From Dylan to Dolly, we're diving into the world of cover songs that became even more iconic than their originals. Join us as we explore the transformative power of music and how some artists can completely reimagine a track, turning it into something truly legendary!
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00:00I could see whomever I choose.
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best covers that became
00:08more successful and or culturally resonant than the first.
00:11And I wish you joy and happiness.
00:24Older generations may know this song from Bob Dylan's album Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,
00:28from the film of the same name.
00:34For younger audiences, they might know it better as sung by Axl Rose.
00:38The Guns N' Roses cover of Knockin' on Heaven's Door brought the track to the modern era with
00:41style. The hard rockers gave the softer tune a pointed edge.
00:50During one of the band's peaks, they were able to bring covers like this and Paul
00:53McCartney's Live and Let Die to their fans. They successfully combined Dylan's moving
00:57lyrics with an electric production. With some great guitar work from Slash,
01:01Rose's iconic vocals make it all worthwhile.
01:15Decades after Gloria Jones recorded this tune, Soft Cell energized it with an 80s flair.
01:27Tainted Love became a new wave hit with all the pop sounds you could want from the decade.
01:32The newer version features high-powered synths, with Mark Allman's voice bringing
01:36all kinds of attitude. It reached number one on the UK singles chart and broke the top 10
01:46on the Billboard Hot 100. The latter rendition is undeniably catchy,
01:51taking the spark of the first recording and reimagining it.
01:58It just goes to show that even a soul number from 1965 can translate to the wild world of 1981.
02:15Did you even know that this was a cover? Huey Lewis and the News recorded Heart and Soul in
02:191983, but they were following the Kentucky band Exile. The version from Lewis and his band
02:31features the singer's strong delivery and some classic synth sounds. It's a very catchy rock
02:42number that made a splash with audiences, climbing to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.
02:53The single became one of the band's most recognized hits during their heyday.
02:57While the first version has its own merits,
02:59the second recording had the magic that truly connected with listeners.
03:03Known for their new wave music, Blondie also tried some different genres.
03:20Their take on The Tide Is High finds the band trying out a reggae sound.
03:24The original song was first done by Jamaican group The Paragons,
03:27coming from the rocksteady genre.
03:33Many years later, a much different band got hold of the song and experimented with it.
03:40Debbie Harry and her bandmates adapt well to the dynamic track.
03:49They are both laid back and stylish, showing listeners that they can be as versatile as any
03:54other music act. The bouncy beat and Harry's performance helped take the cover to number one
03:58on several charts.
04:10While a group named Pandora's Box first recorded this tune,
04:14it was Celine Dion that helped popularize it.
04:21She turned this song into one of her best performances.
04:23Dion's version was a major hit on the Billboard charts,
04:26reminding everyone of the singer's talents.
04:33The vocalist takes the romantic lyrics and makes them sound even dreamier.
04:37It's yet another example of her hold on the 90s, showcasing her incredible range.
04:45The vocals reach an amazing peak during the chorus. Composer Jim Steinman crafted a fantastic
04:50track for both artists, but the cover really raised the bar for pop stars everywhere.
04:5615. Valerie
05:02Original The Zoutons, cover Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse
05:06You might not know The Zoutons, but you should thank them for getting the ball rolling on this
05:10song. Their composition inspired Mark Ronson to record a new version with Amy Winehouse.
05:22Using Winehouse's amazing pipes, the producer created one of the singer's finest works.
05:34The piece has a throwback sound that's perfect for the rehab star.
05:37From a humble rock tune to a massive production,
05:40Valerie was completely enhanced by Ronson's musical techniques.
05:48The featured vocalist turns the melody into her own,
05:51giving an awesome performance that ranks highly among her catalog.
05:5814. Come On, Feel the Noise
06:01Original, Slade, cover Quiet Riot
06:03When Slade put out the single in the 1970s, the rocker certainly connected with fans of Glam.
06:14A decade later, the band Quiet Riot chose to put their stamp on the track.
06:2115. Come On, Feel the Noise
06:24Come On, Feel the Noise became their most notable hit and one of the better covers of its kind.
06:29Taking the song firmly into a new era, the heavier rock band gave the track a metal flavor.
06:40It's practically a standard within its own sub-genre at this point. The big production
06:44gave it a remix that inspired audiences, while also saluting the brilliance of the original.
06:5113. Mr. Tambourine Man
06:55Original, Bob Dylan, cover The Birds
06:58On their debut album, The Birds chose to cover one of the most famous and revered
07:02musicians of their era. It might seem like a tall order to interpret Bob Dylan,
07:11but this group was more than up to the task.
07:21Their version of Mr. Tambourine Man helped to convince people of their groundbreaking folk rock
07:25sound. Taking the song into an electric space, this version also helps show the evolution of
07:30folk music during a revolutionary decade. This cover holds an undeniable place in music history,
07:44likely influencing other artists to take similar chances.
07:5112. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
07:58Original, Gladys Knight & The Pips, cover Marvin Gaye
08:01Sometimes two great stars perform the same song, but one makes the track legendary.
08:13Gladys Knight & The Pips delivered a great version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine,
08:17but they were clearly outdone by Marvin Gaye.
08:21The Motown classic was given its definitive and most influential rendition by the latter singer.
08:33It came to be one of his defining recordings in a career full of stellar work.
08:41Not only was he in the right place at the right time, the vocalist gave audiences a performance
08:46that stayed relevant over a half century later. It's another reason that Gaye was counted among
08:51the best artists of the 20th century. 11. Hound Dog
08:58Original, Big Mama Thornton, cover Elvis Presley
09:02The legendary Big Mama Thornton deserves much more attention for her work.
09:06But it's impossible to deny the greater impact of Elvis Presley's cover.
09:16The rock icon took Hound Dog to a new level of fame.
09:24Presley also bridges the gap between Thornton's blues traditions and a new sound that would
09:28take the world by storm. His fiery vocals really sell one of the most iconic records of the 50s.
09:35He took his version to number one, with the single becoming one of his signature tracks.
09:44Truly, there ain't nothing quite like his rendition.
09:5110. I Love Rock and Roll
09:53Original, The Arrows, cover Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
10:02You'd be forgiven for not remembering Britain's The Arrows.
10:05A glam rock group from the 1970s that first recorded and released I Love Rock and Roll.
10:10Their version, as cool as it is, just isn't widely remembered today.
10:14Nor is it considered to be the definitive edition of the song.
10:22Instead, that honor goes to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts,
10:26who heard The Arrows original and decided to cover it a few years after its release.
10:35This comparatively more hard-rocking cover eventually grew to become something of a
10:39career calling card for Jett, particularly after departing her former group The Runaways.
10:44It was Joan's one-of-a-kind attitude and
10:46swagger that allowed I Love Rock and Roll to hit harder than ever before.
10:579. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
11:00Original, Robert Hazard, cover Cyndi Lauper
11:06This song was less than five years old when Cyndi Lauper recorded it for her debut studio
11:13album She's So Unusual. As a result, its new wave stylings remain relatively intact within
11:18both versions. However, Lauper's decision to play around with Robert Hazard's lyrics
11:23allowed Girls Just Wanna Have Fun to progress in a powerful and meaningful manner.
11:27She sings from a switched perspective of empowerment, whereas Hazard's original
11:32is a comparatively vapid and face-value approximation of dating and intimacy.
11:43Lauper's cover went on to become something of a feminist anthem,
11:47while Hazard's demo has largely been relegated to trivia questions and lists like this one.
11:568. Proud Mary
12:03Original, Creedence Clearwater Revival, cover Ike and Tina Turner
12:15A great song doesn't always achieve chart success via multiple artists, but then again,
12:19Proud Mary wasn't just an average, everyday pop hit. This boisterous and rockin' tune did well
12:24with its originators, Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969. Solomon Burke's cover that
12:36same year was also a hit. That said, it's the version laid down by Ike and Tina Turner that
12:48electrified the song, adding even more energy and solidifying it within the public consciousness.
12:55Turner's unfettered spark and charisma gave life to the band's upbeat and soulful arrangements.
13:05Proud Mary had entered its final stage, a defining track for a new music superstar
13:10and a new generation. 7. The Man Who Sold the World
13:19Original, David Bowie, cover Nirvana
13:28Generations of music fans were already well aware of The Man Who Sold the World prior to
13:33Nirvana covering it for MTV Unplugged in 1993. These were older generations however, folks from
13:40the 70s and 80s who were familiar with the David Bowie original, as well as hit covers from Lulu
13:45and Midyar. Nirvana's take, as a result, was delivered with perfect timing to keep the song
13:57relevant for the grunge-obsessed audiences of the 1990s. In fact, some say that it's Nirvana's
14:10version that helped retain interest in Bowie's glam rock gem, allowing The Man Who Sold the
14:15World to live on for future generations. If that isn't musical kismet, we don't know what is.
14:296. Respect Original, Otis Redding, cover Aretha Franklin
14:41There's no denying that both Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin are legendary soul singers.
14:46That said, Aretha's stolen cover is something special,
14:50like lightning in a bottle that has proven to be a timeless masterpiece.
15:01Her take is smoother and more refined, although the differences don't necessarily take away
15:06from the value of either version in a major way. Instead, Franklin's point of view allows
15:15her take on respect to speak from a point of feminism and civil rights in gripping fashion.
15:21Thus, the song became a career-making anthem for soul music's first lady, and deservedly so.
15:265. Nothing Compares to You Original, The Family, cover Sinead O'Connor
15:44Prince was famous for his work ethic, a tireless songwriter who seemed like he was always working.
15:49Nothing Compares to You was penned by him, and given to a group he formed called The Family.
15:56This musical group venture resulted in a single album that contained the OG Nothing Compares to
16:03You. Fast forward five years to Sinead O'Connor's second studio album, and it's her version that has
16:09captured the imaginations of listeners for years now. The power of the song's striking music video
16:20likely helped things along in this regard, but O'Connor's version possesses an intimate and
16:25smolderingly intense power all its own. 4. All Along the Watchtower
16:39Original, Bob Dylan, cover The Jimi Hendrix Experience
16:48Masterclass songwriters of Bob Dylan's caliber have always seen their music covered by a variety
16:54of artists. Adele's take on Make You Feel My Love is a great example of this. So is the Jimi
17:04Hendrix Experience's hard-rocking version of All Along the Watchtower. It'd go on to become one of
17:08the defining psychedelic rock songs of the 60s, a precursor to heavy metal that hinged upon Hendrix's
17:14charismatic vocals and guitar playing. Meanwhile, the rhythm section hammers home an urgent groove
17:26that's impossible to resist. Thus, the group updated All Along the Watchtower for a very
17:31swingin' decade. 3. Hallelujah
17:42Original, Leonard Cohen, covers John Cale and Jeff Buckley
17:51There have been quite a few artists that tried to take a swing at Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.
17:55It was John Cale's 1991 version that arguably piqued mainstream interest in Cohen's 1984
18:01Original after it was included in Shrek. That said, few Hallelujah covers have as much palpable
18:13melancholy and sadness as Jeff Buckley's 1994 recording. The singer-songwriter unfortunately
18:24died when he was only 30, which lends a fatalistic aura to his Hallelujah that's
18:28echoed in his impossibly resonant and impassioned vocals. Cohen's Original features a metered,
18:33insistent cadence while Buckley's balladry is smoother and more stretched out, allowing each
18:38word to drip down like honey or molasses. 2. Hurt
18:49Original, Nine Inch Nails, cover Johnny Cash
18:58Trent Reznor's original version of Hurt for his band Nine Inch Nails possesses a unique
19:02and impenetrable darkness all its own. That said, it's Johnny Cash's cover from 2002 that
19:12has allowed the song to enter a transformative state, one that proves how truly great music
19:17can transcend genres. Cash was in the twilight of his life when he recorded and released Hurt,
19:30and this feeling of mortality envelops the end result like a funerary shroud. It's virtually
19:36impossible to retain our composure as images of Cash as a young man flash across the screen in
19:41the accompanying video too. Thus, Cash gave Reznor's evocative ballad a new and vulnerable
19:46life all its own. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell
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20:11It's a musical Sophie's Choice of sorts. Which version of I Will Always Love You do you prefer?
20:17Both are sung by generational talents, the originator and songwriter Dolly Parton and
20:22the artist covering it, Whitney Houston. Country purists or diehard Dolly fans may swing her way.
20:40However, the public at large is probably more familiar with Houston's cover,
20:49taken from the soundtrack to 1992's The Bodyguard. Houston more than put her stamp on the song,
20:59creating a mesmerizing listening experience that's indescribable. Thus, she allowed I
21:04Will Always Love You to cross over into the pop world and charts from its heartfelt country roots.
21:10Did we forget another cover that upstaged the original? Let us know in the comments below.
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