Favourite/unexpected cover versions

[Jurek]

Gary Jules - Mad World (Tears for Fears)

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

And Siouxse and the Banshees - Dear Prudence (Beatles)

[Mr Larrington]

I also like Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower better than the original.

Everybody¹ prefers Hendrix' version of AATW, even Bob Dylan.

• Walk On By ~ The Stranglers (Dionne Warwick)
• Gloria ~ Jimi Hendrix (Them)
• Life Is Life ~ Laibach (Opus)
• Dignity ~ Robyn Hitchcock (Bob Dylan)
• Up The Junction ~ Lawnmower Deth (Squeeze)

[Are you sure about that last one? - Ed.]

1 - Noel Redding was the exception, but he's dead so it doesn't count.

[Really Ancien]

I like the cover versions which displace the original but which are not classics that are part of the general repertoire.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/thtQngqG4vg&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/thtQngqG4vg&rel=1</a> originally a Pretenders track, given a reggae workover by Sly and Robbie.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/AXkjzNuYITY&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/AXkjzNuYITY&rel=1</a> is an interesting rework of One Vision by Queen, look what they've done to my creed indeed.

Damon.

[onb]

I heard someone singing a version of Janis Joplins Piece of my Heart yesterday  dont know who it was but twas very good.I also like Davids Grays version of say hello wave goodbye.

[Hoopdriver]

Walk On By (covered by the Stranglers - originally Dionne Warwick)

Especially the full length version .

The Witch's Promise - All About Eve (Jethro Tull)

Absolutely. And while I'm here, what about Rollercoaster by the Spacemen 3, originally by the 13th Floor Elevators, transformed into 18 minutes of live noise.

[bobb]

Tori Amos did a brilliant cover of "That's what I like" by Chas 'n Dave. Then some random US school kids covered it! Worked really well apart from hearing kids in middle America singing about jellied eels!

[Mr Larrington]

Absolutely. And while I'm here, what about Rollercoaster by the Spacemen 3, originally by the 13th Floor Elevators, transformed into 18 minutes of live noise.

Blast, forgot that one.  They give good cover: Little Doll (The Stooges) is good and It's Allright (sic) (Bo Diddley) is Even Betterer.

[clarion]

Marc Almond - Something's Gotten (sic) Hold Of My Heart

Though, since it's a duet with Gene Pitney, it's kinda a re-working...

[PaulF]

And there was I Predict A Riot by the Cheshire Women's Institute

[scott]

Calexico's mariachi-tinged version of the Minituemen's "Corona"

That's a good one--I also like the way they sneak The Specials' "Ghost Town" into the middle of "Crystal Frontier" in the live recordings.

[scott]

And Calexico covered Corona?  Wow!  Please tell me where!

HERE

[PaulF]

And Calexico covered Corona?  Wow!  Please tell me where!

HERE

It's also on the Live at Plaza de César Chávez set

[Chris S]

Knights of the Round Table by... erm... Lego  .

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/RjUoaOiErFo&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/RjUoaOiErFo&rel=1</a>

[pcolbeck]

Heart Like A Wheel - June Tabor (orig:Linda Ronstadt)

June has the best voice in English folk music. She has also done a cover of Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart but I haven't heard that; bet that's pretty weird. Wish I could find a copy.

[domesticated ape]

Love Will Tear Us Apart seems a popular one to cover, I've got versions by Squarepusher and Nouvelle Vague on my ipod. The Squarepusher one is particularly good.
Also I remembered two more covers I love, Pressure Drop by The Specials and Police and Thieves by The Clash

[PaulF]

Just remembered Cowboy Junkies' version of I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry, Ryan Adams' Wonderwall and Mrs Robinson by The Lemonheads

[nicknack]

Excuse Me Mister - John Martyn (orig. Ben Harper)

Also on the same album (The Church With One Bell) - Glory Box (Portishead)

And, for that matter, any of the others.

[Flying_Monkey]

Did someone mention Bowie and Jagger's cover of 'Dancing in the Streets'? That is an utter abomination...  And most of Jon Ronson's covers are entirely ill-judged - he is just a prancing New York rich kid IMHO...  And sorry, whoever thought that you could better Neil Young's 'After the Gold Rush' hasn't even got a soul! 

Totally agree on Devo's 'Satisfaction' though.

How about The Breeders, 'Happiness is a Warm Gun' (Beatles)? Or The Pixies, 'Head On' (JAMC)?

[microphonie]

Unless I've missed it no-one's mentioned This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren (Tim Buckley) - way better than the original.

I like the previously mentioned Blancmange/Human League/Schneider TM covers.

Also:

Danielle Dax - Tomorrow Never Knows (Beatles)
Cabaret Voltaire - Here She Comes Now (Lou Reed) & No Escape (Saxon)
Kode9 & The Spaceape - Sine, originally Sign of the Times - (Prince)
Age of Chance - Kiss (Prince)
Thanatos - That's The Way (I Like It) (KC & the Sunshine Band) (30s sample here ) - possibly the most miserable cover version ever!

[Deano]

And Calexico covered Corona?  Wow!  Please tell me where!

HERE

Cheers Scott - Rhys W has already pointed me in the direction of the Convict Pool EP.  Now on its way 

[PaulF]

It's also on the Live at Plaza de César Chávez set

Which also contains versions of Jesus & Tequila and Alone Again Or, plus Ticket to Ride is segued into Not Even Stevie Nicks

[D0m1n1c Burford]

Unless I've missed it no-one's mentioned This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren (Tim Buckley) - way better than the original.

Great choice!!  I love this band.  Good to hear someone else likes them too.

[Flying_Monkey]

Unless I've missed it no-one's mentioned This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren (Tim Buckley) - way better than the original.

It is lovely. However I prefer Brian Kennedy's version for... personal reasons.

[D0m1n1c Burford]

Unless I've missed it no-one's mentioned This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren (Tim Buckley) - way better than the original.

It is lovely. However I prefer Brian Kennedy's version for... personal reasons.

Haven't heard that version - must check it out.  A search on Youtube is imminent!

[mecwales]

Travis' cover of Hit Me baby One More Time