Cover songs by established artists

[Guit Hacker]

Everyone has played a cover tune at some point in our lives and a lot of our guitar heros are guilty of recording them at some point in their career. SRV did his Hendrix and King, Clapton did (well there really are too many to name), Chet Atkins (see the Clapton text:D), etc.

I'd like to know which cover tunes caught you by surprise, preferably in a good way. Just to get started, here are a couple of mine.

Bonnie Raitt - Burning Down the House (Talking Heads)

Jesse Cook - It Ain't Me Babe (Bob Dylan), but honestly who hasn't covered Dylan;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKzlAp7jBps

[darko]

I really like this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVFpMLE6WIo

and here is son doing his father's song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcnC8293J_4

[JackInTheGreen]

"Over The Rainbow"...covered by Acoustic Clapton....He closed a show with it...It really made me think outside the box....it opened a door that never before existed.....

[geokie8]

. . . but honestly who hasn't covered Dylan . . .

My 25 yr old daughter loves Dylan so much I took her to a Dylan concert a couple of years ago (my first time seeing him too). It was open floor and we got right next to the stage. To commemorate, I made her a CD of some of the best Dylan covers. The list:

Queen Jane Approximately Grateful Dead
All Along the Watchtower Hendrix
Chimes of Freedom Springsteen
Don't Think Twice, it's Alright Clapton (Really incredible)
Desolation Row Grateful Dead
My Back Pages Byrds
Just Like a Woman Richie Havens
Simple Twist of Fate Jerry Garcia Band
Like a Rolling Stone Hendrix
Love is Just a Four Letter Word Joan Baez
I Shall Be Released Jerry Garcia Band

Of course, there are many others, but these are all very inspiring. Extra kick: Most are live.

geokie8

[Andromeda]

John Denver's cover of the Beatles song "Mother Nature's Son" is my preferred version. He really made it his own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auZ3Ign--9w

Hayley Westenra's cover of "Both Sides Now" the Joni Mitchell classic is really given that beautiful touch by Hayley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yQ4mzPKTew

Speaking of Joni Mitchell I love Amy Grant's cover of "Big Yellow Taxi."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiJWwWP1g7w

[mmmaak]

James Taylor's cover of "You've Got a Friend" (Carole King).

[catdaddy]

My biggest surprise came a long time ago when I heard Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassidy as Hot Tuna cover "Hesitation Blues". Hearing those guys from psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane do an acoustic cover of an old traditional blues song was a total shock to me at the time. However, the shock was soon overcome my enjoyment.

[craigster59]

Sweet Jane-Cowboy Junkies
Hard to Handle-Black Crowes
Ramble On/Whole Lotta Love/Walk on the Wild Side-Train
Black Magic Woman-Santana
You Just Keep Me Hangin' On-Vanilla Fudge
Hesitation Blues-Jesse Colin Young
Rock n' Roll-Heart
Country Roads-Toots and the Maytals
and a lot more

[Guitarpix]

I've really enjoyed playing this recently...

"Dela" originally by Johnny Clegg Here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWmTJJSqYsI
But I like The Beautiful Girls cover of it so much better http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ5nWLvhd7k As a plus, It's amazingly simple to play. There's a quick tutorial posted as a responce if anyone is interested....

[Stockard]

Anything Johnny Cash covered-he just made it his own interpretation.

[Jhengsman]

Gato Barbieri covering Santana's Europa. In this version Carlos got the better of Gato:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4Mrp6wuSwk


Average White Band's cover of Quincy Jones' If I Ever Lose This Heaven. The original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBo-ttW8hVU

[heavy soul]

Beck - Everybody's gotta learn sometime.
Dave Van Ronk - Cocaine Blues.
Paul Weller - I shall be released.
Stereophonics - Posistively 4th Street.
Johnny Cash - Hurt.

I could go on......

[vac4873]

Here Comes the Sun - Richie Havens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8HBHWYd6ug
Stop in the Name of Love - Jonell Mosser
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvpsD07dLiA
Big Yellow Taxi - Counting Crows with Vanessa Carlton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVD6_BGV8mM
Billie Jean - David Cook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUfbLtZHrog

[FLDavid]

The Beach Boys' covers of "Sloop John B" and "Do You Wanna Dance?" have ended up as the definitive versions
The Four Tops covered "Walk Away, Renee," and made it their own
In the early days of their career, The Beatles covered several songs by Black American artists

. . . but I would not say that they're "guilty" of anything (except maybe "My Sweet Lord " :o)

[and welcome to the forum, heavy soul! Don't be a stranger]

[rlouie]

Shawn Colvin's version of Tom Waits "Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofkp80Na6HE

SHAWN COLVIN's version of Dylans YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME LONESOME WHEN YOU GO

http://popup.lala.com/popup/504684684959495072

this whole CD is incredible...............it's called Shawn Colvin - Cover Girls
check it out here............. http://www.lala.com/#song/504684684959495072

[vac4873]

In 1973, Johnny Cash decided to educate his teenage daughter, giving her a list of what he considered 100 "essential" country songs.

Here is an article about it: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-bialas/rosanne-cashs-ithe-listi_b_311189.html&cp

She recently released an album that is covers of selected songs from that list, entitling it, appropriately, "The List". There are some terrific covers that anyone who appreciates the roots of country music (and American music in general) should enjoy.

Here's a link to the site: http://rosannecash.com/indexee.php

[rcadian]

Jackson Browne's acoustic cover of The Eagles, Take It Easy - which technically isn't a cover as he co-wrote the song, but as it's tuned down it has a totally different feel. Stunning.

Also, Steve Earles' version of The Pogues, If I Should Fall From Grace. Awesome.

And finally Van Morrison's version of Comfortably Numb. Brilliant.

Rc

[fitness1]

Elton John's two covers (maybe there were more, but I'm not aware) were more pleasing than the originals to me.

Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
Pinball Wizard

I also enjoy Tony Rice's versions of two Lightfoot tunes better than the originals...

Shadows
Let it Ride

It's a shame Tony isn't able to sing anymore.

[hcole]

Jeff Buckley's done a few covers that I love
Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"
Dylan's "Mama, You've Been On My Mind"
"Lilac Wine" is another cover of he's done, although I've never heard any other version.

Mazzy Star did a cover of the Green on Red song "Hair and Skin" that I love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92Rl0re5Mu4

Iron and Wine doing "Such Great Heights" from The Postal Service, it's beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKGHkBComjM

The Flaming Lips doing Madonna.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_z38PaikMs

[DMBfan]

My 25 yr old daughter loves Dylan so much I took her to a Dylan concert a couple of years ago (my first time seeing him too). It was open floor and we got right next to the stage. To commemorate, I made her a CD of some of the best Dylan covers. The list:

Queen Jane Approximately Grateful Dead
All Along the Watchtower Hendrix
Chimes of Freedom Springsteen
Don't Think Twice, it's Alright Clapton (Really incredible)
Desolation Row Grateful Dead
My Back Pages Byrds
Just Like a Woman Richie Havens
Simple Twist of Fate Jerry Garcia Band
Like a Rolling Stone Hendrix
Love is Just a Four Letter Word Joan Baez
I Shall Be Released Jerry Garcia Band

Of course, there are many others, but these are all very inspiring. Extra kick: Most are live.

geokie8
I believe All Along the Watchtower was originally written by Bob Dylan and Hendrix covered it.

[hcole]

I believe All Along the Watchtower was originally written by Bob Dylan and Hendrix covered it.

All of the songs he mentioned are Dylan originals, with the artist who covered it listed after the song title.

[patrickgm60]

Bruce Cockburn's cover of "Blueberry Hill," made popular by Fats Domino, whose recording was a cover of the original song, which predates WW2.

[Guit Hacker]

Iron and Wine doing "Such Great Heights" from The Postal Service, it's beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKGHkBComjM


Hadn't listened to Iron & Wine for a while so I clicked on your link and stumbled upon this;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzhp1Nd92kA&feature=fvw

She's not an "established" artist, but IMO does a great cover of Iron & Wine.

[vac4873]

Any tune Eva Cassidy did.

[newton]

I'd like to know which cover tunes caught you by surprise, preferably in a good way., ... but honestly who hasn't covered Dylan;)


Ask and you shall receive: :)

Water Boys covering Dylan on Girl from the North Country
Buddy & Julie Miller covering Dylan on Wallflower
Cowboy Junkies covering Dylan on If You Gotta Go, Go Now
Dr. Feelgood covering Dylan on Highway 61 Revisited
Johnny Marr covering Dylan on Don't Think Twice, It's all Right
Mary Lou Lord covering Dylan on You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome
Yo La Tengo covering Dylan on I Threw It all Away
Cassandra Wilson covering Dylan on Shelter From The Storm
Hamell on Trial covering Dylan on It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
Paul Weller covering Dylan on I Shall Be Released

These are my favorites from Uncut Magazines Hard Rain Tribute to Bob Dylan. I never use to care about anything but the original Dylan and yet, for some reason, I bought this magazine off of the rack just for the CD and, almost every track was awesome.

Some of these songs are covered in the traditional manner. Others covers change the songs up quite a bit.

The greatest Dylan cover of all time though, would have to be:

Jimi Hendrix covering Dylan on All Along the Watchtower.


Trivia Question: Who cut the studio bass tracks for All Along the Watchtower when Dylan did the original recording back in 1962?






















Answer: Jimi Hendrix

[newton]

Anything Johnny Cash covered-he just made it his own interpretation.

...you know something?, I always liked his version of Tennessee Stud better than Doc Watson's. I heard it on a train when I was kid. It's what kinda made me want to play guitar instead of the trumpet.

[newton]

Step Inside This House by Lyle Lovett is nothing but cover tunes. It took awhile, but I eventually grew to like them all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Step_Inside_This_House


...aside from punk rock covers, that's it for me. ...that's all I got folks.