Best Cover Song

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:02pm

Who in your opinion did the best cover of someone else's song?

I like Bette Midler's cover of Joni Mitchell's "For Free" I think she did a better job than Joni, turning Joni's ballad into an uptempo.

I also like Greg Laswell's version of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." His version creates a new meaning to the song. Not better than Cyndi's version, just different.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:19pm

Jeff Buckley - "Hallelujah", just forget about all the overexposure.

This may make short work of your thread, but here's the Top 50 according to a BBC poll (reported in The Guardian), with Pet Shop Boys at No.1.


Link

Updated On: 1/20/15 at 04:19 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:23pm

Gary Jules, Mad World

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:26pm

Eva Cassidy - Every cover song she did.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:34pm

Greg Laswell - Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Aron Wright/Jill Andrews - We Built This City

Karise Eden - It's a Man's World

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:44pm

"but here's the Top 50 according to The Guardian"

A British newspaper and they don't even list Cilla Black's "Anyone Who Had A Heart" which put Black on the musical map.

[J_Jammer]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:47pm

"I also like Greg Laswell's version of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." His version creates a new meaning to the song. Not better than Cyndi's version, just different."

I agree with that. That's what i think of Glee's cover of "No One is Alone" from Into the Woods. They created a new meaning.

"Touch the Sky" by Julie Fowl from Disney's Brave covered in a nice rock touch by PelleK from YouTube.

Jeremy Little's version of "If I Only had a Brain"

"My Sacrifice" by Creed. Covered by Boyce Avenue.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:50pm

"A British newspaper and they don't even list Cilla Black's "Anyone Who Had A Heart" which put Black on the musical map."

That's because Dionne's is better sung and produced. (It's always hard with songs from that era as often a song would be recorded by multiple performers--particularly between the UK and US--around the same time and, even if done a year or so later, it wasn't really considered a cover the way we think of now.)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:51pm

But Cilla's version outsold Dionne's in the UK.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:54pm

Going with Eric's idea that multiple versions of a song could be released and not considered a cover (and this isn't really a cover because it's her song):

I enjoy both versions of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." The Shirelles upbeat is fun, but Carole King makes her song more introspective.

But I guess that example is not really a cover.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 4:58pm

Cher's "The Shoop Shoop Song"!

[javero]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 5:06pm

I'm really fond of Avant and KeKe Wyatt's cover of MY FIRST LOVE originally recorded by Rene Moore & Angela Winbush.

[Tag]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 5:29pm

What is Love - by Kiesza

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 5:33pm

"But Cilla's version outsold Dionne's in the UK."

Yes, but in this case I don't think Dionne's was officially released domestically in the UK (was it?) Regardless, they were saying "best" :P

The Zombies have a great cover of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow--I agree with you about King's and the original Shirelles. (Actually The Zombies also have a great cover of The Look of Love, though nothing tops Dusty's for me.)

I know this is predictable from me, but as much as I love Jimmy Webb's production for Richard Harris, I would much rather listen to Donna Summer's MacArthur Park. And I would MUCH rather listen to her disco-fied Could it Be Magic than Manilow's.

Howabout Bette Davis Eyes? I prefer Carnes synth version to the country-ish original by Jackie DeShannon (who wrote it.)

[tazber]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 5:37pm

I've always liked Big Yellow Taxi covered by Counting Crows.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 5:41pm

"Rocket Man" - Kate Bush
"It's Oh So Quiet" - Bjork
"MacArthur Park" - Donna Summer (for you, Eric!)

Edit - Oh, you've already mentioned it!

Updated On: 1/20/15 at 05:41 PM

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 5:50pm

Lea Michele's version of Alanis Morisette's "Uninvited".

Okay, I just threw that in to see if Jordan was still paying attention.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 6:58pm

"Mony, Mony" Billy Idol
"Has He Got A Friend For Me?" by Maria McKee
"Sweet Jane" Cowboy Junkies
"Acid Queen" Tina Turner
"Proud Mary" Ike and Tina Turner
"Bless The Telephone" Kelis
"I Fought The Law" The Clash
"What If God Was One of Us?" Prince
"Feel For You" Chaka Kahn

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 7:00pm

"But Cilla's version outsold Dionne's in the UK."

Selling more units doesn't make it better. If they ranked their top 50, and someone isn't listed, perhaps they just didn't make the cut?

[Enjolras15]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 11:24pm

Mr Tambourine Man - The Byrds
All of Me - Callabro
True Colours - Shane Filan
Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler (originally sung by Sheena Easton)
You Raise Me Up - Westlife
You Needed Me - Boyzone
Baby I Love Your Way - Will to Power

[J_Jammer]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 11:27pm

"You Raise Me Up - Westlife"

I like their version "Total Eclipse of the Heart"

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 11:41pm

Over here waiting for someone to say Hurt by Johnny Cash like

Updated On: 1/20/15 at 11:41 PM

[J_Jammer]

Posted: 1/20/15 at 11:44pm

Hurt by Johnny Cash is very good.

Awesome choice.

[Fantod]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 12:04am

Not best, but my favorites:

Chelsea Hotel No. 2 - Lana Del Rey
Lovely Day - Alt-J

Updated On: 1/21/15 at 12:04 AM

[Miranda3]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 2:51am

This is an oldie. Morgana King's wonderful jazzy cover of Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life." Stevie said it is the best version of the song he has ever heard.