff Buckley's versions (Originally Cohen)

Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin (Originally Roger Miller)

Lightning Strikes - Klaus Nomi (Originally Kristian Hoffman)

Is That All There Is? - PJ Harvey & John Parish (Originally Peggy Lee)

It's Oh So Quiet - Bjork (Originally Betty Hutton)

Death is Not the End - Nick Cave (Originally Dylan)

Superstar - Sonic Youth (Originally Delaney and Bonnie)

 

[Scott]

nina simone & david bowie's versions of wild is the wind-
original:written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington and first recored by Johnny Mathis.

nature boy-david bowie with massive attack
original: nat king cole

 

[Over the Sea]

best-
Hurt - Johnny Cash (originally by Nine Inch Nails)
Man Who Sold the World- Nirvana (originally by David Bowie)
Golden Hair- Slowdive (originally by Syd Barrett)

 

[Susanna-Cole]

Best:

Into The Mystic by The Swell Season (originally by Van Morrison).

I'll probably think of more later. That's the one that always stands out to me, though.

 

[dinahgrace]

The best I've heard is Brooke Fraser's live cover of 'The Sound of Silence' by Simon & Garfunkel. She sang it so perfectly

 

[Toccata]

BEST IMPROVEMENT ON THE ORIGINAL:

Blowin' In The Wind | SAM COOKE, original bob dylan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBDdLgBO0Nw

BEST RE-INTERPRETATION OF THE ORIGINAL:

Superlungs | TERRY REID, original donovan
DONOVAN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrG8eg_txJI&feature=fvw
TERRY REID: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajx1Pln0KYQ
Worth a listen, even if you don't know the artists, just to hear the differences.