Musical Palate Cleanser – Best Cover Version

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So, I planned on having this ready for Father’s day, but life intervened as it often does. My plan was to draw the illusion of fathers and sons being like “covers” of an already produced work. Different, but hopefully better. I’ve provided a link to a “fictionalized” version of my Dad here https://tackytoo.com/daddy/.

This story begins with my son, a proud UGA grad, heading north to trade the privet hedge for the Ivy League, the Red and Black for the Crimson and Black. On our first visit to his new school, he proceeded to gift me with the latest iPod preloaded with 8, 16? gigs of music. The music was a complete buffet of genres. I saw some old favorites of mine, and a lot of his.

At this point, let me say that if music had not advanced beyond Southern Rock, I probably would have been comfortable. I do appreciate “pickers” in all styles, but the whole hip hop, gangsta rap, etc. did nothing for me. Having four hundred watts of thump, thump, thump roll up next to me at a red light did not engender me to the style positively. At least, not until I listened to my first pick for best cover, Tupac’s “I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto” which covered Bruce Hornsby’s “The Way It is.” It tore my heart out.

Will God’s creations still be separated in the afterlife? Powerful stuff.

My second surprise from the iPod and my second pick, was Johnny Cash doing “Hurt,” a cover of the Nine Inch Nails song of the same name. I’ve always been a fan of Johnny Cash, but this went somewhere else.

It still gives me chills. Johnny was at death’s door while recording his American anthology. His producer literally propped him up to the mic to get the “last squeeze of the lemon.” The four albums of mostly covers were done prior to his death. Two more were released posthumously. “Hurt” is on American IV.

While you rummage through your memories for your favorite cover, I’ll slip into the way back machine and promote CCR’s “Suzy Q”. It was my lullaby for a period of time. Ironically, CCR’s most commercially successful song was “Proud Mary” as covered by Tina Turner and others.

I feel we should discount the entire British Invasion, Led Zeppelin in particular for covering Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and others without attribution. After all, they were just bringing American music back to America.

Discounting my “old man” contention that nothing much worth covering has been written since the 90’s, what song(s) stands out as the most successful cover(s) to you?

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About budlite

Bud Lite is a fictional character featured in the books Momma, Can You Hear Me?, The Little Church in the Valley, and The Crystal Palace. Bud represents the man the author might have become without the love and guidance of a good woman—a proud UGA graduate.

58 thoughts on “Musical Palate Cleanser – Best Cover Version”

  1. Successful for who?

    https://youtube.com/shorts/6XYNm4iXIWk?si=b5re6EwteFP8raw0

    Couldn’t find the video, but I’ve chuckled at Keith Richards reaction to taking all of the Verve’s money for Bittersweet Symphony calling the dispute “lawyer shit” and that if the Verve had a problem then “just take it off the fucking album!!!”

    As far as faves, it seems to me that letting Sinead sing your song tends to work out pretty well:

    Everyone knows this Prince cover:

    https://youtu.be/0-EF60neguk?si=IaS-wqKyKBtGsAbV

    These lesser knows are pretty damn good.

    One from Bob Dylan:

    https://youtu.be/FimsJyJhsv4?si=FuUIJsL1TpU71emU

    And a traditional one.

    • It was the Rolling Stone’s manager Alan Klein who led the royalty fight which took most of the profits on behalf of the Stones and added Jagger and Richards as songwriters on the Verve song. In 2019, 10 years after Klein died, Jagger and Richards plus Klein’s son decided to cede the songwriting credits back to Richard Ashworth.

      • Good for them. While funny to watch Keef’s reaction, I always felt it was a bit “assholish” of them not to work something out. Especially, given the minimal use of the Stones work in the song.

        Given that the song didn’t have the same value in 2019 as it did upon release, was lost revenue accounted for at all?

  4. The Isley Brothers did a fantastic cover of the Dooby Brothers’ song “Listen to the Music.” Dwight Yoakum did a killer version of ZZ Top’s “I’m Bad. I’m Nationwide.”

    • The Isley brothers helped me get my funk on this morning, thanks. I prefer the ZZ Top version, but I appreciate where he’s going. It’s amazing how many movies Dwight Yoakum will just pop up in.

    • I cannot imagine Dwight Yoakum doing ZZ Top. Now I must chase the rabbit…further bulletins as events warrant…

  7. Nillson’s cover of Fred Neil’s Everybody’s Talkin’

    REM’s cover of Wichita Lineman

  10. Just sampling of “All-Georgia” covers (artists or songs with Georgia connections):

    The Black Crowes – Hard to Handle
    Frank Ocean – Moon River
    Cat Power – Sea of Love
    Ray Charles – Georgia On My Mind (tip of the cap to the Willie Nelson live version)
    Ray Charles – I Can’t Stop Loving You
    Otis Redding – Try a Little Tenderness
    Gladys Night & The Pips – Midnight Train to Georgia
    REM – Superman
    Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Honeysuckle Blue
    Drive By Truckers – Everybody Needs Love
    Cyndi Lauper – Money Changes Everything

    • Wow, well done. Mad at myself for missing Georgia on My Mind, from Willie and Ray Charles. Bringing up Willie brings up a host of artists that made a living off of his songs

  12. Always a fan of Sonic Youth’s version of Superstar by The Carpenters from the If I Were a Carpenter album. Richard Carpenter said it was the best remake of any song they put out. Hats off to Thurston Moore & Kim Gordon for that gem. Haunting rendition.

  13. I loved Stone Temple Pilots cover of Led Zeppelin song “Dancin’ Days”. A cover of another famous “cover” band?

  17. Chris Cornell singing Nothing Compares to You is just great. It’s hard to top the original, and it doesn’t, but it’s the closest I’ve heard.

    Metallica’s version of ‘Turn the Page’ was otherworldly. I still remember where I was when I first heard it. Place, company, even the car I was sitting in.

    https://youtu.be/fvTdmlAvI78?si=Euyd3gzD_1en8u_E

  18. Late to the party, but a few of my faves:

    Ben Folds covering “B!tches Ain’t Sh!t”
    https://youtu.be/Q3C4N6p78io?si=U3cJJI5JrEKVFZcy

    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds covering “Death is Not the End” (particularly funny as it is the final song on their “Murder Ballads” album)
    https://youtu.be/BXtDlD9U9iY?si=qcFNKndQOcfh_fNi

    And, a pair of covers by Nina Simone: “Mr. Bojangles” and “Sunday in Savannah”
    https://youtu.be/u4jBSc1uxx8?si=NAxShDXkVBdMI_YD

    https://youtu.be/Lq8BssCcf2Q?si=xxYZnVzLW-rRkzU3

  19. Way off the beaten path. Go to YouTube and search the guy from Frog Leap studios. He converts all sorts of songs into heavy metal covers playing all the instruments himself. It’s trash metal but inspired and hilarious. His Sultans of Swing cover with another YT independent is a fun one. Very euro so many of you won’t be into this but if you’re adventurous and a rocker take a look.

    https://youtu.be/x0RV0kgdqJU?si=-oQM6ZEIFVtoLQsE

    • Just points out how many hours I’m short of putting in 10,000 hours to master an instrument. Also, money for equipment, and talent. Fun group, thanks for the share

  20. Foo Fighters-Down in the Park by Gary Numan
    Jeff Buckley-Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
    Wilson Pickett w/ brother Duane on the six strings-Hey Jude by The Beatles
    Van Halen-You Really Got Me by The Kinks
    Sturgill Simpson-I’d Have to be Crazy by Willie Nelson
    Joe Cocker-With a Little Help From My Friends-The Beatles
    Aretha Franklin-The Weight by The Band

  22. I love me some good Dylan covers. Two fairly obscure ones:

    Elizabeth Cook “Gospel Plow”

    Jason and The Scorchers “Absolutely Sweet Marie”

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