The Second Ten. Top Ten Cover Songs

I will survive by Cake
Recorded 1996 on Fashion Nugget
Originally by Gloria Gaynor
Recorded 1978 as a B Side
While I really love this cover, the slight change to the lyrics does change the whole meaning of some parts of the song, and this is Gloria Gaynor’s least favorite cover of her song due to the added profanity.

You Do Something to Me by Sinead O'Connor
Recorded 1990 on Red Hot and Blue
Originally by Cole Porter
Recorded 1929 on 50 Million Frenchmen
Such a beautiful rendition of this song. You really get to hear her range and her haunting voice. It’s a shame she is batshit cukoo, lovely song none the less

Have a Ball by Me First and the Gimme Gimme's
Recorded 1997 on Have a Ball
Originally by Billy Joel
Recorded 1983 on An Innocent Man
It’s Me First, that is all.

Feeling Good by Muse
Recorded 2001 on Origin of Symmetry
Originally sung by Cy Grant
In 1965 for the musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd
I don’t believe I have ever heard the original of this song, just this cover, and Nina Simone’s. Both are fantastic. It’s a tossup.

Love Song by Jack off Jill
Recorded 2000 on Clear Hearts Grey Flowers
Originally by The Cure
Recorded 1989 on Disintegration
Same as above comment, The Cure really doesn’t need to be redone, but they do a great job of it.

Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
Recorded 1994 on Grace
Originally by Leonard Cohen
Recorded 1984 on Various Positions
Jeff Buckley's version of this song is truly haunting.  The amount of negative space left in the song fills in the story better than a dozen instruments could.  This rendition shows how an artist can take a song and, with subtle changes, make it a unique version.

Easy by Faith No More
Recorded 1993 on Songs to Make Love To
Originally by The Commodores
Recorded 1977 on Commodores
I love this version of Easy simply because it allowed Mike Patton an opportunity to showcase the soulful side of his vocals.  He has an amazing range of styles and tone that, prior to this, hadn't truly been heard.  I'm not often a fan of songs being covered so closely to the original but in this case it makes for a remarkable track.

Everybody Knows by Concrete Blonde
Recorded 1990 on The Pump Up the Volume Soundtrack
Originally by Leonard Cohen
Recorded 1988 on I'm Your Man
For a long time, I thought this was a Concrete Blonde song.  The lyrics and tone of the song are very reminiscent of their usual work.  When I found out it was originally by Leonard Cohen, I shouldn't have been surprised since I like so many songs people have covered of his.  In this case, the original and the cover are both amazingly equal in their execution.

I Am Stretched on Your Grave by Dead Can Dance
Recorded 1994 on Toward the Within
From an Anonymous 17th century Irish poem titled "Táim sínte ar do thuama"
Every time I hear this song, I get chills.  It was covered previously by a few artists including Sinead O'Connor but I don't think anyone covered it as well as Dead Can Dance.  Anyone who can listen to this song and not be moved must be dead inside.

All Along the Watchtower by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Recorded 1968 on Electric Lady Land
Originally by Bob Dylan
Recorded 1964 on John Wesley Harding
Bob Dylan has often been called the most covered artist in modern music.  I don't know if this is true but I do know that while All Along the Watchtower was written and originally performed by Dylan, this is the official version of the song in most people's books.  Bob Dylan himself has said that this is his favorite version.  I've heard some great versions since including the version by Michael Hedges that take a different route with the song but Jimi's version will always have a special place.