2. music
  3. 1226638365

Best cover songs?

What, in your opinion are the best cover songs ever recorded?

My top picks, in no particular order:

Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen)
Dar Williams' "Comfortably Numb" (Pink FLoyd)
Matt Nathanson's "Romeo and Juliet" (Dire Straits)
R.E.M.'s "Dream" (Everly Brothers)
Jimi Hendrix' "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan)
Johnny Cash's "Hurt" (Nine Inch Nails)
The Beatles' "Twist and Shout" (Top Notes)
The Cowboy Junkies' "Sweet Jane" (Lou Reed)
The Sundays' "Wild Horses" (Rolling Stones)
Mindy Smith's "Jolene" (Dolly Parton)
theraiguy
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I love Fred Froom's cover of Todd Rundgren's "Pretending to Care". It's a really tough song to nail. I've heard several cover versions, but all pale next to Froom's, IMHO. Todd's original comes up short by comparison and even Jennifer Warnes (who's a pretty fair cover artist herself - see "Famous Blue Raincoat) whiffs on this one.

Bonus points for Froom: AFAIK, it's the only song he has ever recorded.

Marty

PS One more "Heaven's Door" cover: Warren Zevon when he knew he was dying. In context, it's very powerful.
jorgeparrapuppy
257 posts
 
Nrenter: Cheers to that, Sir! Bauhaus! That was the first thing that came to mind. Totally awesome song by an an awesome band.

JP
rex44
64 posts
 
Dancing in the Street by Van Halen is a good cover IMo.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,873 posts
 

 

Here is Dave Edmunds’ re-imagining of "I Hear You Knocking", turning the Smiley Lewis Blues song into a Rock ’n’ Roll scorcher. Listen to the tension Dave creates in his guitar solo. Now think back to where Rock music was heading in 1970, the year of this song’s release.

Robert Plant is a huge Dave Edmunds fan (and friend), and signed him to Zeppelin’s label Swan Song for his third album, entitled Get It, a good place to introduce yourself to Edmunds if you aren't already acquainted.

 

 

 

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,873 posts
 

 

And here is his recreation of the Chantels’ Girl Group classic "Maybe", found on his second album Subtle As A Flying Mallet. Dave plays every instrument and sings every note heard in this recording. The modulation (key change) as we head into the last verse gives me goosebumps! Also heard is Dave’s recreation of Spector’s Wall-Of-Sound, created at the legendary Rockfield Studio in Wales.

 

 

More to discover