The Beatles did a lot of great covers in the early years. Though not particularly great, they did cover "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean. On the brighter side, they did "Please Mr. Post Man (you got to wait a minute, wait a minute, oh yeah!). They also did "Twist & Shout" and "Money" from the Isley Brothers (also covered in a weirdly special way by the Flying Lizards). John Lennon gives perfect cover to Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got a Hold on Me." Hearing Paul sing "Kansas City" makes me almost forget that he wrote "The Long and Winding Road", "Silly Love Songs" and more.

One of the most famous covers was Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" - Big Momma Thornton recorded it first, back when it was a "race" record.

From the musical "West Side Story" is a beautiful song called "Somewhere", Tom Waits drags it through the gravel and makes it sound like a Charles Bukowski love song - hungover and resigned.

Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is transformed from a screaming anthem to a creepy lament by Tori Amos.

Neil Young is widely believed to have channeled John Lennon when he sang "Imagine" at the televised benefit concert "A Tribute to Heroes."

Patty Smith takes Van Morrison's "Gloria" and gives it a slutty, punk, lesbian slant.

Sarah McLachlan did fine covers of both Joni Mitchell's "Blue" and McCartney's "Blackbird." Bare Naked Ladies covered Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time". Joan Osborne did "Spooky". Rage Against the Machine turned in a brilliant cover of the Bob Dylan song "Maggie's farm.

But my all-time favorite cover has to be Sid Vicous giving life to that Frank Sinatra chestnut "My Way." Sid did it his way.
8:19:49 AM    Comments?()