Best cover versions?

[LaLaLand2006]

What are everyone's favourite songs covered by other artists? I love Wonderwall by Ryan Adams. And worst...?

[kick3m0n]

Think this was asked fairly recently, but my all time favourite cover is Futureheads version of Hounds of Love. I think it's utterly brilliant, and even tho I'm a Kate Bush fan, I think I prefer it to the original. Worst would be any cover done by Girls Aloud....and there are plenty to chose from, all appalling.

[spat]

recenly heard Bonnie Prince Billy doing a cover of "Thunder Road" by Springsteen.even better than the original

[kev100]

I'm probably too old for this thread LaLa, but what exactly is a wonderwall??

[LaLaLand2006]

It's a reference to George Harrison's first solo album and a soundtrack to a film of the same name. I'm not sure why the film was called this though!

[JackDanielsU]

Thats what Travis asked on "Writing to reach You" kev100. And Im still none the wiser!

Anything done by manufactured boy / girl bands, normally songs from the 60s and 70s

I like First Cut is the Deepest. Rod Stewart, Little Angels, and Sheryl Crow all stamped their own mark on the song

[andy-hughes]

Any of the doo-wop covers done by Big Daddy - but my fave is Bruce Springseteen's Dancing In The Dark done as a slow-beat doo-wop with a light tenor vocal, fabulous.

My all-time hate is Whitney Houston's hymn to the world's biggest interet search engine - I Will Alaways Love Yahoo which I have to walk as far away from as possible when ever I hear it, otherwise I get one of my 'heads'.

[Aschenbach]

Best - Soft Cell - Tainted Love

Worst - All Saints - Under The Bridge

Disagree on Futureheads. I prefer the original for its great drums and vocals. My favourite song on Ryan Adams' Love Is Hell is Avalanche.

[mrs zom]

funniest...anything by richard cheese (esp Down with the Sickness cover)

[missjef]

will youngs - 'dontcha' (wish your girlfriend was hot like me) originally done by the pussycat dolls & his version of 'hey ya' originally done by outkast.

love Arctic Monkeys version of Girls Aloud's 'Love machine' even though i hate the original!!

[ugly_bob]

Anything by Mike Flower Pots. Esp Wonderwall ;-)

[johnstead23]

I love Johnny Cash's version of Nine Inch Nail's Hurt, or Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

[robbo82]

I'd agree with John Stead about Jeff Buckley doing Hallelujah, Rufus Wainwright's version is also good.

Worst has to be the travesty that was Madonna doing American Pie.

And, for the record, wasn't Wonderwall named after a George Harrison album?

[Mattk]

Best Whiskey in the jar - Metallica

Worst - dance versions of classics rock songs eg boys of summer - don henley

[LaLaLand2006]

I reckon the worst cover songs are the ones that sound exactly the same as the original (or try to and often fail). The best covers are the ones where the artist makes the song totally their own. There's no real talent in basically copying an original of anything. You might as well go down your local Karaoke night otherwise! Westlife take note!

[kick3m0n]

agree lalaland, which is why I cited any of Girls Alouds covers as my choice for worst.

[kev100]

I have to agree with LaLalandThe lowest you can get are copycats.

I nominate the biggest copycats of all time, the John Lennon/Beatles wannabees, Oasis

[missjef]

scissor sisters doing franz ferdinands take me out is good.

[sfsorrow]

johnny cash covering u2s one is awesome,theres too many bad ones, especially by all these new untalented boy and girl bands

[littleoldme]

Best - Kirsty MacColl (my second favourite ever songwriter) singing Days, written by Ray Davies (the only person above her in the list).

Funniest - The Gourds' banjo-fuelled hillbilly cover of Snoop Doggy Dogg's gangsta (c)rap anthem, Gin And Juice.

Worst - Without Yoooo-oooh-aahoo by Mariah Carey, closely followed by anything by Westlife, and I completely agree with Andy Hughes about that Whitney Houston travesty.

[Goodsoulette]

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah (isnt it everyones)

failing that Starsailor - a simple twist of fate