150 GREATEST COVER SONGS OF ALL-TIME
What makes a great cover song? Generally speaking, it shouldn't be a carbon copy of the original, or if it is, it needs to greatly improve upon it either via instrumental performance or an improved vocal. Ideally, a cover song should transform the original into something completely different, a la Jimi Hendrix's version of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" or Joe Cocker's reworking of The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends." Perhaps Otis Redding said it best; upon hearing Aretha Franklin's version of "Respect," an impressed but slightly miffed Redding remarked "she stole my song." Now that's what a great cover is supposed to do. Although I suspect that this list is a work in progress that is likely to change, here's my attempt at listing 150 (note: now 160+) of the greatest cover songs of all time.

Aerosmith - "Train Kept A Rollin'"
Allman Brothers Band - "Stateboro Blues"
Allman Brothers Band - "No Way Out"
The Animals – “The House Of The Rising Sun”
Fiona Apple - "Across the Universe"
Louis Armstrong - "What A Wonderful World"
The Band - "I Shall Be Released"
The Band - "When I Paint My Masterpiece"
The Bangles - "Hazy Shade Of Winter"
The Beatles - "Twist And Shout"
The Beatles - "Rock and Roll Music"
The Beatles - "Money"
The Beatles - "Long Tall Sally"
The Beatles - "Please Mr. Postman"
The Beach Boys - "Sloop John B"
The Beach Boys - "Barbara Ann"
Jeff Beck Group - "Morning Dew"
Big Brother And The Holding Company - "Piece Of My Heart"
Big Brother And The Holding Company - "Ball And Chain"
Big Star - "Femme Fatale"
The Black Crowes - "Hard To Handle"
Blood Sweat and Tears - "Just One Smile"
Jackson Browne - "Stay"
Jeff Buckley - "Hallelujah"
The Byrds – “Mr. Tambourine Man”
The Byrds – “My Back Pages”
Kim Carnes - "Bette Davis Eyes"
Johnny Cash (with Will Oldham) - "I See A Darkness"
Johnny Cash - "Hurt"
Johnny Cash - "One"
Cat Power - "I Found A Reason"
Ray Charles - "Night Time (Is The Right Time)"
Ray Charles - "Georgia On My Mind"
Ray Charles - "America The Beautiful"
Cheap Trick - "Ain't That a Shame"
The Clash - "I Fought The Law"
Joe Cocker - "With A Little Help From My Friends"
Joe Cocker - "The Letter"
Elvis Costello - "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?"
Cowboy Junkies - "Sweet Jane"
Cream – “Crossroads”
Cream – “Spoonful”
Cream – “Born Under A Bad Sign”
Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Suzie Q”
Creedence Clearwater Revival – “I Put A Spell On You”
Creedence Clearwater Revival – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”
Crosby Stills Nash and Young - "Woodstock"
Bobby Darin - "Mack The Knife"
Bobby Darin - "If I Were A Carpenter"
Deep Purple - "Hush"
Derek & The Dominos - “Little Wing”
Derek & The Dominos - “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”
Detroit - "Rock and Roll"
Devo - "Satisfaction"
The Doors - "Back Door Man"
The Doors - "Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)"
English Beat - "Tears Of A Clown"
Jose Feliciano - "Light My Fire"
Foghat - "I Just Want To Make Love To You"
The Four Tops - "Walk Away Renee"
Aretha Franklin – “Respect”
Aretha Franklin – “Say A Little Prayer”
The Fugees - "Killing Me Softly"
Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”
Al Green - "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart"
Al Green - "Funny How Time Slips Away"
Guns 'n Roses - "Knockin' On Heavens Door" (live at the Roxy)
Emmylous Harris - "Wrecking Ball"
Emmylous Harris - "Sweet Old World"
Isaac Hayes - "By the Time I Get to Phoenix"
Jimi Hendrix - “All Along The Watchtower”
Jimi Hendrix - “Hey Joe”
Jimi Hendrix - “Star-Spangled Banner”
Jimi Hendrix - “Day Tripper”
The Hollies - "Air That I Breathe"
William Hung - "She Bangs"
Husker Du – “Eight Miles High”
Iron Maiden - "Cross-Eyed Mary"
Iron Maiden - "Into The Fire"
Janis Joplin - "Me And Bobby McGee"
The Jayhawks - "Bad Time"
Judas Priest - "Green Manilishi"
Judas Priest - "Diamonds and Rust"
The Kingsman - "Louie Louie"
Mark Lanegan - "Creeping Coastline Of Lights"
Mark Lanegan - "On Jesus Program"
Mark Lanegan - "I'll Take Care Of You"
Led Zeppelin - "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"
Led Zeppelin - "Traveling Riverside Blues"
Led Zeppelin - "When The Levee Breaks"
Led Zeppelin - "In My Time Of Dying"
John Lennon - "Stand By Me"
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Call Me The Breeze"
Manfred Mann - "Blinded By The Light"
Manfred Mann - "Quinn The Eskimo"
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton - "Hideaway"
Metallica - "Breadfan"
Metallica - "Blitzkreig"
Metallica - "Am I Evil?"
Metallica - "Last Caress"
Nazareth - "Ballad Of Hollis Brown"
Willie Nelson - "Always On My Mind"
Harry Nilsson - "Everybody's Talking"
Harry Nilsson - "Without You"
Nirvana – “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?”
Nirvana – “The Man Who Sold The World”
Sinead O'Connor - "Nothing Compares 2 U"
Pearl Jam - "Rocking In The Free World"
Pet Shop Boys - "Where The Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)"
Wilson Pickett - "Hey Jude"
The Pixies - "Head On"
Elvis Presley - "That's All Right"
Elvis Presley - "Mystery Train"
Elvis Presley - "Hound Dog"
The Pretenders - "Stop Your Sobbing"
Quiet Riot - "Cum On Feel The Noize"
The Rascals - "Good Lovin'"
Otis Redding - "Satisfaction"
Otis Redding - "Pain In My Heart"
Otis Redding - "Try A Little Tenderness"
R.E.M. - "Superman"
The Replacements - "Black Diamond"
The Rolling Stones - "Not Fade Away"
The Rolling Stones - "Time Is On My Side"
The Rolling Stones - "Love In Vain" (live)
David Lee Roth - "Just A Gigolo"
Roxy Music - "Jealous Guy"
Run DMC and Aerosmith - "Walk This Way"
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels - "Jenny Take A Ride"
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels - "Little Latin Lupe Lu"
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels - "Devil With A Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly"
Santana - "Black Magic Woman"
The Searchers - "Love Potion #9"
Sinead O’ Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Patti Smith - "Gloria"
Patti Smyth - "Downtown Train"
Soft Cell - "Tainted Love"
Son Volt - "Mystify Me"
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes - "Having A Party"
The Spinners - "Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me, Girl"
The Spinners - "Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time"
Bruce Springsteen - "War"
Bruce Springsteen - "Jersey Girl"
Bruce Springsteen - "Trapped"
Rod Stewart - "Reason To Believe"
Rod Stewart - "Twistin' the Night Away"
Sugar - "Armenia City In The Sky"
Talking Heads - "Take Me To The River"
Thin Lizzy - "Whiskey In The Jar"
George Thorogood - "Move It On Over"
George Thorogood - "Who Do You Love?"
George Thorogood - "One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer"
Three Dog Night - "One"
Toots and the Maytalls - "Country Road"
Toots and the Maytalls - "Louie Louie"
Ike and Tina Turner - "Proud Mary"
Van Halen - "You Really Got Me"
Vanilla Fudge - "You Keep Me Hangin' On"
The Who - "Summertime Blues"
The Yardbirds - "I'm A Man"
Yo La Tengo - "You Tore Me Down"
Yo La Tengo - "Little Honda"
Neil Young - "Blowin' In The Wind"


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