Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Giving up is unforgivable.

Also, are you sure you want people to rate your comments?

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

I have other things to bitch about but those will have to wait.

Humiliatingly small and eclipsed by the derision of millions.

I desperately hope that, yet again, i am wrong.

DeSantis transforming Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

Donald Trump found guilty as fuck – May 30, 2024!

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

How stupid are these people?

Beware of advice from anyone for whom Democrats are “they” and not “we.”

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Books are my comfort food!

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

People are complicated. Love is not.

“But what about the lurkers?”

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls 2 years from now.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

You are here: Home / Music / Just my imagination

Reader Interactions

94Comments

  1. 1.

    Ailuridae

    I can think of a song that produced three great iterations, “Another Saturday Night”.

    I can’t do links but they are all available on the youtube. Sam Cooke, Yusef Islam/ Cat Stevens and the inimitable Dobie Gray.

    Springsteen and Cash’s versions of Highway Patrolman are equally outstanding.

    And of course All Along the Watchtower.

  3. 3.

    Steve L.

    Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen, John Cale & Jeff Buckley

    Satisfaction – Rolling Stones & Devo

  6. 6.

    MikeJ

    I think I had heard the Posies do I am the Cosmos once at the old 9:30, but then they joined Big Star so it kinda became an uncover. Except for the fact that it was originally a Chris Bell solo thing.

  10. 10.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    @Crazy Kale Lady: Best Annie Lenox cover of all.

    I didn’t even like Annie Lenox before I heard this. Most pop/rock singers who do old jazz standards do the most simpering, horrible versions of them, this one was just stunning.

  11. 11.

    Ash Can

    Wha…

    Yeah. Sure. Nothing’s changed. The Obama Administration is EXACTLY THE SAME as the Cheney Bush Administration. Nothing’s different. At all.

    ::kicks floor lamp over on her way out and slams door::

  12. 12.

    danno

    “Respect” Otis Redding(original)/Aretha Franklin(cover) Redding even said “that little girl went and snatched my song from me.”

  14. 14.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    Songs with a truly great cover and original, well this has to be there.

    Damn, John Lennon just killed back then, it’s amazing to hear this. Makes me feel old.

  18. 18.

    YellowJournalism

    @KC45s: I love that cover so much, but one should never listen to it when they’re feeling down about themselves.

    Personally, I love the Johnny Cash cover of NiN’s Hurt.

  20. 20.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    If anyone doesn’t know the original of Luther Vandross’ big hit “If only for one night” by the phenomenal songwriter and singer Brenda Russell, gotta check it out.

    I wore that album out, back in nineteen mumble mumble something or other.

  24. 24.

    Wannabe Speechwriter

    “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Barrett Strong and then by The Beatles.

    And, of course, All Along The Watchtower. How on God’s Green Earth did you miss that?

  29. 29.

    apistat

    Ted Leo does a more upbeat but amazing cover of the Pogues classic “Dirty Old Town”.

    Pogues version
    Ted Leo version

    I couldn’t find an easy to use link to the studio version from his solo album, but the quality on that live one is pretty good and it’s a staple of his encores. It should also not be surprising that it is awesome, because just about everything Ted Leo does is awesome.

  31. 31.

    apistat

    You know, you’re quite right there and I completely forgot.. Got ‘best known’ mixed up with original.

  32. 32.

    JasonF

    Feelin’ Alright by Traffic and by Joe Cocker
    With a Little Help From My Friends by The Beatles and by Joe Cocker
    She Came In Through the Bathroom Window by The Beatles and by Joe Cocker
    Unchain My Heart by Ray Charles and by Joe Cocker

    Are you sensing a pattern?

    I could post a similar series of links to Manfred Mann’s covers of Dylan’s Quinn the Eskimo and Springsteen’s Spirit in the Night and Blinded by the Light, but I’m getting too lazy to keep pasting in the links, so y’all are going to have to search YouTube for these.

    I like the Killers’ cover of the Romeo and Juliet, but not as much as the Dire Straits original.

    I like the Bobby Fuller version of I Fought the Law and I absolutely love the Clash cover.

    The Ramones did some great covers. I’m partial to their version of California Sun, though of course the original by the Rivieras is fantastic.

    Speaking of the Ramones: Chinese Rock by the Ramones? Fantastic. Chinese Rock by Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers? Oh, man — that’s what music is about.

    Two of the greatest songs ever recorded are Van Morrison’s original “Gloria” and Patti Smith’s “Gloria (version).”

    There’s a great obscure song — great enough that I’ll post the link — from the 70s called Ca Plane Pour Moi by the obscure Plastic Bertrand that was covered by the equally obscure Thee Headcoatees, a great all-girl 90s garage rock band (I could not find a link, unfortunately, but if the idea of an all-girl garage band works for you, Thee Headcoatees are worth seeking out).

  33. 33.

    Splitting Image

    How about Def Leppard and Mariah Carey: “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak”?

    Kidding.

    Dylan could probably fill a whole list by himself.

    Mr. Tambourine Man (him and the Byrds)
    All Along the Watchtower (him and Jimi Hendrix)
    If Not For You (him and George Harrison)

  34. 34.

    Jimmm

    I’ve got strong feelings about covers. If you’re just going to do a karaoke cover of the original, don’t waste everyone’s time. A few unique cover versions:

    Seu Jorge’s Bowie covers (here covering Rebel, Rebel):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Fp0WzPyQs

    Nouvelle Vague (here covering Billy Joel’s Dancing With Myself):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5j-ipGFcko

    And really anything by these guys (“Pomplamoose”):

    http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic

    The lead singer is mesmerizing. Don’t miss their version of Single Ladies:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIr8-f2OWhs

  35. 35.

    burnspbesq

    “Mr. Tambourine Man”

    “Black Crow” (Joni Mitchell’s original and Diana Krall’s version)

    And I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Toots & the Maytals’ version of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Sublime and ridiculous at the same time.

  37. 37.

    bago

    A DJ friend of mine had two CD’s filled with covers of “Killing Me Softly”. It was labeled the “evil set”. He could mix from one version of Killing to another for TWO hours. Breaking your will.

  39. 39.

    Jimmm

    My link-a-palooza post is stuck in moderation, but in the mean time search Youtube for Pomplamoose Music. Lots of really interesting covers, and a mesmerizing lead singer.

    I especially recommend “Single Ladies” and “My Favorite Things”.

  41. 41.

    JasonF

    My comment had so many links it got caught in moderation and I don’t know if it will ever come out at this time of night, so here it is without the links:

    Feelin’ Alright by Traffic and by Joe Cocker
    With a Little Help From My Friends by The Beatles and by Joe Cocker
    She Came In Through the Bathroom Window by The Beatles and by Joe Cocker
    Unchain My Heart by Ray Charles and by Joe Cocker

    Are you sensing a pattern?

    There’s also Manfred Mann’s covers of Dylan’s Quinn the Eskimo and Springsteen’s Spirit in the Night and Blinded by the Light.

    I like the Killers’ cover of the Romeo and Juliet, but not as much as the Dire Straits original.

    I like the Bobby Fuller version of I Fought the Law and I absolutely love the Clash cover.

    The Ramones did some great covers. I’m partial to their version of California Sun, though of course the original by the Rivieras is fantastic.

    Speaking of the Ramones: Chinese Rock by the Ramones? Fantastic. Chinese Rock by Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers? Oh, man—that’s what music is about.

    Two of the greatest songs ever recorded are Van Morrison’s original “Gloria” and Patti Smith’s “Gloria (version).”

    There’s a great obscure song from the 70s called Ca Plane Pour Moi by the obscure Plastic Bertrand that was covered by the equally obscure Thee Headcoatees, a great all-girl 90s garage rock band (I could not find a link, unfortunately, but if the idea of an all-girl garage band works for you, Thee Headcoatees are worth seeking out).

  42. 42.

    Mike E

    Soundgarden/Johnny Cash, “Rusty Cage”.
    Led/Dred Zeppelin, pretty much anything but especially “Nobody’s Fault But Mon”

  44. 44.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    @JasonF: Actually “The Letter” wasn’t bad in the original and the Joe Cocker version is great.

    Winterland, 1970, Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour, I hitchhiked there because I was too young to drive, I was determined to go because Van Morrison was the opening act and I had become a fanatic fan of the Moondance album that had just come out. I had never even heard of Joe Cocker. Boy was I surprised.

    Leon Russell was on piano and guitar, wearing a grey felt top hat that made him seem about ten feet tall and something out of Alice in Wonderland, directing the band– ay yi yi. Best rock show I ever saw.

    Van Morrison was kind of disappointing, I actually like him a lot better recorded than live. Fun to see anyway though.

    Pretty much like this, yep.

  45. 45.

    Ivan

    Two covers, very hard call:

    Creep
    Original by Radiohead:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk
    Live cover by Prince at Coachella 2008:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7AhkcO48Zs

    Particularly love how Prince twists the lyrics and emphasis just enough to turn the original from self-loathing and inadequacy to the cover’s oozing with bitterness and contempt and lust.

    Nobody Does It Better
    Original by Carly Simon:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaV-6qerkqI
    Live cover by Radiohead (various venues, other YouTubes have video, but IMO this has the best audio):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSArd7fx65A

    The thing about a great cover is that the artist doing the cover should really make the song their own

  46. 46.

    David Berliner

    “All Along the Watchtower” has been noted repeatedly, although I’d forgive anyone who didn’t think the original was listenable enough to beat out “Just My Imagination” on this scale. But for all-time before-and-after covers, I insist the conversation begins and ends with Otis Redding’s “Respect” and, of course, Aretha Franklin’s.

    Redding.
    Franklin.

  47. 47.

    Tax Analyst

    Well, I don’t know if they are the best, but I like the cover versions of Dylan’s “Tangled Up In Blue” by Joan Baez and another one by the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils, the various versions of Cat Stevens “The First Cut is the Deepest” by Sheryl Crow (yeah, she does play the bass – also does it on her own “My Favorite Mistake”, another very good song), Ronstadt and Rod Stewart.

    For a live cover that I don’t think there is a studio version of I really like Tori Amos’s live concert version of Carole King’s “I Feel The Earth Move”. I saw her do it at the Greek Theatre here in L.A. back in ’03 and it had the whole place rocking.

    There sure are a lot of good choices in the above thread.

  48. 48.

    cbear

    You guys are all missing an alltime great, “When a Man Loves a Woman”.

    Written and recorded by Percy Sledge and covered by Bette Midler in “The Rose”.

    Hell, Michael Bolton won a Grammy for his cover in 1991.

    (It made number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in 1996 and was listed 54th in the List of Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 greatest songs of all time.

    Also recorded by Kenny Rogers in 1997 on his multi-million selling album “Always and Forever” and a version by Spencer Davis Group featuring Steve Winwood on “Autumn 66”. A version by Jerry Lee Lewis appears on his “The Hits” album—also Joe Ceresano w/ Clarence Clemons, Barbara Mandrell, Art Garfunkel, etc.—Wiki)

  49. 49.

    Batocchio

    All Along the Watchtower – Dylan, Hendrix, a few other bands have good versions
    Little Wing – I still like Jimi the best (those bells), but you’re right, SRV’s is great too
    Hallelujah – I like Jeff Buckley’s cover better, but it’s very different from Cohen’s original, more personal and desperate
    Whatever You Like – I like Anya Marina’s cover better, it’s slyer and sexier
    Courage – I like Sarah Polley’s cover better than the Tragically Hip original
    Wild Horses – The Sundays cover is great, although I prefer the Rolling Stones’ original
    Dancing When the Stars Go Blue – the Bono/Corrs version is good, although I don’t think anyone can touch Ryan Adams’ original, especially some of the live versions on the intertubes
    Joe Cocker and Emmylou Harris’ covers of The Beatles, Siouxsie Sioux’s cover of Dear Prudence
    Annie Lennox has done some great covers. Besides the ones mentioned above, her cover of “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is pretty good.
    Smells Like Teen Spirit – Paul Anka
    And agreed, the Johnny Cash cover of “Hurt” is powerful

  51. 51.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    This got me curious where calling it a “cover” came from. My assumption being that it was just a natural extension of covered meaning “dealt with”, “went over”, and so on, e.g. “we covered that material in the last class”.

    Nope, says Wikiland:

    From early in the 20th century it was common practice among phonograph record labels, if any company had a record that was a significant commercial success, that other record companies would have singers or musicians “cover” the “hit” tune by recording a version for their own label in hopes of cashing in on the tune’s success…. …Since there was little promotion or advertising involved in the earlier days of record production, other than at the local music hall or music store, when the average record buyer went out to purchase a new record, he usually asked for the tune, not the artist. In addition, distribution of records was highly localized in many cases. So, a quickly-recorded version of a hit song from another area by a locally popular artist could reach an audience before the version by the artist(s) who first introduced the tune…

    So it means covering up the original. Or so they say, anyway.

  55. 55.

    CDT

    The Springsteen and Patti Smith versions of “Because of the Night” aren’t bad, either. The best version of Bruce is on the “Live in Winterland” boot from 1978 or so. For classics, check out Graham Parker’s version of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.”

  56. 56.

    Dr. J

    Two others:
    Vanilla Fudge “You keep me hanging on”
    Linda Ronstadt “Willin'”

    How about the worst covers? My vote goes for Guns & Roses doing Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door”

  58. 58.

    cleek

    the Johnny Cash cover of “Hurt” is powerful

    ain’t nothing, compared to Kermit’s version.

    best song/cover pair: Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane” & the Cowboy Junkies’ “Sweet Jane”.

  63. 63.

    Manic Depression

    @JasonF
    Regarding “Gloria” – The Shadows of Knight cover is actually the version most Americans are familiar with…and it does rock – totally unhinged. I can argue it cuts the original by Them.

    @Wannabe Speechwriter
    “Money (That’s What I Want)” excellent versions also done by Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, and The Flying Lizards.

    American Girl – Tom Petty / Roger McGuinn (although it seems it should be the other way around).

    Love and Happiness – Al Green / Toots Hibbert. Toots version on the “Toots in Memphis” album…incredible.

    Kiss – Prince / Richard Thompson

    War – Edwin Starr / Bruce Springsteen

  64. 64.

    Paul in KY

    I nominate ‘You Really Got Me’. original by The Kinks. Cover by Van Halen.

    Haven’t read anybody elses nominees.

  65. 65.

    Manic Depression

    @JasonF
    Regarding “Gloria” – The Shadows of Knight cover is actually the version most Americans are familiar with…and it does rock – totally unhinged. I can argue it cuts the original by Them.

    @Wannabe Speechwriter
    “Money (That’s What I Want)” excellent versions also done by Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, and The Flying Lizards.

    American Girl – Tom Petty / Roger McGuinn (although it seems it should be the other way around).

    Love and Happiness – Al Green / Toots Hibbert. Toots version on the “Toots in Memphis” album…incredible.

    Kiss – Prince / Richard Thompson

    War – Edwin Starr / Bruce Springsteen

  66. 66.

    snarkout

    I’m late, but Al Green/Talking Heads, “Take Me to the River”. (I’m very fond of the Cowboy Junkies’ version “Sweet Jane”, for that matter.)

  68. 68.

    GeoffBon

    Two more: The Drugs Don’t Work (The Verve vs. Ben Harper), and Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics vs. Marilyn Manson).

  70. 70.

    AxelFoley

    Thank goodness for this thread.

    On other websites I visit (sports, video games) I feel old since most there are in their teens to early twenties.

    You guys make me feel young again because most of the songs you’re talking about were before my time, or were out when I was a little kid, LOL.

  71. 71.

    JenJen

    Late to the party, but Cake’s version of “I Will Survive” kicks the original’s ass. Sorry, Gaynor.

    And one-hit-wonders Alien Ant Farm’s cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” is right up there, too.

    (ETA: They are both great songs, in original & cover form.)

  72. 72.

    JasonF

    @Dr. J:

    How about the worst covers? My vote goes for Guns & Roses doing Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door”

    Guns & Roses has an entire album of covers (“The Spaghetti Incident”) all of which are not particularly good.

  73. 73.

    PS

    Sure, Hallelujah — I’d take Cale over Buckley, myself — of course Watchtower, and it’s hard to argue with Respect, but I’ll also offer Long Tall Sally, Little Richard and The Beatles: a greater original than most, and a superb cover.

  75. 75.

    Ted

    Neko Case and Bob Dylan, “Buckets of Rain”
    The Afghan Whigs and The Spinners, “I’ll Be Around”
    The Modern Lovers and Burning Sensations, “Pablo Picasso”

  76. 76.

    BongCrosby

    Piggybacking on Steve L. at #3 waaay above, I like both Johnny Rivers’ and Devo’s versions of “Secret Agent Man.”

    Bobby Fuller Four/The Clash “I Fought The Law.”

    Cash/Social Distortion “Ring of Fire.”

    Going in the opposite direction, you should (not) check out the Marilyn Manson version of The Ramones’ “The KKK Took My Baby Away.” IMODO, Manson just completely and totally sucks all the life and joy out of that song.

  80. 80.

    Linkmeister

    @TuiMel: I’ve heard it, but you gotta get past Rod’s voice. For me, it works better on some songs than on others. “Maggie May,” fine.

    Interestingly to me, Ronstadt never recorded it for an album or single; that concert is the only time I’ve ever heard her sing it (I say this as a serious fan; I own about 20 of her albums and know the contents of the ones I don’t own).

  82. 82.

    CalD

    I admit it, for a few brief moments I imagined things would change/had changed in November, 2008. For various reasons, today made it impossible to believe that anymore.

    About the only thing you can be certain of in life is that things will change. Perhaps never fast enough or far enough in the direction you want to suit you, and of course rarely without a few fits and spurts and maybe little backsliding along the way. But as I look back on how the world has changed since my childhood in the 60s, in the balance it’s hard for me to be as cynical as one might be from just looking at current events. Seems like in the long run, Americans can be maddeningly slow to catch on to a lot of things but we’re not completely stupid.

  85. 85.

    Matthew C

    How about Jamie Cullum covering Pharrell’s “Fronting” or Jeff Buckley’s “Lover, You Should Have Come Over” or Radiohead’s “High and Dry” His new album came out Tuesday; I haven’t had a chance to grab it yet, but they’re usually chock-full of great cover songs as well as his originals.

    My favorite cover is one that is not only as good as the original, but better! Manfred Mann’s cover of Springsteen’s “Blinded By The Light”

  87. 87.

    Kevin Phillips Bong

    Laibach’s cover of the entire Beatles’ “Let It Be”, except for the song “Let It Be”. It’s all good, but especially “Across the Universe”. Also Alice Donut’s trombone-based covers of War Pigs (mentioned by C. Nelson Reilly above) and Helter Skelter.

  88. 88.

    scott

    Landslide – Fleetwood Mac/Dixie Chicks
    Always On My Mind – Willie Nelson/Pet Shop Boys
    Take Me To the River – Talking Heads/Al Green
    One – U2/Johnny Cash
    Because the Night – Patti Smith/Natalie Merchant
    Walk This Way – Aerosmith/RunDMC
    If You Leave Me Now – Chicago/Suzy Boguss
    Human Nature – Michael Jackson/Miles Davis
    Viva Las Vegas – Elvis Pressley/Bruce Springsteen
    Please,Please,Please Let me get what I want – Smiths/She&Him
    Gotta Serve Somebody – Bob Dylan/Tommy Castro
    Hotel California – Eagles/The Cat Empire (the cover is, however, in French)

  89. 89.

    YellowJournalism

    @cleek: Hands down, worst ever? Has to be Jessica Simpson’s version of “These Boots Are Made for Walking”. That cover is to my ears what fingernails on a blackboard are to most people. To listen to it is to know the true meaning of the word “cringe”.

  93. 93.

    aceckhouse

    Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin both did covers of A Change is Gonna Come, and there are some amazing covers on Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons. And I don’t know what you’d call the original, but there are quite a few amazing versions of Way Down in the Hole (the theme song for The Wire) out there.

  94. 94.

    Steeplejack

    Man, I am so pissed that I missed this thread.

    I’m currently listening to Nuggets, a great collection of ’60s riff rock, so I’ll throw in:

    “I Want Candy,” the Strangeloves and Bow Wow Wow.

    And my favorite “cover” video of all time: everyone doing Dylan’s “My Back Pages” at the 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden.

Comments are closed.