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Songs Covered Awesomely

April 4, 2015 by V the K

WHEREAS it is Saturday and WHEREAS I am sick of blogging about #WeddingCakeFascists and WHEREAS Jeff and Nick are totes AWOL… another music thread.

It’s not very often that a cover version of a song is better than the original. And some cover versions are so godawful they not only taint the memory of the original forever, but also damage time and space itself. Let’s discuss the first kind, and invite people to link to other beloved cover versions in the comments, won’t we?

  • Robert Smith was reportedly moved to tears by AFI’s cover of “Just Like Heaven.”
  • Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s cover of David Bowie’s “Suffragette City” is great, but it’s really the B-Side that was epic.
  • Seether’s cover of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper“
  • Alien Ant Farm’s cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal“
  • Take your pick… Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme’s OR Cibo Matto‘s cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.”
  • And… most definitely… Johnny Cash’s cover of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt.”

Um…. and if you are suicidally depressed after that “Hurt” cover, Shonen Knife’s cover of The Carpenters “Top of the World” should bring back your will to live; perky Japanese chicks always make me glad to be alive.

  • (This isn’t a cover, it’s just awesome.)

And of course, saving the best for last, my favorite band and my favorite cover

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Filed Under: Music

Comments

  1. Steve says

    April 4, 2015 at 10:14 pm - April 4, 2015

    Video – Judge Jeanine Pirro: Opening Statement – Obama Iran Deal

    http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2015/04/video-judge-jeanine-pirro-opening.html

  2. Pablo says

    April 4, 2015 at 10:41 pm - April 4, 2015

    Higher Ground, elevated:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ADTPb2f_44

  3. punkass cracker says

    April 4, 2015 at 10:50 pm - April 4, 2015

    Super-gay cover of Longfellow Serenade by Brother Love Canal

    http://open.spotify.com/track/0dDtXdqovYSGePZaaiNyqY

  4. jack burton says

    April 4, 2015 at 11:39 pm - April 4, 2015

    The Fifth Dimension’s cover of the Association song, “Never My Love.”

  5. CrayCrayPatriot says

    April 5, 2015 at 1:00 am - April 5, 2015

    Yes to Johnny Cash “Hurt.”

    Also, No Doubt “It’s My Life”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubvV498pyIM

    And of course, Sinead O’ Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS4ZSDf5azs

    And, finally, Whitney’s take on “I Will Always Love You.”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU

  6. Heliotrope says

    April 5, 2015 at 7:36 am - April 5, 2015

    Wait for it. The song is just a warm up.

    The Ross Sisters and Potato Solid

  7. James says

    April 5, 2015 at 8:23 am - April 5, 2015

    The AFI version of “Just Like Heaven ” rocked! They did a great job of a great song. Sinead’s version of “Nothing Compares 2 U”, I thought was better. It was originally done by Prince and I thought it kind of sounded like a lounge act song.

  8. Niall says

    April 5, 2015 at 9:38 am - April 5, 2015

    Lambchop covering the Sisters of Mercy. A so so song becomes awesome.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWdvXBa_o5s

  9. just me says

    April 5, 2015 at 9:47 am - April 5, 2015

    Placebo did a good cover of Running Up That Hill but the 80’s version sucked.

  10. The_Livewire says

    April 5, 2015 at 10:52 am - April 5, 2015

    Can’t forget this cover. it’s in the frakking ship!

    Or this one.

  11. Southern Man says

    April 5, 2015 at 10:55 am - April 5, 2015

    The Ataris cover of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taByJB4obIc

  12. V the K (@VtheK) says

    April 5, 2015 at 12:48 pm - April 5, 2015

    Good one, Southern Man. Should have definitely been on the list.

  13. JP Kalishek says

    April 5, 2015 at 2:42 pm - April 5, 2015

    Agree too on the Ataris. Also the Foo Fighters’ covers are all at least equal to the originals imho

  14. don says

    April 5, 2015 at 5:15 pm - April 5, 2015

    Great covers by a lesser known artist:

    Three Little Birds (originally Bob Marley)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od17g7Q16YY

    The Circle Game (originally Joni Mitchell)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xk9SKf-1fs

    —————————–
    Well known covers, some more famous than the originals:

    Proud Mary – Ike & Tina (originally CCR)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzQnPz6TpGc

    The Letter – Joe Cocker (originally The Box Tops)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RnjWLVyMps

    She’s Not There – Carlos Santana (originally The Zombies)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRNvFPvN7LQ

    Spooky – Atlanta Rhythm Section (originally The Classics IV)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k57_67AEOY

    Me and Bobby McGee – Janis in 1971 (originally Roger Miller in 1969, then Gordon Lightfoot 1970)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXV_QjenbDw

    This Masquerade – George Benson in 1976 (originally composer Leon Russell in 1972, Helen Reddy 1972, The Carpenters 1973, and several others)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpEfAV1T5b0

    Seasons in the Sun – Terry Jacks in 1974 (originally the Kingston Trio in 1963)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd_Fdly3rX8

    It Was A very Good Year – Frank in 1966 (Originally the Kingston Trio in 1961)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHJ3iZpfBRI

    Let’s Get Together – the Youngbloods in 1969 (originally the Kingston Trio in 1964, then We Five 1965, also David Crosby 1964 but released later, Chad Mitchell Trio 1965, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Jefferson Airplane 1966, Stone Poneys, Staple Singers 1968, and many others, all before the version we all know and love)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz0_gpjd-fg

    First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack in 1972 (Originally the Kingston Trio in 1962, then Peter Paul & Mary, The Brothers Four, Chad Mitchell Trio, Gordon Lightfoot, and many others, all before the version we all know and love)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9jmusgMgro

  15. Sean L says

    April 5, 2015 at 9:33 pm - April 5, 2015

    If anybody is interested in hearing an old-timey take on modern pop, I strongly recommend Postmodern Jukebox on Youtube. A trained pianist does arrangements of pop songs, and gets singers and musicians to perform them. Hated Miley Cyrus’ “We Won’t Stop”? Maybe you would like it as a nice doo-wop number!

  16. The_Livewire says

    April 6, 2015 at 9:44 am - April 6, 2015

    Recursion! Cover of a cover. All Along the Watchtower.

  17. Southern Man says

    April 6, 2015 at 1:19 pm - April 6, 2015

    And let’s not forget that Aritha Franklin’s R*E*S*P*E*C*T was an Otis Redding cover. No disrespect to Otis but this may be another when the cover eclipses the original.

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