Decent song covers

Op ...are you lost, you tasteless cunt? Fucketh offeth.

Village Voice hated it, OP.

Wonderwall

Madonna feat. Massive Attack - I Want You

Deftones.

This was a decent Joni cover. I'll just pretend it's OP.

Wildest Dreams

Britney Spears -- [I Can't Get No] Satisfaction

There are a lot of covers that are more than decent by Linda Ronstadt. She pretty much built her career on covers but I think I can come up with a few of my favorites so view my multiple posts with patience, please.

I'll start off with my favorite cover of all time.

Stardust - Willie Nelson

Will to Power - Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley

Dylan's tunes sound so much better when they are coming out of the mouth of someone else.

Another Dylan tune turned into something far beyond the original.

John Hiatt's Have a Little Faith In Me.

She does a fab job.

Angélique Kidjo - Once In A Lifetime

Best cover of this 1932 Cole Porter song I've heard. Terrifying.

Wing - Sing (A Song)

Jan Terri - Ave Maria

Angel From Montgomery - Bonnie Raitt (originally by the late, great John Prine who just died of Covid because of Donald fucking Trump)

"Gimme Shelter". An iconic tune turned into something a bit more urgent and personal. Besides, he looks damn good in shades.

Bruno Mars 2014 Kennedy Center Honors Police tribute. Bruno performs So Lonely and Message In a Bottle.

Excellent! Bruno hits notes Sting can no longer hit!

More than decent; when I'm feeling sacrilegious I prefer it to Jimmy Cliff's original. He shredded his voice making the album but it gives it such a desperate quality.

Wing is a fucking genius

Lambada by Kaoma

the true original is "Llorando se fue" from Bolivia

Weirdly, Kid Rock's cover of "Ramble On" by Led Zep. He did it at the Kennedy Center honors and tore it up. It's so good that I really wish they hadn't cut it for the broadcast or had released a long version (I've looked and I can't fine one anywhere).

I loved Patti's cover.

I prefer Eva's version to Sting's

this one!

R27 My all-time favorite cover by Eva Cassidy. When I first heard her voice it was on this song, and I was transfixed. That hasn't happened but a few times in my life.

Until this absolutely sublime cover came about, I always preferred the first-released "Wildflowers" version by Judy Collins.

Santana's "Well Alright" (a total reimagining of Buddy Holly's original).

Shawn Colvin - Every Little Thing (He) Does Is Magic

I like this version even better than the original song by The Police.

There are so many version of "Money" but I love the one by The Flying Lizards.

R27 good one! I love her version too.

War by Bruce Springsteen(although I was getting distracted by his tight jeans).

Elvis Costello - I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself. I love his emotional interpretation.

Tainted Love covered by Soft Cell, so innovative and 80s iconic that it’s hard to believe it from the 1960s.

X's version of the Jerry Lee Lewis hit "Breathless".

Disturbed's cover of "Sound Of Silence" is one of the greatest things I've ever heard and just became of aware of it recently. It's the #1 most-watched Conan clip ever, they did an incredible live version.

Juice Newton - Angel Of The Morning

Alison Moyet - Whispering Your Name

BETTER than the original

That Counting Crows song has the worst overproduced and saccharine female vocals.

Taiwanese American singer Joanna Wang Ruolin doing a cover of the Teresa Teng classic, ‘I only care about you’

"Party Girl" - Linda Ronstadt renders Elvis Costello listenable.

"Alison" - Linda Ronstadt

"Justine" - Linda Ronstadt

op's pic looks a human version of a dog.

A hip-hop version of Elton John’s ‘Tiny Dancer’

Alphaville’s ‘Forever Young’ covered by Mr Hudson

First The Flamingos and then Art Garfunkel vastly improved this old 1930s song from a movie.

Hotel California

Your southern can is mine by The White Stripes

I really like Harry Style's cover of Juice by Lizzo

And here’s Lizzo covering Harry

I like Giorgio Moroder's "reimaging" of Tom's Diner, with Britney Spears. The fan video for the lyric version is beautiful, too.

Depeche Mode - "Heroes"

The Pretenders cover "Stop Your Sobbing" by The Kinks.

In these cover threads posters usually mention Siouxsie & The Banshees' Beatles cover of Dear Prudence. But the band did so many amazing covers and even released a whole cover album called Through The Looking Glass. This is their cover of Kraftwerk's Hall of Mirrors.

There are scores, if not hundreds, of recorded versions of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

Cohen, before he died, said he was most impressed with the k.d. lang cover.

No insult to Kathy Dawn, but me? I'll take Jeff Buckley's.

Iggy Pop & Deborah Harry covering, "Well, Did You Evah!

"(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" - Rita Coolidge

Jimmy Sommerville kicked life into Comment te dire adieu

Samantha Jade--Breakeven

Heart Beat - Seduction

Sinéad O'Connor - I Don't Know How to Love Him

counting crows????? u have to be kidding.....NO

Fiona Apple - Modern Don Juan (erroneously described as "Just a Man in Love" on YouTube). Never released as a single, hence the crummy audio quality (not sure where this was recorded, I assume at Largo). Still enjoyable!

A new recent phenomenal male cover of I Don’t Know How to Love Him comes from Norbert Leo Butz as part of the most recent Miscast fundraiser for MCC Theatre where they gender swap songs. Performance begins at 1:10.

As much as I revere Donna Summer, I think this is better.

Thanks R69. THAT is one of the best things I have ever heard.

Tina Turner. Let's Stay Together (Al Green cover).

Devo successfully reworking The Rolling Stones "Satisfaction"

Not quite a full video, but it features imitating Kate Bush and Pumpkin Spice Coffee, two DL faves

Pet Shop Boys cover "Go West" (Village People)

Tracy Ullman’s version of They Don’t Know

I love Kim Weston, I love the Isley Brothers....but The Doobie Brothers' version SOARS!

Inspired by the Trump gasping for breath thread -

Another great Joni Mitchell cover here that shits all over that horrific Counting Crows one.

Tori Amos - A Case of You.

Olivia Newton-John's first hit single was a cover of Bob Dylan's "If Not For You"

Not nearly as good as the original, but I've got a certain fondness for it.

Big Mountain - Baby I Love Your Way

Talking Heads do "Take Me to the River" (Al Green)

Matt Alber does "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."

Sam Smith covers Whitney

Cowboy Junkies do "Sweet Jane" (The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed)

[quote] Village Voice hated it, OP.

[quote] it wouldn't be surprising if Adam Durwitz's pea-sized brain wasn't 85% dreadlocks, 10% water, and 5% actress phone numbers.

[quote] Let's speak into whichever of Durwitz's ears doesn't have a cockily tipped wool hat over it.

Glad I'm not the only one who thought that Counting Crows lead singer was the most annoying, pretentious poser who ever posed. And young Courtney Cox fell for it!

Foo Fighters' cover of Prince's Darling Nikki is awesome.

Another great Zeppelin cover by the Wilson sisters, "Battle of Evermore"

Elton and the Girls

^ Posh was actually half way decent in that clip.

[quote]Another great Zeppelin cover by the Wilson sisters, "Battle of Evermore"

An official version of the Wilson sisters doing this song is much better. I have it on a UK import CD EP, I bought it at Tower years ago.

"I Don't Know How To Love Him" - Helen Reddy

R93 Wouldn’t all the others be considered covers and this is the original? This was released as a single before Yvonne’s was even if it was on the concept album first.

r94, Wikipedia calls Yvonne Elliman's version the original, and Helen Reddy's version a cover. The Jesus Christ Superstar album was released in May 1970. Helen Reddy's single was released in January 1971.

Olivia Newton-John did a good cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" in 1976.

My favorite version of "I Will Always Love You" is the one by Linda Ronstadt.

I love Cyndi Lauper's version of What's Going On. I like the original as well.

I love obscure records. Whitney really killed the Curtis Mayfield song "Look into your Heart".

Listen to this live version of Aretha's "Baby I Love You" by Whitney Houston. Easily better than the original.

It's great to see Whitney let her hair down, so to speak, but that in no way is better than Franklin's.

R11 looks like a Kristen Wiig parody.

R.E.M. covers "Summertime."

This was released as the B-side of a 7" single in 1990 as a Holiday Single sent out to members of the band's fan club at Christmas. The A-side was "Ghost Reindeer in the Sky."

I like Elis Regina's version of Trem Azul

I love Trijntje's version of This House is Empty Now

Harvest Moon / CASSANDRA WILSON

Royals.

Fuck r106 's trump loving bitch

This is probably closer to a remake than a cover, it’s so close to the original. But the Jackson 5 “ABC” isn’t a great recording and this fixes that — plus it keeps the bubble gum pop alive and kicking. And whoever this girl is, what a phenomenal voice.

A classic Motown recording isn't a great recording? Do you smoke crack?

The quality of the recording isn’t great, no. And no, I don’t smoke crack. Love the song though.

I love Joan Osborne's take on Dolly's "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind"

Mariah Carey - I'll Be There

What exactly is wrong with the recording?

Excellent cover of an excellent song.

Dave Hause (love him!) plays Patty Griffin (love her!) on a 5-song EP. Really love this one.

Say Goodbye to Hollywood.

Kudos to R77. Great pick, I love what the Doobies do with that song.

Kudos to R77. Great pick, I love what the Doobies do with that song.

Two totally different covers, but both great:

Carpenters doing a ballad version of the Beatles "Ticket To Ride"

Donna Summers disco version of Manilow's "Could It Be Magic?"

Amanda Cole.

I really love the Roxy Music, Brian Ferry version of "Like A Hurricane" (Neil Young & Crazy Horse)

Oleta Adams has done some fantastic covers.

Grace Jones - La Vie en Rose

I love Tom Moulton's production and arrangement. But the song is not suited to Grace Jones' very limited voice. It was meant to be fronted by a singer called Teresa Wiater (not Waiter).

Britney Spears, Kid Rock...? What are you people smoking?

The Beatles' version of Buddy Hollly's "Words of Love." One of the best things they ever did.

Africa

The Air That I Breathe - KD Lang

Should there be a thread of indecent covers?

Gareth Gates singing 'Unchained Melody'

Barcelona's version of Taylor Swift's Love Story.

I like Flying Picket's version of Only You more than Yazoo's original.

Ane Brun does great covers. This is one of my favorites.

Aaron Tveit's live version of "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (here interspersed with "Boyfriend").

"Che Gelida Manina" from La Boheme - Aaron Tveit (start at 4:44 if it doesn't do so automatically).

Never heard of Amanda Cole, but she has a freaking amazing voice!!

Yet non-singers like Madonna and Taylor Swift are multi-millionaires. Life is sure not fair. Their success proves a ridiculous gimmick and artifice seems more important to the general public than actual talent and having a great voice.

The Best.

Repost:

I think this is a tremendous version of a song I've loved since my teenage years.

lordy mercy he is beyond fug

Ugh..no...just NO

This. It's a shame Lauryn Hill went downhill in the ensuing decades.

Eye In The Sky by Parralox

About OP's post: I will never understand the popularity of "Big Yellow Taxi," a cutesy song that gets cuter every single time I hear it, which is way, way too often. Joni's cutesy giggle at the end may be the worst moment in her recording career.

Adam Duritz has an obscene mouth. In OP's photo, what, exactly, is he about to do? Eat the microphone? Blow the microphone?

Smooth Criminal

I’m on Fire covered by Tori Amos

Proud Mary covered by Tina and Ike

What about the indecent song covers?

CCR - I heard it through the grapevine

[quote]Eye In The Sky by Parralox

Nice one. I like their cover of "The Number One Song in Heaven" better than the original.

As good as Disturbed's version of "Sound of Silence" is, I'm most grateful for it inspiring the Pentatonix version.

Big thanks to whoever shared the Norbert Leo Butz cover. I'll be listening to that all day.

Parralox... Pentatonix... are these, cameras?

Ask your doctor if Parralox is right for you!

I hated this song until I heard it sung by someone with a decent voice. Now I think it's good-cheesy and not annoying-cheesy.

Pentatonix always seems so smug, overwrought, and humorless.

↑ a new level of self-awareness ↑

Robyn's cover of Hyperballad was nice but she didn't do anything new/different with the song. Björk's cover of Joni Mitchell's "Boho Dance" is more interesting.

Always liked a-ha's cover of The Everly Brothers' "Crying in the Rain" -- especially live with Anneli Drecker providing harmony.

Valerie - Amy Winehouse

peformance art?

I love Peter Gabriel. In fact, I never heard any Harry Styles before this version of "Sledgehammer." Damn, this kid is good.

I like his cover of "Juice" (he actually sings it whereas Lizzo's vocal is less driving). But nothing else I've heard from him has grabbed me.

And of course Lizzo returned the favor

John Cale covering Nico's Frozen Warnings.

Ok going way back and to a different language with this one, but Luis Miguel's Alguien Como Tu, a Spanish version of Diane Warren's Someone In Your Life, is more enjoyable than Peabo Bryon's ballady version of it

R165 good one

Better than The Eagles and Linda!

[quote]lordy mercy he is beyond fug

Who the hell are you talking about?

Why did I think this was John Mayer that did the cover of Big Yellow Taxi?

[quote]I love Peter Gabriel. In fact, I never heard any Harry Styles before this version of "Sledgehammer." Damn, this kid is good.

Isn't a cover song supposed to bring something different to the original? Isn't a band, or singer, supposed do their own take on a cover version? Much in the same way the person upthread complained that Robyn's version of Bjork's Hyperballad "didn't do anything new/different with the song", neither did Harry. He even sounded a bit like Peter Gabriel! Next time he needs to pick a more difficult Peter Gabriel song.

Harry and his band basically performed the Peter Gabriel version note for note, like a cover band, what's the point?

Harry's band is excellent, I will give him that much.

Such a depth of knowledge about midcentury rock music on here. Found a number of gems.

Speaking of midcentury musicians, Johnny Cash's cover on Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" is a classic

Kyle Craft's take on Leonard Cohen's "Chelsea Hotel #2" - he has a great voice for this song

Unexpected cover of Alice Cooper's "Only Women Bleed" by Etta James, turns it into an almost-blues song

And in a similar vein, Bettye Lavette covering The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me" with Daltrey and Townsend (and for some reason, Streisand) in the audience.

Still baffled as to why some YouTube links show up with preview thumbnails on DL and others don't. I'm working on the theory that videos with ads on them don't show up as thumbnails.

Nancy Wilson and Peabo Bryson cover Sondheim’s Loving You

[Quote] Isn't a cover song supposed to bring something different to the original?

Actually, no. Cover versions were designed to eclipse the original and win a chart battle.

Reba McEntire - Fancy

Another one--- Killers do a fairly faithful rendition of Dire Straits while updating it, Brandon Flowers is almost rapping the lyrics (spoken word?) and they pick up the pace little too.

^^Dire Straits "Romeo and Juliet"

Another unexpected one: Lemonheads Evan Dando covering Abba's "Knowing Me, Knowing You" --the acoustic guitar turns it into a completely different song.

Taylor Swift - Riptide

R178 I would totally watch a YouTube channel called Chart Battle, where a song and it’s covers and how they compete are discussed.

Jessie J - MIchael Jackson’s Rock with you

WHET the YouTube previews?

Without them, threads like this look like long series of empty grey boxes.

Thanks to the posters who wrote in titles, original performers, and cover version performers.

Boyce Avenue are the Cover Kings--that's all they do and they have a huge audience for it.

Their take on 1D's "What Makes You Beautiful" is one of their best, they slow it down to an acoustic ballad with just a few guitar chords as background to singer's voice.

I think Muriel turns off YouTube previews periodically.

[quote]Actually, no. Cover versions were designed to eclipse the original and win a chart battle.

That's a total load of bollocks.

A cover song, especially when being done by an already well known band or a famous singer, is basically supposed to bring something different to the original. A cover version can even be performed in a different style of music than the original, doing so, shows talent and vision.

A cover song should not necessarily "eclipse the original and win a chart battle", how silly and absurd. Are you 12?

No, you twit. "Cover version" meant a version of the song to cover/render the original less successful in the charts.

[Quote] A cover version can even be performed in a different style of music than the original, doing so, shows talent and vision. A cover song should not necessarily "eclipse the original and win a chart battle", how silly and absurd. Are you 12?

You have little sense of popular music history.

For example. Here is "Eddie My Love" by The Teen Queens, a black group. It was released in Jan 1956.

A cover version by the Fontane Sisters was rush released on the heels of the original.

The intent by Dot Records was to cover not only the song but THE RECORD by the Teen Queens. The Fontane Sisters peaked at #11 on the Hot 100, while the Teen Queens rose to #14.

Lorde - Silver Springs cover of Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac song. I don't know much about Lorde or her singing voice but, this live performance with the big soul singer women picking up the brunt of the song. i love the gospel back up singer women like Elvis had. You know? When I heard this rock and soul version I was blown away. Whether you like Stevie or not she's not an easy act to follow except for the country landslide. My favorites by her are the c/w After The Glitter Fades and Gypsy.

Speaking of Lorde, here's "Royals."

[quote]You have little sense of popular music history.

This moron is even MORE clueless about cover versions: "No, you twit. "Cover version" meant a version of the song to cover/render the original less successful in the charts."

Wow, so many in this thread know so little about pop music in general. Most cover versions are usually never huge hits like the original artist's version of a song. Again, what totally clueless responses.

R191, you don't anything about me. People like R191 seem to love to argue about the things they know so little about. A cover version should always bring a new take on the original. The cover version need not improve or be 'better' than the original, just different and perhaps make clueless people seek out the original recording. End of discussion.

For example, ALL these versions of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood are EXCELLENT: The Animals, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity and Joe Cocker. ALL these versions are worth hearing. Nina Simone did the original version, in 1964. It goes without saying, Nina's version is amazing.

I've actually worked in the music biz, over 30 years. How old are you 20? A teen? I also have many working musicians in my family, an uncle was a record producer and there are currently in-demand session musicians in my family.

I reckon I know a hell of a lot about many genres of music than most people arguing here. I sure know more about what makes a record successful.

It's laughable to post that a cover version :"meant a version of the song to cover/render the original less successful in the charts."

Where the hell do some of you conjure up such utter bullshit? 😂 🤣😂 🤣

[Quote] A cover version should always bring a new take on the original.

How are you going to enforce your little rule?

[Quote] I've actually worked in the music biz, over 30 years.

Then you should know the origin of the term "cover version."

Eurythmics - Something In The Air. One thing Annie didn't ruin.

[quote]Dylan's tunes sound so much better when they are coming out of the mouth of someone else.

So true!

[quote]Dylan's tunes sound so much better when they are coming out of the mouth of someone else.

Same with Joni Mitchell. Once someone else rid the song of her airy-fairy style, you realized she had some good songs.

The first time I heard this, I thought it was brilliant. I interpreted it as a shy boy questioning his sexuality.

Shawn Mendes' cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You".

Sloop John B by Josh Lee Turner and the touring cast of Simon & Garfunkel. Live from the back of a tour bus. Very impressive.

Aretha’s I say a little prayer for you

[quote]Aretha’s I say a little prayer for you

Yuck! Aretha makes the back up singers do all the heavy lifting. And the few bits she does "sing" she sounds like a screaming seal.

Whitney’s I’m Every Woman

Gus Gus covering Depeche Mode's Monument.

Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2U

Wow, R70! I'm a Donna Summer lover, and I'd never heard/seen that. Now I've listened to/watched it three times. Thank you!

Whitney always skipped out on singing the bridge to "I'm Every Woman" live. She didn't have the range.

Itchycoo Park

Now that the Christmas season is here, here's the only good cover of Fairytale Of New York, covered by by the Whistlin' Donkeys and Maria Connolly:

Berlin Project's ska cover of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice"

If ska is not your thing, The Gourds do a country/bluegrass cover of Gin and Juice

Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Creep

Leona Lewis - Run (Snow Patrol)

Martin Gore - In a Manner of Speaking (Tuxedomoon)

All Angels - Nothing Compares 2 U

Mari Wilson - Cry Me A River.

Morrissey doing Laura Nyro's classic "Wedding Bell Blues"

Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (Avril Lavigne)

“In the Morning” (Bee Gees cover live version from 1968) by Nina Simone.

Toni Basil's "Mickey" (originally "Kitty" by Racey)

Another one by Pet Shop Boys ... Always on My Mind.

Orville Peck covers Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy, heartbreak, this time with a Country twang, ensues.

Do Me Baby, Prince cover

I think Grace Jone’s version of “La Vie en Rose” is fantastic. She sings/interprets that song as though she wrote it herself.

Funny you say that as Jones aped the singer for whom the track was intended.

The Communards - Never Can Say Goodbye

Push The Button - The Worst Cover Band Of The World

Romeo Void's version of "Wrap It Up" (Sam & Dave)

Steps does the Bee Gees - Tragedy

Jackie Trent's big, brassy ballad version of "It's Not Unusual"

Bruce Springsteen covers The Bee Gees

Dance/club versions of slower ballads can be hit or miss, usually more of the latter, but I really liked this upbeat version of Coldplay's Viva La Vida.

russell watson - volare

Pet Shop Boys - Go West

Cake - I Will Survive

Erasure - S.O.S.

R240 see r165

The lounge version of Baby Got Back by Richard Cheese

Just discovered this great cover/medley of The Royalettes/Deniece Williams' 'It's Gonna Take A Miracle' and Little Anthony & The Imperials' 'I'm On The Outside (Looking In)' done as a medley.

You don't own me - The Blow Monkeys

I've always loved this Hi-NRG cover of The Monkees' '(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone' by Modern Rocketry.

Dwight Yoakam - Suspicious Minds

Love this cover of Velvet Underground's 'Femme Fatale' by Genevieve Waite (produced by John Phillips). Even better than the original!

I've been listening to this soulful cover of 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' by (Aretha's sister) Erma Franklin for so many years that I have no idea who did the original. Glen Campbell? Who cares!

The only version of 'New York State Of Mind' I've ever cared about was recorded by Johnny Mathis. Sorry Billy Joel!

Emma Bunton - Crickets Sing For Anamaria

Karen really brings out the pathos of the song, but you also sense she is singing her own truth. “And as for fortune and as for fame, I never invited them in, though they seemed to the world they were all I desired.”

Cher - Walking in Memphis

Cher wasn’t the originator of Walking in Memphis? How can that possibly be?

Favorite Cher cover #1: Her early 70s take on the Jazz standard 'By Myself'. Love her vocals here and Sonny Bono's arrangement.

Sonny did arrangements? Like Richard Carpenter? Did not know that!

Favorite Cher cover #2: Her Late 60s cover of Bonnie Bramlett's 'Groupie (Superstar)'. Bonnie's version will always be my favorite but Cher's is in my Top 5 versions of this song. Unlike Karen Carpenter, Cher (and her arranger) got it right. The song's about a tough Groupie Chick who fell in love after the one night stand. The Carpenters took it an entirely different place. I like the earlier versions more.

Yes, 256. Sonny was never a singer. He was actually a talented musician/arranger who worked closely with Phil Spector early in his career. His arrangements all had a distinctive sound and were heavy on the drums. Here's a great example, an early Cher single 'Dream Baby'.

Kim Gordon doing Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" karaoke-style as part of her side project Ciccone Youth. I'm sure Madonna had this video in mind when she performed Express Yourself in military drag on the Reinvention Tour

Love this although I don't speak a word of French.

The Sweet - Relections

Bananarama - Nathan Jones

R3 The Mike Flowers Pops - Wonderwall

R263 I literally just heard this last night and had now clue who sang it. It is so awesome! Thanks!!

Unfortunately, there is no long version of this available, but Katherine Ho does a great version of Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You in Mandarin for a Panda Express commercial.

^^^ Sorry, here's the video.

Aretha covers Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell

Gloria Estefan - Everlasting Love

Metallica performs Ennio Morricone's 'Ecstasy of Gold' from 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' film score.

A bit OT, but I never understood the accolades given to The Carpenters. They were mediocre popsters at best. They produced bland music, they had no actual image. They made disposable pop music. I'd compare them with someone as dull as Taylor Swift, her success is also incomprehensible.

Karen's voice was so bland, there was nothing unique about it. Their music was incredibly MOR and extremely depressing. I cringe when I hear their music. It's amazing that so many talented and famous musicians seem to praise them. There have also been tribute albums. Weird.

They tortured the song Superstar. Karen couldn't be any more off in her interpretation of that song.

I'm totally baffled. I have actually working musicians in my family, session musicians and touring musicians, they are as baffled as I am.

Shoop Shoop Song

Carpenters - Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (written and recorded by a band called Klaatu)

[quote]Carpenters - Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (written and recorded by a band called Klaatu)

Please, STOP!

[Quote] They made disposable pop music.

And yet, their music has lasted.

Blondie - "Denis"

(Clem on drums, one of the best.)

Foo Fighters covering Drake's "Hotline Bling" as part of their Hanukkah Series

(

A bit more out there, from the same series

Foo Fighters cover Peaches' "Fuck The Pain Away"

Two male singers dark reworkings of two different famous songs. Both are spine-tingling.

1. Lyle Lovett's version of 'Mack the Knife'

2. Frank Ocean turns 'Hotel California' into 'American Wedding'. Banned because jealous Eagles don't understand what a hommage is.

McFly, 'You're The One That I Want'.

Quite a sexy take, but still with all the campy fun of the original. There's two male vocalists, so it's pretty gay.

Norman Connors (featuring Phyllis Hyman) 'Betcha By Golly Wow' - The recording that put Phyllis Hyman on the map. A lot of people think that the original version was by The Stylistics, who had the hit version, but it was actually first recorded years earlier by Connie Stevens as 'Keep Growing Stronger'.

For reference here's Connie Stevens' 'Keep Growing Strong' aka 'Betcha By Golly Wow'.

Lisa Stansfield covering Phyllis Hyman’s You know how to love me

R281 Prince did the best version of, 'Betcha By Golly Wow!', on his EMANCIPATION record.

Just, ignore the ridiculous music video.

Queens Of The Stone Age do some killer covers.

Their sultry and slinky take on 'Never Say Never', originally by the criminally-underrated Romeovoid, is up there.

QOTSA also ably covered The Kinks 'Who'll Be The Next In Line?', giving it some raw raspy rockabilly flavour.

I’m sorry but Phyllis Hyman may be the most talented person who ever existed, but with a name like that I can never get past it to actually listen to her.

How silly of you.

While The Captain and Tennille's breakout hit was a Neil Sedaka cover, here is Toni Tennille doing Smokey Robinson.

No, I cannot explain the dress.

Love Spit Love - How Soon Is Now

After the Psychedelic Furs went on "hiatus" lead singer Richard Butler formed a new band, Love Spit Love. They were asked to record this cover for the soundtrack of The Craft, and of course it was used as the theme song for Charmed.

Shake from The Supremes' album: We Remember Sam Cooke

Lola Falana adds a little soul to Peggy Lee (start at 4:30)

Song starts at 1.02

I don’t know who this is or what show they are referencing, does London have a Britney Jukebox musical?, but this by far elevate the original.

Annie Lennox - River Deep, Mountain High

I think there's a Max Martin juke box musical.

Bossa Nova Beatles - Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66 - Daytripper (sung by Lani Hall and Bibi Vogel)

Alex Newell - Boogie Shoes

Blondie + Philip Glass

Heart of Glass - Crabtree Remix

Strawberry Fields Forever by Candy Flip

R300 The Soup Dragons - I'm Free

This is becoming a hit this month - Ritt Momney's cover of Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On"

^^and to answer the inevitable question, Ritt is a 20 year old Mormon from SLC

Stones covering Dylan

Bryan Adams played 'Wild Thing' at least a dozen times during his 1990s lives.

He and his band give it a space-rocky, bombastic resonance and a celebratory slant. It's pretty different.

^^and to return that serve; Aurea does a fantastic cover of Bryan Adams' early forgotten disco cut, 'Don't Ya Say It'.

Love how she makes it kind of loungey and with a 50s-60s sound.

Phoebe Snow - Every Night

Cathy Dennis reworks Fonda Rae's "Touch Me (All Night Long)"

The same f***ing person is posting all these songs. Just stop already! Most of these covers you post are shit.

R309 so simple, don’t listen to it.

Trini Lopez - If I Had a Hammer

@ R309 Sheena Easton - Jimmy Mack

Chaka Khan’s I feel for you

“The Immigrant Song” by Karen O, Trent Raznor and Atticus Ross

Tori Amos - Whole Lotta Love/Thank You mash-up

T - Like a Prayer

T - Livin’ On a Prayer

T - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Big Black - The Model (Kraftwerk)

Bonnie Pointer's Disco remake of the Elgin's "Heaven Must Have Sent You"

This would have been a great cover if Donna Summer didn't keep calling it MacArthur's Park.

The Jackson 5's "Never Can Say Goodbye" by the Communards

Goin' Out of My Head - Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66

Goin' Out of My Head - Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66

Dead or Alive’s cover of ”That’s the Way I Like It” is one of the few covers that it better than the original IMO.

Natalie Imbruglia - Torn

Bananarama - Venus

You can always tell when someone who was young in the eighties has invaded the thread.

"Kiss" - Tom Jones and Art of Noise

"Kiss" - Tom Jones and Art of Noise

If you could read my mind

No Doubt - It’s my life

Vengaboys - Shalala

R331 That shit is terrible. It's a sad folk love song. They've turned it into a fast tempo dance pop debacle

I like the Viola Wills version.

Fern Kinney - Groove Me

BOY TOWN GANG - Can't Take My Eyes Off You

I like this cover of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You

Over the rainbow

M People’s Padlock

Itchycoo Park

Willie Hutch - California My Way

Willie wrote the song but it was first recorded by the 5th Dimension in 1967 and his version didn't come out until 1973.

Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods - Who Do You Think You Are

R323 The Word - The Carnival - (1969)

I still can't get over OP. That's literally one of the worst, most shiteous covers of a song ever recorded, and s/he started the thread with it?

SLAP!

[quote] Ritt Momney's cover of Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On"

A terrible, terrible version.

Fine Young Cannibals takes on "Suspicious Minds" with backing vocals by Jimmy Sommerville.

R309 Girls Aloud - Jump

From the Jamiroquai thread.

Jay Kay and his amazing band's version of Bad Girls, live in Verona Italy, 2002. In the pouring rain no less.

It's amazing. It's also amazing no one in the band got electrocuted!

Not that amazing.

[quote]Not that amazing.

Really 'Miss Ross'?

Bad Girls was by Donna Summer not Diana Ross! It was actually Donna's most famous album. Give up your gay card kid.

If you posted that torturous Tori Amos shit upthread, no wonder you don't have a fucking clue.

[Quote] Really 'Miss Ross'?

Really.

[Quote] Really 'Miss Ross'?

Really.

Donna Summer

R349 Thanks for that. Loved it! R354 That's way better than the original or Chrissy Hynde version.

Thanks R349, had never seen that!

Feeling Good - George Michael

The screen cap at the top of this thread is unaccountably annoying. I think it’s the tongue.

Marilyn Manson

I'm still offended that some sad, demented soul thought the Counting Crows' version of Big Yellow Taxi was "decent."

It is AURAL RAPE!

R359 Really? That's a terrible cover. But then again so is the original.

Rozalla - I Love Music (1994)

Head this recently and really like it

[quote][R359] Really? That's a terrible cover. But then again so is the original.

You do know who did the original, don't you? It wasn't Soft Cell.

r150, weren't they the original artists?

I have a soft spot for Kim Basinger's version of Let's Do It from "The Marrying Man"

^on second thoughts I guess standards don't count, disregard!

R103 I'm so glad I found this thread. On my first night of college, I went to a frat party and the first song I heard was "Summertime" but I never knew who was performing it. That is the version I heard. I always thought it was appropriate since it was at the College of Charleston.

R365 No. And CCR wasn’t even the first to cover the song.

Marty Casey during the Rock Star INXS competition covering Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby One More Time"

Did you ever think you'd hear a salsa version of a song by The Cure?

No Doubt’s cover of It’s My Life was, is an abomination. My life long loathing of Geen Stefanik is justified.

I’m loving many of these recommendations. Also feeling very old and slightly sad. Mary!

Just like heaven

The Staple Singers covering Talking Heads' "Slippery People"

King of Pain by Alanis Morisette. Enjoy her vocals much better than Sting. Less poppy than the original.

[quote] King of Pain by Alanis Morisette.

I prefer Alanis' cover of "My Humps."

Wherever I lay my hat (That’s my Home). Paul Young Marvin Gaye’s original is jaunty and fun, but Young’s version is more how you would expect Gaye to ding the song.

George Michael’s cover of Roxanne

Blonde Twink Nipple Flash....2:27 mark....You're welcome...

r96 I also like this version of Jolene from Goth-Pop group Strawberry Switchblade.

This ....Must have been Love......A slow romantic version.....

R378 Interesting. Thanks!

Landslide

Every time I see this I want to slap the OP.

George Benson - The Other Side of Abbey Road

This entire album is astonishing from start to finish.

This lady is right in the pocket.

CORVYX's version of "Anyone"

R379

That video is more transcendental than anything Sting ever attempted.

Nirvana does Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World"

[quote][R150], weren't they the original artists?

You seriously thought Creedence Clearwater Revival made the original version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"?

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a single in September 1967. It went to number one on the Billboard R&B Singles chart and number two on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and shortly became the biggest selling Motown single to date.

The Miracles were the first to record the song in 1966, but their version wasn't released until August 1968 when it was included on their album Special Occasion.

The Marvin Gaye version was the second to be recorded, in the beginning of 1967, but only the third to be released. It was placed on his 1968 album In the Groove, a year and a half later, where it gained the attention of radio disc jockeys, and Motown founder Berry Gordy finally agreed to its release as a single in October 1968, when it went to the top of the Billboard Pop Singles chart for seven weeks from December 1968 to January 1969 and overtook the Gladys Knight & the Pips' version of being the biggest hit single on the Motown label (Tamla).

The Gaye recording has since become an acclaimed soul classic.

In 1998 the song was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant" value. In 2004, it was placed 81 on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. And on the commemorative fortieth anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100 issue of Billboard magazine in June 2008, Marvin Gaye's "Grapevine" was ranked sixty-fifth.

In addition to being released several times by Motown artists, the song has been recorded by a range of musicians including Creedence Clearwater Revival, who made an eleven-minute interpretation for their 1970 album, Cosmo's Factory."

Queens of the Stone Age do Romeo Void's "Never Say Never" (I might like you better if we slept together).

The Slits version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine is my favorite.

The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" ... Spencer's in love with Alistair on Glee.

The Sweet’s version of “Reflections”.

The Sweet, “Tom Tom Turn Around”.

Couple of British boys do Martha and the Vandellas.

God, Mick Jagger has a large mouth.. lol

“Reach out, I’ll be there” - what was left of Sweet with Paul Mario Day of Iron Maiden on vocals.

“Reach out, I’ll be there” - what was left of Sweet with Paul Mario Day of Iron Maiden on lead vocals.

The only way is Up

Culture Club’s cover of David Bowie’s ‘Starman’

Creep

Here's one that's cool, a little bizarre, and certainly a different arrangement.

Peggy Lee does Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People"

Sly's version came out November 1968; Peggy did this May 1969.

Peter Gabriel’s cover of ‘The Book of Love’, originally written and performed by the gay singer-songwriter, Stephen Merritt

^ StephIn

Garbage & Screaming Females do "Because The Night"

Eddie Vedder’s “Room at the Top”

Losing my religion

R.E.M. does The Troggs' "Love is All Around Me"

Rock with you

Phil Everly's version of "The Air I Breathe", which was released in between the original version, written and sung by Albert Hammond, and the more famous version released by The Hollies.

Everly's version was produced by Duane Eddy, arranged by Warren Zevon, and had James Burton on guitar. It's said to be the version that inspired The Hollies to record the song.

Love is a battlefield

Lulu did Bowie.

French chanteuse Imany’s rendition, with 8 cellos, of this Madge classic does take it to a whole different level

Fleetwood Mac’s Everywhere

George Michael's cover of Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me

Siouxsie and the Banshees doing Bob Dylan's "This Wheel's on Fire" - Top of the Pops - 1987

Old Man

We're not in Kansas anymore.

Teenage Michael Jackson did a decent job on the original, but it's a great song that was crying out for an interpretation by an actual adult who had some clue as to what the song was about. Chaka tore it up and made the MJ version seem like a corny novelty.

R225 Another cover of that cover is Zebrahead's version of "Mickey" - which took Basil's version, yet left lyrics as she sang them, so it's actually a guy singing about another guy.

I always thought it would be fun to see a version of Basil's video with a male cheerleader singing about his downlow relationship with the closeted captain of the football team ..lol.

It's quite a bit faster with more of a pop punk spin.

Cyndi's Prince cover should have been a hit:

Laura Branigan and her drag friends:

Did Laura Branigan ever say no to covering someone else's hit?

David Byrne:

George Harrison did a cute version of the old Bing Crosby/Grace Kelly duet, "True Love"

Gentlemen Prefer Barbara.

Janet - Tonight’s The Night

Pretenders' cover of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young."

Pet Shop Boys "It's A Sin" done by Elton and Years & Years (Olly Alexander).

Dolores O’Riordan covering Fleetwood Mac's Go Your Own Way. I get goosebumps listening to this.

Blondie - Denis

Footage from rehearsal.

Sam Ryder - This Woman's Work

Carly Simon & James Taylor do Inez & Charlie Foxx's rendering of "Mockingbird"

Wombats - Running up that hill

Aretha Franklin's Bridge Over Troubled Water

Ry Cooder's cover of Johnny Cash's Get Rhythm

Nillson's cover of Badfinger's "Without You". Don't even get me started on Mariah Carey's version. Blech!

Groovin’

Silk Sonic's cover of "Love's Train"

Shanice - Lovin' You

emmylou harris - on the radio

Let's Hear It For The Boy

Pink - Hopelessly Devoted To You

Vienna

How 'Bout Us

Richard Cheese, "WAP"

swipe your nose like a credit card on Steve & Eydie singing Black Hole Sun

Disturbed - Sound of Silence

Hell David Draiman killed that live, too.

Wtf?