Cover Versions We Definitely Needed

Supposedly, Howlin' Wolf said these guys did the definitive version, including his own...

 

Limp bizkit...faith

We need it to remind us of just why the rock genre declined so fast. Nu metal taking over MTV.

 

Beatles - A Taste of Honey, Twist and Shout, Till There Was You, Long Tall Sally, Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Act Naturally

 

Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris - "Love Hurts"
There are many covers of this song, some good, some not so good but this is the only one that touches my emotions so deeply.

 

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" From Motown soul-lite to swamp rock classic in only 11 minutes!

 

The Clash - "Police On My Back" This song is so tied to this version I bet you probably didn't even know this was a cover of a tune from Eddy Grant's early band, The Equals.

 

William Shatner - "Common People" While maybe not besting Pulp's original version, Shatner and Joe Jackson come pretty damn close.

 

Likewise “Shakin’ All Over”....

 

Murray Lachlan Young - "Do Wah Ditty" I'm not sure this qualifies as the best cover but it's definitely the strangest and most unique.

 

This is my fave cover of this fab tune:

 

Everything about this version is just perfect...

 

One that we don't have but should: Keith Richards, ragged voice and all, singing the reggae classic "Curley Locks."

 

Starting around the mid-1950s:

Elvis Presley -- Blue Moon of Kentucky
Elvis Presley -- Blue Moon
Elvis Presley -- Good Rockin' Tonight
Elvis Presley -- Baby Let's Play House
Elvis Presley -- Mystery Train
Elvis Presley -- Tryin' To Get To You
Wilbert Harrison -- Kansas City
Elvis Presley -- Blue Suede Shoes
Elvis Presley -- Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
Blossom Dearie -- 'Deed I Do
Elvis Presley -- Mean Woman Blues
Elvis Presley -- Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
Elvis Presley -- (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me)
Ray Charles -- Georgia On My Mind
Elvis Presley -- Reconsider Baby
Elvis Presley -- His Hand In Mine
Elvis Presley -- Crying In The Chapel

Johnny Cash -- In the Jailhouse Now
Bob Dylan -- Baby Let Me Follow You Down
Beatles -- Anna (Go to Him)
Beatles -- Twist & Shout
Johnny Cash -- Ring Of Fire
Beatles -- Roll Over Beethoven
Rolling Stones -- I Want to be Loved
Beatles -- Matchbox
Rolling Stones -- It's All Over Now
Them (Van Morrison vocals) -- Baby, Please Don't Go
Odetta -- Long Ago, Far Away
Beatles -- Bad Boy
Byrds -- Chimes of Freedom
Byrds -- Turn! Turn! Turn!
Joan Baez -- There But For Fortune
Everly Brothers -- Love Is Strange
Byrds -- Wild Mountain Thyme
Beach Boys -- Sloop John B
Joan Baez -- Farewell Angelina
Judy Collins -- Suzanne
Byrds -- My Back Pages
Aretha Franklin -- Respect
Joan Baez -- If You Were a Carpenter
Byrds -- You Ain't Going Nowhere
Byrds -- Pretty Boy Floyd
Joan Baez -- You Ain't Going Nowhere
Joan Baez -- Tears of Rage
Joan Baez -- Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
Joan Baez -- Restless Farewell
Elvis Presley -- Only The Strong Survive

Ringo Starr -- Night & Day
Gordon Lightfoot -- Me & Bobby McGee
Paul & Linda McCartney -- Love Is Strange
Arlo Guthrie -- City of New Orleans
Rolling Stones -- Shake Your Hips
Gladys Knight & the Pips -- Midnight Train to Georgia (Jim Weatherly's "Midnight Plane to Houston")
Roberta Flack -- Killing Me Softly With His Song
Joan Baez -- Fountain Of Sorrow

Rainy Day (Susanna Hoffs vocal) -- I'll Keep It With Mine
Frankie Goes to Hollywood -- Born to Run
The Bangles -- Going Down to Liverpool
R.E.M. -- Superman
Joan Baez -- Brothers In Arms
U2 -- Everlasting Love
A-Ha -- Crying In The Rain

Barenaked Ladies -- Lovers in a Dangerous Time
Frente -- Bizarre Love Triangle
Susanna Hoffs -- Catch The Wind
Sinéad O'Connor -- Mind Games
Paul McCartney -- All Shook Up
Robbie Williams -- She's The One

The Sadies -- Wasn't Born To Follow
Johnny Cash -- I Hung My Head
Sinéad O'Connor -- The Parting Glass
Feist -- Inside and Out (Bee Gees' "Love You Inside Out")

 

The Cryan' Shames

 

Prince's incendiary lead on here is always stunning to behold

 

Indeed!

 

Black Joe Lewis - Sway

 

Barrabas - A Whiter Shade of Pale

The Spanish Barrabas band had an awesome version.

 

Otis Redding - "Try A Little Tenderness" The Big O breathed new life into a tired old standard and a soul classic was born!

 

The Gipsy Kings - "Hotel California" This band does the almost impossible, makes me love a song written by Eagles.

 

Gato Barbieri - Europa (Santana). Sounds great!!

 

Buddy Holly - "Slippin' and Slidin'" (Fast Version) For a few minutes Buddy actually makes you do something unheard of: forget the Little Richard original.

 

Nico - These Days