Best Cover Version?

by **muchachos** » 29 Sep 2010 21:36

Hendrix's All Along the Watch tower, is a great cover, but my favorite have to be the Who's versions of Mose Allison's Young Man Blues and Eddie Cochran's Summertime Blues... both from Live at Leeds.

by **loonieboo** » 08 Nov 2010 11:49

Nick Cave and the bad seeds version of Leonard Cohens Tower of song
even Leonard said we wished he had done it like that
also Dead Kennedys doing Viva Las Vagas, love that one

by **bubba45** » 08 Nov 2010 14:23

Nirvana - where did you sleep last night
Billy Davis - Living in The Past or Nights in White Satin
Sandie Shaw - Your Time is Gonna Come
Rotary Connection - Tales of Brave Ulyssess
Ella Fitzgerald - Sunshine of Your Love
Johnny Cash - Hurt or One or Personal Jesus
Merry Clayton - Southern Man or Gimme Shelter
Bernard Purdie - Shaft
Isley Brothers - Love the One You're With
Richie Havens - most of the Beatles covers he did
Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band - Light My Fire
Balanescu Quartet - Autobahn
Jeff Buckley - Lilac Wine
Sergio Mendes - For What Its Worth or Scarborough Fair
David Bowie - Sorrow
Rod Stewart - 1st Cut Is The Deepest
Faces - Maybe I'm Amazed
Nina Simone - Mosquito's Tweeter (there's a DJ remix of this which is fanfudgingtastic)
Jose Feliciano - High Heal Sneakers
Ramsay Lewis - The 'In' Crowd
CCS - Whole Lotta Love

I quite like covers. I used to throw in a few during sets when I did a bit of DJing. Not all of the above were used of course.
Reading this thread made me go back and search out loads of covers. The above are some of my favourites

by **LicoricePizza** » 08 Nov 2010 19:35

Another list of some favorite covers:

"Blue Bayou" by Linda Ronstadt
"Hey Joe" by Willie DeVille
"These Days" by Gregg Allman
"Handyman" by James Taylor
"Every Little Bit Hurts" by Stevie Winwood (Spencer Davis era)
"It's All Over Now" by The Rolling Stones
"Bird On A Wire" by Jennifer Warnes
"Oh, Darling" by George Benson
"Fire And Rain" by Al Jarreau
"Love And Happiness" by the Amazing Rhythm Aces
"Nilsson Sings Newman" the entire album.....by Harry Nilsson

by **LicoricePizza** » 08 Nov 2010 20:36

Also, someone mentioned Mose Allison. His starkly emotional cover of "You Are My Sunshine" has to be near the top of this pile. Also, Patsy Cline's version of "Crazy" is about as good as a cover can get.

by **newdreams** » 09 Nov 2010 06:07

To that Rotary Connection (with Minnie Riperton) cover of "Tales of Brave Ulysses " you can add their cover of Cream's "We're Going Wrong". Absolutely spine-tingling.

by **bubba45** » 09 Nov 2010 07:30

Newdreams I was just thinking the same after listening to that LP again last night.
They also do a fantastic cover of a Terry Callier track on another of their LP's.

by **sparrow** » 09 Nov 2010 14:49

I remember seeing the Damned cover Doors LA Woman it was excellent. As far as I'm aware this was never released on any format. Or was it?

by **Pazuzu** » 10 Nov 2010 02:52

I see Bubba mentioned Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt". Johnny made that song his own! Probably second behind Hendrix's "All Along The Watchtower". I can't believe it took 6 pages for that song to be mentioned.

by **LicoricePizza** » 10 Nov 2010 14:23

Then there is Otis Redding's amazing, sweat-drenched cover version of the Rolling Stones "Satisfaction". And of course, Aretha Franklin's extremely soulful cover of The Beatles "Let It Be" (which was released a few months before the Beatles version in 1970).

by **Pazuzu** » 10 Nov 2010 19:35

EllPee wrote:And of course, Aretha Franklin's extremely soulful cover of The Beatles "Let It Be" (which was released a few months before the Beatles version in 1970).

So, technically, wouldn't that make the Beatles version the cover, since it was released after Aretha's?

by **LicoricePizza** » 10 Nov 2010 20:01

[quote So, technically, wouldn't that make the Beatles version the cover, since it was released after Aretha's?[/quote]

Loosely defined, a cover version is a song that is recorded by someone other than the original composer so, "no", would be the answer to that question.

by **Pazuzu** » 11 Nov 2010 04:35

EllPee wrote:Loosely defined, a cover version is a song that is recorded by someone other than the original composer so, "no", would be the answer to that question.

I see, said the blind man.
I Learn something new everyday.

by **bubba45** » 11 Nov 2010 19:20

The Terry Callier cover by Rotary Connection is Song For Everyman on their 'Hey Love' LP.
Also anyone heard Anthony & The Johnsons version of Crazy In Love? I really like it. Very dfifferent to the original.
And Mark Kozelek does an excellent LP of AC/DC covers. Turns them into male contemplaintive musings on love, sex and heartbreak. Must be a massive dose of irony in their but sounds great if you're a DC fan.

P.S. Lulu - The Man Who Sold The World. Strangley excellent.