Making a good cover song isn’t easy, and most bands are lucky if they can simply do justice to the original. However, there's a short list of bands and musicians that have outdone the original song and even improved on it. Let’s find out who ten of these wizards of reinterpretation are in my list of Cover songs that are better than the original.
Jimi Hendrix — “All Along The Watchtower” — Originally performed by Bob Dylan
The original “All Along The Watchtower" is a classic Bob Dylan tune, full of his trademark lyricism and imagery. However, when Jimi Hendrix covered the song he brought it to new heights. The Dylan version is slower and mostly acoustic with a harmonica solo. Hendrix hand pumps the song so full of electricity it makes the Dylan version pale in comparison.
Hendrix brings his signature guitar prowess and one of his better vocal performances to this song. You can tell Hendrix wanted to make a good version (he was a huge Dylan fan). Time has proven that this is the definitive version of the song.
Nirvana — “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” — Originally performed by Lead Belly
The Lead Belly version of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” is a dark piece of blues and a good song in its own right. However, the Nirvana version performed in 1994 on MTV Unplugged In New York is next level.
The record was released a few months after Kurt Cobain’s suicide, and “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” is the final track. The vocal performance by Cobain is haunting, arguably his best. It's a powerful swan song for the Nirvana front man.
Sinéad O Conner — “Nothing Compares 2 U” — Originally performed by Prince
You know you did a better job than the original artist when most people don’t even know the cover song is a cover song. That's the case for "Nothing Compares 2 U" as sung by Sinéad O'Conner. This song is originally a Prince song.
This is also arguably O'Conner's most well-known song, and for good reason. It's a track so full of emotion it could make the most cold-blooded person cry. The strings are beautiful as well, but it’s O'Conner's powerful vocal performance that makes this legendary. I can’t stress enough just how much emotion went into this performance. She tapped into something magical, and it resulted in one of the best cover songs of all time.
Deftones — “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”— Originally performed by The Smiths
Deftones, better known for their heavy songs more in line with Linkin Park, Korn and Alice In Chains, wouldn’t be the first group you’d expect to do a Smiths song better than The Smiths, but that’s exactly what we have here with "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want."
The heavy shoegaze guitars and frontman Chino Moreno's vocals add a special sauce to this song that the original lacks. I’m sure plenty of Morrissey fans would disagree with me here but so what — this version is better!
The Animals — “House Of The Rising Sun” — It’s unclear who originally wrote the song
“House Of The Rising Sun” is a legendary song. Its origins, however, are unclear. It goes back so far back that it was a tune American miners sang while on the job in the early 1900s.
The list of individuals who have covered this song is too long to go into here, but among the singers deserving mention is Bob Dylan, who included a version of this on his debut LP. However, the ultimate version is by The Animals.
Released in 1964, Eric Burdon and The Animals made Rock 'n Roll history with their moody interpretation. They created a radio hit that is still in heavy rotation on stations across the country to this day!
Jeff Buckley — “Hallelujah” — Originally performed by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen must have been incredibly flattered that so many people covered "Hallelujah." It’s another one where the list of musicians covering it is quite extensive.
The Jeff Buckley version off his classic 1994 album Grace is a cut above the rest (however, I’m sure others have differing opinions). Buckley, armed with just his electric guitar and vocals, goes into the same territory as O'Conner on this one. He puts on an incredible performance, and the song ends with a note that's held for so long that you wonder if he’s human. Try not to cry listening to this. I dare you.
Charles Bradley — “Changes” — Originally performed by Black Sabbath
A soul version of a Black Sabbath classic? You wouldn’t think it would work, but — WOW — it really does!
Charles Bradley was an interesting character who didn’t find success until late in life. Then, after the release of four studio albums, sadly died in 2017 at age 68. He brought a soulful elegance to this Black Sabbath song, which is saying a lot, given that it's one of the band's best. There's something about the way Bradley sings this song and delivers the lyrics that is just HEAVY. There's a lot of feeling here, and he does such a good job that it almost makes the Black Sabbath version feel like the cover. Regardless of which version you prefer, this is clearly a powerful song.
Rage Against The Machine — “The Ghost of Tom Joad” — Originally performed by Bruce Springsteen
Rage Against The Machine brings a primal feeling to "The Ghost of Tom Joad," which is originally a dark, lyrically heavy Springsteen track.
Gone are the acoustic guitars, now replaced by Tom Morello's guitar, turned up to 11 electric riffage. The themes of the downtrodden hit just a little bit harder in this version than they do in Springsteen’s, and the band's anger strengthens this track in all the right ways.
The Fugees — “Killing Me Softly With His Song” — Originally performed by Lori Lieberman, made famous by Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack made this track famous in the '70s and it's not even her song! Then you get The Fugees' spectacular '90s version. It's a cover of a cover, with the new cover of the old cover being better than old cover of the original from Lori Lieberman. Were you able to keep up?
The Fugees bring hip-hop to an otherwise classic soul track, and the result is history. Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef John modernized a classic and made it even better in the process. It's got a beat that can't be shaken and a vibe that’s all-encompassing.
Johnny Cash — “Hurt” — Originally performed by Nine Inch Nails
If the Nine Inch Nails version of "Hurt" is depressing then the Johnny Cash version is devastating.
This is arguably one of the saddest songs of all time, and something about an aged Cash delivering the line “I hurt myself today to see if I still feel” just rips right through you. Cash died within a year of the release of this song. You have to wonder if he knew it would make for an even more intense listen after his death.
The Clash — “I Fought The Law” — Originally performed by The Bobby Fuller Four
Do you know The Bobby Fuller Four? Probably not.
But The Clash is one of the most famous punk bands of all time, and their take on “I Fought The Law” is one of their best songs. For the longest time I always thought this was their song, they own it that well. It represents everything you love about The Clash: a lack of respect for authority, an outlaw mindset — and ripping guitars.
