10 Cover Songs that Aren't So Bad

Cover songs seem to get a really bad rap, especially when the song is deemed a "classic." I am here to try to dispel that unfair myth. There are several cover songs that I say compare favorably with the original versions and even occasionally surpass them.

I have a soft spot for cover songs, probably because I have played in several weekend cover bands over the years and without cover songs we would have had a pretty short set list. The covers we produced may not fall into the category I am discussing here, but we did a pretty mean Johnny B. Goode I thought. Anyway, on to my list...

1. All Along the Watchtower- Jimi Hendrix

Let me preface by saying I am not a fan of Bob Dylan as a performer by any means, so pretty much anyone covering his song is an improvement in my
book, but Jimi made this song his own without compromising the basic structure and melody of the original. Even with his less-than-stellar vocal
ability, this song was great.

2. Like a Rolling Stone- Jimi Hendrix

See above

3. War Pigs- Government Mule

This one might provoke some vicious comments but you need to listen to it before you react. This is from a live recording and is better than anything I
have ever heard Black Sabbath do, but I am a much bigger Warren Haynes fan than a Tony Iommi fan so I may be biased.

4. Twist and Shout- The Beatles

I suppose some might not even realize this was a cover because the Fab Four's version has become so popular over the years and the Isley Brothers
did it very well, but there is just something classic about the way the Beatles' version sounds.

5. Joe Bonamassa- Had To Cry Today

Yeah I know this one is rather obscure, but Bonamassa is one of my favorite artists and it pains me to admit that he outdoes another of my heroes, Eric
Clapton, on this cover of a Blind Faith tune. Do yourself a favor and check Joe's music out.

6. Stevie Ray Vaughan- Voodoo Child

This is a tough call for me but, in my opinion, SRV surpassed Jimi on this classic. Probably my favorite song from Stevie's arsenal, and that's high praise for someone who had a lot of great songs.

7. Creedence Clearwater Revival- Susie Q

Another classic version of a song that is so associated with the artists that you forget it is actually a cover. This version launched the CCR hitmaking
behemoth and made Dale Hawkins even more obscure than ever. One of the very few covers that John Fogerty ever saw fit to record.

8. Bob Seger- Nutbush City Limits

Not a big hit for Bob or for Tina Turner, but Seger really did a memorable and funky version recorded during hid heyday in the mid-1970's.

9. Eric Clapton- Willie and the Hand Jive

E.C. did a very cool Bo Diddley-esque version of this Johnny Otis song on his classic 1974 album 461 Ocean Boulevard. Not for everyone, but I think it
is great.

10. Eric Clapton- Knock on Wood

Anytime you can redeem a song that had been tainted by becoming a disco hit by making it into something listenable, you are a genius. This Eddie
Floyd classic had been almost ruined by Amii Stewart during the disco scourge of the 70's, but the great Slowhand did a very good remake.

So there are ten of my personal favorite cover tunes that I feel do justice to the originals that inspired them. There are many more I could include, but in the interest of brevity I had to pare it down to ten and since I am such a fan of lists, I will undoubtedly revisit the topic in the future. Give a listen to some of these and feel free to let me know what you think.