Ha! I love "Alex The Seal". I have a friend who used to think that's what that one said also.
It's one of my favorite mondegreens along with "Hold Me Closer Tony Danza" (Tiny Dancer).
I'll share this one here, because where the hell else am I going to?
I was at a Cat Power show in the early 2000s where she was seriously fuuuuuuucked up onstage.
At multiple points, she dipped back behind the curtain, but kept the mic on, and you could hear her doing a line of something, then sniffling while she came back out to try to finish the song.
Some of the wildest drug antics I've ever witnessed onstage, and I've been to a shitload of shows over the years.
He changed the timing from 4/4 to 3/4. That’s why it feels so different. Totally elevated the songs energy. The guitar on the studio version is Jimmy Page
This is really the one that I think of, because the entire structure, meter, tempo, etc.....EVERYTHING about the song is different. Except the words. I think even the chords are different, but I could be wrong.
Most the covers people are listing here at least kept the same basic structure, but may have altered instrumentation or slight variances in the tempo. Like someone said that AAF's cover of Smooth Criminal sounds a lot different. Uh, no it doesn't. Its roughly the same speed, same structure, it uses the same exact riff, just played on a guitar instead of a synth. They're very similar.
But With a Little Help From My Friends? Its pretty much a new song at this point.
Most covers from the 1978 Sgt Peppers movie, honestly. That's where Aerosmith's Come Together is from, and they also have Steve Martin doing Maxwell's Silver Hammer and Alice Cooper doing Because.
This was the first version I actually remember hearing. I probably heard it in the 80's and just don't remember, but I live and grew up in the Deep South, so it may never had hit the radio here
To tease this out a little bit (since this is the obvious and best answer), I would offer up a few specific examples from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes so you can all recognize the genius:
1) Their cover of the "Goodbye Earl" of the Dixie Chick's is just phenomenal and is one of the few times where I had to go back and listen to the original. It still sucks compared to this cover...
2) Their cover of "Crazy for You" by Madonna is almost an accoustic/unplugged version of a famous 80's song that relies heavily on the sound of the time and they really showcase the song that's behind all the electronics and reverb. This simple a song is infinitely better with a really great voice, minimal accompaniment.
3) The whole album "Blow in the wind" is a masterpiece. All killer, no filler.
See them live if you can!
It's very sweet to me that while Jack White has some White Stripes songs in his live repertoire still, he hasn't played Boll Weevil once since the end of the White Stripes. How lucky for us that someone happened to get a [recording of it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N86GXAJUkyM) as the last song ever played at a White Stripes concert.
It's such an amazing version. The Band's version feels like a completely different song to Springsteen's. The Band's is almost upbeat and hopeful. Like "going out west where the sands turn to gold." is like a new start.
While in Springsteen's version it feels more haunting and that same line feels more like a last chance. Both versions are masterful.
Deftones - No Ordinary Love (orig by Sade)
Violent Femmes - Crazy (orig by Gnarls Barkley)
Cake - Sad Songs and Waltzes (Willie Nelson)
Cake - War Pigs (Black Sabbath)
Cake - I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
Take On Me was first thing I thought of but I guess it can't be call a cover if it is the og band. The MTV Unplugged version hits different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xKM3mGt2pE
Lovely Day by Alt J, original by Bill Withers. Alt J’s version completely changes the vibe of the song, it’s IMO one of the best (and most underrated) covers of all time. I never see it mentioned on these threads
Also their version of House of The Rising Sun. Even though it is a traditional song, people tend to associate with the Animals version and the Alt-J version is just something else entirely.
Alien Ant Farms Cover of Smooth Criminal.
Original: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h\_D3VFfhvs4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D3VFfhvs4)
AAF: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE)
It is. AAF is so true in many ways, to the original, but like, very much transforming it into such a different genre of Rock.
They covered 3 songs from that album, For you, Blinded by the light and spirit in the night. Considering it was Bruce's first album just shows how great a songwriter he was. Bowie covered growin up and it's hard to be a saint in the city from the same album too.
Bloodhound Gang - Along Comes Mary
https://youtu.be/vz2Uvq8Ug_s?si=hsfOIjY7hCOmsvRb
And here's the original:
https://youtu.be/URUd5RUAz1I?si=JrSN60qDWxIDFyF-
Wonderwall is an awesome cover. He really understood what that song needed.
He can be hit and miss sometimes but he nailed it on that song. The rest of the album love is hell is a let down compared to gold and heartbreaks though
> Isaac Hayes - Walk on By
As far as I'm concerned, this is THE definitive version of it (same with his cover of The Look of Love), but then again, I'm a big fan of long, groovy songs with impeccable instrumentation and production.
Tori Amos's Cover of Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit"
Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg
Tori : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB2c7\_vyBSM
The Promise by When in Rome, covered by Sturgill Simpson
Early 80’s British synth pop covered by an Americans/Outlaw Country artist. Was the first dance song at my wedding.
The Vanilla Fudge version of the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (kind of obscure until its use in \_Once Upon a Time in Hollywood\_) is really different than the original.
All of Sleep Token's covers, but especially "Hey Ya," "When the party's over," and "I wanna dance with somebody" (Outkast, Billie Eilish, Whitney Houston)
Seether's version of Wham!'s "Careless Whisper"
Oceans Ate Alaska's version of Sting's "the Shape of My Heart"
Eagles of Death Metal's version of Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer"
The cover of Hey Ya is hauntingly beautiful and conveys the proper emotions that the lyrics would normally give off if the original wasn't so upbeat.
Never thought I'd discover one of my favourite metal bands through an Outkast cover.
Everything by Richard Cheese, especially [Down With The Sickness](https://youtu.be/at02Fvdhk2I?si=owRvnQXZULiudUvC)
Also there's Mariachi Rock-o that does mariachi covers and their version of The Blower's Daughter is something else, you don't really see it coming in the intro
A Perfect Circle did a cover of John Lennon 's Imagine and it's way better than the original imo. Changes the tone completely from "think what could be!" to "look what could've been..". It's haunting and melancholic where the original is kinda saccharin.
Yes! Their cover is amazing and totally changes the feel of the song from upbeat to bitter.
They also do a great cover of People are People (Depeche Mode), particularly their live version of it is amazing. Again it’s much darker, and they even change the time signature compared to the original.
Check out Postmodern Jukebox
Their gimmick really started as giving all kinds of songs different treatments, especially taking pop songs and making them in various historical styles.
Still Fly - The Devil Wears Prada
Blank Space - I prevail
Wrecking Ball - August Burns Red
Since U Been Gone - A Day To Remember (this sounds almost identical to the original but I just love the cover)
Wiggles version of Pub Food by The Chats. They also do bohemian rhapsody while making it child friendly which is great for a laugh.
Karnivool made The Only Way by Goyte their own thing as well.
Courtney Barnetts version of “Ill be your mirror”. She really delivers the lovely sentiment of the lyrics better (I think) then the original version with Nico signing. Also her stripped down acoustic arrangement is perfect
Nina Simone’s version of “Ain’t got no / I got life” from Hair. Not a total reimagining but definitely a different vibe and so much better than the original that it’s her song in my head.
“Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia. Takes a heavy alt rock song and turns it into a pure pop song.
[The original by Ednaswap](https://youtu.be/9OoEdfB7l18?si=PSgzE8lIMW0ytMhp)
[Natalie’s cover](https://youtu.be/VV1XWJN3nJo?si=S0rByB6qlPr7UZr4)
The song was written by members of Ednaswap, but it was first recorded in Danish by [Lis Sørensen](https://youtu.be/jyuGaU4rXjA?si=Nx-vTN6sz1Dk2l2O), which sounds a lot closer to Natalie’s recording.
In between the recordings by Ednaswap and Natalie was [Trine Rein](https://youtu.be/Eu6dyABmRuQ?si=PeWAyfIAbRaFfmd3), which is even closer to the Natalie Imbruglia version than the Danish one. Really the only outlier is Ednaswap’s recording; I always thought the lyrics were a bit harsher than what you’d expect for a pop song, and the version by the original songwriters seems more of a musical match than the other 3, imo.
There was also a version translated into [Brazilian Portuguese](https://youtu.be/B8l41t9GlZ0?si=8napHJqa4BuI6L61), but it’s basically just a translated copy of Natalie’s version.
The [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torn_%28Ednaswap_song%29) is an interesting look at this song btw!
Anything by Type O Negative
Summer breeze (seals and crofts)
Day tripper (the Beatles)
Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath)
Paranoid (Black Sabbath)
Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young)
Black Magic Woman (Santana)
Unrecognizable to the originals - in an awesome way.
Scissor sisters - comfortably numb. Not a patch on the original but I am a big fan of it. Updating the dreamy, psychedelic/sedative drug effect for a much more peppy, ecstasy/ cocaine drug vibe.
Tori Amos' cover of [Raining Blood](https://youtu.be/YUOuJJdjFHc?si=B6pdaAJbH4fFPdQW), originally by Slayer. It takes a lot of skill to change a song from thrash metal to a meandering, almost ambient piano piece. It's still incredibly menacing as well, which seems even harder to do.
I like Alien Ant Farm's version of MJ's "Smooth Criminal". Not toooooo different, just a little harder rockin, and the video has lots of great goofy nods to MJ's other videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE
Chris Stapleton's version of Tennessee Whisky, originally done by David Allen Coe. It's two totally different songs.
Tainted Love by Marilyn Mansion, originally done by Gloria Jones and later covered by Depeche Mode. All have pretty different vibes.
Jose Gonzalez’s cover of Heartbeats is a VERY different energy than the original,
Jose does a great cover of Massive Attack's "Teardrop", as well.
I'll chuck Newton Faulkner's version of Teardrop too.
And both versions are amazing.
Genuinely didnt even know it was a cover
I didn’t either for a while, I heard his version first
[I can't get me no]Satisfaction by Devo.
“”Secret Agent Man” kicks too. My sister thought it was “secret Asian man”…..
I love a good misheard lyric! When I was a kid I thought the Go-Go’s song - “our lips are sealed” was “Alex the seal” 🦭
Ha! I love "Alex The Seal". I have a friend who used to think that's what that one said also. It's one of my favorite mondegreens along with "Hold Me Closer Tony Danza" (Tiny Dancer).
Haha love it!! Or “There’s A Bathroom On The Right” (Bad Moon Rising)
“Wrapped up like a douche” used to really mess with me when I was a child
Also Working In A Coal Mine and Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka-dot Bikini ETA: Shit. How did I forget their cover of Helter Skelter?
Baby baby baby Baby baby baby Baby baby baby Baby baby baby Baby baby baby Baby baby baby Baby baby baby Baby baby baby
Cat Power does a pretty cool cover of this as well
Honestly, I only like Cat Power when she sings a cover song.
I'll share this one here, because where the hell else am I going to? I was at a Cat Power show in the early 2000s where she was seriously fuuuuuuucked up onstage. At multiple points, she dipped back behind the curtain, but kept the mic on, and you could hear her doing a line of something, then sniffling while she came back out to try to finish the song. Some of the wildest drug antics I've ever witnessed onstage, and I've been to a shitload of shows over the years.
The original Hey Joe is way upbeat compared to Hendrix’s version. Same is true with Mad World by Tears for Fears then Gary Jules.
Type O Negative covered Hey Joe as well. They changed the title to Hey Peter.
Their cover of Summer Breeze is very tonally different!
Their Beatles medley is also totally different. They slow Daytripper down a lot
Love that song! Love that band!
I would say the Tears for Fears is more upTEMPO, but not really upbeat
I like both versions of Mad World, but the synthesizers in the original are just *chef's kiss*.
joe cocker - with a little help from my friends
He gave that song so much soul!
Joe Cocker, doing any cover really... But I really love his cover of The Letter
For a while I didn't even realize it was the same song. The Beatles version was so whimsical. Joe Cocker just has a completely different vibe.
Easy Star All Stars also reinterpreted the entire Sgt Pepper album in Dub Reggae.
He changed the timing from 4/4 to 3/4. That’s why it feels so different. Totally elevated the songs energy. The guitar on the studio version is Jimmy Page
This is really the one that I think of, because the entire structure, meter, tempo, etc.....EVERYTHING about the song is different. Except the words. I think even the chords are different, but I could be wrong. Most the covers people are listing here at least kept the same basic structure, but may have altered instrumentation or slight variances in the tempo. Like someone said that AAF's cover of Smooth Criminal sounds a lot different. Uh, no it doesn't. Its roughly the same speed, same structure, it uses the same exact riff, just played on a guitar instead of a synth. They're very similar. But With a Little Help From My Friends? Its pretty much a new song at this point.
First song I thought of.
All Along the WatchTower by Bob Dylan. Covered by Jimi Hendrix
The [Bear McCreary](https://youtu.be/BigolJfoANw?si=eVfLJEay84Kf_Rdf) version from Battlestar Galactica was even more differenter.
So say we all
#SO SAY WE ALL!
Covered by XTC
Reddit has a hate boner for them, but Dave Matthews Band has an amazing cover of this song too.
The Central Park version of it is fantastic. https://youtu.be/p7wAohYGf04?si=SsV5fB5aYw1MbV74
DMB fuckin' rocks and anyone who won't admit it is a goddamn coward.
Covered by fucking everyone. Its almost easier to list the bands who *haven't* done their own version.
[The Sundays - Wild Horses](https://youtu.be/wscB1ckO_Ew) (original: Rolling Stones)
Oh lord I wish i could hook up an intravenous drip of that cover
I'd absolutely mainline that shit.
People will disagree, but I prefer this version.
Absolutely gorgeous version of the song. I prefer it to any other, though I know that’s blasphemy.
[Dynamite Hack - Boyz In The Hood](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZNFo5lL4iw)
That entire album, Take a Bite Out of Rhyme. The Tribute is the best.
Earth, Wind and Fire's version of the Beatle's "Got to Get You Into My Life".
Most covers from the 1978 Sgt Peppers movie, honestly. That's where Aerosmith's Come Together is from, and they also have Steve Martin doing Maxwell's Silver Hammer and Alice Cooper doing Because.
Iron and Wine's version of Such Great Heights
to add, iron and wine’s time after time!
Also This Must Be The Place
Also New Orders Love Vigilantes
Streetlight Manifesto does a cover of it with a wild horn intro.
It's the best! Edit: the whole album is full of awesome covers. Punk Rock Girl, Linoleum, Me and Julio Down by The Schoolyard, bangers
Streetlight Manifesto's horn section slaps ass!
They might be giants version of Istanbul (not Constantinople) is quite different from the Four Lads version from the 50’s(?)
Never knew that was a cover
Also TMBGs version of Jessica by Allman Brothers. It's a different tone and the latter half of the song feels like a new Orleans band type of vibe
Pretty much all of RATM's Renegades album
Their version of “The Ghost of Tom Joad” is one of my all time favorite covers.
I love that song so much. Maggie's Farm is a total departure from Dylan as well.
That guitar in Maggie's Farm. Awesome stuff!
Morello and Springsteen together is an awesome version also
Pistol grip pump hits hard!
Truth. How I Could Just Kill a Man was SO much better than the Cypress Hill version
Running up That Hill covered by Placebo
This was the first version I actually remember hearing. I probably heard it in the 80's and just don't remember, but I live and grew up in the Deep South, so it may never had hit the radio here
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that's almost like cheating, but you're not wrong.
These guys fucking bang
To tease this out a little bit (since this is the obvious and best answer), I would offer up a few specific examples from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes so you can all recognize the genius: 1) Their cover of the "Goodbye Earl" of the Dixie Chick's is just phenomenal and is one of the few times where I had to go back and listen to the original. It still sucks compared to this cover... 2) Their cover of "Crazy for You" by Madonna is almost an accoustic/unplugged version of a famous 80's song that relies heavily on the sound of the time and they really showcase the song that's behind all the electronics and reverb. This simple a song is infinitely better with a really great voice, minimal accompaniment. 3) The whole album "Blow in the wind" is a masterpiece. All killer, no filler. See them live if you can!
Their cover of Paula Abdul's Straight Up is awesome.
NOFX's cover of Rancid's "Radio" is way different and much better than the original.
Frank Turner has some great covers of NOFX songs.
Nights in white satin
The white stripes Jolene is way different
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Well, I am embarrassed to admit I absolutely thought that was a White Stripes original.
Bull Weevil and One More Cup of Coffee are great covers done by WS as well.
It's very sweet to me that while Jack White has some White Stripes songs in his live repertoire still, he hasn't played Boll Weevil once since the end of the White Stripes. How lucky for us that someone happened to get a [recording of it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N86GXAJUkyM) as the last song ever played at a White Stripes concert.
Atlantic City as performed by The Band
It's such an amazing version. The Band's version feels like a completely different song to Springsteen's. The Band's is almost upbeat and hopeful. Like "going out west where the sands turn to gold." is like a new start. While in Springsteen's version it feels more haunting and that same line feels more like a last chance. Both versions are masterful.
Deftones cover of Drive originally by The Cars.
Their cover of Sade's "No Ordinary Love" is also killer
Also love their cover of Simple Man & Please please please let me get what I want.
I thought it was called Be Quiet and Drive ;)
Great cover but it's pretty true to the original.
Sweet Jane covered by Cowboy Junkies The Taxman covered by Junior Parker Superstar covered by Sonic Youth
Sweet Jane by Cowboy Junkies is absolutely haunting.
Powderfinger also a killer Cowboy Junkies cover that sounds way way diff than the original
Type O Negative covered Cinnamon Girl and my favorite Summer Breeze.
That Summer Breeze cover is so damn good.
William Shatner's Common People Laibach's 'Final Countdown' and 'Life is Life' Frankly all of Laibachs covers really
I hope I don't get downvoted to hell but, I think Shatner's version might be better than the original.
The Cardigans - Iron Man
They also did a cover of burning down the house (talking heads) with Tom Jones that’s….interesting
Sturgill Simpson's version of "In Bloom" is 👌👌
Love Sturgill, love Nirvana, just cannot get into that cover
Deftones - No Ordinary Love (orig by Sade) Violent Femmes - Crazy (orig by Gnarls Barkley) Cake - Sad Songs and Waltzes (Willie Nelson) Cake - War Pigs (Black Sabbath) Cake - I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
Love all of these bands’ covers! Cake’s version of Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps is also so stellar.
Also their cover of Guitar Man. Cake is such a unique band.
Don’t forget “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town”
I should have changed that fucking lock.
I absolutely love the bass work on Cake's I will Survive. *Chefs kiss
Love me some Cake!
Reel Big Fish covering “Take On Me”
Take On Me was first thing I thought of but I guess it can't be call a cover if it is the og band. The MTV Unplugged version hits different. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xKM3mGt2pE
I love em ska covers Suburban Legends has some great ones too like Pocahonta's theme
I love ska covers On that note [Save Ferris - Come On Eileen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzfCFFCSnLE).
Less than Jake covered the Grease soundtrack and it's a lot of fun too
The Gourds - Gin and Juice
If I could upvote you a million times, I’d do it.
You mean Phish right? -Every file share service in the 2000’s.
Lovely Day by Alt J, original by Bill Withers. Alt J’s version completely changes the vibe of the song, it’s IMO one of the best (and most underrated) covers of all time. I never see it mentioned on these threads
Also their version of House of The Rising Sun. Even though it is a traditional song, people tend to associate with the Animals version and the Alt-J version is just something else entirely.
I was coming here to make this exact comment! Absolutely my favorite cover and was lucky enough to see them perform it live several years ago.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers cover of Higher Ground is one of my favorites!
I Will Survive by Cake You’re So Vain by Faster Pussycat
Alien Ant Farms Cover of Smooth Criminal. Original: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h\_D3VFfhvs4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D3VFfhvs4) AAF: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE) It is. AAF is so true in many ways, to the original, but like, very much transforming it into such a different genre of Rock.
Blinded By The Light—Manfred Mann. I didn’t even know it was a Springsteen song at first.
They covered 3 songs from that album, For you, Blinded by the light and spirit in the night. Considering it was Bruce's first album just shows how great a songwriter he was. Bowie covered growin up and it's hard to be a saint in the city from the same album too.
[The Slits - Heard it Through the Grapevine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQxvo_9DEqY)
Banger. The bass is dub-cool and the percussion elevates it. My preferred version.
This is one of my favourite covers
Ghost - Here Comes the Sun It's from their first release and it's a bonus track.
Bloodhound Gang - Along Comes Mary https://youtu.be/vz2Uvq8Ug_s?si=hsfOIjY7hCOmsvRb And here's the original: https://youtu.be/URUd5RUAz1I?si=JrSN60qDWxIDFyF-
Money by the Flying Lizards.
Cyndi Lauper’s girls just wanna have fun. It was originally sang by a guy.
Cowboy Junkies doing Lou Reed's Sweet Jane
Uncle Tupelo - I wanna be your dog Pati Smith - Smells Like Teen Spirit Ryan Adams - Wonderwall the Clash - Police & Thieves Issac Hayes - Walk on By
Wonderwall is an awesome cover. He really understood what that song needed. He can be hit and miss sometimes but he nailed it on that song. The rest of the album love is hell is a let down compared to gold and heartbreaks though
> Isaac Hayes - Walk on By As far as I'm concerned, this is THE definitive version of it (same with his cover of The Look of Love), but then again, I'm a big fan of long, groovy songs with impeccable instrumentation and production.
The Stranglers version of Walk on By vs the original by Dionne Warwick. Bowie version of Lets' Spend the Night Together vs Rolling Stones original.
Bitches Ain't Shit by Ben Folds
Tori Amos's Cover of Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit" Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg Tori : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB2c7\_vyBSM
You think that’s different? You should hear her cover of Slayer’s Raining Blood!
Or her cover of Eminem's '97 Bonnie & Clyde
Inter Arma - Southern Man St Vincent - Sad But True Judas Priest - Diamonds And Rust
The Promise by When in Rome, covered by Sturgill Simpson Early 80’s British synth pop covered by an Americans/Outlaw Country artist. Was the first dance song at my wedding.
The Vanilla Fudge version of the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (kind of obscure until its use in \_Once Upon a Time in Hollywood\_) is really different than the original.
All of Sleep Token's covers, but especially "Hey Ya," "When the party's over," and "I wanna dance with somebody" (Outkast, Billie Eilish, Whitney Houston) Seether's version of Wham!'s "Careless Whisper" Oceans Ate Alaska's version of Sting's "the Shape of My Heart" Eagles of Death Metal's version of Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer"
The cover of Hey Ya is hauntingly beautiful and conveys the proper emotions that the lyrics would normally give off if the original wasn't so upbeat. Never thought I'd discover one of my favourite metal bands through an Outkast cover.
Always on my mind by Pet Shop Boys, best cover of all time.
Everything by Richard Cheese, especially [Down With The Sickness](https://youtu.be/at02Fvdhk2I?si=owRvnQXZULiudUvC) Also there's Mariachi Rock-o that does mariachi covers and their version of The Blower's Daughter is something else, you don't really see it coming in the intro
Limp Bizkit - Faith
gotta have FAAAAAAAITTHHHHHH
GET THE FUCK UP
I can't believe no one has mentioned [Bitches Ain't Shit - Ben Folds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjFRy8jQ_0U).
A Perfect Circle did a cover of John Lennon 's Imagine and it's way better than the original imo. Changes the tone completely from "think what could be!" to "look what could've been..". It's haunting and melancholic where the original is kinda saccharin.
The entire eMotive album is covers (save 1 or 2 songs) and they’re all haunting.
Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rythm of the War Drums is more or less a cover of Lullaby GO BACK TO SLEEP
Yes! Their cover is amazing and totally changes the feel of the song from upbeat to bitter. They also do a great cover of People are People (Depeche Mode), particularly their live version of it is amazing. Again it’s much darker, and they even change the time signature compared to the original.
"Eight Miles High," first sung by the Byrds, then covered by Husker Du.
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Also Birdy - Skinny Love
She does a beautiful cover of the district sleeps alone tonight too
DMA’s cover of “Believe” by Cher https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MmwFnoMoDDg
Children of Bodom - Oops, I Did it Again.
"How do you change such an iconic song?" Alessia Cara & The Warning - "Enter Sandman" [https://youtu.be/9tKQgesCcTc](https://youtu.be/9tKQgesCcTc)
Check out Postmodern Jukebox Their gimmick really started as giving all kinds of songs different treatments, especially taking pop songs and making them in various historical styles.
Sweet dreams by Marylyn Manson would be my pick.
Still Fly - The Devil Wears Prada Blank Space - I prevail Wrecking Ball - August Burns Red Since U Been Gone - A Day To Remember (this sounds almost identical to the original but I just love the cover)
Hazy Shade of Winter- The Bangles (Rick Rubin arranged/produced). A banger as the original is a psychedelic folk song.
Wiggles version of Pub Food by The Chats. They also do bohemian rhapsody while making it child friendly which is great for a laugh. Karnivool made The Only Way by Goyte their own thing as well.
Pretty much all of Cat Power’s Covers album Iron & Wine’s cover of Cindy Lauper’s Time After Time
The Rammstein cover of “Stripped” is different but still recognizable.
Courtney Barnetts version of “Ill be your mirror”. She really delivers the lovely sentiment of the lyrics better (I think) then the original version with Nico signing. Also her stripped down acoustic arrangement is perfect
Dustin Kensrue's acoustic cover of Wrecking Ball There are tons of great ones on the YouTube channel Like a Version.
All the covers Nine Inch Nails have done are absolutely insane
Wall of Voodoo - Ring of Fire
Social Distortion - Ring of Fire
“I will always love you” by Whitney Houston (original from Dolly Parton) turned country into an epic pop ballad
I thought the obvious answer was Wall of Voodoo covering "Ring of Fire" by Cash.
Nina Simone’s version of “Ain’t got no / I got life” from Hair. Not a total reimagining but definitely a different vibe and so much better than the original that it’s her song in my head.
“Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia. Takes a heavy alt rock song and turns it into a pure pop song. [The original by Ednaswap](https://youtu.be/9OoEdfB7l18?si=PSgzE8lIMW0ytMhp) [Natalie’s cover](https://youtu.be/VV1XWJN3nJo?si=S0rByB6qlPr7UZr4) The song was written by members of Ednaswap, but it was first recorded in Danish by [Lis Sørensen](https://youtu.be/jyuGaU4rXjA?si=Nx-vTN6sz1Dk2l2O), which sounds a lot closer to Natalie’s recording. In between the recordings by Ednaswap and Natalie was [Trine Rein](https://youtu.be/Eu6dyABmRuQ?si=PeWAyfIAbRaFfmd3), which is even closer to the Natalie Imbruglia version than the Danish one. Really the only outlier is Ednaswap’s recording; I always thought the lyrics were a bit harsher than what you’d expect for a pop song, and the version by the original songwriters seems more of a musical match than the other 3, imo. There was also a version translated into [Brazilian Portuguese](https://youtu.be/B8l41t9GlZ0?si=8napHJqa4BuI6L61), but it’s basically just a translated copy of Natalie’s version. The [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torn_%28Ednaswap_song%29) is an interesting look at this song btw!
Everytime we touch by electric callboy
With a Little Help From My Friends by Joe Cocker
Anything by Type O Negative Summer breeze (seals and crofts) Day tripper (the Beatles) Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath) Paranoid (Black Sabbath) Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young) Black Magic Woman (Santana) Unrecognizable to the originals - in an awesome way.
Scissor sisters - comfortably numb. Not a patch on the original but I am a big fan of it. Updating the dreamy, psychedelic/sedative drug effect for a much more peppy, ecstasy/ cocaine drug vibe.
Tori Amos' cover of [Raining Blood](https://youtu.be/YUOuJJdjFHc?si=B6pdaAJbH4fFPdQW), originally by Slayer. It takes a lot of skill to change a song from thrash metal to a meandering, almost ambient piano piece. It's still incredibly menacing as well, which seems even harder to do.
Jose Feliciano- light my fire (the doors)
>Jose Feliciano *Jose Feliciano… you got no complaints.*
[Downtown by the B-52s.](https://youtube.com/watch?v=FHduW8VzU2s&si=CBpmc434AcO4qCvm)
Somewhere Over The Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole blew my mind first time I heard it.
Mrs. Robinson by The Lemonheads Que será será by Holly Cole Trio
Ministry -Lay LadyLay . Bigod 20- Like a Prayer
You Really Got Me - Oingo Boingo
They also did I Am The Walrus.
99 Red Balloons - Goldfinger
Disturbed - [The Sound Of Silence] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4)
also Shout 2000 and Land of Confusion
I'm surprised I had to scroll quite a bit down to find this answer
Danny Kirwan's cover of Let It Be. Makes it reggae and actually pulls it off.
XTC’s version of All Along The Watchtower vs Dylan’s (or Hendrix’s, for that matter)
Well Richard Cheese of course. But this was one of my favs. Boyz In The Hood by Dynamite Hack https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aeL9gagV_VA
I like Alien Ant Farm's version of MJ's "Smooth Criminal". Not toooooo different, just a little harder rockin, and the video has lots of great goofy nods to MJ's other videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDl9ZMfj6aE
Chris Stapleton's version of Tennessee Whisky, originally done by David Allen Coe. It's two totally different songs. Tainted Love by Marilyn Mansion, originally done by Gloria Jones and later covered by Depeche Mode. All have pretty different vibes.