I'm going to go with two collaborations between Liz Phair and Jim Ellison's Material Issue, "Turning Japanese" and "The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)". To my ears, adding Liz Phair improves pretty much anything in the pop/rock realm. I don't know the MI back catalog, but their presence helps transform a television theme song and a Vapors tune, neither of which I ever really cared for, into something I enjoy listening to. It would be unfair to not credit them as well.
Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Nirvana Me and Bobby McGee - Janis All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Since I Don't Have You - Guns N' Roses Come Together - Aerosmith As Tears Go By - Marianne Faithful Please Mr. Postman - The Beatles
The Detroit Cobras version is very good. It's not a Larry Williams song though. The original version was by Little Willie John.
No problem if you disagree with my choice, they are both great. I just happen to prefer the "bombastic" Juice version, it's one of the rare instances that I like the cover more than the original. Thanks for the YT link!
PRELUDE STILL GOING STRONG IN 2015 AFTER NEW ALBUM RELEASED 2012!!! 1984 live recording of song that was first released in 1973. Made top 20 UK, No 12 USA also No 1 in Canada & Australia. Original trio Brian Hume, Irene Hume & Ian Vardy are still performing amazing gigs in 2013
Also: Lyle Lovett & Keb' Mo' - Til It Shines (over Bob Seger): Sara Watkins - Pony (on par with Tom Waits) Sara Watkins - Same Mistakes (over Jon Brion) Dwight Yokam - Suspicious Minds (over Elvis)
Yea, dunno why I stated Elvis... his name keeps coming to mind when I think of that song for some reason. I still prefer Yokam's to the original.
Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower (of course) 13th Floor Elevators - It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (I can never get enough of this) The Beach Boys - Sloop John B The Clash - I Fought the Law Bauhaus - Spirit in the Sky (I don't care for the original at all, but love this. I think I'm in a very small minority here. I've heard Bauhaus fans say they don't like this.) Johnny Cash - Hurt (probably a bunch more from American-era Cash as he covered a lot of songs I didn't previously care for until hearing him do them.) Love - My Little Red Book Motley Crue - Smokin in the Boys Room
Damn! I was comparing the Ramones version to Tbe Searchers version... Yup, Jackie beats them both. But wait ... I have to admit I like how Joey sings it the best .... The emotion seems the most genuine.
Another one I thought of later: Carly Simon's cover of "It Keeps You Runnin'" against the original by the McDonald-era Doobie Brothers. I can't hate the Doobies---they're so smooth!---but the cover has something that the original lacks. I think it has something to do with the fact that it's Carly Simon versus the Doobies, since there was a great deal of commonality between the personnel responsible for the respective records, including the Doobies and Ted Templeman. Of course, this may be what a fool believes.
Hendrix - All along the watchtower Van Halen- You really got me Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee Elvis(or Willie Nelson)- Always on my Mind Willie Nelson - Blue eyes crying in the rain Ten Feet - I'm yours