Favourite Covers

Well, as the title suggests, what are your favourite covers?

I will start with one of mine -

Elbow's cover of U2's Running TO Stand Still.

I really dislike U2, but with Guy at the helm this song takes off.

What about you guys? THis is not restricted to just Elbow covers, it can be any bands cover.

James cover of the Velvet Underground's Sunday Morning. It runs into a medley of lines from other VU songs - it's beautiful.

Headless Heroes version of I am Kloot's To You is wonderful too.

oneofthethree wrote:

James cover of the Velvet Underground's Sunday Morning. It runs into a medley of lines from other VU songs - it's beautiful.

Headless Heroes version of I am Kloot's To You is wonderful too.

Yep, agree with the Sunday Morning version by James, I think it's on my 12" version of Lose Control and better than the original.

As mentioned before somewhere (I think it was the b-sides thread) I just love Elbow's cover of The The's
August and September.
Actually, I think it's better than the original!
As for Elbow's cover of Running to Stand Still; I do love it but seeing as the original was such a cornerstone of my youth, I don't think anyone could ever beat it (well, for me anyway).
Having said that, I do think the Elboys do a wonderful job on it!

Jones wrote:

As mentioned before somewhere (I think it was the b-sides thread) I just love Elbow's cover of The The's
August and September.
Actually, I think it's better than the original!

Agreed! That one is just lovely!

I love many different covers, too many to list! Off the top of my head though, I'd mention Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah, R.E.M.'s cover of All I Have to Do is Dream, Johnny Cash's take on U2's One, the Ramones cover of the theme from Spiderman, Cat Power's version of Yoko Ono's Revelations, and pretty much everything that Yim Yames (aka Jim James) covers on his George Harrison tribute album.

Also - Ramones - Surfin' Bird.

ticky wrote:

Also - Ramones - Surfin' Bird.

Excellent choice! That one's a classic!

ChrissieInFL wrote:

pretty much everything that Yim Yames (aka Jim James) covers on his George Harrison tribute album.

Y'know, I'm going to put that album on while I write. I love that album, especially his version of "The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)," which is one of the most painful things I've ever heard, yet I can't stop listening to it because it's so haunting and beautiful.

Like Chrissie, I do love many a good cover version, but here's a few: Another R.E.M. one, their loose acapella version of Moon River is pretty special. Johnny Cash's One, Personal Jesus and Hurt are highlights among so many excellent, but stark covers he did late on. FLips' Can't Get You Out Of My Head always makes me smile, as does you know who's cover of Independent Woman and Arctic Monkey's tribute to the great Dame Burley Chassis, Diamonds Are Forever. For mellow, there's Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Over The Rainbow/Wonderful World, Grant Lee Phillips' So. Central Rain and Frente's take on Bizarre Love Triangle, while the Taken By Trees version of Sweet Child of Mine is a fave at the mo.

Phew!

Probably my favourite cover of all time, and my favourite Motown song full stop.

This song means so much to me

George Michael has done some excellent covers but my favourites are U2's "Miss Sarajevo" and Prince's "I can't make you Love Me".
Thomas Dolby did an excelent version of "I Scare Myself" and worth checking out if you've not heard it.
R.E.M. did a cover of my favourite John Lennon song #9 Dream, that appeared on the "Instant Karma, the Campaign to save Darfur" compilation C.D. I also love Kate Bush's version of Rocket Man.

Lesley Gilks wrote:

R.E.M. did a cover of my favourite John Lennon song #9 Dream, that appeared on the "Instant Karma, the Campaign to save Darfur" compilation C.D.

"#9 Dream" doesn't get enough respect, in my opinion. It's one of John's best post-Beatles songs, with some top-notch guitar work from Jesse Ed Davis.

R.E.M. did a nice job with the song. I doesn't sound anything like John's original, and that's a plus, because it would be difficult to compete with that.

In general, I wasn't that taken with the Instant Karma project, as most of the covers were just there. But R.E.M.'s "#9 Dream" and Green Day's "Working Class Hero" were both worthwhile.

I love both versions of #9 Dream but for me, John's original take just has the edge.

Prince is unfortunate in that a lot of people have covered his songs and they all seem to do a better job of it.
Tom Jones - Kiss
Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares to You
George Michael - I Can't Make You Love Me

But I suppose that it goes to prove what an outstanding song writer he is.