Best song cover of all time

[DCH]

So, simple question: what's the best cover version of a song of all time? I'm down to three:

- Tom Petty/Steve Winwood/Jeff Lynne/Prince - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
- Heart - Stairway to Heaven
- Frank Zappa - Stairway to Heaven

Whatcha got?

 

[Dodgersrf]

This one.

 

[DCH]

This one is awesome, too...

 

[Dodgersrf]

Ohh...and anyone that does a Bob Dylan song BESIDES Bob Dylan.

 

[Dodgersrf]

This one is awesome, too...

Lol.
Waaayyy better than Lita Ford.

 

[DCH]

Ohh...and anyone that does a Bob Dylan song BESIDES Bob Dylan.

You mean like All Along the Watchtower?

 

[Dodgersrf]

You mean like All Along the Watchtower?

Great example.
There are so many bands that have done Bob Dylan songs that most people don't know were written by Dylan.
I'm not a fan when he sings his own songs, but his genius as a writer can't be denied.

 

[OldSchool]

Hard for me to not list this one it's my favorite cover ever.



This is another one I enjoy good cover of a popular 80's song.

 

[DCH]

Great example.
There are so many bands that have done Bob Dylan songs that most people don't know were written by Dylan.
I'm not a fan when he sings his own songs, but his genius as a writer can't be denied.

Any good takes on Hurricane? That's my favorite Dylan song.

 

[DCH]

FWIW, my three from the OP:

 

[Dodgersrf]

Any good takes on Hurricane? That's my favorite Dylan song.

Here's one. Took it from the following list
https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/04/50-best-bob-dylan-covers-of-all-time.html

 

[DCH]

Here's one. Took it from the following list
https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/04/50-best-bob-dylan-covers-of-all-time.html

Dat bass intro... nice.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

This one is awesome, too...

I know those freaks. Orange County ska was the bain of my existence. I was hanging out with bands like Reel Big Fish and the Hippos before anyone cared and i refused to play that crap. Now they haunt me 20 years later here on ROD haha

More Fun Loss Facts

I also shared a studio with the band Korn in costa mesa / HB area and thought those guys sucked so badly and had no future.....

Oh and there was the time I kicked the drummer out of the band and he said "thanks, I'm actually sorta glad cause I can now focus on this clothing brand I started with my friend Paul." Of course that would go on to be Paul Frank and Ryan is now living on a cliff in Newport Beach

So basically if I think you suck you go on the fame and fortune

Here are my favorite all time covers

The Clash - Police and Thieves
/ Junior Murvin


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W6FZwVvS8_8


Roxy Music - Eight Miles High
/ The Byrds


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jjfE1VFvy8g


Linda Ronstadt - You're No Good
/ Betty Everett


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=haZPPBJC8Ic


And cause I can't narrow it down:

It's gotta be

DEVO - Satisfaction
/ the Stonea


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jadvt7CbH1o

 

[DCH]

I know those freaks. Orange County ska was the bain of my existence. I was hanging out with bands like Reel Big Fish and the Hippos before anyone cared and i refused to play that crap. Now they haunt me 20 years later here on ROD haha

More Fun Loss Facts

I also shared a studio with the band Korn in costa mesa / HB area and thought those guys sucked so badly and had no future.....

Oh and there was the time I kicked the drummer out of the band and he said "thanks, I'm actually sorta glad cause I can now focus on this clothing brand I started with my friend Paul." Of course that would go on to be Paul Frank and Ryan is now living on a cliff in Newport Beach

So basically if I think you suck you go on the fame and fortune

Here are my favorite all time covers

The Clash - Police and Thieves
/ Junior Murvin


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W6FZwVvS8_8


Roxy Music - Eight Miles High
/ The Byrds


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jjfE1VFvy8g


Linda Ronstadt - You're No Good
/ Betty Everett


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=haZPPBJC8Ic


And cause I can't narrow it down:

It's gotta be

DEVO - Satisfaction
/ the Stonea


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jadvt7CbH1o

That's some crazy stuff. I like Reel Big Fish mostly because I played the trumpet in the '90's and they were one of the few popular bands I could play along with (have since picked up the guitar and various guitar-esque instruments).

I had never heard DEVO's version of Satisfaction. Gotta admit I enjoyed it, although to this day my favorite DEVO(ish) song is Weird Al's spoof of their style:

 

[FaulkSF]

Just a few, no order:

Reel Big Fish - Take on me

rage against the machine - Beautiful World

The My Guitar Gently Weeps that DCH rec'd above.

System of a down - Metro

A perfect circle - Imagine

 

[Mojo Ram]

 

[Mojo Ram]

I have a particular view on doing covers. IMO if you cover someone else's work and you decide to take it somewhere very left field to the original, and drastically put your own touch on it...it had better be GOOD. I mean REALLY good. Otherwise and more often than not, i'm not a big fan of artists/bands trying to reinvent the wheel when remaking or covering a song.

I prefer covers that are more inline with what the original was trying to do or project...sonically. Putting a different touch on it is cool. If the original tune was vanilla ice cream...creating strawberry ice cream with sprinkles is a good way to go IMO. Don't change ice cream into a cheeseburger.
Example: Metallica(great band) covering Bob Seger's "Turn the Page." Terrible IMO.

 

[DCH]

Another suggestion, which kinda goes against @Mojo Ram 's idea of "don't turn ice cream into a cheeseburger":

 

[Mojo Ram]

I like this cover of Jefferson Airplanes "White Rabbit" by 5th Projekt.
Didn't try to turn it into something it isn't and nailed it.

 

[Mojo Ram]