PAUL W. WHITE
  www.paulwwhite.com     
My Favorite Cover Songs

I have always had a fascination with cover songs. Just my opinion, but I believe an artist successfully covers a song when they put their own unique stamp on it, while staying true to the spirit of the original recording.

There are literally thousands of covers, so I am not even going to pretend these are the tops of all-time. They just happen to be some of my current favorites. Please share your favorites, and if you can post a video or provide us with a link, so much the better.

1. Tom Jones and New Model Army — Gimme Shelter (The Rolling Stones): This song has been redone many times by many artists, but this version is incredible. I love the way the replaced the guitar riffs with the harmonica. (The actual video starts at the two minute mark. Everything up until then is an interview)

2. The Lemonheads — Luka (Suzanne Vega): This band also did a great cover of Mrs. Robinson. Evan Dando rocks.

3. Anvil with Franky Perez — Slip Kid (The Who): This first appeared on the Sons of Anarchy. I am a big fan of The Who, but in all honesty I like this version the best.

4. Placebo — Wouldn't It Be Good (Nik Kershaw): I always knew this song would be great if it had a pair of balls. Play this one LOUD!

5. The Scorpions — Can't Explain (The Who): Klaus Meine schools Roger Daltry. When this came out on a Scorps greatest hit tape, I wore it out listening to this song.

6. The Gourds — Gin and Juice (Snoop Dogg): Quite possibly the wittiest cover of all-time. Runor has it that Snoop Dogg loved this version.

7. Jamie Winchester — Synchronicity I (The Police): The Police are one of my favorite bands, and this is one of my favorite tunes. So I was leery of any attempt to cover it. However, this Irish singer did a great job.

8. Prince — One of Us (Joan Osborne): I liked the original version a lot, but I think Prince took this tune to another level with a great guitar solo.

9. Guns N Roses — Dead Flowers (Townes Van Zant, The Rolling Stones): Axl Rose was born to sing this song.

10. The Smashing Pumpkins — Jackie Blue (The Ozark Mountain Daredevils): This blew me away the first time I heard it. A truly wicked guitar solo.

11. Metallica — Whiskey in the Jar (Thin Lizzy): Phil Lynott would have approved of this remake.

12. Evanescence — Heart Shaped Box (Nirvana): Amy Lee is one of the few vocalists who could have pulled this off. Almost as haunting and tortured as the original.

13. Five Finger Death Punch - Bad Company (Bad Company): When I heard a nu-metal band had remade my favorite rock anthem of all-time, I was poised to hate it. That is, until I actually heard it. These guys did an incredible job.

14. George Michael - Somebody to Love (Queen): The former Wham! lead singer is one of the few artists who could do this classic justice.

15. The Cranberries - Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac): Dolores O'Riordan belts a soullful remake of one of the best break-up songs of all-time.

16. Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young): One of the greatest rock songs ever remade by the hottest fiftysomething singer on the planet.

 17. Shinedown - Simple Man (Lynard Skynard): This remake captures an entirely different mood than the original. Where the original was a celebration, this one is mournful.