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GREAT COVERS OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS

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Honored Social Butterfly

GREAT COVERS OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS

For many an original song that they love cannot and will not ever be duplicated by a cover, but there are many songs that have been done equally (debatebly) well by others..

So do you have favorites?

 

What are your favorite covers of favorite songs?

 

 

Life's a Journey, not a Destination" Aerosmith
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Honored Social Butterfly

โ€œTimelessโ€.  This a tribute to Hank Williams CD released about 20 years ago. I realize that the replies to this forum are, by definition, subjective but I think that every artist who sang one  of his songs, from Dylan to Keith Richards to Kebโ€™ Moโ€™ to Sheryl Crow did a great job of interpreting the songs while keeping the homage format. In particular Lucinda Williams crushes it when she sings โ€œCold, Cold Heartโ€. Amazing.

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Regular Contributor

Thanks for pointing me to Lucinda Williams' version of Cold Cold Heart.  There was a lot of Hank Williams going on in our house when I was growing up and I love them all.  Another little known cover of a Hank Williams song is Please Help Me by Puff Johnson (link below).  I found her first CD quite by accident at a listening station at my local music store years ago.  I was very impressed and purchased the CD, and kept waiting for a follow-up to come out, but it never did, although she did release another single Over and Over that was on the soundtrack of the movie First Wives Club.  I later discovered that Johnson was diagnosed with cervical cancer around 2007 and died of the disease on June 24, 2013 at age 40.  Her version of Please Help Me is not country, but is absolutely beautiful:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8PpfQEcMS4. 

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Social Butterfly

JIMMIE DALE GILMORE DOES A GREAT VERSION OF HANK'S "SO LONESOME I COULD CRY" LUCINDA CONTRIBUTES 2 GREAT COVERS TO THE COMPILATION"GOD DON'T NEVER CHANGE".
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Honored Social Butterfly

Cover . . . 1967 (reimagined)

 

Dazed and Confused - The Yardbirds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ffBRhtWjEQ

 

Cover . . . 1969 (reinvented)

 

Dazed and Confused - Led Zepplin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EieHafkHbU

 

But did you ever hear the original? Can't say I ever did.

 

Dazed and Confused - Jake Holmes (1967)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTsvs-pAGDc

 

Holmes later filed suit against Page for copyright infringement as Page took credit on the Zepplin release without mention of Holmes. It was eventually settled out of court and credit was changed to "inspired by" Jake Holmes. 

 

 

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Conversationalist

Jimmy Page was the last in long line of Yardbird lead guitarists. Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck before him. Then became Zeppelin lead man too. But Jimmy did rip off and take credit for stuff he did not write in those days too. This song, and Born Under a Bad Sign by Albert King to name a few. He still is a helluva rock guitar player. Also it'll never be disputed that Zeppelin wasn't an iconic band of the era. I saw them in 1972, Take my word for it, they were. I've played guitar for 50 years. Take my word for it, the boy can play.

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Honored Social Butterfly

โ€œIโ€™ve Got Dreams to Rememberโ€  (Otis Redding).

 

Covering any Otis Redding song is risky business, but I think Toots Hibbert (of Toots & The Maytals) did a great job. The album is โ€œToots In Memphisโ€. Kind of like Reggae meets Memphis soul.

 

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Honored Social Butterfly

Original: Stay (Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs)

 

Cover: Stay (Jackson Browne)

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Conversationalist

Great choice. It's a live cut, starts with Song for the Roadies, then transitions to Stay.
It's a fabulous live cut, that had a new life with Jackson Browne. That band that backed
him on the road those years was amazing too . Lee Sklaar/bass, Russ Kunkel/drums,
and the great David Lindley on guitar. Jackson at the height of his powers. I absolutely
commend your choice as great!!!
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Honored Social Butterfly

Thank-you very much; thatโ€™s very kind. I think it was from his Running on Empty CD. My wife and I have seen him live twice. Good stuff.
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Regular Social Butterfly

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Honored Social Butterfly


@Butterfly565 wrote:

"My Sweet Lord"  by George Harrison

 

tribute concert for George....Billy Preston and many, many Others!

 


Love it! Lots RnR royalty present, for sure!! Thanks for posting it. One of my favorite GH songs. 

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Honored Social Butterfly

From the Kennedy Center Honors of 2018 -

 

Believe - Adam Lambert, tribute cover honoring Cher

 

 

 

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Honored Social Butterfly

Diamonds and Rust - Blackmore's Night, cover of a Joan Baez classic

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj1uUwWI4ig

 

 

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Honored Social Butterfly

Something even a little more stunning . . . 

 

Diamonds and Rust - cover by Judas Priest (wow!)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIC7KQPDuDc

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Conversationalist

Nice job by Blackmore. Girl sang well. That's a song that will always be Joan Baez's tune because it something she did for Dylan when they were lovers. Blackmore's version is beautiful. Joan's has the
power of living the moment, emotional attachment.
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Honored Social Butterfly

 

Only the Lonely - cover by Chris Isaak, tribute to Roy Orbison, 2017 ACL Hall of Fame

 

 

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Honored Social Butterfly

Chris Isaak also had a nice cover version of Solitary Man by Neil Diamond.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLur2fHn3JI

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Honored Social Butterfly

IMO, there are maybe a handful of bands that could ever attempt to cover Deep Purple, especially MkII with Ian Gillan.  Metallica is one of those bands, and here are a couple of really good ones!

 

Smoke on the Water  (I like the way that they revved it up and gave it the Metallica treatment).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8Hw6kj4G_o&t=0s&list=PLT89KwNLUEaPBoj9XMYwVYI6kPp-KsHbl&index=6

 

When a Blind Man Cries (from the album ReMachined,  A Tribute to Deep Purple Machine Head)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jFVEZGoSyw&list=PLT89KwNLUEaPBoj9XMYwVYI6kPp-KsHbl&index=6

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Conversationalist

Love your picks, but try these 2: Bonnie Raitt's version of ":Runaway", Great tune but absolutely slays Johnny Rivers version...scary. Annie Lennox doing Talking Heads "Take Me to the River". Killer!! The woman can flat out sing!!!
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Honored Social Butterfly


@jm2422 wrote:
Love your picks, but try these 2: Bonnie Raitt's version of ":Runaway", Great tune but absolutely slays Johnny Rivers version...scary. Annie Lennox doing Talking Heads "Take Me to the River". Killer!! The woman can flat out sing!!!

These covers are not only well done, they redefine them in new way. 

 

Runaway - the original Del Shannon version was early 60's rock and a classic for the period, Bonnie Raitt gives it a more R&B sound. Yeah, she kills it!

 

Take Me to the River - the original Al Green was a soul classic, Talking Heads went alternative, and Annie more pop-rock flavor. All versions are very different.

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Social Butterfly

YOU'VE JUST REMINDED ME OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE (& IMPROBABLE)COVERS: JOHNNY CASH SINGING KURT COBAIN'S "HURT'. IT IS HAUNTING & CASH MAKES IT HIS OWN.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt1Pwfnh5pc
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Social Butterfly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY7jt9aBnSc AL GREEN & LYLE LOVETT SOUND ETHEREAL TOGETHER!
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Social Butterfly

YOU'RE RIGHT- THEY'RE ALL STUNNING. BONNIE RAITT ALSO KILLS IT ( WITH JOHN LEE HOOKER) ON " I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE." DITTO JOHN LEE HOOKER AND/OR CARLOS SANTANA ON "THE HEALER". ALSO AL GREEN'S "UNCHAINED MELODY". AL GREEN & LYLE LOVETT- "FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY."
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Conversationalist

James, Kirk, and the boys great job on the vocals and guitar work. Lars was a bit busy with the machine gun tom toms. All in all a great cover. That band still rocks. JM2422
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Honored Social Butterfly

I recently watched a replay of the John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert (Dec 2015) on AXS-TV. One of the most amazing performances that evening was this cover of Watching the Wheels by Aloe Blacc.

 

 

 

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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Honored Social Butterfly

This may be one of the best rock covers ever - from 2012 Kennedy Center Honors

 

Stairway to Heaven - cover by Heart for honorees Led Zeppelin

 

โ€œWhen the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.โ€ - Jimi Hendrix
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This is bound to bring a tear ...  RIP Chris Cornell   nothing compares to youHeart

Life's a Journey, not a Destination" Aerosmith
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Social Butterfly

I REALLY LIKE SINEAD O'CONNOR'S COVER OF IT.
SUPERGIRL, NO REALLY I MEAN IT! HER REAL NAME & MINE ARE THE SAME( FIRST 2 NAMES ARE)
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Honored Social Butterfly


@l483260l wrote:
I REALLY LIKE SINEAD O'CONNOR'S COVER OF IT.

I consider her the original. It was a tremendous performance.  

 

I love Chris Cornell. I will never forget seeing him perform solo.  Amazing voice. So sad that he is gone.  

 

 

Life's a Journey, not a Destination" Aerosmith
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Please do not forget the guy who wrote this song for her Prince,. Sinead O'Connor was nobody until she recorded HIS song. Cornell's performance was great.
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