Best Cover Version?

[youngdand]

william shattner - Mr Tamborine man

[GTH]

I'll chime in with a couple of my favorite covers, a little lesser known perhaps, but i like these versions:
The Jam - Heatwave (Martha and th V's)
Obidia Parker - Hey Ya (OutKast)

[D.]

A few more.

Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Saturday Night (Bay City Rollers)

The Cardigans - Iron Man (Sabbath)

Hüsker Dü - Eight Miles High (The Byrds)

Dandy Warhols - Hells Bells (AC/DC)

Five Eight - I Can't Stand It (Lou Reed)

Inspiral Carpets Tainted Love (Gloria Jones/Soft Cell)

[Cabbage Patch Elvis]

D. - Great call with Husker Du. I'll take their cover over the Byrds any day!

I can't recall if anyone's mentioned Johnny Cash's cover of NIN's Hurt. It's as if he just reached across a table and took it from Trent Reznor's hand and said, "Thanks. This is mine, now."

[shropshire lad]

I've come to this little show a bit late , but I can't believe no-one has mentioned two of the best cover versions of any song ever performed ( you may have another opinion , but you can't help being wrong ! ) .

I am of course talking about Rolf Harris's versions of Stairway To Heaven and Bohemian Rhapsody . So much better than the boring originals .

[newdreams]

Had to look for these two -thanks!

"Stairway to Heaven" Rolf Harris, live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPOIy4Kb9M4

Ella doing "Sunshine of Your Love", studio LP version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogJjMCLQpno

Ella doing "Sunshine of Your Love", live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkkMJo0P408

Also always loved this one with the inimitable Minnie Riperton, mentioned by bubba45
"We're Going Wrong" Rotary Connection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOgAaJoHtuI
I don't have the LP but did find the performance on a best of Minnie CD.

Obligatory added new one:
Herbie Mann: "Summertime", from Live at the Village Gate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn2zcyXpje8
I've been in love with this LP since 1965.

[Hermionediamond]

Taking Dawn did a great cover of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain.

[Ianibby]

My favourite Covers of all time have to be

Johnny Cash-Hurt (NIN) Trent Reznor in fact said this song no longer belongs to him.
SRV-Little wing (hendrix)
Jeff Buckley-Halelujah (Cohen)
dinasaur jr.-Just like Heaven (Cure)

[brain_spo0n]

Talking Heads - Take me to the river

Al Green's original was a completely different animal. Stroke of genius

[Ianibby]

I forgot one. The only band that I've ever heard do a led zeppelin cover worth listening to. Tools cover of no quarter is in my mind amazing.

[fscl]

Covered here too.......

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=10393&p=60095

Fred

[fscl]

Annie Lennox, Waiting In Vain

Fred

[mmarston]

Lots of great tunes in this thread. I too am partial to Rod Evans-era Deep Purple. And of course Cash owned anything that came out of his mouth no matter who wrote it. I could go on, but I'll briefly mention in passing Nina Hagen's take on "New York, New York."

Or perhaps this (best? I dunno...)

Killdozer: I'm Not Lisa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Z5_jNcKYY

(ducks and runs...)

Mike

[Cabbage Patch Elvis]

Killdozer rocks! Here's their cover of When the Levee Breaks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFHyaNXQMdw
I got a copy of this years ago as a 10" single(on Man's Ruin records). I'd never heard them before, and it took me many plays to decide if it was supposed to be played at 33 or 45 speed! Come to think of it, I'm still not sure...