There must be some kind of way out of here

[venta]

Well, today NME has published a chart of the "best cover versions of all time".

It's here: http://www.nme.com/news/muse/53090

Virtually none of them meet my criteria for a good cover. In particular, I don't believe that most people will have had any idea that the songs were covers when they first heard them. If someone had to tell you the song you know is a cover, it doesn't count.


[Poll #1622076]

Other reasons why the NME is wrong: in their corresponding chart of the worst cover versions ever, Madonna's American Pie only makes #8.

Edit The Beatles' song should of course be Twist and Shout. Search and replace error :)

Comments

[triskellian]

Many of my answers are blurred by knowing I've heard at least two versions of the song, but not necessarily knowing who they're by, or what order I heard them in. Or, in the case of Muse, I'd heard (presumably) the original before I heard the Muse version, but Muse have since entirely eclipsed it in my head.

Oh, and I've never heard the Johnny Cash 'Hurt', but was amused by someone at Reading a few years ago tallying the covers NIN played and including it because he had no idea it was their song first ;-)

[zotz]

Conversely, I used to meet people who assumed Reznor had written Dead Souls.

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

I was at Monsters of Rock one year, and a dear moppet behind me noted that Ozzy was covering War Pigs, which was originally by Faith No More, as any fule kno. [grin]

[venta.livejournal.com]

I am embarassed to admit that, many years ago when a student, I was confused by a live recording of the Rolling Stones perfoming Gimme Shelter as I thought it was a Sisters of Mercy cover...

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

[grin] Don't worry, we've all been caught out by something like that at some point. I've definitely been hit by it several times ...

[zotz]

Ah. Also Iggy/No Fun/Pistols, although the chronology I remember doesn't work for that concert, given when I met various people. Hmm.

[triskellian]

And although I'd heard of it, I'd never heard 'All along the watchtower' until I went and found the Hendrix version after it was used in Battlestar Galactica. And it gets confused in my head with a Tori Amos song which includes its title as a lyric.

[ar-gemlad.livejournal.com]

I'd never heard 'All along the watchtower' until playing it on Rock Band at the con last year. So - does that count as a cover of a cover? :P

[mrlloyd.livejournal.com]

Ah, if you haven't heard the Johnny Cash's hurt go listen. It is awesome. The shift of perspective from addict to old man remakes the song completely without changing any of the words.