Top "covers"


Not talking about album artwork. I'm talking about when one artist records a song previously recorded by another artist. The second artist gives the song his or her own special style and often it turns out better (or more popular) than the original. To keep this manageable, let's limit it to pop/rock (jazz and classical have too many songs that are recorded by many, many performers) and, in keeping with the "top 40" nature of the topic, let's limit it to the last 40 years or so. Here's my list to get the juices flowing:

1. Jimi Hendrix version of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"
2. The Who version of Eddie Cochrane's "Summertime Blues"
3. The Beatles version of the Isley Brothers'"Twist and Shout" (though I believe the IB version may have been a cover, too)
4. Patricia Barber version of Doors' "Light My Fire"
5. The Eagles version of Tom Waits' "Ol' '55"
6. Diana Krall version of Joni Mitchell's "Case of You"
7. CSN&Y version of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock"
8. The Sundays version Rolling Stone's "Wild Horses"
9. The Corrs version of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" (from their "Unplugged" CD)
10. Many songs by Eva Cassidy, but especially Marvin Gaye's "People Get Ready" (at least I think the original was MG)

I'm looking forward to reading/hearing others' ideas!
dawgfish
Peter Green from Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac LOL or Fleetwood Mac wrote the song but I dont know if they recorded it.
Since you mentioned the man in black, I must add Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" by Trent Reznor/NIN and might as well add the HIM cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" from 'Razorblade Romance'.
Speaking of "Sweet Jane" by The Velvet Underground, how about the cover of that same tune by the Cowboy Junkies? I doubt that most Cowboy Junkies fans know the provenance of this tune.

Going one step beyond "cover songs" and into the realm of "cover albums" you gotta love George Benson's cover of The Beatles' "Abbey Road." That was back in Benson's jazz days. About two years later, in his album "White Rabbit," Benson did some great covers of "White Rabbit" (originally by Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane) and "California Dreamin'" (originally by John and Michele Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas).
Need help, who did the Jazz version of Freebird?
Heard it on national public radio one day, it was part of a story about a guy that used to travel about yelling "Free Bird" at just the opportune moment during a show. It was killer, imagination, spontaniety, emotional contact, all that stuff, and I never like Jazz.

Another greatest that I can't find was a Grateful Dead bootleg live recording of Buddy Holly's "Good Loving".
Van Morrison's truncated version of Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." It helped get me into music back in the 60s and the opening still gives me shivers.

Others of a folky nature:
Lucinda Williams' "Here in California" (Kate Wolf)
Dave Alvin's "Seeds" (Bruce Springsteen)
Iris Dement's "Big City" (Merle Haggard)