Our Favourite Song Covers Of All Time, Pt. 1.

By: Jeff Sadler & Robbie Lebans

What is it that makes great covers great? Why do some lyrics sound much better coming out of someone else's mouth, and some progressions much better out of different instruments? Is it a similar representation of the original or an attempt to take the song in a completely different direction that differentiates a good remake from a bad one? Could it be the irony of the band, era, or instruments used the second, third, or fourth time around? Perhaps a more talented artist was needed to identify just what was wrong with the song in the first place, if anything. Whatever the case may be, the popularity of such covers provides evidence that creativity and success don't necessarily need to be plucked from thin air. Musicians will always draw from their inspirations, often times others' music is top o' the list. These examples also highlight music's power, influence, and attraction. I challenge you to think of something more customizable, complex, and far-reaching. The frequencies, instrument and vocal volumes, lyrics, time signature, melodies, progressions, dynamics, passion, pressures, techniques, software, and a multitude of other variables must all interact in such a way to produce a pleasant, understandable, and emotional sound.

We obviously wouldn't want to think this hard about music all the time. It just wouldn't be nearly as satisfying. But every once and a while it's fun to sit down and really listen to a song. What is the drummer doing? How is the bass player interacting with the drums and the other instruments? How is the melody changing and how many layers of harmonies am I hearing? In this light, even the simplest of songs can become quite complex, because after all, the notes you don't play are just as important as the ones you do. We digress...

The following is a list, in no particular order, of our favourite song covers of all time:

The Gourdes: Gin & Juice (originally by Snoop Dogg).

Feist + Constantines: Islands in the Stream (originally by The Bee Gees).

Ryan Adams: Wonderwall (originally by Oasis).

Mark Ronson: Just (originally by Radiohead).

Otis Redding: Try a Little Tenderness (originally by Ray Noble).

Eric Clapton: Cocaine (originally by J.J. Cale).

Jonathan Coulton: Baby Got Back (originally by Sir Mix-A-Lot).

Jose Gonzalez: Heartbeats (originally by The Knife).

Matt Weddle: Hey Ya (originally by Outkast).

Dave Matthews Band: All Along the Watchtower (originally by Bob Dylan).

Eric Clapton/Cream: Crossroads (originally by Robert Johnson).

This isn't Cream's version, but is more of a tribute to Robert's style.

Joe Cocker: Feelin' Alright (originally by Traffic) & With a Little Help From My Friends (originally by The Beatles).

Jonny Lang: Good Morning Little School Girl (originally by John Lee Williamson).

Stevie Ray Vaughn: Voodoo Child (originally by Jimi Hendrix).

And just for kicks, here is the absolute, incontestably worst cover of all time:

Britney Spears: Satisfaction (originally by The Rolling Stones).