Thrilled to see the Feelies mentioned, what an awesome band. Best live show I ever saw was the Feelies.

I would have to say that the best cover version ever is, hands down:

Jimi Hendrix, All Along the Watchtower

Another good one, not mentioned:

Johnny Cash, Rusty Cage (Soundgarden's original, I think)

Good call. Pearl Jam's cover of Neil Young's "rocking in the free world" and Cat Stevens' "Don't be Shy" are also very good.

On a side note, while i prefer the Beatles' version better, i was really impressed with how well eddie pulled off "You've got to hide your love away", a song which strikes me as hard to sing.

Ouch, major brain fart. That's what happens when you have too many searches going on at once.

I always thought The Doors originally did Paint It Black? I'm sure they've done a version either way though. Also, The Tea Party have do a fantastic cover of this song as well.

Well, you are in good company: from Usenet five years ago!

But it was definitely Jagger & Richards: http://home.swipnet.se/~w-35264/lyrics/black.html

However, given its departure from the Stones' "normal" sound of that time, and the instruments and intonation used, I can see how the association with the Doors may have arisen.

<small> [And the Doors were such a great band they really should have been British anyway ]</small>

Some of my favorites(I'm sure I forgot some):

Pantera - Planet Caravan(Black Sabbath)
Type O Negative - Summer Breeze(Seals and Crofts)
Tool - No Quarter(Led Zeppelin)
Type O Negative - Black Sabbath(Black Sabbath)

knock knock knockin on heavens door g&r (dont know who does the original.)

Generation X - Gimme Some Truth
Pearl Jam - *****in' Up
VoiVod - Astronomy Domine
Everclear - Sin City / Santa Baby
The Pimps - Picture Me Rollin'
Megadeth - These Boots
Rage Against The Machine - ***** Tha Police

My favorite cover song

Sid Vicious - My Way

My 9 runners up, in no particular order

Talking Heads - Take Me to the River
Wall of Voodoo - Ring of Fire
The Fall - Victoria
Van Halen - You Really Got Me
Johnny Cash - One
Nirvana - Man Who Sold the World
Dead Kennedys - Viva Las Vegas
X - Soul Kitchen
Sinead O'Conner - Nothing Compares 2 You (even though my wife makes fun of me for liking it)

I definitely concur with the Nirvana's cover of Man Who Sold the World. They also did an excellent cover of Lake of Fire on the same album. I also really like the Pumpkin's version of Dancing in the Moonlight and Love Spit Love version of How Soon is Now. God Lives Underwater did a great version of Stripped live. I've only got a really bad quality boot of it though.

Bob Dylan sang the original Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Wig Wam Bam--The Donnas (Sweet)
Neil Finn--There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (Smiths)
Morrissey--Drive-In Saturday (David Bowie)

Just heard an absolutely fabulous cover at an industrial/synthpop festival in Toronto last weekend:

Clear Vision - Turn The Tide

The original version (which is excellent) was by Sylver. CV manged to give it an edge and flavour that really added depth to the heart wrenching lyrics.

I'm now wondering if they managed to lay this cover down in the studio (maybe a b-side?)... hope so...

-matt

Funny, I came in here to mention Midge Ure's cover of the same song. Haunting.

I was coming here to post that!!

the smashing pumkins cover of "landslide"

David Bowie does a mean cover of Across the Universe by the Beatles.

Other faves:

Walk this Way (RUN DMC) RIP, Jam Master Jay
Gin and Juice (I think it's Barenaked LAdies)
Tired of Waiting for You (Green Day)
any cover by Stevie Ray Vaughn
Head On (The Pixies)
Someday, Someway (Marshall Crenshaw, he wrote it, but recorded it after Robert Gordon)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Voodoo Child/Third Stone From The Sun
Hendrix-All Along The Watchtower
Allman Brothers - Stormy Monday

The Stones did Paint It Black-dont think the Doors ever did a cover of it

The White Stripes - Jolene (Parton)
The White Stripes - Your Southern Can Is Mine (Mctell)
The White Stripes - Rated X (Lynn?)
The White Stripes - Lord, Send Me An Angel (Johnson?)
The White Stripes - Death Letter (Leadbelly)

New Found Glory - The Neverending Story (Limahl)


...just kidding.

IMO: LOVE SPIT LOVE - How Soon Is Now? (Smiths)

IMO, That is the worst song on that cd...oh no, wait...the worst I've ever heard Tori!!!!!

Time (Tom Waits) is my favorite off that cd.

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane (Velvet Underground)
Sparlehorse - Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
Smashing Pumpkins - Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
Built to Spill - Cortez the Killer [live] (Neil Young)
Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan) ----HANDS DOWN
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)

Marilyn Manson - "Sweet Dreams"
Marilyn Manson - "I Put a Spell on You"
Marilyn Manson - "Rock N Roll ******"

Disturbed - "Shout"
Lollipop Lust Kill - "Personal Jesus"

The Gin and Juice cover is by The Gourds, a band from Austin, TX. I just mention this because somebody else attributed it to Phish earlier...just trying to keep it real

Who's version of Gin & Juice has the horns section?

***

My faves:

I Don't Like Mondays by Groovy Ghoulies
I Love Rock And Roll by Ghoti Hook
You Are My Sunshine by Screeching Weasels
Bye Bye Bye by Further Seems Forever
One Tin Soldier by Me First And The Gimme Gimmes

Self's version of the Doobie Brothers' 'What A Fool Believes' recorded with toy instruments.

Has to be heard to be believed.