General Music Chat

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BEST COVER VERSIONS OF ALL TIME?

The following songs have the ORIGINAL artist on the left side,
and some of the best COVER VERSIONS on the right...

In some cases, the cover version became the most famous!
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A Groovy Kind Of Love
Diane And Annita (1965) Mindbenders (1965)

Abracadabra
Steve Miller Band (1982) Sugar Ray (1999)

Achilles Last Stand
Led Zeppelin (1976) Dream Theater (1995)

After Midnight
J. J. Cale (1970) Eric Clapton (1970)

After The Gold Rush
Neil Young (1970) Harris / Parton / Ronstadt (1999)

Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)
Kurt Weill (1930) Doors (1967)

All Along The Watchtower
Bob Dylan (1967) Jimi Hendrix (1968)

All I Really Want To Do
Bob Dylan (1964) Cher (1965)

America
Simon and Garfunkel (1968) Yes (1972)

American Woman
Guess Who (1970) Lenny Kravitz (1998)

Astronomy
Blue Oyster Cult (1974) Metallica (1998)

Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
Joan Baez (1962) Led Zeppelin (1969)

Baby It's You
Shirelles (1961) Smith (1969)

Backdoor Man
Howlin' Wolf (1960) Doors (1970)

Back in N.Y.C.
Genesis (1974) Jeff Buckley (1998)

Back In The High Life Again
Steve Winwood (1987) Warren Zevon (2000)

Battle of Evermore
Led Zeppelin (1971) Heart (2003)

Because the Night
Patti Smith (1978) 10,000 Maniacs (1993)

Big Yellow Taxi
Joni Mitchell (1970) Counting Crows (2002)

Billie Jean
Michael Jackson (1982) Chris Cornell (2007)

Black Magic Woman
Fleetwood Mac (1968) Santana (1970)

Blinded By The Light
Bruce Springsteen (1973) Manfred Mann's Earth Band (1976)

Blue Bayou
Roy Orbison (1963) Linda Ronstadt (1977)

Blue Suede Shoes
Carl Perkins (1955) Elvis Presley (1956)

Blueberry Hill
Gene Autry (1941) Fats Domino (1956)

Born Under a Bad Sign
Albert King (1967) Cream (1968)

Break on Through (to the Other Side)
Doors (1967) Stone Temple Pilots (2000)

California Girls
Beach Boys (1965) David Lee Roth (1985)

California Sun
Joe Jones (1961) Rivieras (1964)

Can't Find My Way Home
Blind Faith (1969) Electronic (2001)

Cat Scratch Fever
Ted Nugent (1977) Pantera (2003)

Chains
The Cookies (1962) Beatles (1963)

China Girl
Iggy Pop (1977) David Bowie (1983)

Cinnamon Girl
Neil Young (1969) Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs (2006)

Cocaine
J. J. Cale (1976) Eric Clapton (1977)

Come Dancing
Kinks (1983) Matchbox 20 (2007)

Come On (let the good times roll)
Earl King (1960) Jimi Hendrix (1968)

Come On Eileen
Dexy's Midnight Runners (1983) Save Ferris (1997)

Come Together
Beatles (1969) Aerosmith (1978)

Crossroads
Robert Johnson (1936) Cream (1968)

Cruise Control
Dixie Dregs (1977) Dream Theater (1995)

Crying In The Chapel
Darrell Glenn (1953) Elvis Presley (1965)

Cum On Feel The Noize
Slade (1973) Quiet Riot (1983)

Dancing In The Moonlight
Thin Lizzy (1977) Smashing Pumpkins (1993)

Dancing In The Street
Martha & the Vandellas (1964) Van Halen (1982)

Day Tripper
Beatles (1965) Otis Redding (1966)

Dedicated To The One I Love
"5" Royales (1957) Mamas & Papas (1967)

Der Kommissar
Falco (1981) After the Fire (1982)

Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Larry Williams (1958) Beatles (1965)

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Nina Simone (1964) The Animals (1965)

Downtown Train
Tom Waits (1985) Rod Stewart (1990)

Dreams
The Allman Brothers Band (1969) Molly Hatchet (1978)

Drift Away
Doby Gray (1973) Uncle Kracker (2003)

Drive My Car
Beatles (1965) Humble Pie (1975)

Drown In My Own Tears
Lulu Reed (1954) Ray Charles (1956)

Everybody Plays The Fool
Main Ingredient (1972) Aaron Neville (1991)

Feelin' Alright
Traffic (1968) Joe Cocker (1970)

Fire
Jimi Hendrix (1967) Red Hot Chili Peppers (1989)

For Once in My Life
Jean DuShon (1966) Stevie Wonder (1968)

Get Ready
Temptations (1966) Rare Earth (1969)

Ghost Riders in the Sky
Vaughn Monroe (1949) Johnny Cash (1979)

Good Golly Miss Molly
Little Richard (1958) Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)

Good Morning Little School Girl
Sonny Boy Williamson (1937) Ten Years After (1969)

Green Manalishi
Fleetwood Mac (1972) Judas Priest (1979)

Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen (1985) Jeff Buckley (1994)

Hanky Panky
Raindrops (1963) Tommy James & the Shondells (1963)

Hard To Handle
Otis Redding (1968) Black Crows (1989)

Havana Affair
Ramones (1976) Red Hot Chili Peppers (2003)

Have a Cigar
Pink Floyd (1975) Primus (1992)

Hazy Shade Of Winter
Simon & Garfunkel (1968) Bangles (1987)

Heard It Through The Grapevine
Gladys Night & the Pips (1967) Creedence Clearwater Revival (1970)

Heart Shaped Box
Nirvana (1993) Evanescence (2003)

Helter Skelter
Beatles (1968) Aerosmith (1991)

Here Comes the Sun
Beatles (1969) Richie Havens (1971)

Hey Hey What Can I Do
Led Zeppelin (1970) Hootie & the Blowfish (2000)

Hey Joe
The Leaves (1965) Jimi Hendrix (1966)

Higher Ground
Stevie Wonder (1973) Red Hot Chili Peppers (1989)

Honey Don't
Carl Perkins (1956) Beatles (1964)

Honey Hush
Joe Turner (1953) Johnny Burnette Trio (1956)

Hooked On A Feeling
B. J. Thomas (1968) Blue Swede (1974)

Hound Dog
Big Mama Thornton (1953) Elvis Presley (1956)

Hurt
Nine Inch Nails (1994) Johnny Cash (2003)

Hush
Billy Joe Royal (1967) Deep Purple (1968)

I Can Hear Music
Ronettes (1966) Beach Boys (1968)

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Rolling Stones (1965) Otis Redding (1965)

I Just Want To Make Love To You
Muddy Waters (1954) Foghat (1977)

I Fought The Law
The Crickets (without Holly) (1961) The Clash (1978)

I Put a Spell on You
Screamin' Jay Hawkins (1956) Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968)

I Shot the Sheriff
Bob Marley (1973) Eric Clapton (1974)

I Thank You
Sam & Dave (1968) ZZ Top (1980)

I Wanna Be Sedated
Ramones (1978) The Offspring (2003)

I Want Candy
The Strangeloves (1965) Bow Wow Wow (1982)

I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor (1978) Cake (1996)

If You Don't Know Me By Now
Harold Melvin & Blue Notes (1972) Simply Red (1989)

(I'm A) Road Runner
Jr. Walker & the All Stars (1965) Humble Pie (1973)

I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday
Bobby Mitchell (1957) Fats Domino (1959)

I'm A Man
Spencer Davis Group (1967) Chicago (1969)

In the Flesh?
Pink Floyd (1979) Dream Theater (1995)

In the Midnight Hour
Wilson Pickett (1965) The Young Rascals (1966)

It Ain't Me Babe
Bob Dylan (1964) The Turtles (1965)

It's My Life
Talk Talk (1984) No Doubt (2004)

It's My Party
Lesley Gore (1963) Bryan Ferry (1973)

Jailhouse Rock
Elvis Presley (1957) Jeff Beck Group (1969)

Jolene
Dolly Parton (1974) The White Stripes (2004)

Journey To The Center Of The Mind
The Amboy Dukes (1968) Ramones (1994)

Kansas City
Little Willie Littlefield (1952) Wilbert Harrison (1959)

Kashmir
Led Zeppelin (1975) Jeff Buckley (2001)

Keep a Knockin'
Louis Jordan (1941) Little Richard (1957)

Kentucky Woman
Neil Diamond (1967) Deep Purple (1968)

Kick Out The Jams
MC5 (1969) Rage Against The Machine (2000)

Kid A
Radiohead (2000) John Mayer (2001)

Knockin' On Heavens Door
Bob Dylan (1973) Guns N' Roses (1991)

La Bamba
Ritchie Valens (1958) Los Lobos (1987)

Landslide
Fleetwood Mac (1975) Smashing Pumpkins (1994)

Last Kiss
Wayne Cochran (1961) Pearl Jam (2003)

Let's Spend the Night Together
Rolling Stones (1967) David Bowie (1973)

Light My Fire
Doors (1967) Jose Feliciano (1968)

Little Wing
Jimi Hendrix (1967) Derek & The Dominos (1970)

Live And Let Die
Paul McCartney & Wings (1971) Guns N' Roses (1991)

Long Tall Sally
Little Richard (1956) Beatles (1964)

Look At Little Sister
Hank Ballard & The Midnighters (1959) Stevie Ray Vaughan (1985)

Louie Louie
Richard Berry (1957) The Kingsmen (1963)

Love Hurts
The Everly Brothers (1960) Nazareth (1975)

Love in Vain
Robert Johnson (1938) Rolling Stones (1969)

Love Potion #9
Clovers (1959) Searchers (1964)

Love Song
The Cure (1989) 311 (2004)

Lucille
Little Richard (1957) The Everly Brothers (1960)

Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds
Beatles (1967) Elton John (1974)

Mad Worlds
Tears For Fears (1982) Gary Jules (2001)

Maggie's Farm
Bob Dylan (1965) Rage Against the Machine (2000)

Me And Bobby McGee
Kris Kristofferson (1970) Janis Joplin (1971)

Mony Mony
Tommy James (1968) Billy Idol (1987)

Move It On Over
Hank Williams Sr. (1947) George Thorogood (1978)

Mr. Tambourine Man
Bob Dylan (1964) The Byrds (1965)

Mustang Sally
Sir Mack Rice (1965) Wilson Pickett (1966)

My Back Pages
Bob Dylan (1964) The Byrds (1967)

My Blue Heaven
Gene Austin (1928) Fats Domino (1956)

Night Time (Is The Right Time)
Nappy Brown (1957) Ray Charles (1959)

No Quarter
Led Zeppelin (1973) Tool (2000)

Not Fade Away
Buddy Holly (1957) Rush (1973)

Nothing Compares to U
Prince (1984) Sinead O'Connor (1990)

Oh Girl
The Chi-Lites (1972) Paul Young (1990)

Oh Pretty Woman
Roy Orbison (1964) Van Halen (1982)

Once Bitten Twice Shy
Ian Hunter (1975) Great White (1990)

One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
John Lee Hooker (1967) George Thorogood (1977)

Only You
Cues (1954) Platters (1954)

Paranoid
Black Sabbath (1970) Megadeth (1994)

Piece Of My Heart
Erma Franklin (1967) Big Brother & Holding Company (1968)

Please Mr. Postman
The Marvelettes (1961) Beatles (1963)

Proud Mary
Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969) Ike & Tina Turner (1971)

Quinn The Eskimo
Bob Dylan (1967) Manfred Mann's Earth Band (1968)

Real Wild Child (Wild One)
Johnny O'Keefe & The Deejays (1958) Iggy Pop (1986)

Reason to Believe
Tim Hardin (1966) Rod Stewart (1971)

Red Red Wine
Neil Diamond (1968) UB40 (1984)

Redemption Song
Bob Marley (1980) Joe Strummer & the Mescalaros (2003)

Refugee
Tom Petty (1980) Melissa Etheridge (2005)

Respect
Otis Redding (1965) Aretha Franklin (1967)

Revolution
Beatles (1968) Stone Temple Pilots (2001)

Rhythm of the Rain
The Cascades (1963) Dan Fogelberg (1990)

Rocking In The Free World
Neil Young (1989) Pearl Jam (live) (2003)

Roll Over Beethoven
Chuck Berry (1956) Beatles (1963)

Rollin' And Tumblin'
Muddy Waters (1950) Cream (1966)

Ruby Baby
Drifters (1956) Dion (1963)

Sabbra Cadabra
Black Sabbath (1974) Metallica (1998)

School Day
Chuck Berry (1957) AC/DC (1975)

Sea of Love
Phil Phillips (1959) The Honeydrippers (1984)

Shake Rattle & Roll
Big Joe Tuner (1954) Bill Haley & the Comets (1954)

Shakin' All Over
Johnny Kidd & the Pirates (1960) The Guess Who (1965)

Shapes Of Things
The Yardbirds (1966) Gary Moore (1983)

Signs
Five Man Electical Band (1970) Tesla (1990)

Simple Man
Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973) Shinedown (2004)

Sleep Walk
Santo & Johnny (1959) Brian Setzer Orchestra (1998)

Smokestack Lightning
Howlin' Wolf (1956) Quicksilver Messenger Service (1968)

Smokin' In The Boys Room
Brownsville Station (1974) Motley Crue (1985)

So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star
Byrds (1967) Tom Petty (1986)

Somebody To Love
The Great Society (1966) Jefferson Airplane (1967)

Spoonful
Howlin' Wolf (1960) Cream (1966)

Stand By Me
Ben E King (1961) John Lennon (1975)

Statesboro Blues
Blind Willie McTell (1928) Allman Brothers Band (1971)

Stay
Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs (1964) Jackson Browne (1977 - Live)

Summertime Blues
Eddie Cochran (1958) The Who (1970)

Susie Q
Dale Hawkins (1957) Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968)

Sweet Dreams
Eurythmics (1983) Marilyn Manson (1995)

T for Texas
Jimmy Rodgers (1928) Lynyrd Skynyrd (1976)

Take Me To The River
Al Green (1974) Talking Heads (1978)

Tainted Love
Gloria Jones (1964) Soft Cell (1981)

Taxman
Beatles (1966) Franz Ferdinand (2005)

The Air That I Breathe
Albert Hammond (1972) Hollies (1974)

The Crying Game
Dave Berry (1964) Boy George (1992)

The First Cut Is The Deepest
Cat Stevens (1967) Sheryl Crow (2004)

The Letter
Box Tops (1967) Joe Cocker (1970)

The Loco-Motion
Little Eva (1962) Grand Funk (1974)

The Man Who Sold The World
David Bowie (1971) Nirvana (1993)

The Tracks of My Tears
The Miracles (1965) Linda Ronstadt (1967)

Think
The "5" Royales (1957) James Brown (1961)

This Magic Moment
The Drifters (1960) Jay & The Americans (1969)

Time Is On My Side
Irma Thomas (1964) Rolling Stones (1964)

Tom Sawyer
Rush (1981) Deadsy (2002)

Train Kept A Rollin'
Tiny Bradshaw (1951) Yardbirds (1965)

Tuesday's Gone
Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973) Metallica (1998)

Turn The Page
Bob Seger (1976) Metallica (1998)

Turn, Turn, Turn
Pete Seeger (1962) The Byrds (1966)

Twist And Shout
Top Notes (1961) Beatles (1963)

Up Around the Bend
Creedence Clearwater Revival (1970) Hanoi Rocks (1989)

Voodoo Child (slight return)
Jimi Hendrix (1968) Stevie Ray Vaughan (1984)

War
Edwin Starr (1970) Bruce Springsteen (1985)

War Pigs
Black Sabbath (1976) Faith No More (1989)

We Can Work It Out
Beatles (1965) Stevie Wonder (1970)

We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place
The Animals (1965) Blue Oyster Cult (1978)

What'd I Say
Ray Charles (1959) Jerry Lee Lewis (1961)

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding
Nick Lowe (1974) Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1979)

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Beatles (1968) Jeff Healey Band (1999)

Whiskey In The Jar
The Dubliners (1967) Metallica (1998)

Who Do You Love
Bo Diddley (1956) Quicksilver Messenger Service (1969)

Whole Lotta Love
Led Zeppelin (1969) King Curtis (1971)

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Big Maybelle (1955) Big Star (1978)

Wild Night
Van Morrison (1971) John Mellencamp (1994)

Wild Thing
Wild Ones (1965) The Troggs (1966)

Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd (1975) Widespread Panic (2000)

With A Little Help From My Friends
Beatles (1967) Joe Cocker (1969)

Without You
Badfinger (1970) Harry Nilsson (1971)

Woodstock
Joni Mitchell (1970) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970)

Wonderwall
Oasis (1995) Ryan Adams (2004)

You Can't Always Get What You Want
Rolling Stones (1969) Rusted Root (1998)

You Keep Me Hangin' On
Supremes (1966) Vanilla Fudge (1967)

You Really Got A Hold On Me
The Miracles (1963) Beatles (1963)

You Really Got Me
Kinks (1964) Van Halen (1978)

You Shook Me
Muddy Waters (1962) Led Zeppelin (1969)

You're No Good
Betty Everett (1963) Linda Ronstadt (1974)

You've Got A Friend
Carol King (1971) James Taylor (1971)

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When I read through these, I got surprised. On a few of them, I didn't realize they were covers. I thought the cover version WAS the original version.

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I sing Your No Good in karoake all the time. I thought Ronstadt wrote that one.

Thanks for the heads up, its cool to research songs and hear the differences from one version to the next.

I sing Your No Good in karoake all the time. I thought Ronstadt wrote that one.

Thanks for the heads up, its cool to research songs and hear the differences from one version to the next.

Yeah, that's one of the songs I didn't know was a remake. I thought it was all Ronstadt.

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Here's a few more for you:

Astronomie Domine
Pink Floyd/Voivod

Dancing Days
Led Zeppelin/Stone Temple Pilots

I Can't Quit You Baby
Howlin Wolf/Led Zeppelin

People Are Strange
The Doors/Echo & The Bunnymen

Superstition
Stevie Wonder/Jeff Beck

Train Kept A Rollin'
Yardbirds et al/Aerosmith

Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd/Catherine Wheel

Whiskey in the Jar
The Dubliners/Thin Lizzy

plenty o' surprises here. Cool!

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Little Wing
Jimi Hendrix (1967) Derek & The Dominos (1970)

I have to say Stevie Ray Vaughan's (1991) version was better.

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Echo and the Bunnymen!!!

I used to have one of their casettes!



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I regard The Animals version of Hawkins' "I Put A Spell On You" as a superior to the Creedence version.
They also created the definitive version of Leadbelly's "House Of The Rising Sun"

Speaking of Leadbelly, the best cover of "Black Girl ( In The Pines)" was recorded in the early 60's by The Four Pennies. I did appreciate Curt Cobain breathing new live into it on the unplugged session.

Joe Cocker's version of "A Little Help From My Friends" has got to be one one the best Beatle covers.

HJ

I regard The Animals version of Hawkins' "I Put A Spell On You" as a superior to the Creedence version.

Could have sworn your version was the best bro!

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Thanks for the compliment, Craig.

Actually, the way I play it is a watered down version of The Animals style with a bit of Screamin' J thrown in. Chas Chandler's bass parts were the driving force behind most of those early Animals hits, and Spell On You is no exception! (Chandler contributed a great deal more to rock music besides promoting Jimi Hendrix.

HJ

back on topic,

Neal Young did a great cover of Don Gibson & Chet Atkin's "Oh Lonesome Me" on the "After The Gold Rush " album.

I regard The Animals version of Hawkins' "I Put A Spell On You" as a superior to the Creedence version.
They also created the definitive version of Leadbelly's "House Of The Rising Sun"

Speaking of Leadbelly, the best cover of "Black Girl ( In The Pines)" was recorded in the early 60's by The Four Pennies. I did appreciate Curt Cobain breathing new live into it on the unplugged session.

Joe Cocker's version of "A Little Help From My Friends" has got to be one one the best Beatle covers.

HJ

Speaking of Leadbelly covers, I recently recorded a "totally unplugged" version of "Black Girl" aka "in the Pines, aka "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". The "ol Weber Piano is near a hundred years old, and in dire need of a tune up, but it still works for Blues!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlBN8LgBYso

(it's acoustic, so ya gotta CRANK IT UP!)

Howlin'

Thats a long azz list Craig.

The greatest covers of all time are:
All along the watchtower - Hendix
Babe Im gonna leave you - Zepplin
The ghost of tom joad - Rage against the machine


Those are the three, brotha

P.S.
Motley Crue did Helter Skelter better than Aerosmith

Fun to learn new things Just when I thought I knew it all.

One of my personal faves. An underground hardcore/thrash band does a POLICE song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCTGv2NfOEA