Cover songs typically fall into three categories: Not as good as the original (Five Finger Death Punch’s “Bad Company”), better than the original (Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah”)*, and then songs you didn’t know were covers in the first place (Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love”).
What’s more common, though, that we don’t really talk about, are covers that are as good as the iconic original. Some obvious examples would be Whitney Houston covering Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” The Chicks covering Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” Adele covering Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love,” and Johnny Cash covering “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails.
Let’s explore some more of those…
“Smooth Criminal” Michael Jackson / Alien Ant Farm
I feel like this one isn’t as controversial as it could seem. Michael Jackson was certainly the King of Pop. He broke down musical barriers and cranked out hit after hit after hit. And as iconic as he was, it’s deeply impressive that Alien Ant Farm’s cover of “Smooth Criminal” is just as good as his original 1988 hit.
The So-Cal nu-metal boys just absolutely knocked it out of the park, and did something that onyl a really over can do. It exposed whole new generations of people to Jackson’s iconic tune and breathed new life into it.
“Wild Horses” The Rolling Stones / Hudson Freeman
This is the newest cover on our list, by far. It was only a couple of months ago that Hudson Freeman dropped his version of The Rolling Stones’ classic song “Wild Horses.” Which should tell you something about its quality.
Rooted in the folk singer’s acumen for melody, this version also blends in some noisy/distorted/shoegaze-esque elements that help elevate it. I’ll go so far as to say that this one might one day surpass the original for me.
“Vienna” Billy Joel / Ben Platt
Billy Joel is a master songwriter. Undeniably. This is a big part of why Ben Platt’s cover of his song “Vienna” is so good. The theater-trained vocalist belting out Joel lyrics like, “You’ve got your passion, you’ve got your pride, but don’t you know that only fools are satisfied,” makes for a brilliant amalgam of the two men’s talents.
“All Too Well” Taylor Swift / Ruston Kelly
I expect this one to be controversial only because we’re talking about a Taylor Swift song. There is a very specific sub-culture that I expect will have some side-eye, but please let me explain…
Taylor’s “All Too Well” is a phenomenally crafted song. From the lyrics to the melody to the way it was produced. I believe that Ruston Kelly’s version of the song is just as good in a different way. It takes Taylor’s words and applies them to a more Indie-Americana vibe. There’s some twang and fuzz. It just hits the mark at the opposite end of the pendulum.
“Darling Nikki” Prince / The Foo Fighters
For this one, you absolutely should head over to Ultimate Classic Rock to read about the lore behind it. The Foo Fighters covered Prince’s “Darling Nikki,” the legend himself responded in kind, and the back and forth could not have been more perfect.
Suffice to say, for me, this is the one. The best one. A cover that perfectly matches the original in a way that other covers just don’t.
Honorable Mention: “Wicked Game” Chris Isaak / Tenacious D
I want to be perfectly clear… the only reason this is not an official song on the list is that it’s really only a snippet of the original. If it had been a full version, you can bet your ass it’d be number one because the D Boys nailed this.
*I would like to apologize to all my fellow Leonard Cohen fans for saying that Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah” is better. I mean, it is, but I’m still sorry for bringing it up.
The post 5 Killer Cover Songs That Are Just as Good as the Iconic Original appeared first on VICE.
