Favorite Cover Songs

[4x4_Welder]

I think Jimmi Hendrix's version of All Along The Watchtower was a pretty good improvement on the original. I do generally trend towards harder rock, and the last few years have given some pretty good ones, but I think the best to come out of late is Disturbed's Sound of Silence. They took a song that had some really terrible flaws and made it a smooth deep involving melody, warped it over towards a more gritty feel but didn't destroy it by forcing it full metal, and for better or for worse didn't add any of their trademark vocal sound effects.

 

[ChestonScout]

Volbeat has some pretty decent covers.


Typically I’m not much of a cover fan. I think they are cool to hear once or twice and then I’m done.

I do enjoy that Leo Morocanofchili guy.

 

[DAA]

Too many to list... Lots of them already mentioned.

Gov't Mule is one of my favorite live bands and they kill a whole bunch of covers, from Beatles to Neil Young to Black Sabbath to Hendrix to Fleetwood Mac, and they have always been known for their Pink Floyd covers they did a whole live album that's a cover of Dark Side. I don't even like the Beatles original version of She Said, but the Mule makes it great.

Metallica, tons of covers too, my favorites are mostly the old Diamond Head stuff - I was into Diamond Head before I ever heard of Metallica - but I like Metallica's versions better. I like their Whiskey In The Jar, but like the original Thin Lizzy version better - again I was into Thin Lizzy long before there was a Metallica. Like the original Budgie version of Breadfan better too, but do like Metallica's version.

Love all the Johnny Cash covers. Hurt might be the best cover ever, of all time, by anyone of anything.

My favorite Led Zeppelin recording wasn't done by Zeppelin, except for Jimmy Page, but the Black Crowes live version of Ten Years Gone absolutely kills it. Never disliked the original Zeppelin version, but never would have put it on a playlist either, but this version gut hooked me for some reason.

Already mentioned I think, but Kenny Wayne Shepherd's version of Hendrix I Don't Live Today - awesome.

Jeff Healey's live version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Complete with the totally shot voice, literally can't even do the vocals in parts his voice is so gone, but it has such a great raw power to it that the original studio version lacks.

Some of the Five Finger Death Punch covers.

From the long ago time, Aerosmith's version of Train Kept A-Rollin.

Ozzy sings on it, so debatable how much of a cover it really is but Primus version of N.I.B. is great.

One of my all time favorite bands, Motorhead, did a bunch of great covers too, probably Sympathy for the Devil their best. Their Train Kept A-Rollin is pretty dang good too, from way back when it was just Lemmy, Philthy and Fast Eddy. Definitely, Stand By Your Man their worst, that one is hard to take even for me . Anybody else noticed though, everything, in the whole world, has just gone to shit since Lemmy died?

Just way too many I like way too much to even make a dent in the list here.

Good thread!

- DAA

 

[ubae]

I love cover songs, for my they don't take away from the original but rather add a different perspective!

 

[Johnny Quest]

been a huge fan of covers for as long as i can remember. and there is an absolute difference between a cover song, and a band playing another bands song.

 

[Stephen]

Barenaked Ladies did an awesome cover of Bruce Cockburn's Lover's in a Dangerous Time.

 

[smartass_kid]

you guys are really dating yourself BTW

anyone remember "the gun club"?

my fav girl punk band , the coathangers, did a good cover few years ago:

also RATM cover of maggies farm is much better than dylan:

 

[Coco]

I'm late to this party, lots of great covers I was going to mention have been said. Here is another from 5FDP that I really enjoy.

 

[Noahfecks]

Oh, gee, where do I begin???

There is this guy named Leo Moracchioli. Don't let the Italian name fool you--he's from Norway. Anyway, the dude is into heavy metal music and is a seriously accomplished musician. He plays everything--guitar, bass, drums, plus a host of other instruments. He also owns his own recording studio, named Frog Leap Studios.

The guy loves to cover songs in his own Norwegian metal style, and make videos for them. Sometimes it is just straightforward footage of him performing (sometimes with friends, occasionally his wife joins in, as does his cute-as-a-button daughter on her toy instruments). Sometimes he plays in his studio, sometimes in his living room, sometimes in his kitchen, and occasionally even in his bathroom. Sometimes he goes on location. Sometimes he wears one goofball contact lens, sometimes he wears two; sometimes he wears entire costumes. Sometimes he films puppets "performing" his songs. You never know exactly what you're going to get with Leo, and that's half the fun. Leo has easily become my favorite cover artist.

When I say Leo covers songs, I mean he covers an outrageous range of songs. For example, maybe you're a Beetles fan?

Or maybe Chuck Berry is more your style.

Perhaps you're a child of the '80s?

Or maybe you just prefer Canadian artists.

Looking for something newer, such as Lada Gaga?

He has well over 200 videos uploaded to YT. If you can think of it, Leo has probably covered it. Just search for 'metal covers by Leo' and lose yourself for a few hours.

Ok, that has totally sucked me in for the last hour and now I am laughing so hard i am crying. Very talented and even though death metal is not my thing I am a big Leo fan.

Thanks for posting this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mighty midjet]

 

[TRD270]

And most of you probably don't even know of the original version of this, I didn't . But I think this is hands down better than the original

 

[mighty midjet]

Mash up/cover

 

[Kevin B.]

Leonard Cohen was an amazing songwriter, and his Hallelujah is an amazing song. It's been covered by just about everybody, and they all suck. All of them but Willie Nelson's version, this one can stay.

Pink's cover of White Rabbit doesn't suck either.

Sara Bareilles' cover of Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding is great. Her audience can shut up though.

 

[Stephen]

The original is better, but this cover is entertaining:

And No Doubt had a decent cover of It's My Life

 

[Evolved]

@smartass_kid I love that whole RATM album! I grew up on hip hop so the Erik B and Rakim cover is one of my favs. That and the Minor Threat cover of in my eyes.

My music taste is all over the place. Been digging on the Kane Brown Youtube covers.

But, I cannot forget an all time favorite. Biz Markie covering Elton John.

 

[Hickey]

The Count cover s "Start Wearing Purple"
If you don't love this song, you are dead to me.

 

[Homefryy]

The Count cover s "Start Wearing Purple"
If you don't love this song, you are dead to me.

Nice. Its been a long time since I've listened to some Gogol Bordello.

 

[SoopaHick]

The Count cover s "Start Wearing Purple"
If you don't love this song, you are dead to me.

Didn't I show you that song?

 

[Hickey]

Didn't I show you that song?

You played the song for me, but not the video.

 

[mighty midjet]

I don't care for Jack Johnson but he covered these two songs really well