New York Post put together their unranked top 100 all time covers, and of course it’s a mixed bag. Throw together a list of 100 anythings and you’re bound to hit on the necessities (Jimi’s “All Along the Watchtower,” Jeff’s “Hallelujah,” Ry’s “Wonderwall,” the Talking Heads’ “Take Me To The River” … even Luna’s “Sweet Child O’Mine”!) — but Alien Ant Farm? Orgy? There’s a reason you don’t hear those anymore, NYP. Here’s 10…
01 “Stairway to Heaven” – Dolly Parton (Led Zeppelin)
02 “Baby Got Back” – Jonathan Coulton (Sir Mix-A-Lot)
03 “Hazy Shade of Winter” – The Bangles (Simon and Garfunkel)
04 “Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinead O’Connor (Prince)
05 “Showroom Dummies” – Señor Coconut & His Orchestra (Kraftwerk)
06 “Smooth Criminal” – Alien Ant Farm (Michael Jackson)
07 “Personal Jesus” – Johnny Cash (Depeche Mode)
08 “Against All Odds” – The Postal Service (Phil Collins)
09 “Easy (Like Sunday Morning)” – Faith No More (The Commodores)
10 “Tainted Love” – Soft Cell (Gloria Jones)
90 more after the jump.
11 “Tainted Love” – Marilyn Manson (Gloria Jones)
12 “Under Pressure” – My Chemical Romance and the Used (Queen and David Bowie)
13 “Mah Na Mah Na” – Cake (Piero Umiliani)
14 “Wicked Game” – H.I.M. (Chris Isaak)
15 “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” – Muse (The Smiths)
16 “Blue Monday” – Orgy (New Order)
17 “Satisfaction” – Devo (The Rolling Stones)
18 “I Want Candy” – Good Charlotte (The Strangeloves)
19 “How Soon Is Now” – Love Spit Love (The Smiths)
20 “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Paul Anka (Nirvana)
21 “Walk” – Avenged Sevenfold (Pantera)
22 “Let Down” – Radiodread (Radiohead)
23 “Crazy Train” – Bullet for My Valentine (Ozzy Osbourne)
24 “All Along the Watchtower” – Jimi Hendrix (Bob Dylan)
25 “Helpless” – k.d. lang (Neil Young)
26 “Louie Louie” – The Kingsmen (Richard Berry)
27 “Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)” – The Doors (Weill/Brecht)
28 “Wonderwall” – Ryan Adams (Oasis)
29 “Take Me to the River” – Talking Heads (Al Green)
30 “Walk This Way” – Run DMC (Aerosmith)
31 “Me and Bobby McGee” – Janis Joplin (Kris Kristofferson)
32 “Gloria” – Patti Smith (Van Morrison’s Them)
33 “I Fought the Law” – The Clash (Bobby Fuller Four)
34 “Star-Spangled Banner” – Jimi Hendrix (Francis Scott Key)
35 “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” – Saint Etienne (Neil Young)
36 “Bring Tha Noize” – Anthrax (Public Enemy)
37 “Satisfaction” – Cat Power (Rolling Stones)
38 “You’re No Good” – Linda Ronstadt (Betty Everett)
39 “Another Brick in the Wall Parts 1, 2, 3″ – Korn (Pink Floyd)
40 “Hallelujah” – Jeff Buckley (Leonard Cohen)
41 “My Way” – Sid Vicious (Frank Sinatra)
42 “Always on My Mind” – Pet Shop Boys (Brenda Lee)
43 “Oh, Pretty Woman” – Van Halen (Roy Orbison)
44. “. . . Baby One More Time” – Travis (Britney Spears)
45 “Boys of Summer” – The Ataris (Don Henley)
46 “Eight Miles High” – Roxy Music (The Byrds)
47 “Superstar” – Sonic Youth (The Carpenters)
48 “John the Revelator” – Depeche Mode (Spiritual)
49 “My Favorite Things” – John Coltrane (Mary Martin)
50 “If You Leave” – Nada Surf (OMD)
51 “Everybody’s Talking” – Harry Nilsson (Fred Neil)
52 “Respect” – Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding)
53 “Crazy Mary” – Pearl Jam (Victoria Williams)
54 “Working Class Hero” – Green Day (John Lennon)
55 “Comfortably Numb” – Scissor Sisters (Pink Floyd)
56 “Jolene” – The White Stripes (Dolly Parton)
57 “Darling Nikki” – Foo Fighters (Prince)
58 “Spider-Man” – The Ramones (for 1967 TV cartoon series)
59 “I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston (Dolly Parton)
60 “It Was A Very Good Year” – William Shatner (Frank Sinatra)
61 “Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Luna (Guns N’ Roses)
62 “Landslide” – Dixie Chicks (Fleetwood Mac)
63 “King of the Road” – R.E.M. (Roger Miller)
64 “Nobody Does It Better” – Radiohead (Carly Simon)
65. “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding” – Elvis Costello and the Attractions (Nick Lowe)
66 “Stop Your Sobbing” – The Pretenders (The Kinks)
67 “I Shall Be Released” – The Band (Bob Dylan)
68 “Chelsea Hotel” – Lloyd Cole (Leonard Cohen)
69 “Proud Mary” – Ike and Tina Turner (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
70 “Just” – Mark Ronson with Alex Greenwald (Radiohead)
71 “Jimmy Loves MaryAnn” – Josie Cotton (Looking Glass)
72 “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” – Elton John (The Beatles)
73 “Venus” – Bananarama (Shocking Blue)
74 “Jackie Blue” – Smashing Pumpkins (Ozark Mountain Daredevils)
75 “Love Hurts” – Nazareth (The Everly Brothers)
76 “Blinded by the Light” – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Bruce Springsteen)
77 “Baker Street” – Foo Fighters (Gerry Rafferty)
78 “Ain’t That a Shame” – Cheap Trick (Fats Domino)
79 “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” – Isaac Hayes (Glen Campbell)
80 “Dear Prudence” – Siouxsie and the Banshees (The Beatles)
81 “Twist and Shout” – The Beatles (The Isley Brothers)
82 “Helter Skelter” – U2 (The Beatles)
83 “Imagine” – A Perfect Circle (John Lennon)
84 “Eleanor Rigby” – Thrice (The Beatles)
85 “Live and Let Die” – Guns N’ Roses (Wings)
86 “With a Little Help From My Friends” – Joe Cocker (The Beatles)
87 “Hurt” – Johnny Cash (Nine Inch Nails)
88 “Enjoy the Silence” – Lacuna Coil (Depeche Mode)
89 “I Will Survive” – Cake (Gloria Gaynor)
90 “Rock el Casbah” – Rachid Taha (The Clash)
91 “Sex (I’m A)” – Peaches (Berlin)
92 “Caldonia” – Mos Def (Cab Calloway)
93 “Wasted” – Camper Van Beethoven (Black Flag)
94 “Low Rider” – Drunken Boat (War)
95 “Turn, Turn, Turn” – The Byrds (Pete Seeger)
96 “Don’t Give Up” – Willie Nelson & Sinead O’Connor (Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush)
97 “Glamorous Life” – The Fever (Sheila E.)
98 “Stairway to Heaven” – Rodrigo y Gabriela (Led Zeppelin)
99 “Since U Been Gone” – Ted Leo (Kelly Clarkson)
100 “Star Wars Theme” – Bill Murray (John Williams)
We’ll start on the inevitable omissions thread: “Heartbeats” – José Gonzales (The Knife).
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Close your italics, please!
gibbard’s complicated needs to be up there
personal jesus over hurt? by that sort of margin? never.
they’re unranked.
and fuck yes @ jonathan coulton.
Every one of The Beatles cover versions up there that I’ve heard is awful. (Haven’t heard the Siouxsie or Thrice ones.) I’ve heard good Beatles covers, but those ain’t it.
My votes: Pavement- “Camera”; The Shins – “We Will Become Silhouettes”; Cat Power – “I Found A Reason”.
Also, Lovage > Peaches.
ok.
wheres tori amos ‘teen spirit’?
why isn’t ryan adams number one?!?
why isn’t that followed by jeff buckley?!?
wheres ‘thirteen’ by elliott smith
oh, and i agree on gibbard doing ‘complicated’
add to that his version of billy braggs ‘st. swithins day’.
‘Post’ is an acronym for ‘piece-of-shit tabloid’.
I hated the Alien Ant Farm cover. Having every radio station + MTV play it nonstop didn’t help matters.
Paul Anka? Since when did he cover Nirvana? Everyone knows, including the late Kurt, along with Kris and Grohl how cool her version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was. Hell, even her version of Led Zeppelin tunes and anything she covers are worth checkin out.
And I would’ve put Gibbard’s version of “Complicated” up there too, but he never recorded it in studio, to my knowledge. Then again, did Ted Leo do a studio verjon of “Since You’ve Been Gone?”
Lastly, I’M SHOCKED that anybody remembered the Smashing Pumpkins’ kickass version of “Jackie Blue” enough to include it on any list, but I’m more surprised that SP/Billy’s version of “Landslide” didn’t make the cut, since it was a considerably more popular cover – and one of their best.
i have issues with this list but I have to admit Dolly’s cover of “Stairway to Heaven” is pretty damn brilliant.
So much of this list is the suck but I’ll take the bait…
I second the fuck yes @ Jonathan Coulton.
If these were ranked then Johnny Cash’s Hurt should be at the very top for taking a good song and making it epic.
A few (of the many) corrections I’d like to see:
-The Travis cover of “…Baby One More Time” jettisoned for the Fountains of Wayne version.
-Replacing one Manfred Mann Springteen cover “Blinded By the Light” with another “For You.”
-Adding Kirsty MacColl’s upbeat cover of Billy Bragg’s “A New England.” (may The Atari’s rot in peace…)
i’m surprised “because the night” by patti smith (originally by bruce springsteen) isn’t #1.
Johnny Cash “I See A Darkness” (Will Oldham)
John Cale “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen)
(Buckley’s version blows!)
Johnny Cash “I See A Darkness” (Will Oldham)
John Cale “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen)
(Buckley’s version blows!)
#100 http://www.blueharvest.net/sound/ Bill Murray ….pretty funny
but why did they recognize that ?
Elliott Smith – Jealous Guy
Ben Folds – Bitches Aint Shit – now that is a cover. Shit list.
Sufjan Stevens- What Goes On
Stevie Wonder- We Can Work It Out
Otis Redding- Day Tripper
It seems like they just listed the first hundred covers they could think of…
What a very questionable list.
The Rodrigo y Gabriela version of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is the best version of that song out there – although Stanley Jordan’s are arguably more impressive to watch.
I completely agree with the person above questioning the Johnny Cash choice.
If you want a Jeff Buckley cover, yes, ‘Hallelujah’ is classic, but his version of ‘The way young lovers do’ is quite possibly the best cover ever.
Muse, they did a fantastic version of that Frankie Valli number, ‘can’t take my eyes off you’ I think it was called.
However, it was nice to see ‘blue monday’ followed by ‘satisfaction’ up near the top.
They should have thought about putting Pantera’s version of ‘Planet caravan’ up there and System of a Down’s take on ‘Snowblind’ (both originally Black Sabbath).
Oh, just noticed ‘Hurt’ is up there, and Ted Leo’s take on ‘Since u been gone’, that’s all good to see at least.
They missed “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” by They Might Be Giants, “Hounds of Love” by The Futureheads, and Will Ferrell’s and/or Alanis Morisette’s renditions of “My Humps”
that’s officially the worst list I’ve ever seen.
grizzly bear’s covers of “owner of a lonely heart” and “he hit me (and it felt like a kiss)”?
Awful list… although the lyrics are slightly different it is, in my mind, still a cover…
“Dazed & Confused” – Led Zeppelin (Jake Holmes)
Dolly’s “Stairway to Heaven” really is fun–like cotton candy with a whiskey chaser. But for some genuine bliss seek out Roberta Flack’s “Suzanne.” Seriously.
The Fugees: Killing Me Softly
Nirvana: Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
Nirvana: Man Who Sold the World
probably a ton of others i’m missing, but those three omissions jumped out at me. And how does William Shatner get a mention for anything other than Rocket Man?
Much as I love My Chemical Romance, their cover of “Under Pressure” with the Used shouldn’t be up there . Same with “Another Brick in the Wall Parts 1, 2, 3 -Korn”. =/
Peace love and Understanding should be in the top 10.
Crayola, you must be incredibly brave to admit liking MCR on ‘gum. Prepare for SAM’s and bullets from uzzies from the MCR haters, as they’ll likely be coming in your direction.
um, there are multiple better covers of enjoy the silence out there, choosing lacuna coil’s, is incorrect. i would have accepted either failure’s or matthew good’s.
idlewild – boys don’t cry or girls and boys. i think those are both fun.
Bauhaus – Ziggy Stardust!
Too many!
Beck – Your Cheatin’ Heart
Ben Folds Five – She Don’t Use Jelly
Blind Melon – Three is a Magic Number
The Cardigans Black Sabbath Trilogy – Iron Man/Mr. Crowley/Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Fiona Apple – Across the Universe
Flunk did a better job with Blue Monday
Jem – Maybe I’m Amazed
Feliciano – Light My Fire
Muse – Feeling Good
Travis – The Weight
Jack Johnson – Badfish/Boss DJ
Eddie Vedder – Hide Your Love Away
For laughs: Incubus – Still Not a Player, The Vines – Ms. Jackson, Jack Black – Let’s Get it On, Reel Big Fish – Hungry Like the Wolf
My personal fav: Harvey Danger – Save it for Later
List isn’t that bad once I read that they were unranked…props for including the fairly obscure R.E.M. “King of the Road” cover.
“Because the Night” isn’t on the list at all because it’s not a cover–Springsteen wrote the music and Smith came up with the lyrics. That’s called a collaboration, you moron.
Any list that doesn’t mention John Wesley Harding’s cover of “Like A Prayer” really isn’t too complete.
I dont know whats worse, the inclusion of Green day’s working class hereo, or the fact that a poster actually wrote that Buckleys version of hallelujah blew?
Beck – Which Will
Parasite
Pink Moon
Matthew Sweet – The Ballad Of El Goodo
The Twilight Singers – What Makes You Think You’re
The One
…among many, many others
I think these covers are genius:
happy mondays – staying alive
nina gordon – straight out of compton
sex pistols – stepping stone (or substitute)
I think that orgy blue monday cover is rubbish, I forgot where I heard this point but I agree with it: the vocals new order’s version are bleak when asking “how should I feel?” while on orgy’s version the guy is screaming so he is already saying how he feels
Failure did a much more memorable cover of “Enjoy The Silence”
Pantera’s Sabbath cover “Planet Caravan” is one of the best of all-time; the video was great as well.
And, in my earlier post, I was in such a rush that I forgot to put the name of the artist I was referring to, but you all know I was talking about TORI AMOS’s version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Bullet For My Valentine, nice try, but nobody can do justice to Randy Rhoads and Ozzy’s “Crazy Train.”
And that version KORN did of “Another Brick In The Wall” was empty, dull, passionless, uninspired, whatever you want to call it – their guitarists aren’t soloists and they show the world why on that cover;
And sorry U2, I’m a big time, lifetime fan, but tht “Helter Skilter” cover was good but not great, just like their version of “Instant Karma.” Same with Green Day’s “Working Class Hero” cover.
Another cover I would love to have seen on any list is Pearl Jam and My Morning Jacket covering The Band’s “Makes No Difference” live during last years PJ tour when MMJ opened for them.
There’s a lot more I’d like to see that isn’t on this list, but man, there’s some obscure shit on here I’ve never heard; it’s a mixed bag, for sure.
Agreed, the Pumpkins version of Landslide should have been on there, it’s far better than the Dixie Chicks rendition (they’re cover of Dancing in the Moonlight is also sublime).
Agreed on Muse’s version of Feeling Good should have been in there too. And what about Pixie’s version of “Head On”? Slowdives take on “Some Velvet Morning”. The Flaming Lips version of “Seven Nation Army” is also deserving.
I don’t think they spent much time on their list.
M.I.A.
bare naked ladies – Lovers in a dangerous time{bruce cockburn}
crooked fingers – under pressure( much better version)(queen)
aimee mann – one (3 dog night)
gary jules – mad world (tears for fears)
gigolo aunts – why can’t this be love (van halen)
that’s what I came up with in a few minutes
also they shouldn’t include non studio tracks in the list- example ted leo -since u been gone
the NY Post? Writing about Drunken fucking Boat? Incredible.
hendrix’s “all along the watch tower’ below MCR’s “under pressure’????????? i want blood for this!!!!!!!!!!
lol kd lang
fuck off
Van Halen “Pretty Woman?” Are you kidding? That song is totally lame plus they didn’t even get the lyrics right. Why their killer covers of the Kinks “You Really Got Me” or John Brim’s “Ice Cream Man” aren’t on this list is a mystery.
BTW–Nothing beats Richard Cheese’s version of Baby Got Back!
The absence of pretty much all of the covers from Nirvana’s “Unplugged” album are reason enough to banish this list. Think about them all…”Jesus Don’t Want Me For a Sunbeam,” “The Man Who Sold The World,” “Lake of Fire,” “Plateau,” “Oh, Me,” and “Where Did You Sleep Last Night (In The Pines).” Those covers are as important and impressive as anything else Nirvana ever did. They should ALL be on the list.
Neil Young’s “Oh, Lonesome Me” should be on the list also. Good on them for including the Foo Fighters covers of “Darling Nikki” and “Baker Street” though. I would thrown in their version of “Drive Me Wild” by Vanity 6 for good measure also.
not the greatest list – at least i don’t agree with the order. tho ryan adam’s cover of oasis’ wonderwall is amazing. haha i like the comment about incubus’ cover of still not a player…you can add on their cover for ‘like a virgin”
i liked hendrix’s cover of Stairway to heaven too (not to mention david grohl’s hilarious live version)
What, no “Gin n’ Juice” by the Gourds?
Nirvana – Lake of Fire
Landslide – Smashing Pumpkins
Sweet Dreams – Marilyn Manson (waaaay better than tainted love or personal jesus)
Aimee Mann – One
Yeh Yeh – They Might Be Giants
Lovertits – Feist
No Doubt – It’s My Life
heheh. if you wanted to make “because the night” a cover all you have to do is mention 10,000 maniacs unplugged
Hendrix’s cover of the Star-Spangled Banner is much better than the original by Francis Scott Key – WTF.
Hotel California by the Gipsy Kings (Big Lebowski) needs to be on this list
without going too crazy, here are a few of my favorites:
The Lemonheads “Mrs. Robinson”
Built to Spill “Cortez the Killer”
Galaxie 500 “Don’t Let Our Youth Go to Waste”
My Bloody Valentine “Map Ref. 41n 93w”
Yo La Tengo “Blitzkrieg Bop” (pretty much all YLT covers are damn good. James McNew’s album of all Prince songs (under the name Dump) is awesome as well)
I totally agree with Pavement’s version of “Camera” and Nirvana’s “Man Who Sold the World.” and I could go on…
I’d like to toss in Carbon Leaf’s cover of Crazy Train. Nothing like a mandolin to improve an Ozzy song.
Is it April 1st?
It seems like April 1st.
Alien fucking Ant Farm.
At that rate, why isn’t Weird Al Yankovic in the Top 5?
the complete lack of any yo la tengo highlights the author[s]‘s lack of musical knowledge.
LSL’s cover of “how soon is now” is great, but in no world should it be above ry’s “wonderwall” or “peace love and understanding.”
and why on earth are marilyn manson, orgy, and alien ant farm in front of them? it looks like they just googled “covers” on technorati and listed them in the order they found them.
Where’s Nan You’re a Window Shopper??
btw that Alien Ant Farm song was the most annoying hit ever
Ceremony – New Order (Joy Division)
Everybody Knows – Concrete Blonde (Leonard Cohen)
Afghan Whigs doing TLC’s “Creep” (from the Honky’s Ladder EP) is an all-time favorite. Also Migala’s version of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” (from Diciembre, 3 am – awesome cover of Sex Pistol’s “Sweet Anarchy” on that album as well).
As Ted Leo goes, I’m partial to Split Enz’s “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” from the Tell Balgeary EP. But that’s just me.
WHAT A DREADFULLY POINTLESS LIST
Yay Dolly!
single best cover ever:
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” by the one and only Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
I agree that Brother Iz’s version of Over the rainbow/what a wonderful world should be a list topper. It certainly is one of the most recognizable cover ever.
Sorry, r. fingerhead, but Colin Meloy’s live cover of El Goodo is superior. I would not say this unless it were scientific fact.
Meloy’s drunk cover of Bridges and Balloons: also superior to a) original and b) any other covers of that song, if anyone else has given enough of a crap to cover it.
Shouldn’t it be universally agreed by now that aretha franklin’s respect is the greatest cover ever?
I can’t believe the postal service is so high up on this list for covers of all time.
Hey D-
Smith did not write the words to “Because the Night”. If you’ve heard any outtakes from the Darkness sessions, that song actually pops up pretty regularly as “Beware the Night”. Smith just put the finishing touches on the lyrics: that’s a Boss song through and through.
Two things:
1. If you’re going to put a Luna cover on there, why in the hell is it not “Indian Summer”
2. Um, Nico doing “These Days”? How did that not make the list?
If I haven’t gotten stabbed for telling people to STFU about Pete Wentz I think I’m in the clear Rochelle.
“Mad World-Gary Jules” should be up there. And any cover on Nirvana’s unplugged cd. And “Maps-Ted Leo”.Good Charlotte should not be there PERIOD. They make kittens cry. ;-;
@ Crayola
That is a wonder. Though I’ll have to agree with you on Good Charlotte.
i agree w/ya chucko about SP landslide!–
guster’s violent femmes ‘kiss off’ cover should most definitely be on there too.
i agree with chucko on the SP landslide cover
guster’s covers of violent femmes’ ‘kiss off’ and ‘blister in the sun’ should most definitely be on this list too!
and their ‘blister in the sun’
and sorry for the multiple comments-something got messed up.
Cake’s cover of Mah Na Na Na is ranked #13 and their cover of I Will Survive is #89?!?!? This list has lost all credibility right there.
Here’s a link to a much better list.
http://www.retrocrush.com/covers/index.html
also the NY Post list is UNRANKED
What about (insert white guy) doing (insert rap song)? That will never get old!
uuuuuummmm chili peppers HIGHER GROUND anyone?
no pete yorn – dancing in the dark love? he took an upbeat sad song and made it a sad sad song.
Really, all this cover lists are shit if you ommit Bryan Ferry.
OK, it’s the NY Post so it’s guaranteed rubbish but still the mind boggles: Camper Van Bethoven get on for their Black Flag cover but not for “Pictures of Matchstick Men” (Status Quo)? Luna’s “Sweet Child O’Mine” but not their “Bonnie and Clyde” (Serge Gainsbourg)? And furthermore, without rementioning tracks other posters have named where are:
Breeders “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” (Beatles)
Bjork “It’s Oh So Quiet” (Betty Hutton)
Morrissey “That’s Entertainment” (The Jam)
Elbow “Teardrop” (Massive Attack)
and sweet jesus was there no room on the list for any of the numerous covers by The Jam or Paul Weller? What the fuck?
jolene- the white stripes (dolly parton)
or even
I just don’t know what to do with myself – the white stripes (burt bacharach)
both of those were great
And why isn’t Bowie on this list!? The Post is the worst garbage ever.
As an aside, the Artic Monkeys “Diamonds Are Forever” (Shirley Bassey) is excellent
where the hell is bitches aint shit by dr. dre covered by ben folds
Strangely Depeche Mode-heavy, in both covers and coveree. But the best one’s missing: Route 66.
Paul Anka did an entire album of covers of rock songs, called Rock Swings. It’s great. Eye of the Tiger’s my favorite one on there, though.
Johnny Cash – Bird on a Wire, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
William Shatner – Common People
Pixies – In Heaven/Lady in the Radiator Song
Galaxie 500 – Ceremony
Cowboy Junkies – Sweat Jane
Camper Van Beethoven – Pictures of Matchstick Men
“Walk This Way” by Run DMC is way too low at 30 and Elliot is right about the Cake confusion.
Word to the person that mentioned RHCP’s version of ‘Higher ground’, although I’m more a fan of Eric Roche’s instrumental version.
There was one thing I forgot to ask/mention/complain about in my last lengthy post; what’s ‘walk this way’ doing up there? Surely that would be considered more of a collaboration/remix than a cover.
futureheads -> “hounds of love” / kate bush
m. ward –> “let’s dance” / david bowie
eels –> “living life” / daniel johnston
flaming lips –> “can’t get you out of my head” / kylie minogue
“It’s Too Late” -Kyle Vincent (Carole King)
Would never think anyone could top the original, but this comes damn close.
so many missing… but honestly, how can you list them all… lists are subjective people, don’t get so emotional..
i love the white stripes version of one more cup of coffee… one of my personal favourites. i’m a huge dylan fan, but the original was sounding pretty dated, until the stripes took it somewhere else.
Eva Cassidy: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or “Leaves of Gold.”
Muse – House of the Rising Sun
Above all other Muse cover, all of which are brilliant.
AND FOR GOD’S SAKE THROW THE VENTURES A FUCKING BONE (at least give them the Pink Panther Theme).
I’ll second RHCP’s “Higher Ground” and M.Ward’s “Let’s Dance.” In addition…
Chris Thile’s “Heart in a Cage” (The Strokes)
The Flaming Lips’ “If I Only Had a Brain” (Wizard of Oz)
From the ‘Mighty Wind’ soundtrack, The Folksmen doing the Stones’ “Start Me Up”
The Polyphonic Spree’s “Lithium”
And seriously, a grand total of NONE of Seu Jorge’s Bowie covers?!
“Attention NY Post employees: please gather all iPods and write down all the cover songs you have. It’s a slow news day and we’re going to make a list to fill pages and so the bloggers have something to post about. Thank you.”
The most obvious one that comes to my mind and hasn’t been mentioned yet is Joey Ramone’s cover of “What a Wonderful World”. When they played that on the radio the day he died I cried.
“Black Star” – Gillian Welch (Radiohead)
Tool’s version of Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter” anyone? The Flaming Lips take on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”? I know they can’t get ‘em all, but how either of those (among many others) were overlooked is baffling. Oh well. I haven’t seen one list I’ve ever agreed with so I don’t know why this one would be different. Kudos to “Jolene” by White Stripes being on there…didn’t expect that.
No Blondie song?? This list sucks
lol @ dolly parton #1. where’s hurt (#87) or land of confusion (unranked)?
Rufus Wainwright’s versions of “Across The Universe” and “Hallelujah” are pretty good.
Sorry, but Hendrix’s “Watchtower” should be at least in the top 5 if not #1. There’s a reason why that song is a classic–it reinvented the concept of what it meant to cover a song (i.e. completely reinvent it). I mean, hell, even Dylan admitted that it was Jimi’s song.
Arfff …I guess the principle is to spot covers that superdseed the original.
These are the outrageously forgotten ones :
- cowboy junkies “sweet jane” (lou reed / velvet)
- costello “shipbuilding” (robert wyatt)
- the sundays “wild horses” (stones)
- jeff buckley “satisfied mind”
- johnny cash “heart of gold” & “pocahontas” (neil young) (well, JC was named twice, but frankly Personnal JC ranked higher that HURT ????? this guy is on E???).
Also, some infamous covers:
- dinosaur Jr “just like heaven” (cure)
- sonic youth “ca plane pour moi” (plastic bertrand)
- and where the beloved Yo La Tengo (fakebook lp is a complete cover record), the Feelies
39 “Another Brick in the Wall Parts 1, 2, 3″ – Korn (Pink Floyd)
40 “Hallelujah” – Jeff Buckley (Leonard Cohen)
I guess this normally wouldn’t happen even in nu-metal magazines (if there are such things)
Im personally shocked that The Beatles cover version of TWIST AND SHOUT is not on the list…..
lostprophets – cry me a river
+ many, many others