Waiting for a Miracle
Original Artist: Bruce Cockburn Waiting for a Miracle (1987)
Cover Artist: Jerry Garcia Band Live (1991)
Canadian Music Hall of Fame member Bruce Cockburn (pronounced 'Coburn') was reportedly pleased when Garcia decided to cover this gem from one of the singer-songwriter's 20-plus studio releases. The Garcia Band's arrangement- including the bass line- remains faithful to the original, but is augmented by Garcia’s soulful, scratchy voice and brilliant guitar soloing. The song remains a favorite among Garcia's numerous devotees. Cockburn himself has also been covered by Jimmy Buffet and the Barenaked Ladies, among numerous others.
Crazy Love
Original Artist: Van Morrison Moondance (1970)
Cover Artist: Aaron Neville Phenomenon: Music from the Motion Picture (1996)
This 1996 track from the movie staring John Travolta proves that the enigmatic Van Morrison was a man filled with soul. Neville's voice floats effortlessly over this arrangement, which uses different instrumentation but retains the same feel as the classic song from a classic album. Robbie Robertson of The Band fame adds a nice guitar solo as the tune begins to fade. The rest of the soundtrack contains a few other notable works: Eric Clapton's Change the World, Taj Mahal's Corrina and an offering by J.J. Cale, to whom Clapton is indebted for some of his early solo hits (Cocaine, After Midnight).
The Maker
Original Artist: Daniel Lanois Acadie (1989)
Cover Artist: Dave Matthews Band Live in Chicago 12.19.98 (2001)
Despite the heavy criticism launched by his detractors, Dave Matthews and his band demonstrate that they not only enjoy good music in their off-stage time, but that also know how to play it well and make it their own (All Along the Watchtower notwithstanding). Matthews' vocal delivery is spot on and the tune moves and grooves while somehow managing to maintain the laid-back vibe of the original, which is built around the bass line. Victor Wooten guests on bass. The Maker was also covered by the Jerry Garcia Band on several occasions.
Last Caress
Original Artist: Misfits Beware (1980)
Cover Artist: Metallica Garage Days Re-Revisited: The $5.98 EP (1987)
Metallica's cover, which appeared on an EP released following the hiring of new bassist Jason Newsted, contains a faithful rendition of the original tune in which Glen Danzig spouts out such timeless lyrics as, "I've got something to say/ I raped your mother today." Metallica gives a double-shot on their EP, as Last Caress segues into a rendition of the Misfits' Green Hell.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Elizabeth
You can't forget:
1) David Bowie's cover of "Waiting for the Man" by The Velvet Underground
2) Nirvana's cover of "The Man Who Sold the World" by David Bowie
2 - JD
those are good ones too!
3 - Eric Berlin
I'll throw in Dynamite Hack's cover of Easy-E's "Boyz in the Hood." Brilliant, funny, and compulsively listenable. Stark old school rap converted to harmonious folk-pop.
4 - JD
yes its very cool when folks from competely different genres cover songs.
5 - Mark Saleski
i haven't heard that Dave Mathews version of The Maker but it had better be ultra-fatastic to unseat the reference standard: Emmylou Harris on the record "Spyboy".
6 - JD
I haven't heard the Emmy Lou version.
7 - steve
Some cross-genre covers....
-Zebrahead's cover the Spice Girls' "Wannabe" (from pop to punk)
-Toad the Wet Sprocket's cover of KISS's "Rock And Roll All Nite" (rock to folk)
-Limp Bizkit's cover of George Michael's "Faith" (pop to heavy metal/rap)
-Anything by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (ex. Mandy, Rocket Man, Sweet Caroline, etc) (70's Adult Contemporary to Punk)
8 - andy marsh
how about SRV doing Stevie Wonder?
9 - The Proprietor
OK, perhaps I'm showing my age here, but I'd certainly say the Beatles covers of "Twist And Shout" and "Long Tall Sally" are worthy of consideration as great covers.
10 - Jeff Davidson
thumbs up to all of those too. SRV rocked. Pretty much anything the Beatles did was great in my book.
I also like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers version of "Higher Ground" and forgot to add that in.
11 - Chris Beaumont
Rob Zombie's versions of Brickhouse, I'm Your Boogeyman, and Blitzkrieg Bop are fantastic!
12 - Mike
I submit that the greatest Dylan cover of all time is The Byrds' version of "My Back Pages." It was radiant with the joy of rebirth, in a way that even the acoustic original couldn't quite muster.
The Beatles covers were great, too, and what about Elvis? "That's All Right Mama," "Blue Moon of Kentucky," and "Hound Dog," among others, were covers and who can imagine anyone else doing them now?
13 - Elizabeth
Oh, for the best genre crosser I've ever heard . . .
Eels cover of "Get Your Freak On" by Missy Elliot
14 - Jeff Davidson
You guys are coming up with some cool stuff! And, some stuff I haven't heard.
15 - Eric Berlin
Marilyn Manson's cover of "Sweet Dreams" is pretty creepy/great.
16 - Chris Beaumont
That is true, Eric!
How about Anthrax (w/PE) Bring the Noize?
17 - Chris Beaumont
Sepultura's Black sabbath cover of Children of the Grave.
Type O Negative's cover of Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl
18 - Eric Berlin
Oh, speaking of Type O Negative:
They do a simply fabulous, kind of hardcore goth version of The Doors' "Light My Fire."
19 - Mark Sahm
It's not too widely known, but the Foo Fighters did a phenomenal cover of the 70's classic "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty. The original had sax solos and disco synth, but the Foos reworked it all to guitar and bass. It's the B-Side to the UK "My Hero" single.
20 - Eric Berlin
Mark -- That is a great cover, absolutely. It played on the radio for a bit around five years ago.
21 - Mark Sahm
Oh, how could I forget--- Rage Against The Machine's cover of Springsteen's "Ghost of Tom Joad". Those lyrics were meant to be screamed. Heh.
22 - Eric Berlin
I'd pick several RATM covers over Tom Joad. How about Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" or "Renegades of Funk" by... African Bambaata, I believe?
23 - JR
Mission Impossible Theme - Larry Mullen, Jr. & Adam Clayton covering Lalo Schifrin
sucked.
They took a really cool 5/4 riff and dumbed it down to 4/4 for the brainless dance crowd.
24 - Elizabeth
A recent cover that is pretty damn great it Caesar's cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." It was released on Six Feet Under: Everything Ends, Music from the HBO Original Series - Vol. 2. Read more and listen to the song at http://musiccapitol.blogspot.com/2005/07/six-feet-under-everything-ends-music.html
25 - Eric Berlin
And for the record, I think that Scissor Sisters' cover of Floyd is off-the-charts great. It's rare when a great song is reinvented into an equally great (or greater?) tune while not being at all derivative of the original.
For the record: what is NOT off-the-charts great... I flipped on MTV this morning and caught Jessica Simpson's cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walking."
My fingers walked right over to the remote and flipped over to Headline News.