Feature Story: The Best Cover Songs Ever

The Clash

Nirvana went Unplugged

Something For Kate covered Christina (which she struggles to do herself!)

By Lisa Dib
Click Here For : THE WORST COVER SONGS

Music is getting duller, artists are getting lazier. It's going to be expected that all your favourite songs will be butchered at some point: it's part of life, son. More often than not, the results are disappointing. But with the rain comes the rainbow: sometimes the results are downright better than the original! Well it's a rich rich tapestry so let's get started:

Best Cover Songs

"I Fought The Law"- The Clash
Original by The Crickets
Punk pioneers they are, what other song is more fitting than this? Joe & Co. give the Rock 'n' Roll gem the anarchic treatment.

"Private Universe"- The Basics
Original by Crowded House
From one great Aussie band to another, The Basics have, in my experience, turned every tune they have ever covered into gold.

Not that the songs themselves were not great before but, well - you know when you were a kid, and your folks took you to McDonald's to get a Happy Meal? Being a kid, most of the joy of a Happy Meal is the cheap little toy you get with it. But what if the staff are lazy at McDonald's that day, and you don't get your toy, your Barbie keyring brush, or mini racing car, as it were. And even though you enjoy the lardy goodness of the meal, you can't help but feel a little space missing for the toy that never was...ANYWAY, that's what The Basics do - make a good thing better! They're the toy-goodness of music (See, I DID have a point).

"Without You"- Mariah Carey
Original by Badfinger
I don't care what anyone says, I liked Mariah Carey. Before she went all "Mimi-from-the-block", she was a great balladeer, and this song is made stronger and more beautiful by those brilliant vocals of hers (where HAVE they gone?)

"I Love Rock and Roll"- Joan Jett
Original by The Arrows
Bet you didn't know this one was a cover? Strangely enough, the band that WROTE that they 'loved rock and roll', really don't look like they do. They look like they love Andrew Lloyd Webber. But I digress, a rock classic guaranteed to get sing-a-longs ANYWHERE. Thanks, Joan, love ya.

"Diamonds and Rust"- Blackmore's Night
Original by Joan Baez
A song that is so widely appreciated yet virtually unknown: even Judas Priest covered it. Blackmore's Night is, of course, Ritchie Blackmore's (of Deep Purple and Rainbow fame) most recent musical love child. Led by gorgeous singer Candice Night and comprising more instruments than a doctor's surgery (zing! I'm here all week!), they're definately interesting if nothing else. If you're looking for something a little bit different, but totally beautiful and mesmerising, check these guys out. One word: Reniassance.

"Strange Little Girl"- Tori Amos
Original by The Stranglers
I almost never approve of a cover of a song I already love. I love The Stranglers, and this song is a personal favourite, and when I found out Amos had covered it, I was more than hesitant. But my willingness to listen allowed me to realise she had not only covered the song but breathed new life into it. She gave it a new energy, I was suitably pleased, and now they both sit on my CD shelves, like ebony and ivory, living together in perfect harmony....but in CD form.

"Heartbeats"- Jose Gonzalez
Original by The Knife
I really thought I had had my fill of the acoustica thing. After watching Scrubs for an elongated period of time, you tire of the alternacoustic-oh-so-soulful-neutered-indie faff that almost always accompanies a slow walking scene. But this cover of the electro-pop tune takes the song to a whole new place, through Gonzalez's soft vocals.

(NB: If you like the sort of acoustic-soul thing that Gonzalez goes for, give "Winter" by Joshua Radin a listen. It's quiet, but very beautiful. And where did I hear it first? Scrubs of course! It's the song playing during Jordan's brother's funeral where Coxybaby is crying like a bitch).

"Shock The Monkey"- Coal Chamber feat. Ozzy Osbourne
Original By Peter Gabriel
Hahaha, what are they talking about?! Who knows!? Who cares, its a ripper track that takes me back.

"Where Did You Sleep Last Night?"- Nirvana
Original by Leadbelly
Under all that flaneletted rage and teen angst, there lay a soulful bluesman. Kurt sang this blues classic during the Unplugged sessions and gave the world a new view of Mr Cobain: no longer the angry dropout layabout, now just a shattered man, who'd just been hurt too much.

That coulda been all the smack, though.

"Hallelujah"- Jeff Buckley
Original By Leonard Cohen
We all know it. We all love it. Moving on.

"Genie In A Bottle"- Something for Kate
Original by Christina Teabaguilera
Done for Triple J radio, it never ceases to amuse. And surprise, too, considering how good of a song it turned out to be when put into the talented hands of Paul Dempsey. Brilliant if only for the lines; "I'm a genie in a bottle baby, you gotta rub me the right way honey....you gotta rub me, rub me, rub me, rub-a-dub-dub me..."