A Small Victory

'Knocking on Heaven's Door' Warren Zevon.
*Recorded by Zevon on the album he did as he was dying of cancer. I defy anyone to llisten and not get misty.

Off the top of my head, Plateau by Nirvana. (Meat Puppets)

I gotta go with either "I Hurt Myself Today." or "Personal Jesus." Johnny Cash doing NIN and Depeche Mode.

BTW, the new Depeche Mode album is pure madness, just amazing.

I just voted and CAN. NOT. BELIEVE! that the Clash is trailing in this poll. The Clash must win this crucial poll or Joe Strummer will have died in vain. I've got to rally the troops.

AC

Speaking of the Clash:

I nominate their cover of Bobby Fuller's "I fought the Law"

And just for the hell of it:
Paul Anka "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana...that took balls, man.

"Blue Suede Shoes" as covered by Johnny Rivers. The recording which defines rock and roll. G-wd does it sound like the band is having fun.

"Shake, Rattle and Roll" Doc Watson, acoustic. The whole Docabilly is awesome; it covers the spectrum of '50s pop from rock to sappy.

Yeah, I'd have to go with Johnny Cash's gover of "I hurt myself..." It was an amazing rendition, and a real testament to the power of Cash's voice.

I have to say Life of Agony "Don't you (Forget about me)." on the River Runs Red album...

Keith Caputo just demolishes that song with his sick vocals, turns it form an 80's teen junk song to an awesome cover-

just my 2 cents...

Excellent choice, Kotter. Their rendition nearly gives the song new meaning. It's very raw. I think I'll upload it when I get home so everyone can hear it.

Clapton, I Shot The Sheriff (original; Marley)

Wow - 8 posts in and no one has mentioned Jijmi Hendrix "All Along The Watchtower" (originally Dylan).

Magnificent call on Plateau by Nirvana. You have to add their cover of Lake Of Fire (also orginally by the Meat Puppets) to that as well.

"I Fought The Law" by The Clash.

Clapton's cover of Bob Marley truly sucks.

"With A Little Help From My Friends" cover by Joe Cocker

Tough call:

Camper van Beethoven's version of "Pictures of Matchstick Men" (original by Status Quo)

The Silos "Change the Locks" (original by Lucinda Williams)

or

Dave Edmunds "Get Out of Denver" (original by Bob Seger)

Maggie Bell doing "Wishing Well" on "Suicide Sal". It's a Paul Rodgers tune.

OK, those two may take a little explaining, for those who don't know.

Maggie; Remember Rod Stewart's "Every Picture Tells a Story"? THe title track? Remember the chick who sang on the last few minutes of that one? That's Maggie Bell. One of the best female Blues voices ever.

And Paul Rodgers, who write the tune, has been called 'the perfect voice for a rock song". He also played bass and sang for Bad Company. Yeah, that guy.

Anyway, get a copy of Maggies "Suicide Sal" and listen to cut 1. Best cover ever.

Second place and in a different vien; "Eagles, take it easy" was a Jackson Browne tune.

Oh... and Since I'm thinking about it; Worst cover ever? It's a tie between Cher and Lonestar, both attempting Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis", and both coming nowhere near it.

(Shudder)

Ok just need to clear this up, the song is 'Hurt' not 'I hurt myself today', and it should definately make the finals, i don't think that 'Personal Jesus' was diferent enough to qualify here.

I hate to admit this, because I hate just about everything they've done since, but Limp Bizkit's cover of 'Faith' was great. Is that Pop and not Rock? Can I get a ruling on that one?

oh yeah, and I'll second Cake doing 'I will Survive'

I'm gonna go with the same song I used for favorite tune from a movie:

Guns 'n Roses' cover of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil".

Man, I hope you do a worst cover of a rock song category 'cause Shattner has that one LOCKED UP. You haven't lived (died?) until you've heard him screetch out 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'

shudder

heyheyhey...you said it must be a cover of a ROCK SONG. Rio, I Will Survive, Don't You (Forget About Me), I Shot The Sheriff and a few others here don't qualify as rock dammit. Damn rulechanging rulechangers.

Rio most certainly is too rock. Duran Duran has already been featured in these awards. Simple Minds? Rock.

If you go back a few post on this, I declared that rock includes all sub genres of rock. I'll post that link to the list of genres again.

Sherrif and Survive get ousted, though.

One more:

Talking Heads "Take Me to the River" original by Al Green

I'll second Cake's cover of I Will Survive (although I didn't think it was a "rock" song being covered).

I've also got to nominate Cream's rendition of Crossroads, which was Robert Johnson's Crossroad Blues from the late 30's.

And Van Halen's cover of John Brim's 1952 song, Ice Cream Man.

Gee, none of these were "rock" songs, but they became rock through the covers. Does that count?

Oh, I just read shank's comment and I think I agree.

If Dylan's original "All Along the Watchtower" is considered rock, then it gets my vote. Otherwise, The Clash's "I Fought The Law".

The Donnas' cover of Keep on Lovin' You (REO Speedwagon) from the Drive Me Crazy soundtrack.

I would actually nominate my band's cover of that cover, but I don't have an MP3.

I'll join in the chorus for Cash's "Hurt", and just for giggles, add a vote for the Kronos Quartet's string arrangement of the Jimi Hendrix classic "Purple Haze"...

Ramones cover of the Beach Boys "Surf City" was pretty hot too.

Annie Lennox doing The Clash's "Train in Vain." She turned it from a pop/rock song to an Al Green-esque love song.

William Shatner's cover of the Pulp's "Common People".

Johnny Cash doing NIN's Hurt
Metallica doing Whiskey in a Jar or Am I Evil...

RHCP doing Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground...

-

op cit. Johnny Cash - Hurt and/or Personal Jesus.

-

Thanks rob,

I know better than to post before first bucket o' coffee.

Christopher Riley's cover of Knives Out by Radiohead or Nouvelle Vague's the Cure's A Forest.

Heart - Live cover of "Battle of Evermore" (first time I heard it I thought to myself, "Wow. That's good. LZ usually sucks live." Of course, come to find out, it wasn't LZ.)

Another Joe Cocker - "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" (although isn't that segued into from "The Letter" or vice versa?)

Blue Swede doing BJ Thomas' "Hooked on a Feeling."

It's soft rock, but still rock. And ya gotta love the oogachakas.

Disturbed's cover of Shout (Tears for Fear)

eheh i hoard cover songs, i adore them. Two of my favorite ones are by Big Sugar, "Dear Mr. Fanfasy" and "Let it Ride".

Also "Blistered" by Hater, "it's who you know" by Sublime (was an X song first), and Babyland's version of Madonna's "burnin up"

I'll probably end up voting for Cash/Hurt, but I'll add a nomination for Tori Amos's version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Rush performing Summertime Blues

NIN performance of Get Down Make Love

Johnny Cash performing Rusty Cage

Marilyn Manson's cover of Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics)

Etta James' cover of Only Women Bleed (Alice Cooper)

Aerosmith's cover of Train Kept a Rollin' (Yardbirds/Jeff Beck)

Sass Jordan's cover of Funk 49 (Jamesgang/Joe Walsh)

Faith No More's cover of War Pigs (Black Sabbath)

Black Crowe's cover of Hard to Handle

Red Hot Chili Peppers covers of Love Rollercoaster (Ohio Players) and Fire (Jimi Hendrix) and Higher Ground (Traffic)

Stevie Ray Vaughan's covers of Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix) and Voodoo Chile (Jimi Hendrix)

More later, gotta run.

Metallica's cover of Astronomy (Blue Oyster Cult).

Devo's cover of Satisfaction (Rolling Stones).

The Beatle's cover of Twist and Shout (Isley Brothers)

Manfred Mann's cover of Blinded by the Light (Bruce Springsteen)

Elton John's cover of Pinball Wizard (The Who)

Tina Turner's cover of Acid Queen (The Who)

The Blues Brothers' cover of Soul Man (Sam & Dave)

Eric Clapton's cover of Before You Accuse Me (Bo Diddley)

Britney Spears' (ewww) cover of I Love Rock & Roll (Joan Jett)

Cream's cover of Born Under a Bad Sign (Albert King)

ZZ Top's cover of Jailhouse Rock (Carl Perkins)

Elvis Presley's cover of Blue Suede Shoes (Carl Perkins)

Everclear's cover of Brown Eye'd Girl (Van Morrison)

Janis Joplin's cover of Ball and Chain (Big Mama Thornton)

Elvis Presley's cover of Hound Dod (Big Mama Thornton)

There will be more, gotta run again.

Mark, please keep in mind that the original song HAS TO BE A ROCK SONG.

Not sure if these qualify, but I'll throw 'em out there anyway:

Tori Amos for Smells Like Teen Spirit
Guns N' Roses for Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Guns N' Roses for Live and Let Die
Cake for I Will Survive
Dread Zeppelin for Heartbreaker
Joe Cocker for With A Little Help From My Friends

Clapton's accoustic cover of "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes

X's cover of the Trogg's "Wild Thing"

Joe Cocker's cover of "Feelin' Alright" by Dave Mason

All pretty good...
But nothing nothing can hold a candle to the cover of AC/DC's "Highway To Hell." put out by this lady.

"Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" by Led Zeppelin

I'll try to stay more rock...

Mott the Hoople's cover of ALL the Young Dudes (David Bowie)

Adam Sandler's cover of Love Stinks (J.Geils Band)

Smashing Pumpkins' cover of Landslide (Stevie Nicks)

Spin Doctors' cover of Spanish Castle Magic (Jimi Hendrix)

Talking Head's cover of Take Me to the River (Eva Cassidy)

Kid Rock's cover of Feel Like Makin' Love (Free)

Korn's cover of Word Up (Cameo)

Aerosmith's cover of Maxwell's Silver Hammer (Beatles)

Sigh. Mark, the COVER does not have to be ROCK. The ORIGINAL does.

Hence, your choice of Cameo IS NULL AND VOID.

Keep up, babe.

Christ, how could I overlook this:

Soft Cell's cover of Tainted Love (Gloria Jones)

and

Marilyn Manson's cover of Soft Cell's cover of Tainted Love.

Oops, sorry.

In that case, everything by Dick, err, Richard Cheese! And William Shatner.

My brain aches. Must. Recalibrate. Rock. Meter.

Husker Du did a BLISTERING cover of 8 Miles High, by the Byrds. But best rock cover, my official nod goes to Jimi Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower.

Hit me Baby one more time- Mr. Bungle
Easy- Faith No More
Baby Got Back- Richard Cheese

Soundgarden covering Devo's 'The Girl You Want'

The Melvins covering Kiss' 'Going Blind'

I nominate Metallica's cover of Bob Seger's "Turn The Page", which I enjoy singing to my son at bedtime.....

one that the ladies loved when I played it in College-

Machine Head: "Message In a Bottle" (Sting) off of "The Burning Red"

Again, another rather obscure band that made a cover and tore it up, but made it their own style- phenominal if you ask me...

Also, Sheryl Crow "Sweet Child of Mine" (GNR) for worst cover ever made. Ever.

Ducks

Grace Jones' cover of The Police's Demolition Man. Friggin' awesome, and definitely unique.

Type-O-Negatives version of "Paranoid" (Sabbath)

Sisters of Mercy's version of "Gimme Shelter"(Stones)

Metallica's version of "Die, Die, Die my Darling"(Misfits)

Could we institute a rule that anyone nominating Avril Lavigne's cover of Knockin on Heaven's Door be permanently barred from commenting?

Sympathy for the Devil by Jane's Addiction.

Social Distortion covering "I fought the Law"

David Bowie - China Girl (Iggy Pop)
Fine Young Cannibals - Suspicious Minds (Elvis)

The Replacements had to have the funniest cover of all time, when they tried to do a cover of "Iron Man" drunk and only got through the first couple of lyrics before flubbing it. Memorable line: "Tony Iommi in the bathroom!"

But they did do a wicked bad cover of "Black Diamond" off of Let it Be.

Flying Lizards - "Money (That's What I Want)". Of all the versions of this song I've heard, hands down the Flying Lizards is the best. You hear the rest of the lead singers intoning how all they really want is money, and you think "Yeah, yeah, sure." You hear the lead singer from the Flying Lizards, and you believe her. She sounds like one cold-hearted bitch. The fact that they recorded it in a bathroom to get that cool echo sound only adds to the feeling.

The Wilson Sisters remade Led Zep's "Battle of Evermore" under the name The Lovemongers"...and that's got my vote.

That, and Sam Kinison's "Wild Thing"

My word... there are so many.

My personal favorite is Megadeth doing "Anarchy in the UK", the Sex Pistols classic, of course.

There are quite a few more, though... Rollins Band MADE Alan Vega's "Ghostrider" thier own (not to mention Chuck Berry''s "Move Right In")

Therapy? doing The Police's "Invisible Sun"

7 Seconds did a whirlwind version of "99 Red Balloons" by Nena.

Megadeth's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" has to get a mention.

Sepultura's "Bullet The Blue Sky" (which of course, came from ASV... if you're ever in the mood to upload the other six songs, please let me know.. it's REALLY hard to get ahold of) must be mentioned.

I could go on, but that's probably enough.

Oh one other favorite that'll never get in here... Bronson Arroyo's "Dirty Water" is damn good.

Well, we've narrowed it down to about 850 songs.
Maybe we should change the parameters a bit and ask what is the mist inspired cover of a rock song.

Add Cocaine (Clapton via J.J. Cale) to the list.

We could go on all night.

Rock original? Well, then, this doesn't qualify, but Ahmet Zappa's cover of "(Hit Me) Baby One More Time" is absolute genius. It may only be available on the Ready to Rumble soundtrack, but that's what the iTMS is for.

Oh, yeah. Johnny Cash is gonna sweep. (He also covered U2's "One" on American IV.)

I nominate the ENTIRE "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" soundtrack.

OK...
Maybe just Alice Cooper's "Mean Mr. Mustard," Aerosmith's "Come Together" and Billy Preston's "Get Back."

Faith Hill doing Janis Joplin's "Little Piece of My Heart."

Faith says she had never heard Janis' version and supposedly her producer forbid her from listening to the original until she had finished cutting it. She couldn't believe the difference.

I'm looking forward to the flipside of this category. Non-rock songs being covered by rock bands. 'cause somewhere we need to recognize Sid Vicous's version of My Way.

I'm going to go with Social Distortion's cover of 'Ring of Fire'

I'd also like to just mention Killdozer's great cover of Janet Jackson's 'Nasty Boys'. (Way better than the original)

I don't expect either of these to make the finals so I'll also just say that anything that gets Johnny Cash into another Hall of Fame is fine with me!

I prefer 'Rusty Cage' over 'Hurt', but then again, I prefer Soundgarden over NIN. Johnny also did a cool version of 'Highway Patrolman' several years ago that deserves mentioning so there you go...

Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower

An easy pick.

Otherwise, I'd go with Stevie Ray Vaughan's cover of Hendrix's 'Voodoo Chile.'

Roy Buchanan's cover of "Green Onions" (Booker T. & the M.G.s). Honorable mention to his renditions of "Turn to Stone" (Joe Walsh) and "If Six was Nine" (Jimi Hendrix). The man was truly "The Master of the Telecaster".

I second the Social D cover of Ring of Fire and would add Zevon's cover (with Hindu Love Gods) of Raspberry Beret.

Definitely Johnny Cash's cover of NIN's Hurt.

Also GNR's cover of Ain't it Fun by The Dead Boys.

And of course, SRV's cover of Hendix's Little Wing.

I recently heard an instrumental version of "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zepp. No clue who did it.