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Barrett Myers's avatar

What a fun thread, and thanks for sharing the playlist! First two that come to mind: Bonnie Raitt "Angel from Montgomery" and Alien Ant Farm on MJ's "Smooth Criminal."

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Dave Bangert's avatar

Thanks for getting it started.

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Dave Bangert's avatar

I could do these for hours, but ..

Jason and the Scorchers on Bob Dylan's "Absolutely Sweet Marie" ...

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Dave Bangert's avatar

Maura O'Connell on The Beatles' "For No One."

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Dave Bangert's avatar

Dwight Yoakam on The Clash's "Train in Vain" ...

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Dave Bangert's avatar

English Beat on Smokey Robinson's "Tears of a Clown."

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Dave Bangert's avatar

Johnny Cash on the Rolling Stones' "No Expectations"

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Roxie's avatar

The Band’s cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” - better than the original!

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover of “Cry to me”

David Bowie’s cover of The McCoy’s “Sorrow”

Allison Krause’s cover of John Hartford’s “gentle on my mind”

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Dave Bangert's avatar

I love that version of "Atlantic City."

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A Person's avatar

William Shatner’s cover of Common People - just so unexpected

Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt - Just incredible, plus that video

Dolly Parton’s cover of Shine - a beautiful reimagination, as a good cover should be

Pet Shop Boys’ cover of Always on My Mind - must always turn this one up when it comes on

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Tim Bangert's avatar

A few that never get old --

"I Feel For You" - Chaka Khan - This one thrills from the scratched "Chaka Khan" opening to the soaring vocals to Stevie Wonder's harmonica throughout. Prince had to be proud. A close second for Prince covers has to be Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U."

"Bad Time" - The Jayhawks - Love this Grand Funk cover.

"Memories Can't Wait" - Living Colour - Captures the edgy Talking Heads original, but with a harder rock edge.

"Crosseyed & Painless" - Phish - Another Talking Heads cover, this one is a staple of Phish's live shows and absolutely cooks every time. The definitive version is 11/2/96 from Coral Sky, which has Santana's Carl Perazzo on percussion. It's long, but never gets boring. From a band that covers tons and tons of great music, this one always stands out.

"Sweet Jane" and "Blue Moon" - Cowboy Junkies - Outstanding brooding moody covers.

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Vincent Walter's avatar

Johny Cash singing Nine Inch Nails', "Hurt."

Not exactly a cover but Pavoratti singing, "It's a Mans' World" with James Brown.

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Jill Salem's avatar

Late to the party, but here goes:

The Fugees version of Killing Me Softly

The Be Good Tanyas — When Doves Cry

Sam Evian — Right Down the Line

Jasmine Thompson — Mad World

Richie Havens — Here Comes the Sun

Okay one more…

Sturgill Simpson — The Promise

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PJ Richardson's avatar

"Across the Universe" by Rufus Wainwright from the "I Am Sam" soundtrack (which includes lots of other great artists covering Beatles). Also Richard Thompson's version of Britney Spears' "Oops I Did It Again."

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Chandra DiRosaria's avatar

🎵 Brass Against’s cover of Bulls on Parade (Rage Against the Machine)

🎵 Dave Matthews Band’s cover of All Along the Watch Tower (Bob Dylan)

🎵 Lost Dog Street Band’s cover of The Mountain (Steve Earle)

🎵 Bon Iver’s cover of I Can’t Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt)

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A. D.'s avatar

Disturbed’s cover of Sound of Silence is my goto example… but then I also listen to a lot of Vitamin String Quartet - which covers pretty much everything.

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Tom McCool's avatar

Sweet Jane by Mott the Hoople, written by Lou Reed. It is the definitive version. All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix written by Bob Dylan. I could list many Dylan covers. She Smiled Sweetly by Billy Bragg written by Jagger/Richards. The song is a hidden jewel on The Rolling Stones’ Between the Buttons album and Bragg recorded a sweet version. Crossroads by Cream written by Robert Johnson. Every band that recorded that song after did a cover of Cream’s cover.

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Bev Brandt's avatar

Adam lambert. Mad World

One Eskimo. Kandi

Michael Kelsey. Wicked Games, moon Dance, in your Eyes.

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Denny's avatar

Peter, Paul and Mary- Blowing in the Wind (Bob Dylan) Emmylou Harris- Rose of Cimmeron (Poco) Emmylou Harris-Pancho and Lefty (Merle Haggard)Dave Koz/Bebe Winans-The Dance (Garth Brooks)

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Shelley Lowenberg-DeBoer's avatar

Loved Barrett's show last night.

Teddy Swim: I Can't Make You Love Me.

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Smiles's avatar

I have a playlist of 130 songs of originals and covers but my favorites are Jose’ Feliciano’s cover of LIGHT MY FIRE and The Beatles cover of TWIST AND SHOUT .

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Jason Dufair's avatar

Be Good Tanyas doing Neil Young’s “For the Turnstiles”

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Jason Dufair's avatar

A bit obvious, but Chris Stapleton doing “Tennessee Whiskey” originally recorded by David Allen Coe

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Jason Dufair's avatar

Dave Matthews doing Phish’s “Waste”

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Jason Dufair's avatar

Lucius doing Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down the Line”

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Jason Dufair's avatar

Me doing Son Volt’s “Tear Stained Eye” 😂 I love playing and singing that damn song.

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C. Eberts's avatar

1. Maori Marlon Williams covering Ewan MacColl's "First time ever I saw your face." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB_jcFax5kM 2. Rhianna Giddens' cover of "Tomorrow is my turn," a song written by Charles Aznavour and popularized by Nina Simone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhUP9RyxLKg 3. Ian Tyson and Slyvia Flicker's 1964 recording of Gordon LIghtfoot's "Early Morning Rain" before Lightfoot had a recording contract with Albert Grossman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyhZXdJ_4l0 4. Emmy Lou Harris singing Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho & Lefty" in 1976. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/emmylou-harris-luxury-liner-pancho-and-lefty-1276676/ 5. Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa's version of Tina Turner's "I'd Rather Be Blind." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEHwO_UEp7A Top shelf vocalists and musicians make the songs their own because they give the audience the song, not themselves. And they learn how to use their voices.

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Vegan Commie Atheist's avatar

My favorite cover of all time is the Puddles Pity Party/Postmodern Jukebox cover of Lourde's "Royals," but its impact depends to a significant degree on the accompanying video. So maybe not the best choice for radio.

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

Runners up include:

Sonic Youth's cover of The Carpenters cover of "Superstar."

Shonen Knife's cover of The Carpenters "Top of the World."

Robert Wyatt's cover of Elvis Costello's "Shipbuilding". (Elvis's version is amazing, but Wyatt's voice makes this incredibly powerful song even more so.)

Elvis Costello's cover of "Penny Lane":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt2avSmYMs0

The Bad Plus' cover of The Rite of Spring.

I could go on . . . .

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Dave Bangert's avatar

I had Ciccone Youth's version of Madonna's "Into the Groove" on about 38% of the mix tapes I made in the late-'80s/early-'90s.

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Vegan Commie Atheist's avatar

Ooh, yeah. Forgot about that one! "The Whitey Album" also had Kim's karaoke/cover of "Addicted to Love." Here too, though, the video is what really made the thing meaningful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7TuWdHNsYY

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Kelly B's avatar

Patti Smith's Dancing Barefoot

Seu Jorge's Life on Mars

Tropical F*ck Storm's Staying Alive.

Totally dig Shatner's Common People and Cash's Hurt too.

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Brian Leung's avatar

Adam Lambert's "Believe" honoring Cher at the Kennedy Center Honors. And Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine's "Baby Got Back." Pretty much anything Richard Cheese.

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