Top 10 British Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Original
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- Sometimes nothing beats the original... but not this time! For this list, WatchMojo UK counts down the best and greatest British covers of rock and pop songs. And these tracks are so good, they're even better than the original versions! Featuring Adele, Mark Ronson, the Beatles and Muse to name just a few...
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I love Muse, but “Feeling Good” was and remains best by Nina Simone.
Did you read the stipulations? Comparing against the original, not any other cover
i liked both but the reality is that i can´t never erase from my mind nina simone´s version ,but when hearing for the first time muse playing it live i liked but never forgettin` nina´s voice melody against muse vocal wich i think it´s a full on interpretation of nina`s melody while singing ,not just a similar to an old version of the song, i worked for years as a dj and worked also in a radio station since 14 at prime time ,and as i have a litle studio for a lot of years i´ve been recording demo´s with quality for a lot of kids being used to hear the evolution of diferent generations than mine having their interpretation of what is rock music, the 90´s i can say it was the decade that the new bands from 16 year old kids asking me for a sound that they didn´t know technically what to call but hearing the sound that was being heard at the time i just aplied my generations type of sound in the recordings and it was what those kids at the time were asking for ,i when recording a new kids band don´t impose my taste and transform the sound of the new bands i recorded as others i know that when recording new bands say "shut up you don´t know nothing about recordings" and it becomes a new band mixed with the personal taste of the guy who recorded them for the first time, wich sounds fake because you can´t expect 16 year old kids have the taste and knowledge about music as a person who´s taste had 50 years to evolve, as an example what today is called R & B at radio stations and prize ceremony´s from diferent company´s editions to what concerns to music styles ,i hear those american interpreters like mariah carey or usher ,i could go on forever what in the hell they reflect R & B style wich is one of my favorite sound coming from late 60´s or early 70´s ,as an example alicia keys has 2 or 3 songs that i can relate with R & B what about the already not among us Amy Wine house? if the others are singing R & B what style of music she would fit in? what is the relation with her and mariah carey ,so if she isn´t Rythm & Blues what was she in terms of style associated to the music ,and joss stone what is she singing if not rythm and blues?can anyone explain as if i was born yesterday. Radio Stations do have a great imprtance in what young kids start to listen and today there are playlists and people who talk but don´t have a notion of what music is, i remenber having to go home because a certain show was on and i wouldn´t miss it ,this while a teenager and listened to a lot of bands who for the first time i listened to them in radio shows while growing and not only one style of music, today it seems fake, not all is lost but close to it ,i remenber making dance music using lot´s of keyboards and mixing it with some sequence of notes i played in a bass or some percussion very simple to had to the elctronic sound of some keyboards also doing my own samplers, that what i kept doing in late 80´s till 97 ,and almost revitalise my work as a composer but i didn´t put a label on it as house or acid or trance or whatever they were creating as new sub styles to dance music ,many of them very minimalistic or would be fake as lot´s of dj´s at the time told me when showing to them my work, regards and stay safe
You ain’t wrong!!!
No the best was one is by Michael Buble.
@@sonnycorinthos9461 To each his/her/their own. I stand with Nina.
You can't disrespect my girl Kate Bush like that!
i mean...........
@@lonellfletcher KATE BUSH is the best
i love the cover, but i think kate's is better, but it's just an opinion.
@@riverbanzachamploo9725 its a universal truth lol
@@lonellfletcher lol
No disrespect, but when I hear Feeling Good, I only ever think of Nina Simone.
Ikr
Whoever doesn’t don’t know music 💯💯💯
Yep.
She’s not British so she’s not on the list
That's how you know they didnt do their research
Hasn't anyone mentioned The Hollies 'the air that I breathe' released 2 years after Hammond , the writer of the song, released it in 1972?
My favourite cover of Air That I Breathe was by Simply Red - but each to their own!
um excuse me
where's it must be love by madness...
God I hate these videos with short song clips interrupted by the voice of someone to tell you how to think, especially when they’re wrong.
At least they're actually playing the songs here unlike on the main channel
yep plus his voice is shit ...
You can't even here both versions of the songs you just hear someone talking. I just skipped through the videos.
Bobby Fuller Four's "I Fought the Law" was by far the best of them.
I think that the Bruce Springsteen's version is the best, ever!!
I am so surprised by these covers. I knew the Beatles, Soft Cell and Pet Shop Boys were covers, but the rest were happy discoveries! Thank you!
Twist and Shout, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You and Tainted Love are my favorite covers.
You should go back a bit farther in time to include Joe Cocker's version of "With A Little Help From My Friends." As much as. I love the original Beatles version on Pepper, Joe makes the song his own in his soul classic of it.
this is my favourite cover, nothing else comes close for raw emotion
Joe absolutely kills it.
Yes, yes!!
2:05 all Michael Buble Fans would like to have a word with you.😁
Agreed I like his version best myself
Buble is Canadian though, not British.
@@BlobsterBuddy kanadian-italian.
All three of you, hey!?
@@Mark_o_Helm he's not Italian
Black Magic Woman - originally by Fleetwood Mac, but nobody can think of it by anyone other than Santana
I know this, I tell everyone I know it was originally a fleetwood mac song.
That's why Fleetwood Mac went back to the drawing board and produced "Gold Dust Woman".
@@SWLinPHX - Stevie Nicks - not Fleetwood Mac - wrote Gold Dust Woman which was about Cocaine - nothing to do with Black Magic Woman.
I agree, as good as their version was it can only be Nina
"House of the Rising Sun" covered by The Animals in 1964. David Bowie's cover of "China Girl" which was first released by Iggy Pop. Bob Seger's "Rosalie" covered by Thin Lizzy. "Nothing Compares 2 U" covered by Sinead O'Connor's and originally by The Family (Prince project).
Johnny Cash & Willy did a duet of "You Were Always On My Mind" in the 90's for VH1 Storytellers. 🏆
The best "I Fought The Law version" is definitely by the Bobby Fuller Four.
Is that a cover or the original
@@carolpaget3659 the Bobby Fuller four released a cover in December 1965 , it went into the US top ten, in 2004 their version of the song was ranked No. 175 on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
Completely agree
Callum Scott did a fantastic job covering "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn. It was ultimately his first single coming off of AGT or XFactor.
He was in Britain's Got Talent. I remember my jaw dropped when he auditioned.
@@popmans9999 It's one of the few covers that I almost rank higher than the original. It's a 2-for-1 song with the original being an upbeat dance song & the cover a heart wrenching slow ode to loss & rejection. The only other cover I recall pulling this off was Tears For Fears/Mad World covered by Gary Jules for DonnieDarko soundtrack.
@@bridgidigital5062 Should I remind you Whitney Houston beating Dolly Parton in I Will Always Love You
@@popmans9999 That's a fine example but although Whitney sang it better, it's still recognizable as the same song. Cake's cover of Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' is another 2for1 cover.
The undisputed king of making cover songs his own is without doubt Bryan Ferry. His Lennon tribute of Jealous Guy was no 1 in late 1980.
Think you need to do this over!
Roxy's cover of The Price of Love is also stunning. And far better than the Everly Brothers original.
Seconded
Agreed and you want to hear his rendition of " She's leaving home" by the Beatles which isn't on any lp/CD. It's great
Everytime I hear Soft Cell's Tainted Love it brings back memories of dark discos with sticky carpets and girls dancing round their handbags 😁
That's what I think about when I hear any track on Non Stop Erotic Cabaret. A gem of dark synthpop
Throwback! Don't forget people could actually smoke in these clubs and sleazy men would get cheap rubs from dancing near women...
@@Darthmgtow justifying sexual assault, classic
Which of these do you completely disagree with?
Muse
All of them.
As a huge fan of the zutons, I'll always prefer their version.
#1 mark ronson ruined that song and then ruined it more by adding her to it
Muses' cover is one of the best, I don't think you can beat the original.
*Willie Nelson performed the best cover of all time when he sang "Always on my mind".*
Willie singing gravedigger or just breathe
Let's face it Willie Nelson has an iconic voice. And yes his version is way better.
Agree 100%, Willie’s is by far the best. The Pet Shop Boys version should be on a list of the worst covers of all time.
His version is so gentle, I think it’s best. I do like Elvis’ version too
This entire list is ridiculous, the most absurd is the Judas Priest cover of diamonds and rust, they took Joan Baez’s beautiful song and turned it into an abomination, Joan was just being nice as usual when she complemented it. If you aren’t promoting war Joan isn’t going to say anything bad about you.
Where on earth is "A Little Help From My Friends" covered by Joe Cocker??? Not only does it fit your criteria but it is arguably the only cover of a Beatles song that not only improved on the original but many people don't even realize it was originally done by them.
Always on My Mind by Willie Nelson can make me cry. The other versions don’t.
Elvis did rather well imo but Nelson was the best. I love singing that song. :)
Elvis's makes me cry and I avoid listening to it but I'd take Willie Nelson's version over The Pet Shop Boys. It's devoid of emotion.
'A Little Help From My Friends' - Joe Cocker / Mad Dogs and Englishmen.
Surprised that wasn't included.
@@tonybennett4159 jip pure soul
'A Little Help From My Friends' - Joe Cocker. The best cover e v e r !!!
@@neighborhoodlilian I go back and forth of this is the best cover or Aretha doing Natural Woman, it's damn close
Because it's not as good as the beatles. The harmonies tip it in favour of the fabs
U2’s cover to Unchained melody is soooo understated!!! It’s so freaking good!!!
Feeling good is still Nina Simone’s
Nothing can compare to her original. It's epic.
@@christophervanburen8923 depends I guess, I can't stand hers.
Some of these are pretty good... but it's comparing apples and oranges when they change the tempo, the melody, or the feelings behind the lyrics so much that it's not even the same song.
Just found out marilyn Manson did a cover of tainted love when trying to add gloria jones' version to my playlist
Fab cover....😁
Jealous Guy by Roxy Music is the best cover ever. Originally by John Lennon
Are you trying to catch my eye?
Never thought I was gonna see someone mentioning Roxy over at this channel. Fucking brilliant.
They did some great covers: Love '8 Miles High' and Ferry's 'The In Crowd' is awesome.
I just heard that version a couple days ago actually
I totally agree, Ferry and Roxy rock.
Here's one for your consideration, Janice Joplin singing Me and Bobby McGee. It was written by Kris Kristopherson and originally performed by country great Roger Miller. Janice took a country song and made a generation of Hippies love it!
Also, Janis Joplin did not spell her name the conventional way.
Never realised she was British ;)
The Futureheads murdered Hounds of Love
Who on earth are the fucking Futureheads?
I laughed my socks off when I first heard it, I was driving to the petrol garage at the time and then I sat in my car at the pump 'coz the DJ played it again.
How is Red Red Wine not on this list? Should have been No.1!!
Red Red Wine by UB40. This song was originally written and sung by Neil Diamond. UB40 covered it and did such a good job when Neil Diamond now sings it he does the UB40's version.
Agreed, theirs was much better.
Love UB40 but prefer the first reggae version by Tony Tribe , give it a listen
@@bobbyboko6317
I gave it a listen but it's not for me. UB40's version will never be beaten.
@@kb9072 fair enough Cheers
And then there was the version by Australian band The Reels.
Make you feel my love was written and released by Bob Dylan..... which is better than both those covers!
He is a music legend through all the decades.
Yep. His voice really makes it.
The Clash version of I Fought The Law was derivative of the cover by the Bobby Fuller Four.
The Zutons will always be the original.
Yes and if you play it at x1.25 speed it sounds even better
Always the original, but always second best to a voice like amy
But Amy's will always be the best
The Communards cover of “Don’t Leave Me This Way.”
Thelma Houston?
Yes. A terrific cover of a great song and Thelma was tops.
Great but not better.
You cannot be serious!
@@alexshelton7229 Not Thelma Houston, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
The Human League's version of 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling', from their first album, 'Reproduction' (1979).
God I love that version. Used to listen to it in the dark when I was a school boy, now I'm 52 and still love it.
The "Hunds of Love" cover is just indecipherable noise!
I'd agree with all of those except The Hounds of Love - great original, ropey cover.
The Valerie cover by Amy Winehouse is iconic!
It's hard not to love EVERY version of Feelin Good (cuz it's such a dynamite song). This was a really fun video to watch; thank you. In light of all the horrifying things I've HAD to watch about the current state of...well, everything: This was a lovely break from all that.
Nice job. I was always partial to Dirty Water by the Inmates, so much more energy in that version
Love Adele’s version of Make You Feel My Love but I think the superior cover is by Garth Brooks. Same with Willie’s cover of Always on My Mind. Also I only think of Nina Simone when I think of Feeling Good
Couldn’t agree more about Nina
I loved Eric Clapton’s version of I Shot The Sheriff! It’s just so fun and bluesie!
I disagree, Willy Nelson's You Were Always on my Mind is always the best.
I remember being in school and one of the girls said "I can't believe Joy Division have done an awful cover of Love Will Tear Us Apart". I had to keep a straight face will telling her it was them who had written the original version.
I have actually heard of the The Roar of the Greaspaint - The Smell of the Crowd. Anthony Warlow did a cover of Nothing Can Stop Me Now on his On The Boards album.
Random fact
In 2005, Mark Zuckerberg unsuccessfully tried to sell Facebook for $75 million. Back then it was called The Facebook.
-The Shades
Good thing he didn’t
I actually think Bryan Ferry's version of make you feel my love is the best version. In my humble opinion of course
Oooh, not heard, will check it out. Tbf when you've got lyrics by Mr Dylan, you're onto a winner.
And Adele clearly based her arrangement on BF’s
And you want to hear Bryan Ferrys interpretation of the Beatles " She's leaving home" is brilliant!
Joe Cocker's cover of I'll get by with a little help from my friends. Frankie goes to Hollywood's cover of Born To Run. Outstanding.
All through this, I was waiting for Amy's cover of Valerie, such a great cover, it sounds like a lost classic yet also very fresh and modern, a truly great artist.
With A Little Help From My Friends.
Anyone who can take a Beatles number and make it their own deserves tons of respect. All Hail Joe Cocker!
He knocked it right out of the park.
Brian Poole and the Tremeloes had Twist in Shout in the Charts at the same time as the Beatles
The Beatles version was on an EP. Money was tight back then so the single by BP and the Trems did much better than it would have otherwise.
Yes, but the Beatles version made it into Ferris Bueller's Day Off, didn't it?
The Beach Boys' version of Sloop John B is actually a cover....and it's epic! Should be #2 on this list (and Twist and Shout should be #1).
The beach boys in a list of covers by *British* singers/groups...?!
@@mjmt2010 Yeah, right, I forgot about that. This is for British acts only.
Literally watched the whole video waiting to hear Joe Cocker's version of "A Little Help from my Friends" at #1. An otherwise fine list but its kind of a joke it's not there
This video is about Brits remaking American songs.
@@SWLinPHX no, no it's not
@@scottwilson8039 Apparently we are watching two different videos then because the one I saw clearly states as much. Watch it again.
@@SWLinPHX yeah, you may want to "watch again" as it said nothing about the songs being American originally, only that they are covered by British acts.
@@SWLinPHX Then how do you explain #8 Kate Bush is British and also #1 The Zutons are also British both of there songs got covered
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You is one of my top 5 all time fav songs.
One Step Beyond by Madness does it for me (I only recently found out this was a Prince Buster original) and their version of It Must Be Love. I understand both choices are likely to be contentious and I'm also told it's a generational thing!
Days by Kirsty McColl!
Clash cover of I fought the Law is great as are PSB cover
Out of the DOZENS of versions of "Tainted Love", my favorite is by Kasel Germany bar band "Voodoo Rockets". A live version of this is on RUclips-- check it out! The same guys, under the name "Crazy Cats", also did a much more low-key version on the 1990 album "Time Out".
When I hear "Feeling Good", I think Lauren Hill or Michael Buble covers. They are fantastic!
With a little help from my friends by Cocker should be here.
No!!!
beatles are way better
Even the Beatles said that Joe Cocker's cover of "With a little help from my friends" was better than their original.
I did not know that the clash covered I fought the law until a few years ago. I heard the Buddy Holly version first. I always knew it was his song.
Logat Inggris Utara (Northern British English) dipakai dalam membawakan acara ini.
Well I would say the absolute best is “He ain’t heavy , he’s my brother” by the Hollies. I believe it was written by an Australian teacher.
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother was written by two guys born in the New York City area, who
met in a California nightclub, introduced by Johnny Mercer. Originally recorded by...Kelly Gordon
(who?) in 1969.
Siouxsie and the Banshee's cover of the Beatles Helter Skelter is compellingly dark.
And Dear prudence
I have always thought that Adele always sounds like she's bored out of her mind when she's singing. She's good fun when she's chatting up an audience, but her singing doesn't really do much for me, I'm afraid.
and it was Bob Dylan, not Billy Joel who wrote it
Yup
@@BeattieoftheTom ...and he sings it best of all Might be 'gruff' but all the feeling that the song deserves.
Am I the only one who thinks the zutons version is better.
And why does Amy Whitehouse get all the credit for her version. She just added the vocals. It was Mark Ronson who came up with the new version.
Nope, me too!
Love it !!
I loved Santana's cover of She's Not There more than The Zombies.
Agree that The Zutons was the best version of Valerie, as it should be.
Pet Shop Boys improved "Go West" by the Village People more than they broke new ground with "Always On My Mind".
Agreed!
Absolute cobblers , PSB performances are always formulaic pop: mechanical and lacking soul and charisma. To even dare suggest that they improved Go West or that they somehow gave a new creative interpretation of Always On My Mind is vastly overstating their talent. Their rendition of this and every other song they've made is predictably manufactured.
You were always on my mind...is and always be Willie Nelson.
Stating one's personal opinion as if it were fact? I'll have a go at that! Introspective by the Pet Shop Boys is one of the best electronic albums by a British act and easily stands alongside New Order's best work.
Make you feel my love was originally bob Dylan
Not forgetting one of the most amazing cover bands , Status Quo
Look at songs such as The Doors ..Roadhouse Blues , John Fogerty.. Rockin all over the World , Bruce Springsteen ..Cadillac Ranch
Quo's remake of Wild Side of Life etc
Make you feel my love is by Bob Dylan
My alternative top 10 British cover versions
Sorrow - David Bowie (original The McCoys)
Wild Is The Wind - David Bowie (Nina Simone)
The In Crowd - Brian Ferry (Dobie Gray)
A Hard Rain's a Gonna Fall - Brian Ferry (Bob Dylan)
The Mighty Quinn - Mannfred Mann (Bob Dylan)
With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker (The Beatles)
Little Red Rooster - The Rolling Stones (Howlin' Wolf)
Jealous Guy - Roxy Music (John Lennon)
I Shot the Sheriff - Eric Clapton (Bob Marley)
All The Young Dudes - Mott The Hoople (David Bowie)
Silkie, s " you've got to hide your love away" brilliant
I guess you don’t know who the frontman of the Crickets was because he inspired Bob Dylan and The Beatles, The Stones and nearly every British band who came across he pond during the British Invasion. That guy was Buddy Holly and he changed rock and roll forever in just a year and a half.
Bob Dylan wrote To Make You Feel My Love.
What aboue Ewan McGregor's Your Song (Elton John), Blood Sweat Tears' And When I Die (Laura Nyro), Graham Bonnet's It's All Over Now (Baby Blue) (Bob Dylan), Manfred Man's Blinded By The Light (Bruce Springsteen), Roxy Music's Jealous Guy (John Lennon), Kenny Rogers Sheena Easton's We've Got Tonight (Bob Seeger), Jimi Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan)
No mention for Placebos cover of “Running up the Hill”? Shocking.
Was originally by Kate Bush right?
I actually didn’t realise that was originally Kate Bush. I love both versions but Placebo’s edges it for me.
Yeah I would have chosen that over the Hounds of Love one
Just my opinion, but Bush's original has something special about it that Placebo's version doesn't have.
I miss Joe Cocker's version of With a little help from my friends
That is nice Gloria liked the cover by Soft Cell.
When U2 heard they had been covered by the Pet Shop Boys they said “what have we done to deserve this.” A burn before there were burns!
Why would anyone want to cover U2?
Amusingly, there was a far worse burn before that. U2 were dissing disco music at the time, so PSB covered as "Where the streets have no name - Can't take my eyes off you" implying U2 had made a hit by copying a disco rhythm.
@@casinousa7896 one of the most successful bands in history
Manfred Mann "Blinded By the Light" is better than Bruce Springsteen's version.
Agreed: One of the best covers ever. They also covered 'For You' and 'Spirits In The Night' from Asbury Park, which must have made an impression!
....by leaps and bounds (of course theirs was the only hit single, though Springsteen gets credit for writing and original recording)
I could not disagree more.
Some others that may be considered "better" or at least as good the original:
• Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus (Marcy Brothers)
• Ain’t That A Shame - Cheap Trick (Fats Domino)
• The Air That I Breathe - The Hollies (Albert Hammond)
• All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You - Heart; Halestorm (Dobie Gray)
• Always On My Mind - Elvis Presley; Willie Nelson (Brenda Lee) • (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes; The Four Seasons; Dionne Warwick (Lou Johnson) • Angel Of The Morning - Juice Newton; Merrilee Rush (Evie Sands)
• Are You Lonesome Tonight - Elvis Presley (Charles Hart) • Because The Night - 10,000 Maniacs (Patti Smith Group; Bruce Springsteen) • Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes (Jackie DeShannon)
• Black Magic Woman - Santana (Fleetwood Mac) • Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (Bruce Springsteen) • Blue Bayou - Linda Ronstadt (Roy Orbison)
• Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley (Carl Perkins) • Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino (Gene Autry) • Crimson And Clover - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (Tommy James & The Shondells) • Crying - Don McLean; k.d. lang (Roy Orbison) • Cum On Feel The Noize - Quiet Riot (Slade)
• Cupid - The Spinners (Sam Cooke) • Da Doo Ron Ron - Shaun Cassidy (The Crystals) • Delta Dawn - Helen Reddy (Tanya Tucker) • Der Kommissar - After The Fire (Falco)
• Do Wah Diddy Diddy - Manfred Mann (The Exciters) • Everytime You Go Away - Paul Young (Daryl Hall) • Family Man - Hall & Oates (Mike Oldfield) • Fire - Pointer Sisters (Bruce Springsteen: wrote song, recorded later) • Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper (Robert Hazard)
• Gloria - Laura Branigan (Umberto Tozzi)
• Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison (James Ray) • Greatest Love Of All - Whitney Houston (George Benson) • Groovy Kind Of Love - Phil Collins; Mindbenders (Dianne & Annita)
• Handy Man - James Taylor (Sparks of Rhythm; Jimmy Jones; Del Shannon) • Hazy Shade Of Winter - The Bangles (Simon & Garfunkel) • Heartbreaker - Dionne Warwick (Bee Gees) • Heat Wave - Linda Ronstadt (Martha & The Vandellas) • Hound Dog - Elvis Presley (Big Mama Thornton) • How Am I Supposed To Live Without You - Laura Branigan (Michael Bolton: wrote song, recorded later) • Hurt So Bad - Linda Ronstadt (Little Anthony & The Imperials)
• I Can’t Let Go - Hollies; Linda Ronstadt (Evie Sands) • I Go Blind - Hootie & The Blowfish (54-40) • I Love Rock 'n Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (The Arrows) • I Need A Lover - Pat Benatar (John Cougar Mellencamp) • I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany (Tommy James & The Shondells) • I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow (The Strangeloves) • I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston (Dolly Parton) • I'll Be There - Mariah Carey (Jackson Five) • I've Done Everything For You - Rick Springfield (Sammy Hagar) • If You Don’t Know Me By Now - Simply Red (Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes) • It's My Life - No Doubt (Talk Talk) • It's So Easy - Linda Ronstadt (Crickets) • Jet Airliner - Steve Miller Band (Paul Pena) • Jump, Jive An' Wail - Brian Setzer Orchestra (Louis Prima & Keely Smith) • Just One Look - Hollies; Linda Ronstadt (Doris Troy) • Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack; Fugees (Lori Lieberman) • Knocking On Heaven's Door - Guns 'N Roses (Bob Dylan) • Leaving On A Jet Plane - Peter, Paul & Mary (John Denver)
• Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers; Joan Baez (Gene Cotton) • Love Hurts - Nazareth (Everly Brothers)
• Mandy - Barry Manilow (Scott English, orig. "Brandy")
• Me & Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin (Roger Miller) • Mony, Mony - Billy Idol (Tommy James & The Shondells) • Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds (Bob Dylan) • My Way - Frank Sinatra (Claude François, orig. titled "Comme d'Habitude") • New York, New York - Frank Sinatra (Liza Minnelli) • The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia - Reba McIntyre (Vicki Lawrence) • Nothing Compares 2U - Sinéad O'Connor (Prince)
• Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You - Glenn Medeiros (George Benson) • Oh, Pretty Woman - Van Halen (Roy Orbison) • Ooh Baby Baby - Linda Ronstadt (The Miracles) • Pink Cadillac - Natalie Cole (Bruce Springsteen)
• Please Mr. Postman - The Beatles; Carpenters (The Marvelettes)
• Poor Poor Pitiful Me - Linda Ronstadt (Warren Zevon) • Proud Mary - Ike & Tina Turner (Creedence Clearwater Revival) • Radar Love - White Lion (Golden Earring) • Red Red Wine - UB40 (Neil Diamond) • Respect - Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding)
• Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell (Larry Weiss)
• Rhythm Of My Heart - Rod Stewart (Rene Shuman)
• Saving All My Love For You - Whitney Houston (Maryiln McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.) • Seasons In The Sun - Kingston Trio; Terry Jacks (Jacques Brel, orig. "Le Moribond")
• Self Control - Laura Branigan (Raf)
• Shame On The Moon - Bob Seger (Rodney Crowell)
• The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) - Betty Everett; Cher (Merry Clayton)
• Since I Don't Have You - The Four Seasons; Art Garfunkel; Don McLean (The Skyliners)
• Stay - The Four Seasons; Jackson Browne (Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs)
• Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley (Mark James) • Tainted Love - Soft Cell (Gloria Jones) • Take Me to the River - Talking Heads (Al Green) • Thank You For Being A Friend - "Golden Girls" theme (Andrew Gold) • That'll Be The Day - Linda Ronstadt (Buddy Holly/Crickets)
• (They Long To Be) Close To You - Carpenters (Richard Chamberlain) • The Tide Is High - Blondie (The Paragons) • Torn - Natalie Imbruglia (Ednaswap) • Tracks Of My Tears - Linda Ronstadt (The Miracles)
• Tumbling Dice - Linda Ronstadt (Rolling Stones) • Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds (Pete Seeger) • The Twist - Chubby Checker (Hank Ballard & The Midnighters) • Twist And Shout - The Isley Brothers; The Beatles (Top Notes)
• Unchained Melody - Les Baxter; Al Hibbler; Roy Hamilton; Righteous Brothers (Todd Duncan)
• Up On The Roof - James Taylor (The Drifters) • Venus - Bananarama (The Shocking Blue) • We're All Alone - Rita Coolidge; Frankie Valli (Boz Scaggs) • When Will I Be Loved - Linda Ronstadt (Everly Brothers) • With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker; Peter Frampton/Bee Gees (The Beatles) • Without You - Nilsson; Mariah Carey (Badfinger)
• Working My Way Back To You - The Spinners (The Four Seasons) • You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins (The Supremes) • You Keep Me Hangin' On - Vanilla Fudge; Kim Wilde (The Supremes)
• (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - Aretha Franklin (Carole King) • You're No Good - Linda Ronstadt (Dee Dee Warwick) • You've Got A Friend - James Taylor (Carole King) • (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher - Rita Coolidge (Jackie Wilson)
Thank you so much for your help. I am playing Covers on my Radio Show and you have inspired me so much!
George Michael,he’s cover of bonnie raints I carnt make you love me is out of this world
Most of his covers were better than the originals, some of them FAR better and that includes all the ones where I actually loved the originals (which is most of them because he only chose outstanding songs by top tier artists to begin with). One of the few artists that could do that consistently. RIP George.
I even prefer his version of somebody to love...
The original writer from always on my mind is B J Thomas 1970 not Olivia Gwen Mcrae 1972
Did you realize that nearly EVERY SINGLE TOP 40 hit of Linda Ronstadt's was a cover tune? She hardly had a single original hit as a solo artist. Pretty amazing for a superstar with a supreme voice.
I refuse to agree that soft cell’ version of tainted love is better than Gloria Jones’
Kirstly MacColl not on the list once? Complainte Pour Ste Catherine, New England, You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby to name but a few - fell free to include LIbertango and Shutting All The Doors if you want
the best cover of all time has to be all along the watchtower hendrix cover from bob dylan
It's definitely up there.
A lot of his songs were covered by other bands. The Byrds-Mr.Tambourine Man...Guns N' Roses- Knocking on Heaven's door...and the best one by far The Animals-House of the Rising House.
Hendrix's version is nowhere near as good as that of XTC.
Adele is perfect. Every emotion is felt when she sings everything
Make You Feel My Love was by BOB DYLAN!!!
They acknowledge that but Billie Joel released it as a single first.
I'm a bit partial to Joss Stone's cover of Grand Funk Railroad's "Some Kind of Wonderful", though each version is strong. Same can be said for Jamie Cullum's take on Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music".
How about Jimi Hendrix's 'All along the Watch tower' (original by Bob Dylan)??
I think the cover of red right hand by the artic monkeys should be featured on a list like this
Elvis costello- good year for the Roses
Sinead O'connor- nothing compares to you
Beatles - rock & roll music
Tom Jones- kiss
Rolling stones - harlem shuffle
Bonnie Tyler- making love out of nothing at all
What about Sweet Dreams' version of ABBA's "Honey, Honey" from 1975?
Rubbish
The Inspiral Carpets did a great version of Tainted Love.