What are your favorite cover songs that stand on their own?

I liked it when Fall out Boy made a remake of Micheal Jacksons Beat It..

I've always loved this cover of "Your Love"... totally different vibe than the original.

This One

I would lick him like a lollipop *o*

"Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm was better than the original. WAAAY better. My second fave is "Boys in the Hood" by Dynamite Hack.

I bring this band up EVERY time a music question comes around, but Biffy Clyro does lots of covers that I think are original.

The one they did for Weezer's "Buddy Holly":


cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way":


and my particular favorite, the cover of Rage Against The Machine's "Killing In The Name Of":


The have several others including a cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella," Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out," The Killers' "When You Were Young," and even Pearl Jam's "Daughter."

Even if the music genre's not your cup of tea, I think you could probably appreciate the versatility, and the time that goes into producing a cover of something that is distinct but still honors the original song.

I like GnR's version of "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Live and Let Die".

All the Beatles songs The BeeGees covered for the movie "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band"




JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!

SERIOUSLY:

Playradioplay does a really good job of covering Mr. Brightside by the killers...but that could just be my prejudice against the Killers speaking.


EDIT: Alien Ant Farm did a realllllyyyy good Smooth Criminal, I actually love it more than the original.

Ugh...everyone loves them so much and I just don't understand.

Well first off I have to say Joan Jett's I love rock n roll is better then the orginal (the one done with the blackhearts not the sex pistols obvoiusly).


Cry Little Sister is better by Blutengel

I like With A Little Help From MY Friends better in across the Universe


Lollipop by Framing Hanley


There's several others but thats all I can think of off the top of my head.

Probably the most famous cover version (which, incidentally, very few people know is a cover version) is The Kingsmen's interpretation of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie".

Here's the original doo-wop tune:



And here's the iconic garage rock remake which dwarfed the original in record sales and remains instantly recognizable today:

Scissor Sisters cover Franz Ferdinand's 'Take Me Out'. You can recognize it if you listen hard. It's great in itself though:

Both of these covers of the original are great.

Haha. Yes! Love both... I'm partial to the animals cover though.

Thanks for reminding me about 'House of the Rising Sun'. I don't know how I forgot about it!

Nina Simone's version of Here Comes the Sun is completely original and just as good as George Harrison's version.

i love her version of "i put a spell on you".....sound so full of smite! i love it!

Rod Stewart did a lot of great covers, like this:

many ppl disagree but i think this vid blows the orig. away

Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt by NIN.

The Residents way back in the 70's with James Brown's hit

Devo did "Satisfaction" better than the Rolling Stones.

I was scratching my head trying to think of covers and then I looked at your choices and saw Patty Smith. Definitely her version of "Gloria" is very cool. Many others I could name but let's start there.

Does this count?

Or this?


In all seriousness ... I like Sarah Brightman's voice, even though she doesn't pull out the big guns in this cover -

Johnny Cash's cover of 'hurt'

I like genesis but this one is a bit heavier to me anyways.

I don't think anyone did this yet!

Joey Ramone (The Ramones) Wonderful world...

What a consequence... I originally chose that one 1st....lol.

Jimi Hendrix took Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" and made it his own. In my opinion, Jimi's rendition of this song is a timeless masterpiece. The music makes you feel cold, wet, nighttime winds whipping through you...

And I love Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do?" but it's difficult to find a good rendition. It's such a simple, beautiful, melancholy song. Here's a rendition that I like: