The greatest cover versions are those that are so good that people think they are the original. Also, those songwriters who have written so many good songs that you just can't believe that this is another one of theirs. Bob Dylan is a great example of the latter.
And as regards the former, what better examples are there of taking ownership of somebody else's song than Jimi Hendrix's version of Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" and Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger & The Trinity's version of Dylan's "This Wheels On Fire"
- This album is packed with Awesome Coverversions.
All You Need Is Love, Eleanor Rigby - Lennon-McCartney
Memphis Blues Again, Mr. Tambourine Man, It Ain’t Me, Babe - Bob Dylan
California Dreaming - Phillips-Phillips
She’s a Rainbow - Jagger-Richards
White Rabbit - Slick
I Almost Cut my Hair Today - Crosby
Holiday - Gibb-Gibb
The Sound of Silence - Simon
The End - Morrison-Manzarek-Krieger-Densmore
"I'm A Man" by Chicago on their first album when they were called Chicago Transit Authority. A cover of the Spencer Davis Group song (featuring Stevie Winwood).
- This album is packed with Awesome Coverversions.
All You Need Is Love, Eleanor Rigby - Lennon-McCartney
Memphis Blues Again, Mr. Tambourine Man, It Ain’t Me, Babe - Bob Dylan
California Dreaming - Phillips-Phillips
She’s a Rainbow - Jagger-Richards
White Rabbit - Slick
I Almost Cut my Hair Today - Crosby
Holiday - Gibb-Gibb
The Sound of Silence - Simon
The End - Morrison-Manzarek-Krieger-Densmore
Apparently Ray Davies says that he came up with their highly influential song You Really Got Me’s famous power-intro while trying to hammer out the chords to “Louie Louie.”
There's a really good compilation of Bowie covers on BBE Music ("Modern Love"), with some stellar contributions by Sessa (a Tropicalia cover of "Panic in Detroit"), Jeff Parker & The New Breed, Matthew Tavares, and Khruangbin...
"Fields of Gold" and "Songbird" both on the album "Songbird" by Eva Cassidy.
A great example of where the cover versions are better than the original. Sting, of course, did the original version of "Fields of Gold" and Christine McVie did "Songbird".
So sad that Eva died so young and never experienced her posthumous success.
Comments
And as regards the former, what better examples are there of taking ownership of somebody else's song than Jimi Hendrix's version of Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" and Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger & The Trinity's version of Dylan's "This Wheels On Fire"
Memphis Blues Again, Mr. Tambourine Man, It Ain’t Me, Babe - Bob Dylan
California Dreaming - Phillips-Phillips
She’s a Rainbow - Jagger-Richards
White Rabbit - Slick
I Almost Cut my Hair Today - Crosby
Holiday - Gibb-Gibb
The Sound of Silence - Simon
The End - Morrison-Manzarek-Krieger-Densmore
It has - it really has!
No. 2 on my list after the classic Jimi Hendrix cover version.
Still blown away by his long, meandering (fittingly!) take on Dark Star!
Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues
Apparently Ray Davies says that he came up with their highly influential song You Really Got Me’s famous power-intro while trying to hammer out the chords to “Louie Louie.”
A great example of where the cover versions are better than the original. Sting, of course, did the original version of "Fields of Gold" and Christine McVie did "Songbird".
So sad that Eva died so young and never experienced her posthumous success.