Friday
05Dec2008
BEST/WORST COVERS...
Friday, December 5, 2008 at 11:14PM I'm sure we all have a view on this topic. It's a list of the top good and bad cover versions of well known songs! I would certainly endorse the Johnny Cash cover of "Hurt" as being superlative but for me the BEST covers have been done my Elvis Costello ... think "Good Year for the Roses" and "I can't stand up for falling down", not to mention "Don't let me be misunderstood". As for worst versions, I find William Shatner's "Lucy in the Sky" hilarious! (I'm a big Shatner fan - Denny Crane is a role model for me) I didn't like Madonna's "American Pie" and ANY cover of "Fairytale of New York City" is sacrilege!
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Reader Comments (26)
BEST COVER: Stevie Ray Vaughn's cover of Hendrix' "Little WIng"
Off the top of my head the worst cover would be Ronan Keating slaughtering "Fairytale Of New York" closely followed by Rolf Harris' "Stairway To Heaven". Best....Johnny Winter's version of Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisted".
A big guy from Hawaii, I think, called Israel did a brilliant take on "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"
Rory,
I have it. It's by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. He was a legend in Hawaii and did some great stuff. The ukelele version of Rainbow is dodgy!
As for Ronan's version of Fairytale - puke!
Siouxsie and the Banshee's Dear Prudence
Colm,
I bought that!
Thanks David
Just looked him up and he's unfortunately no longer with us. Eva Cassidy does a superb version, too.
I like the Leningrad Cowboys version of "Sweet Home Alabama" complete with the Russian Red Army Choir.
I liked the Pet Shop Boys "Go West!"
Their version of 'Always on my mind' wasn't bad either
Johnny Cash also did an excellent cover of U2's "One". Guns N Roses cover of Paul McCartney's "Live & Let Die" is very good.
Worst cover versions- the entire output of mid 1990s pop duo "Robson & Jerome".
Colm,
Yes, it was a great video as I recall..
Ross,
Thanks a lot. I had designated that to the memory hole,
Pet Shop BOys -- always on my mind? love that
Aztec Camera did a great cover version of 'Jump' by Van Halen...played it as a ballad.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wqwZWSXR4ec
And I can't decide if it is the best or the worst cover but Nouvelle Vague's cover of 'Teenage Kicks' is...interesting.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rAtKiZhi6xU
Can't agree with their assessment of Joss Stone's cover though..far better than the original.
Best Rhydian Roberts doing anything. For me,he spoils songs for other artists.
The Cowboy Junkies version of Lou Reed's Sweet Jane, Roxy Music's cover of Lennon's A Jealous Guy AND Neil Young's Like A Hurricane, Jimi Hendrix's cover of Dylan's All Along the Watchtower and The Pretender's cover of the Kinks' Stop Your Sobbing are my 5 best cover choices.
Best: The Stranglers...Walk on by
Dave Edmond's cover of Springsteen's From Small Things, Bruce Springsteen's cover of Jimmy Cliff's Trapped also desreve mention.
There is a great John Hiatt covers album out there somewhere. Some of the standout tracks are Susy Boguss - Drive South, Marshall Crenshaw - Somewhere Love Can't Find Me, Roseanne Carter - Pink Bedrooms.
The only radio show where you could have heard good tracks like this in the UK was Bob Harris late night BBC. Used to listen to it through the night and then walk around like a zombie the next day.
The best cover of all time was the Hole in the Wall Gang's brilliant adaptation of a Lionel Ritchie song, when they brought us "Three times a Big Girl".
Sorry, should be Roseanne Cash.
Covers better than the originals
Kirsty McColl – New England
Guns & Roses – Knocking on Heaven’s Door
Guns & Roses – Live & Let Die
The Clash – I fought The Law
The Stranglers – Walk on Bye
Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower
The Ramones – Baby I Love You
Thin Lizzy – Whiskey in the Jar
Everything But the Girl – I Don’t Wanna Talk About It
Wheatus – A little Respect
Stiff Little Fingers – Johnny Was
Stiff Little Fingers - Doesn’t make it Alright
Worst Covers
Westlife should all be ceremonially and publically burned at the take for crimes against humanity.
Covers better than the original
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah originally by Leonard Cohen
Johnny Cash - Hurt originally by the Nine Inch Nails
Paul
I agree with most of your list apart from The Stranglers , but I haven't heard the SLF covers you mention.
Here you go Colm:
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=YA1WZI58nkM
SLF covering Bob Marley’s ‘Johnny Was a Good Man’ all eight glorious minutes of it, [and my wee mate Jim Reilly playing drums!].
‘ A single shot rings out in a Belfast night’ – So dramatic
The Specials cover ‘Doesn’t Make it Alright’
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=hE4NaQpGQtc&feature=related
Thanks Paul
I think the SLF one is probably best appreciated being their listening to it live.