Best Covers of Rock Songs

[oldude]

For a somewhat unconventional cover with a new twist, how about L'il Nas X's version of Dolly Parton's Jolene?

 

[Kaizen]

Another cover song from Dylan,

 

[bantamlaker]

Jimmy Jones had a big hit with Handyman in 1959. It was a hit for Del Shannon in 1964 and James Taylor won a Grammy and hit #1 with it in 1977. Hard to decide between those two cover versions.

 

[Cornell Lt]

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Great Thread. I will stay away from the R&B remakes because there are a ton of them.

Remake from the original Seals and Croft version.

 

[Shenandoah]

Saw Twisted Sister at the old Arcadia Ballroom, in New Haven. This song blew me away.

 

[bantamlaker]

Chuck Berry had the original in 1956

 

[TerpWomenFan]

This is one of my all time favorite records. Originally done by Skylark.

 

[Hoops66]

As a switch, I'm putting up the original, since I'm doubting that many know that Lonnie Donegan wasn't the first to sing it. This novelty tune goes back to 1924, and the "spearmint" was the chewing gum.

 

[Ozimoto]

Another one from 10,000 maniacs. This is a cover of "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" It's hard to match the Sandy Denny version, but this one is pretty good too.

 

[Rocket009]

There's already a couple of other covers of BoRap been posted but IMO this is the best one.

 

[Aluminny69]

I'll start with one of the most well known covers. A cover of Bruce's song.

Blinded By the Light - Manfred Mann

You can start a lot of arguments with this statement. There are a lot of big hits that were actually covers, or more accurately, rerelease of the same song. Chubby Checkers The Twist or Blood Sweat and Tears You Made Me so Very Happy, (originally released by Brenda Holloway.) But I would argue that the most well known cover was Elvis Presley's Hound Dog. ( may have been before your time.) Here's the original, which the black community was very familiar with.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

 

[Centerstream]

Cover of the Ian Hunter original, before he was in Mott The Hoople.

 

[EasyEd]

Since my favorite song that the Beatles covered was Twist and Shout. Here is a cover of a Beatle song that I might like better than the original.

 

[Waquoit]

Cover of the Ian Hunter original, before he was in Mott The Hoople.

That one kind of reminds of this one, each has one big headbanging hit cover:

 

[Littlemin]

 

[SVCBeercats]

It was 1967 and the Box Tops were getting a ton of air time for their hit song The Letter. It made #1 for four weeks in the summer of 67.

This song brings a smile to Mrs. SVC's and my face whenever we hear it. It is our song since it is what happened with us. After my parents interfered with our relationship Mrs. SVC wrote me a letter breaking off our relationship. I learned Mrs. SVC's sister took her to Miami to begin forgetting about me. I begged and borrowed money from friends and relatives to follow by standby flights over night. Obviously I tracked her down and won her back. Odd how such an negatively emotional time now makes us smile.

 

[Littlemin]

 

[chrissaran]

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

 

[MdStang]

Robert PLant and Alison Krauss - Nothin, originally by the late great Townes Van Zandt.

 

[MdStang]

Chris Stapleton - "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica. Cool video.​

 

[Scud49]

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

 

[cancontent]

Thanks @MdStang for sharing Chris Stapleton's version. Had never heard it and I enjoy Metallica.

I've been hearing clips of Mylie Cyrus's version that ESPN has been using for the baseball play-offs commercials.

 

[nwhoopfan]

The Crue covering The Beatles.