Cover songs that are better than the originals.


There is an active thread about terrible cover songs so I thought I'd start one about cover songs that are better than or have completely eclipsed the originals. I'll start:

Randy Newman wrote Momma Told Me Not to Come for Eric Burdon who recored it with the Animals and Newman recorded it too. I have the Newman version and like it but Three Dog Night really seem to capture the mood of the song best in my opinion.
n80
I'm not a big fan of Stevie Wonder nor the song Isn't She Lovely, but Livingston Taylor did an incredibly sounding remake on Ink (Chesky Records). He converts it from Motown to a smooth, easy acoustic jazz sound. The sound from his acoustic guitar is to die for.
Here are a couple that come to Mind.
With a little help from My Friends Joe Cocker
I don't need no Doctor Humble Pie
All along The Watch tower Hendrix

I prefer the SNL/Belushi version of the Joe Cocker version of With a Little Help from My Friends. Its on youtube. Awesome.
the Animals cover of House of the Rising Sun
Cream cover of Crossroads

Hendrix cover of All along the watchtower
Johnny Winters cover of Highway 61

No insult to Bob Dylan on the last two his originals are great but these two covers have always knocked me out.
+1 on Hendrix's cover of Along The Watchtower -- according to Bob Dylan, the gold standard of his song.  In fact, +1 on all of the songs that Jimi covered, such as Wild Thing, Johnny B. Goode and Like A Rollin' Stone!