Ah the inevitable cover. At some point in every artist's career, the lure to record something that has already been sung is irresistible. Whether it is done successfully is a whole other matter and while the list of bad covers of the classics is endless, I thought it would be nice to pay homage to the ones that actually do it right.
The following list counts down the twelve best covers. The following picks were selected based on this criteria:
1- How successfully the artist was able to interpret the original recording
2- Did the covering artist put an interesting spin on presenting/performing the original
3- The level of commercial and critical success of the cover version compared to the original
Counting them down from twelve to one, here we go:
12- My Humps - Alanis Morisette (2007)
(originally performed by the Black Eyed Peas)
Ok, so this is, technically not a cover, but a parody of the Black Eyed Peas song "My Humps". Nevertheless, it is a great example of taking a really bad song and turning it into something interesting and unique. Also, it nicely demonstrates Alanis' humorous side and, just like one of her hit songs, she truly understands the importance of irony by turning this club song into a somber and mournful ballad.
11- The Power of Love - Celine Dion (1993)
(originally performed by Jennifer Rush)
I would not classify myself as a fan, but there is no arguing her vocal gift. Sure, she has made a career out of overly-sappy, middle-of-the-road songs, but you can't ignore her version of "The Power of Love". Originally recorded by Jennifer Rush in 1985, "The Power of Love" has been re-done by many singers over the years. But Dion's emotive version is a masterpiece that showcases her stunning voice in a captivatingly, emotive performance. It became one of her earliest signature hits and despite becoming an international star in the following years with many cheesy hits, she has yet to replicate the elegance and beauty that she exhibited on this track.
10- Turn The Page - Metallica (1998)
(originally performed by Bob Seger)
The video for Metallica's version of this Bob Seger classic is what made the song. A dark portrayal of a prostitute trying to support herself and her daughter provides a chilling visual narrative with the song playing in the background. As far as Metallica's rendition is concerned, it sticks to the Seger classic only diverting by substituting the saxophone part of the original with a high guitar slide from Kirk Hammett. Nevertheless, Hetfield and co. provide a heavier sound than gives their version a substantial edge lacking from the original.
9 - The Man Who Sold The World - Nirvana (1993)
(originally performed by David Bowie)
When Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain performed this David Bowie song at their MTV Unplugged session, it cemented his already-defined status as an icon of the short-lived grunge era. Thrust into super-stardom after the phenomenal success of the band's "Nevermind" album, Cobain struggled with his new, celebrity status. The image of him, sitting on a stool, singing Bowie's song from 1971 became one of the most enduring images of the grunge era from the early nineties. After Nirvana's version gained popularity, Bowie, himself, bemoaned when he performed the song he would encounter kids that would thank him for playing a Nirvana song.
8- Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O Connor (1990)
(originally written by Prince)
Prince had originally wrote this song for his side-project "The Family", however it wasn't until Irish-born singer Sinéad O Connor recorded her version on the album "I Don't Want What I Haven't Got" that it became a worldwide hit, topping the charts in fifteen countries. The music video was equally praised for its minimalist approach of using a close-up of O'Connor's face as she sings the words and two tears roll down her cheek. The video was awarded Best Video of The Year at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards.
7- Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley (1994)
(originally performed by Leonard Cohen)
This track went through a bit of a metamorphosis before Jeff Buckley finally got around to recording it. Originally penned and recorded by Leonard Cohen in 1984, it found greater popular acclaim when covered by John Cale in 1991. Buckley's 1994 version did not become an instant hit and sadly, he would never live to see the acclaim his version would enjoy. It wasn't until 2002, when his rendition started gaining attention that he started receiving praise and the song became a post-humous hit for him. Since then, the song has been widely featured in many television shows and films and one magazine claimed that it was so liberally used in television because "neither the writers nor actors could convey their characters' emotion as well as Buckley".
6- Hurt - Johnny Cash (2002)
(originally performed by Nine Inch Nails)
Let this be an example of the genius of Johnny Cash; a man considered a legend from a completely different era who was able to take a Trent Reznor recording and turn it into a recording of heart-breaking beauty. So enthusiastic was the reception to Cash's version that even Reznor, who originally penned the song, commented that he felt like the track was no longer his anymore and made him reflect on the beauty and power of music. In 2011, Time magazine named the accompanying music video as one of "The 30 All-TIME Best Music Videos".
5 - I Will Alway Love You - Whitney Houston (1992)
(originally performed by Dolly Parton)
She may be drugged up nowadays, but if ever there was a track that showed Whitney Houston at the height of her success, this Dolly Parton original would be it. Taking Parton's twangy, heartfelt track about love-lost, Houston gave it a dramatic intensity that echoed in every element of the song from her quivering voice at the opening, to the breath-taking climax where her voice holds each prolonged note with beauty and discipline right to the flourishing falsetto at the end of the song. The track became a staple on adult contemporary radio throughout the nineties and a favourite for amateur singers on various reality television shows such as American Idol and X-Factor. It also broke a then-record of spending fourteen, consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
4- With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker (1968)
(originally performed by The Beatles)
Joe Cocker's slower and lengthier version of Ringo Starr's "With A Little Help...." proved to be such a hit that it was used as the theme song to the late 1980s sitcom "The Wonder Years". Where The Beatles version was whimsical and up-beat, Cocker brought a bruised tenderness and turned it into an emotive performance packed with soul. The version heard in the 2008 film "Across The Universe" segues from the original to Cocker's version towards the end of the song.
3 - Twist & Shout - The Beatles (1964)
(originally performed by The Top Notes)
This was the Beatles at their most raw, disheveled and fun. "Twist & Shout" was already covered by the Isley Brothers, but it was the Fab Four that morphed it into a rockin' sing-a-long. It became an instantly recognizable hit in the Beatles' long-line of classics. As the performance comes to an end, you can hear Lennon rip his vocals to shreds trying to stay in tune with the track and the live recording showed off his dry humour before the performance as he sarcastically requested the wealthier members of the audience to "rattle your jewelry".
2- All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience (1968)
(originally performed by Bob Dylan)
This original track from Bob Dylan has been recorded and performed by numerous artists and guitar vituoso, but no other artist has been so prominently identified with it as the late Jimi Hendrix. While recording the Dylan track, Hendrix insisted on re-recording and doing overdubs until he was satisfied. After weeks of over-dubbing, he finally said "I think I hear it a bit differently" and the final version became a revered masterpiece. Even Dylan himself was quoted as saying that Hendrix's version "overwhelmed me" and noted Hendrix's ability to find things in music that other's wouldn't think of finding. Later in his career, Dylan admitted to playing Jimi Hendrix's version and felt that he was paying a tribute to the late guitarist with each performance.
1 - Respect - Aretha Franklin (1967)
(originally performed by Otis Redding)
Otis may have been the first to sing it, but Aretha Franklin owned it with her gospel-infused rendition. Not only "Respect" become Aretha's biggest hit and heralded her arrival as the Queen of Soul, it became an anthem for the 1960s Civil Rights movement and a landmark for the feminist movement. It placed at number five on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". No other cover has ever made such an iconic impact and had such social and cultural relevance as this fiery call-to-arms for women. The line "R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me..." has become a universally recognized symbol for empowerment and was eventually added to the U.S National Recording Registry in 2002 as a Culturally Relevant Recording.
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