Song covers that are better than the originals


I was listening to Billy Idol's cover of LA Woman, and I thought to myself that his version is way better than the original. So I thought I'd post a few covers that I enjoy more than the originals and see what others can add. My top five in no particular order:

LA Woman - Billy Idol
Just a Gigolo - David Lee Roth
Feelin Alright - Joe Cocker
Roll Over Beethoven - The Beatles
MacArthur Park - Donna Summer
slanski62
An oddity:

Todd Rundgren's "Pretending To Care" has been covered many times (notably by Jennifer Warnes), but always left me with the sense that someone could/should do more with it.

Then, I heard an absolutely great version by one Fred Froom (maybe related to Mitchell Froom, I thought). I did an internet search for Fred. It appears that he has recorded one track only: Todd Rundgren's "Pretending To Care".

At least it was a good one.

Marty
Mad World - Gary Jules (and Adam Lambert for that matter)
Wonderwall - Ryan Adams (I would call that a tie with the original)
Any cover songs on the Trinity Sessions album by the Cowboy Junkies- Sweet Jane is just one of them. And fully endorsed by Lou Reed too.

Linda Rondstat doing 'Willin' on the Heart Like a Wheel.

Eva Cassidy. Pick a song. *ANY* song.

Bonnie Raitts version of 'Dimming of the Day'. I have heard the original by Richard/Linda Thompson as well as some other high class acts do this (EmmyLou Harris for example). But BR s version is the one that gets to the soul of this song.

Gary Moore and SRV versions of 'The Sky is Crying'

Clapton doing JJ Cales 'Cocaine'.

Johnny Cash on pretty much any of his 'American Man' albums.

And the list goes on, and on, and on
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