Songs covered by another artist

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

What would be examples of well known songs covered by another artist?

I have two that come to mind. There is Hey Jude, by Wilson Pickett. Let's just say that the soul he brings to the lyrics is jaw dropping. The music itself absolutely nails it.

Another is a little known artist, Vicci Martinez singing Jolene. She brings some level of pleading and righteous outrage to the song that is perfect.

 

[Tirvine]

All Along the Watchtower, covered by Hendrix.
Mr. Tambourind Man, covered by the Byrds.
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright by Peter, Paul, and Mary
Crossroads, covered by Cream.
Spoonful, covered by Cream.

 

[mrlandpirate]

 

[luvmysuper]

Blinded by the Light as done Manfred Mann. Most folks don't even know that it is a Springsteen tune.
In the Springsteen Original, you can understand the lyrics.
I don't know if Just Another Manic Monday by The Bangles count, because I don't think Prince ever recorded it.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

If I'm not mistaken, the OP is not asking for popular covers of songs, but good covers of songs that were already popular.

I'm not crazy about Harry Styles, but I must admit, he does one heck of a job covering Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer.

 

[StuMcB]

Sorry for this but, Frankie goes to Hollywood does a way better version Of born to run than Springsteen

 

[joamo]

Morgan James has some great covers.

 

[AndyPanda]

So far no other artist has covered my musical masterpiece "My Kitty's Got a Stinky Butt"

My Kitty's got a stinky butt
My Kitty's got a stinky butt
but what can you do
when your kitty smells like poo
My kitty's got a stinky butt

When he walks by that butt smell lingers
Dangling from his fur are dingleberry clingers
Don't you dare pull his finger
'cause his farts are real humdingers

My Kitty's got a stinky Butt
My Kitty's got a stinky Butt
What can you do
when your kitty smells like poo
My Kitty's got a stinky butt

 

[AndyPanda]

There is a great album of various artists covering Jimi Hendrix. It's called "Searching for Jimi Hendrix"

Or this Kenny Rankin cover of Jimi's "Up From the Skies"

 

[brucered]

What would be examples of well known songs covered by another artist?

I have two that come to mind. There is Hey Jude, by Wilson Pickett. Let's just say that the soul he brings to the lyrics is jaw dropping. The music itself absolutely nails it.

Another is a little known artist, Vicci Martinez singing Jolene. She brings some level of pleading and righteous outrage to the song that is perfect.

My favorite version of Jolene is below.

 

[cryhavoc]

So far no other artist has covered my musical masterpiece "My Kitty's Got a Stinky Butt"
View attachment 1862605
My Kitty's got a stinky butt
My Kitty's got a stinky butt
but what can you do
when your kitty smells like poo
My kitty's got a stinky butt

When he walks by that butt smell lingers
Dangling from his fur are dingleberry clingers
Don't you dare pull his finger
'cause his farts are real humdingers

My Kitty's got a stinky Butt
My Kitty's got a stinky Butt
What can you do
when your kitty smells like poo
My Kitty's got a stinky butt

I think Phoebe Buffay may have stolen your song and reworked it. Here she is performing it with some unknown singer.

 

[Jay21]

Les Claypool’s live version of Pink Floyd’s Pigs is better than the original.

 

[brucered]

Devo - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

 

[brucered]

And an original I prefer over the more popular Nazareth cover.

Joni Mitchell - Night Flight

 

[madmedic]

I rather like this one
The sound of silence by Disturbed, I like the rougher voice.

 

[Alum of Potash]

I'm guessing that the cover as requested should be "better" than the original. Here are five immediate examples (IMO) off the top of my head.

The Rationals, "I Need You" [cover of a Kinks song]

The Chocolate Watch Band, "Let's Talk about Girls" [cover of a Tongues of Truth song]

Half-Japanese, "Spy" [cover of a Doors song]

The Contortions, "I Can't Stand Myself" [cover of a James Brown song]

The Fleur de Lys, "Circles" [cover of a Who song--a.k.a. "Instant Party"]

 

[cryhavoc]

The Beatles A Little Help From My Friends - No one did it better than Joe Cocker, he made it his own. Most who now cover the song do a cover of Cocker's version.

 

[Old Hippie]

One of my secret faves is "Red Rubber Ball" -- originally written and recorded, if I'm not wrong by The Seekers but more famously recorded by The Cyrcle. But wait (as K-Tel used to say); there's more! The best possible version of it was recorded by Lenny Homolka and the Chicago Push as a polka.

Songwriter John Andrew Parks wrote a song entitled "Planet Texas" and I really like the version he recorded. Somehow Kenny Rogers got ahold of it, however, and gave it his signature treatment: Sing just one verse and then belt out the chorus about forty-eleven times with choral backup. Sheesh.

Oh, and The Battlefield Band's version of "Bad Moon Rising" complete with piper Dougie Pincock's "Bad Moon Rising Reel" in the middle will definitely give you a bit of the old up-and-at-'em.

O.H.

 

[dmshaver]

Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is a masterpiece when Roberta Flack plays it.

 

[MrSpeedy]

"Killing Me Softly with His Song" by The Fugees is one of my favorite songs. The Robera Flack version is great, but The Fugees turned it into something special

"Tumbling Dice" by Linda Ronstadt is miles better than the original Rolling Stones version. Same with her cover of "Blue Bayou", it blows Roy Orbison's version out of the water - and he's a great singer.

I'll probably get some flack for this, but I'd much rather hear Run-DMC's cover of "Walk This Way" than the Aerosmith original.