Favorite/Best Cover Songs

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bono_212

bono_212

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I tried to find a thread on this, but any I could find had been locked. Anyways, we were talking a little about The Killers in Random and I ended up listening to a few songs of theirs I hadn't listened to in a while, including this number, which is one of my favorites (if not favorite) covers of all time:

‪The Killers - Romeo And Juliet /w lyrics‬‏ - YouTube

I guess it's just because it's clearly a little loose (I think you can hear Brandon laughing at one point) and yet still carries the emotional weight of the original.

And while on The Killers, this is another favorite. I don't know that I've ever heard a song more necessary for a person to cover than this:

‪Bette Davis Eyes -Brandon Flowers Cover‬‏ - YouTube


So, how about you, what are some of your favorites? And maybe a little bit about why? That way it's not just a thread of hit and run Youtube videos.
 
I'll have to get a bit cliche on you here, but the first thing that popped into my mind was Buckley's version of "Hallelujah." I mean, fuck, that shit is stunning.

Also, Miley's cover of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."

Oh, also, Pearl Jam's live versions of Victoria Williams' "Crazy Mary" are outstanding. It's a great song, I don't even know how they found it, but they've taken it and turned it into a sort-of staple of their live sets. Simmering, slow-building, creepy song. Eddie owns the vocal, and since the band added Boom Gaspar as an organ player, it's become tradition for him and Mike McCready to have extended "dueling" solos during the song's breakdown. Great stuff. Really, PJ do a number of fantastic covers, but that's probably the one that stands out the most.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBLRj3XB4jE
 
I like the Toots version of Pressure Drop so much more. But the Clash version of Police and Thieves is better than the original imo
 
Jive Turkey said:
I like the Toots version of Pressure Drop so much more. But the Clash version of Police and Thieves is better than the original imo
Click to expand...

i don't really remember if i've heard a bad version of "pressure drop," to be honest. maybe the one on the specials' horrid album of covers, but i can't remember 1) if that was even on there and 2) if maybe that was the one that didn't make me want to puncture my eardrums. was there even something on there that wasn't dreadful? i don't remember. it was pretty bad.


i know it's considered blasphemy in some circles, but i've never been really fond of "police and thieves" in the first place. i will take their cover over the original, but it reminded me that "police on my back" is another one where i prefer their cover to the original.

or maybe i just like the clash better than most bands.

heh, "maybe." yeah, right.
 
Jive Turkey said:
These guys really do an awesome job here

‪Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears cover)‬‏ - YouTube
Click to expand...


if i remember correctly, that was the only one (or one of two, but of course i can't remember what the second was without looking) on that a.v club thing that i actually liked.

ted leo is a guy who i generally prefer covering other people's songs than doing his own music. that misfits show was awesome. hell, even the kelly clarkson/something else i can't remember (maps?) was pretty damn enjoyable.
 
‪The Bouncing Souls - Lean On Sheena [OFFICIAL VIDEO]‬‏ - YouTube


although it's a little too close to the original, but still sounding exactly like a soulies' song. but the original is pretty awesome. and it's not like they're a drastically different kind of band than avoid one thing was, anyway. kind of exactly the same as that how i spent my... through the most recent souls stuff. not so sure about that video, though.
 
IWasBored said:
if i remember correctly, that was the only one (or one of two, but of course i can't remember what the second was without looking) on that a.v club thing that i actually liked.
Click to expand...

hahaha, this. And it was super disappointing because the Ted Leo one was the first
 
Pearl Jam do covers really well.

21212121212121212121212 that's a really good cover of Romeo & Juliet, my favourite Dire Straits song, very true to the original, he even tries to inflect a bit of Knopfler in his vocals.

Cash's cover of Hurt goes without saying.

I love the 2's cover of Everlasting Love, and I also like RHCP's take on If You Want Me To Stay.
 
Cash's cover of "Hurt" and "One" both are amazing.


Jive, I've only heard like one song by Stereophonics, would you recommend listening to more?
 
Not counting some of the songs already listed:

"Mr. Tambourine Man" as done by The Byrds.

I'm kind of fond of George Michael's version of "Don't Let the Sun go Down on Me", even if it's not quite as good as the original.

"Respect" by Aretha, of course.

I like Nirvana's version of "The Man who Sold the World".

"You Really Got me" by Van Halen.

"Proud Mary" by Tina Turner (and Ike, I think. Fucking Ike)
 
I am not sure if I should even listen to that....hearing Celene Dion's version is probably enough. What a fantastic song, though, at least as sung by Tina.

Tina didn't take no shit off nobody, FYI.
 
It's...strange. I like it in a weird wtf way.

In retrospect, I find Private Dancer to be an incredibly depressing album. Mostly "What's Love Got To Do With It". I'm like, Tina, did it really get that bad for you? Please don't feel so sad :(.
 
bono_212 said:
Jive, I've only heard like one song by Stereophonics, would you recommend listening to more?
Click to expand...

Hmm, not sure. They didn't age so well. But give Performance & Cocktails a shot. It was on perpetual repeat in my car the year it came out
 
Jive Turkey said:
Hmm, not sure. They didn't age so well. But give Performance & Cocktails a shot. It was on perpetual repeat in my car the year it came out
Click to expand...

Added to the 90s list. "A Thousand Trees" is the song I know, ftr. Love that song.
 
I've heard that all of Stereophonics' new material is crappity crap crap, but the first couple of records interest me. Never heard one note of their music.
 
They're a good band and very much worth your time. Haven't heard their last two efforts however.
 
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