Ask Lemmy

Very common opinion, but "Hurt" originally by NIN covered by Johnny Cash. He really puts his mark on it, especially considering how old he was when he did the cover.

Jimi Hendrix's version of All Along The Watchtower by Bob Dylan. It's likely to be the only version of the song most people have ever heard.

The Donnie Darko (slowed down version) of Tears for Fears, Mad World.

I will survive by cake.

My first high school dance freshman year they played the original and i belted out every word from memory because i spent all summer listening to Fashion Nugget.

Nirvana's version of The Man Who Sold the World.

"Am I Evil" by Diamond head, covered by Metallica, and done so much cleaner and better that I got into a full-on argument with somebody (pre-google) about it it not being an original Metallica song.

Also, I have nothing but respect for Roberta Flack and think "Killing Me Softly" was a fantastic song when she performed it, the Fugees absolutely crushed that song. Listening to the original shortly after makes it fall a little flat.

In the reverse of this, when I mention "Wagon Wheel" and somebody mentions Darius Rucker I get upset. Oh, you took a solid song with great harmonies and instrumentation, and you swapped it out to be a generic country song? Way to make it "your own" bud.

By no means do I think she did it better than Joplin. But Pink's AOL Sessions performance of Me and Bobby McGee has stuck in my head for decades now. (And for what it's worth, both are better than the original from Kristofferson)

https://youtu.be/wwmUMvhy-lY

Second choice, and another one that I legitimately think is better than the original, *Tweeter and the Monkey Man" by The Headstones.

https://youtu.be/eLEvl_uplUk

Edited: Honourable Mention, because no one ever actually tops The Clash. But Captain Tractor did a version of London Calling that is one of my favourites.

https://youtu.be/giJa-66OBNI

Edited: Okay...one last one. Specifically for the Saskies. Captain Tractor's version of the Arrogant Worm's "Last Saskatchewan Pirate".

https://youtu.be/8G_L9tXEwmc

For a bit of context, back in the 90s, my then girlfriend and I were decent friends with the band. Enough so that whenever they would come to Saskatoon they'd crash at our place and we'd go hang out backstage at their shows. Weird because the reason we knew them in the first place was because the drummer was my girlfriends ex....but hey...it was the 90s.

Just an all around bar-band all about drinking songs. Something young people don't do anymore. Was talking to a buddy of mine the other day about how every bar we used to go to in the 90s has been demolished.

Nirvana did a bunch of great ones during their brief time together.

The Man Who Sold The World has already been mentioned, but their versions of Turnaround by Devo, Plateau and Lake of Fire by Meat Puppets, and Where Did you Sleep Last Night and They Hung Him On A Cross by Leadbelly are all beautiful renditions in their own ways.

Of those, I'd say that Where Did You Sleep Last Night and both of the Meat Puppets covers are just as distinctly re-stanked by that Nirvana magic as their Bowie cover was. I like their version of They Hung Him On A Cross more than the original too, but tbh it always made me feel a bit weird hearing a white man singing that one. I get that it came from a place of reverence and compassion, but....idk man. I am both mixed race and have mixed feelings on that one lol. At the same time though, if any white man was to cover that one, I'm glad it was him since the hurt inherent to Kurt's voice was a perfect match for the vibe and tone.

Goldfinger version of 99 red balloons absolutely nails it in my opinion

My personal favorites that I like better than the originals and I LOVE the originals:

Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica

Take On Me - Reel Big Fish

99 Red Balloons - Goldfinger

Land of Confusion - Disturbed

La Isla Bonita - Twilight Guardians

Spaceballs - Majestica

Black Betty - Spiderbait

Thriller - Scandroid

Electric Avenue - Skindred

The Disturbed cover of Land of Confusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV4oYkIeGJc

Two stick out for me.

Skye Edwards - Feel Good Inc

Lily Allen - Mad World

Whitney Houston's "I will always love you". I love Dolly Parton but Whitney slayed this song.

Amish Paradise

Way better understanding of the holy mission, ×1699 times expansion on what the original did

A weird one:

"Sludgefest", an old Alvin and the chipmunks pop record slowed back down to the speed the vocals were recorded.

The result is unironically good – a grimy, moody sound, with deep growling guitar.

Against All Odds by The Postal Service

my mind was blown when I learned that was Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie on vocals

Happy Together by Slothrust

this live version is especially fantastic, from an album of covers by them, I think the Baby One More Time cover is more popular but I prefer the recontextualization of this one

Changes by Charles Bradley

ridiculously emotional, can really feel his pain in it. I would never have thought this was a Black Sabbath cover had it not been mentioned at the top of the video

I Will Survive by Cake

no notes. perfect cover.

Billie Jean by The Civil Wars

never would have thought this would work as a duet but it's perfect, 10/10

Someday I Suppose by Drug Church

Boston.

I love a good cover, the best covers recontextualize the meaning of the song imo

Hurt (Nine Inch Nails) by covered Johnny Cash

Just a Friend (Freddie Scott) covered by Biz Markie

The Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie) covered by Nirvana

Also, on a personal note, I am struggling to not post any remixes. ^Ah^ ^shit.^

Crooked Fingers - Long Black Veil

Johnny Cash - Hurt

faith no more’s easy

A Perfect Circle's version of Imagine by John Lennon is my favorite cover song. They add so much groove, atmosphere and melancholy to the song. It's beautiful.

Muse did a great job of converting Feeling Good. It was a bold choice and they smashed it.

Killswitch Engage - Holy Diver (Dio)

Leo Moracchioli - Thriller (Michael Jackson)

Nonpoint - In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins)

Bruce Springsteen - Staying Alive

Cardigans, Burning Down the House with Tom Jones. Of course the original is incredible, but this version slaps.

Save Ferris' cover of Come On Eileen, by Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Eric Clapton's unplugged version of Layla is an entirely different experience than the original.

This is the opposite of what you're asking for, sorry, but I find that more people are familiar with the A Perfect Circle version of The Nurse Who Loved Me than they are with the original version by Failure.

Both very good versions song, but the original still blows me away.

Apologies for doing the opposite of what you asked, but this was just the first thing that came to mind.

Judas Priest's "Painkiller" covered by Death is incredible.

If anyone wants to take a chance on a cover I recorded (all instruments and vocals) of Enslaved's "Havenless", check it out at this link (https://youtu.be/b1ByxMMnSfw)

I prefer Van Halen's versions of Pretty Woman and California Girls - to some this is sacrilege but I like Eddie's guitar work.

Quite a few famous songs people think are the originals were actually covers of songs by musicians who never got famous. Some of Elvis Presley's hits were older blues songs. "I Love Rock & Roll" by Joan Jett was originally done by a group called The Arrows. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" was originally recorded by a guy named Robert Hazard. Who?? Yeah, exactly lol.

Such Great Heights covered by Streetlight Manifesto. This is one of the songs that makes me think about how much I love my wife.