Through the years, there have been countless songs covered by a slew of artists. In a lot of cases, the covered version pales in comparison to the original. However, there are also plenty of examples of songs being elevated to another level when performed by a modern band. Of course music, like most other art forms, is subject to interpretation. With this being said, here are a few of my favorite cover songs that I believe were well worth the effort....
"All Along The Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix
While Bob Dylan is known as one of the most prolific songwriters of our time, I think most of you would agree that he doesn't exactly have a velvet voice. Sounding like he has a mouth full of marbles at times, the passion of his music seems to get lost in his performance. I know I'm walking on sacred ground here but like I mentioned, it's all in the interpretation. Anyway, Jimi Hendrix electrified the Dylan classic and made it his own.
"The Sounds of Silence" by Disturbed
This is an odd one because the original Simon and Garfunkel version was awesome. Trying to cover this one would be like making a remake of "The Godfather". But I can remember making my way through traffic on the DC beltway a few years ago when I heard this familiar song. I instantly realized that it was not the original. My radio told me that it was being performed by a band called Disturbed. I really wasn't too familiar with this band nor it's powerful singer. But as the song picked up momentum, the vocals became thunderous! The hair on the back of my neck began to stand up and applaud. If I had to grade this one on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 12. Absolutely superb!
"Higher Ground" by The Red Hot Chile Peppers
This is another song that took a lot of balls to cover. Stevie Wonder is, as Eddie Murphy once said, a musical genius. So, how could anyone have the audacity to mess with one of his masterpieces? Well, the Chile Peppers did it. And they did it well. The infectious bass line draws you in right from the beginning and the energy explodes throughout the song. There's also an element of funk that takes this one to another level. I'll bet even Stevie himself would agree.
"Once Bitten, Twice Shy" by Great White
Most people probably think that this is a Great While original. But it was originally written and recorded by Ian Hunter in 1975 (the same guy who does "Cleveland Rocks"). While the Hunter version isn't bad, the Great White version has an updated punch. The piano in this one really compliments the traditional guitar riffs. I had never seen anyone play "air piano" until this song came out.
"Proud Mary" by Ike and Tina Turner
The original CCR version was solid and had that familiar bayou groove to it. However, the Ike and Tina version got all up in your face. I loved the bass vocals that Ike Turner added to the song, And Tina Turner was a human spark plug who could electrify any performance. And who can forget the "swim dance" from Tina and her back-up singers during their live performance? If we could only harness the energy here...
"Diamonds and Rust" by Judas Priest
As a big Judas Priest fan through the years, I had to add this one to the list. It's always interesting when a hard rock/heavy metal band covers a folk song. And that's exactly what we have here. The original version, performed by Joan Baez, was a decent enough song. However, her version lacked the energy that it deserved. The original studio cover of this song, found on Priest's "Sin After Sin" album, was a bit lackluster in my opinion. But when they "unleashed" it on their classic live album, the song came to life. Rob Halford's dynamic vocals give the lyrics a shot of adrenaline that they so disparately needed. The song has since become a permanent fixture on the band's set list.
"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
Although I might be jeopardizing my man card with this one, it deserves to be on this list. Whitney Houston had one of the best voices of our generation. Her rendition of the National Anthem during that Super Bowl years ago ranks up there with the best. But when she covered Dolly Parton's classic song, she blew it out of the water. One of the most powerful vocal performances in recent memory. While I'm not a sappy, love-song kind of guy, I always appreciated Whitney's performance on this one. It was recorded for the movie "The Bodyguard" which went on to become the best selling movie soundtrack ever.
"Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin
Originally written by Kris Kristofferson and performed by Roger Miller, this song needed to a kick in the ass. Along comes Janis Joplin and the rest is history. Her version builds the perfect momentum. By the time it gets to it's climax, you feel like jumping up and singing along. Janis was one of those special performers who had the ability to make you feel the lyrics. And that's exactly what she did with this one.
"I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Yes, we've all heard this song countless times. But many people don't know that the original version was done by an English band called The Arrows. Their version seemed a bit flat and lacked excitement. So, along comes Joan Jett and adds a heavy dose of black leathered attitude. And just like that, a rock anthem was born.
"With a Little Help From My Friends" by Joe Cocker
Is it really possible to do a Beatles song better than The Beatles? Well, Joe Cocker ventured down that uncertain path and came out victorious. With his signature gravelly voice, Joe gave this Beatles classic a unique twist. He turned the bubbly, pop-sounding original into a passionate work of art. The harmonious back-up singers are the perfect compliment to Cocker's raspy vocals.
"You Really Got Me" by Van Halen
The song that introduced most of us to Van Halen was originally performed by The Kinks. The original version was a classic in it's own right. But when Van Halen got a hold of it, people stood up and took notice. It's fitting that Eddie Van Halen's legendary guitar solo ("Eruption") leads into this song. You could make the argument that this cover changed the direction of rock and roll forever.
"Black Magic Woman" by Santana
This is another song that many people don't realize is actually a cover version. Perhaps even more surprising, the original was done by Fleetwood Mac. Of course, this was during the pre-Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham days. Peter Greene was Fleetwood Mac's gifted guitarist back then and added his own bit of flair to Black Magic Woman. However, when Carols Santana laid his hands on it, the song instantly found a new home. You can hardly think of Santana without this song playing in the back of your head.
If I had more time, I could come up with countless other examples. However, these are the first few that popped into my head. I love to talk music with friends. So, next time we get together over a few beers, I'd like to hear your idea of a great cover tune. Cheers!
kw
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