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Cash didn’t just cover Hurt, he claimed it.
Didn’t the original authors say it was his song now or something
I really love “when the levee breaks” by Led Zeppelin, but the original by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy deserves more recognition.
how about Hurra Torpedo’s Total Eclipse of the Heart
Heart Of Glass - Miley Cyrus https://youtu.be/NbdRLyixJpc
Goldfinger covering 99 Red Baloons
Meat Beat Manifesto’s cover of “Asbestos Lead Asbestos”.
Also everything by Laibach.
Mainstream speaking it’s hard to beat All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix.
If we’re sharing favorite covers
Never more covering The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkle
The cover by Disturbed is good to: https://youtu.be/u9Dg-g7t2l4
My dad listens to that very often
Some of these are a bit more obscure, but I think these deserve mention for either transforming or faithfully updating the original songs:
Visigoth covering Necropolis by Manila road: https://youtu.be/QWixcWq1HPk
Cradle of filth covering Temptation by Heaven 17: https://youtu.be/MfMa2lrFxhY
The unseen covering Paint it black by the Rolling Stones: https://youtu.be/QAowDvxJN1A
Type O Negative covering Cinnamon girl by Neil Young: https://youtu.be/BO9aD4mzSE8
Electric Callboy covering Everytime we touch by Cascada: https://youtu.be/AuBXeF5acqE
Marylin Mansion covering Tainted love by Soft Cell: https://youtu.be/srcb-zmKDOE
HIM covering Wicked game by Chris Isaak: https://youtu.be/8oYodfK4DkE
And who can forget the Guns and Roses cover of Knocking on Heaven’s door by Bob Dylan: https://youtu.be/k04tX2fvh0o (I’m pretty sure this is another case of a super popular cover eclipsing the original by another super star)
[Edit] Forgot this amazing cover of Pink Floyd’s Welcome to the machine by Shadows Fall: https://youtu.be/kvMDk3M3c1c
Kind of a pet peeve of mine, but Tainted Love was originally performed in the 60s by Gloria Jones, a black soul singer. Considering the lyrics of the song, I think it could be interpreted as an interracial love affair, which adds a political dimension to the song that the Soft Cell version seems to lack. I would consider it to be some sort of cultural appropriation even if it’s hard to define. In any case, it doesn’t really sit right with me that Soft Cell and later Marylin Manson had all the artistic and financial success with it while Gloria Jones is mostly forgotten about. Don’t get me wrong, I like all three versions (and there are quite some more even) in a vacuum, but I think it’s worth pointing out this bit of background info.
If we’re going obscure, chvrches is worth a mention: https://youtu.be/msgimk3mV6g
This Kendrick Lamar cover is incredible. Similarly, they have a cover of the Arctic Monkeys that’s awesome.
Wow. Never heard this version of the song, but man did Chvrches knock out it the park. It’s almost unrecognizable but familiar at the same time.
That Hurt cover is amazing.
Also putting a shout out to one I haven’t seen mentioned yet.
There have been countless covers of “while my guitar gently weeps” but I think none of them were as flamboyant as the collaboration between Dani Harrison, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lyne, and of course Prince.
I don’t agree with folks saying this is the best guitar solo ever but man does Prince pour his heart and soul into it.
After watching 12tone’s analysis of this solo it gave me an all new appreciation for this cover and Prince. Don’t get me wrong, before I thought Prince was top 10 now I’d consider his in contention for number 1.
Anyone else prefer Muse’s version of Feelin Good over aaaaall the others? So passionate
Within Temptation covering Radioactive by Imagine Dragons.
Nothing can beat the official music video’s surreal hilarity though.
My vote goes to Jimi and ‘All Along the Watchtower’.
IIRC Dylan’s response to hearing Hendrix play it was “oh that’s how you play that song.”
Throwing this one in for consideration.
I would’ve added it to my list if you hadn’t. Jeff’s version is so good the Cohen original sounds like a cover to me these days.
Also, the only other song besides Cash’s rendition of Hurt that will move me to tears on every listen.
