Best Covers of Rock Songs

[Bigboote]

Not rock, but I have loved Robert Palmer's cover of Toots and the Maytals' Pressure Drop since the first time I heard it.

 

[Scud49]

Bob Welch's solo version of "Future Games" from the early Fleetwood Mac days:

 

[CTBballfan243]

U2 Helter Skelter

 

[uconnfan68]

Greg Allman's interpretation of an old Jackson Browne tune

There is a great video of them singing These Days together live on stage (3:10)
Gregg Allman & Jackson Browne Segment

That was a Tom Rush song first, iirc.

 

[uconnfan68]

That was the next one I intended to post. One of my favorites.

I’m collecting every version of it (All along the Watchtower) I come across. Some are epic, all are great.

 

[MSGRET]

Not rock, but I have loved Robert Palmer's cover of Toots and the Maytals' Pressure Drop since the first time I heard it.

I thought the Boneyard was a "G" rated site. Maybe we need @Biff to do his magic and maybe put at least a mask on those cheeks.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I love seeing others cover rock hits and one of the best covers of the classic song In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly is by Sina and friends.

Biggest cover artist has to be Elvis Presley. I'll bet I could name 8-10 covers. "Hound Dog" was not his first. He started his career with a cover of his very first song. "That Alright Mama" was a cover. It was written and originally performed by blues singer Arthur Crudup and recorded in 1946. His cover of "Hound Dog" was a cover of "Big Mama" Thornton's rendition which was written specifically for her.

HOUND DOG - WILLIE MAE 'BIG MAMA' THORNTON (1953) on Peacock 78 RPM original version

 

[SVCBeercats]

Blueberry Hill - Sammy Kaye with Tommy Ryan (1940) | Fats Domino (1956)
Can you tell why everyone remembers Fats' version?

1st RECORDING OF: Blueberry Hill - Sammy Kaye (1940--Tommy Ryan, vocal)

Sixteen years before the famous Fats Domino version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3bfN3rF1i8 , “Blueberry Hill’ had been a very successful 1940 song hit, ...

www.youtube.com

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Bon Iver's Skinny Love was absolutely nailed by a teenager Bella Ferraro (Australian). Sure it's a Got Talent show, but some of the greatest singing stars have come out of them. Just a great rendition. It starts just as she starts:



Birdy's cover is more well known than Iver's.

 

[bloor]

That was a Tom Rush song first, iirc.

I respectfully disagree--check out 1:12 of this video

 

[MSGRET]

Sorry about the intro. I don't watch these rigged talent shows but this one popped up on my FB Watch and I really enjoyed her version of the song. I guess Mark thinks that I should be watching them...

@MSGRET And if talent shows don't count, I have no problem with that...again, I was really taken aback by her take on the song.

That's no problem because that's how Pentatonix got started. They won the 3rd series of the Sing Off competition. Below is the link to all of their songs.

1st Performance - Pentatonix - "ET" by Katy Perry Ft Kanye West - Sing Off - Series 3

COULD YOU GUYS SUBSCRIBE TO THIS CHANNEL AND HELP HIM OUT? =) THANKShttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6XZ0-9xprpKPy5_39mcyhgI'm surprised the girl wasn't the...

www.youtube.com

 

[chj001]

Love this Ian & Sylvia version of the Gordon Lightfoot super classic:

I'll give a double cover. Tom Rush and/or Ian & Silvia doing Joni Mitchell's "Circle Game". Sorry I don't know how to do the album covers.

 

[Bigboote]

Biggest cover artist has to be Elvis Presley. I'll bet I could name 8-10 covers. "Hound Dog" was not his first. He started his career with a cover of his very first song. "That Alright Mama" was a cover. It was written and originally performed by blues singer Arthur Crudup and recorded in 1946. His cover of "Hound Dog" was a cover of "Big Mama" Thornton's rendition which was written specifically for her.

HOUND DOG - WILLIE MAE 'BIG MAMA' THORNTON (1953) on Peacock 78 RPM original version

I'd always thought Big Mama wrote that, but I looked it up and. . . Lieber and Stoller. I didn't know they were working in 1952.

Learn something new every day.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Mack The Knife - Harald Paulsen (1928) | Bobby Darin (1959)
This may be one of the most covered songs.

Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat (1928)

Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesDie Dreigroschenoper: Moritat · Kurt Weill · Theater am Schiffbauerdamm Ensemble · Harald PaulsenDie Dreigrosch...

www.youtube.com

 

[Bigboote]

Here are the Chieftains and Ziggy Marley doing one of his father's songs. RIP Paddy Moloney, died the other day at 83.

 

[bloor]

how bout a Buddy Holly cover??

 

[SVCBeercats]

Unchained Melody - Todd Duncan (1955) | The Righteous Brothers (1965)
Actually sung alone by Bobby Hatfield. What a voice! He sang this live and it sounds better than recording studio creation. Notice no strain to increase volume and hit the highest notes. His transitions are effortless. The ending almost sounds operatic Unfortunately he always felt he was the forgotten Righteous Brother.

Todd Duncan - Unchained Melody (Original in Color 1955)

 

[chj001]

CCR doing "Heard it Through the Grapevine" originally by Gladys Knight and the Pips, and then Marvin Gaye. Also Vanilla Fudge doing "You Keep Me Hanging On", originally by The Supremes

 

[Scud49]

I think this one has been done by 30-40 people/artists over the yers, Bobby Darin just nailed it:

 

[bloor]

Cat Steven's vocals on this song are inimitable but these dudes do a credible job and nail the acoustic guitar

 

[64Zcode]

Another one from the Metallica 'Blacklist' album.
Alessia Cara with The Warning and their version of 'Enter Sandman'.
Not a note-for-note cover, but an amazing rendition.

 

[Scud49]

Great Caesars Ghost - they really do justice to the Dead's China Cat / I Know You Rider medley - I love it over the original:

 

[Scud49]

Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" done here by Derek and the Dominos:

 

[bantamlaker]

how bout a Buddy Holly cover??

 

[Huskee11]

Elvis did cover a lot, and he loved this one - Polk Salad Annie by Tony Joe White.

I do as well, took up guitar in retirement and enjoy playing around with it.