The Final Countdown...

TOP TEN COVER SONGS BETTER THAN THEIR ORIGINAL
by M. R. Brown

• Jimmy Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower
(Bob Dylan)
- Very few will argue that this is hands down the best cover of all time. Jimmy Hendrix flat-out beat Bob Dylan. Few have done it, and none of done it more convincingly. Even Dylan now plays the song live in the fashion of Hendrix’s version.

• Johnny Cash – Hurt
(Nine Inch Nails)
- Among the final recordings of Johnny Cash, the Nine Inch Nails cover is infused with a voice searching for redemption and couldn’t be closer to Cash’s life. It takes decades to being in music to even come close to pulling off a cover like this.

• Joe Strummer – Redemption Song
(Bob Marley)
- There is a pain and longing in Joe Strummer’s voice that made The Clash important and forever relevant. It doesn’t stop here.

• Bruce Springsteen – Jersey Girl
(Tom Waits)
- To hear The Boss cover a song about his hometown, and to have that song be written by Tom Waits, is so damn touching. Beautiful song, beautiful man.

• The Gaylettes – Son Of A Preacher Man
(Dusty Springfield)
- Turning “Son Of A Preacher Man” into a ska-fueled reggae tune transforms the song and captures it in an even more poignant light than Dusty Springfield could. The Gaylettes version would also grace my Songs In My Heaven playlist.

• Run DMC – Walk This Way
(Aerosmith)
- Let’s face it, Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” was, other than horrible, clearly lacking something, listen-ability. Praise Run DMC for taking this song to a progressive level of interest.

• The Killers – Shadowplay
(Joy Division)
- The sons of the bright lights of Vegas are the only band around that can pull off a Joy Division cover, and it was a smart choice to play Shadowplay rather than Love Will Tear Us Apart. A heads-up move.

• Tom Waits – The Return of Jackie and Judy
(The Ramones)
- Always the innovator, Tom Waits capitalizes on what makes a cover song special, re-imagining a song rather than re-iterating a song. He takes the spirit of The Ramones and re-imagines “Judy Is A Punk.”

• The White Stripes – Jolene
(Dolly Parton)
- Jack White gets a chance to bask in his country and blues musical inspirations. And thank god someone can make Dolly Parton worth a listen.

• Cock Sparrer – White Riot
(The Clash)
- Fellow Brits Cock Sparrer managed to capture the angst and aggression that The Clash couldn’t even capture, seemingly. For that, they make my list.

Honorable Mention: Jeff Buckley – Halleluiah
(Leonard Cohen)
- Jeff Buckley’s version is great, it’s sharp and it’s relative, but Leonard Cohen’s original is just a wee bit better. For that, Buckley is left with the Honorable shaft.