who said imitation was the sincerest
form of flattery
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
cover songs that sound completely
different than the original for this
list we’re looking at the artists that
took major risks when covering songs
from other musicians either changing the
style or tone of the original
got me going I’m so Chablis
we’re not taking into account cover
songs which have been only performed
live however just songs with a studio
version to back it up your lollipop
disobey is you’re the sucker to think
that I would be a victim not another
number ten boys in the hood dynamite
hack originally by eazy-e cuz the boys
in the hood always hard become talking
that trash will cool your car starting
things off with one of the more odd
entries on our list
dynamite hacks cover is a mellow and
acoustic arrangement of easy ease
gangster rap classic boys in the hood
here reimagined with more than a little
bit of post-grunge irony cuz the boys in
the hood always are come talking that
trash in your car the real key to
dynamite hack success is the monotone
delivery of the lead vocals matched with
all the originals gruff and boisterous
bravado which provides all of the
comedic punch and timing needed to make
this cover a hit only
breath start stink and gotta get my girl
to rock that body
Cardon number nine smells like teen
spirit Tori Amos
originally by Nirvana
dining singer-songwriter Tori Amos is no
stranger to releasing inventive unique
cover versions of artists as diverse as
Eminem REM and Slayer yet it’s this 1992
version of Nirvana’s smells like teen
spirit that really strips down the
originals arrangement and essence to its
basic memorable vocal melody entity Amos
is passionate central vocals are set on
full display here as is her evocative
and haunting piano playing which punches
each chord with a charged palpable
energy if intense head banging and rough
vocals aren’t your scene yet just might
enjoy this powerful rendition instead
yeah so what you want to do good I got a
pocket full of rubbers in my heart boys
do too
so turn off the lights and close number
eight gin and juice the gourds
originally by Snoop Dogg gzip frees up
for a second now now Freddy ever wonder
what it would sound like if a bluegrass
band decided to cover Snoop Dogg’s
classic gin and juice well look no
further than the gourds complete with
violent scratches mandolins and extended
southern twang in some beats and bass
Oh
we’re only nice straight
the gourds don’t stray far at all from
their musical roots instead adopting the
originals lyrics into their own upbeat
musical arrangements which fit in just
fine with their swing and country roots
rock eventually reaching the ears of
snoop d-o-double-g himself who gave the
gourds cover his seal of approval
shortly after this version was
originally released
number seven I can’t get no satisfaction
Deva originally by the Rolling Stones
the idea of Devo covering the Rolling
Stones is a bizarre one in and of itself
but it isn’t until ears are properly
tuned to the band’s cover of
satisfaction that the true size of the
situation can be assessed can you say a
total musical deconstruction well Devo
certainly can with this unique and
avant-garde retooling of the stones
classic stripping virtually all of the
rock bomb bass from the original and
replacing it with the futuristic and
cold machinations the results are a
weird yet no less driving take on the
song although dyed-in-the-wool stones
fans are required to stay as far away
from this one as possible
number six Billie Jean Chris Cornell
originally by Michael Jackson stripping
down a song to its most basic form is a
popular method of covering a song and
this was exactly the method Chris
Cornell followed for his take on this
MJ classic
so though my
what do me
whereas Jackson’s original was a
cautionary tale against the dangers of
groupies with a super-sweet bassline
Cornell drops the tone down
significantly with his version as with
the civil wars in 2011 dropping the bass
and drums in favor of a man and his
guitar approach this gives Cornell’s
version a darker and starker vibe while
his powerful vocals carry Billie Jean
into a much harder rock arena we still
miss that bass line though
see
you
number five style Ryan Adams originally
by Taylor Swift
when news hit that Ryan Adams was going
to be releasing a cover album of Taylor
Swift’s entire 1989 anticipations were
fairly high as to what Adams would do
with the material
predictably Adams is 1989 is very much
in the singers established approach of
emotional pop and indie rock with his
take on Swift’s shake it off and style
serving his early standouts off his own
from the record Adams replaces the 80’s
electro vibe of style with a jangling
rock style not that dissimilar from
classic Bruce Springsteen while at the
same time keeping the big melodic chorus
which made the Swift originals such a
hit
number four all along the watchtower
Jimi Hendrix Experience originally by
Bob Dylan no reason to get excited
the thief he kindly spoke
many who feel in life is but a Jew it
takes a certain special sort of cover to
become better known than its original
and that power can definitely be heard
here with the Jimi Hendrix Experience as
they run through an iconic take on Bob
Dylan’s all along the watchtower
the song is very cinematic in scope
having made appearances in numerous
films and soundtracks over the years and
with good reason as a deep production
soulful vocals and powerful guitar works
sends this electrified Bob Dylan
original into the upper echelon of stone
cold cover version classics
number three Woodstock Crosby Stills
Nash and young originally by Joni
Mitchell
does we are
Joni Mitchell was dating Crosby Stills
Nash and young member Graham Nash when
she wrote Woodstock in 1969 but didn’t
actually attend the event thanks to bad
advice from her then manager Nash and
his CSNY bandmates David Crosby Stephen
Stills and Neil Young would include an
upbeat harder rockin version of the
track in their deja vu album updating
Mitchell’s soft and emotional folk style
into the burgeoning rootsy rock movement
CSN why’s Woodstock is an aggressive to
the point road trip track with hard
drums and some slick guitar licks making
a musical snapshot for this legendary
festival of peace love and music
into good
number two hurt Johnny Cash originally
by Nine Inch Nails
yeah
this cover song may have some of the
most emotional impact of any on our list
as evidenced almost immediately from
Johnny Cash’s raw and ravaged vocals
brimming with passion and determination
as he rips out a heart-wrenching Lee
brilliant cover of Nine Inch Nails hurt
this cover was one of the final releases
of Cash’s career appearing on his
American for the man comes around
release and the accompanying video
serves as a moving tribute to the man in
black
while both versions are intensely
personal Cash’s death shortly after the
tracks release adds an extra layer to
the already emotional song
I would find a way before we reveal our
top cover song pic here are a few
honorable mentions
everybody wants to you
what’s up
white wedding
you
don’t be so down tweeted me number one
blinded by the light manfred Mann’s
Earth Band originally by Bruce
Springsteen
tonight manfred Mann’s Earth Band took a
slinky disco meets Prague approach to
this Bruce Springsteen Jam in 1976
taking the bosses workingman aesthetic
and shining it real nice with plenty of
smooth hi-hat action bright lights and
sequins turning blinded by the light
into a major if not quirky hit Doosan oh
the wrong the bad even decides to throw
in a little bit of Euphemia allen’s
chopsticks melody for good measure
because why not
of course there’s also that little bit
of business about the song’s chorus
being one of the most commonly misheard
in the world for the record it’s wrapped
up like a deuce deuce
so do you agree with our list what
unique cover songs do you think should
have been included
you’re a womanizer
for more fun top ten list published
every day please subscribe to
watchmojo.com
you
form of flattery
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
cover songs that sound completely
different than the original for this
list we’re looking at the artists that
took major risks when covering songs
from other musicians either changing the
style or tone of the original
got me going I’m so Chablis
we’re not taking into account cover
songs which have been only performed
live however just songs with a studio
version to back it up your lollipop
disobey is you’re the sucker to think
that I would be a victim not another
number ten boys in the hood dynamite
hack originally by eazy-e cuz the boys
in the hood always hard become talking
that trash will cool your car starting
things off with one of the more odd
entries on our list
dynamite hacks cover is a mellow and
acoustic arrangement of easy ease
gangster rap classic boys in the hood
here reimagined with more than a little
bit of post-grunge irony cuz the boys in
the hood always are come talking that
trash in your car the real key to
dynamite hack success is the monotone
delivery of the lead vocals matched with
all the originals gruff and boisterous
bravado which provides all of the
comedic punch and timing needed to make
this cover a hit only
breath start stink and gotta get my girl
to rock that body
Cardon number nine smells like teen
spirit Tori Amos
originally by Nirvana
dining singer-songwriter Tori Amos is no
stranger to releasing inventive unique
cover versions of artists as diverse as
Eminem REM and Slayer yet it’s this 1992
version of Nirvana’s smells like teen
spirit that really strips down the
originals arrangement and essence to its
basic memorable vocal melody entity Amos
is passionate central vocals are set on
full display here as is her evocative
and haunting piano playing which punches
each chord with a charged palpable
energy if intense head banging and rough
vocals aren’t your scene yet just might
enjoy this powerful rendition instead
yeah so what you want to do good I got a
pocket full of rubbers in my heart boys
do too
so turn off the lights and close number
eight gin and juice the gourds
originally by Snoop Dogg gzip frees up
for a second now now Freddy ever wonder
what it would sound like if a bluegrass
band decided to cover Snoop Dogg’s
classic gin and juice well look no
further than the gourds complete with
violent scratches mandolins and extended
southern twang in some beats and bass
Oh
we’re only nice straight
the gourds don’t stray far at all from
their musical roots instead adopting the
originals lyrics into their own upbeat
musical arrangements which fit in just
fine with their swing and country roots
rock eventually reaching the ears of
snoop d-o-double-g himself who gave the
gourds cover his seal of approval
shortly after this version was
originally released
number seven I can’t get no satisfaction
Deva originally by the Rolling Stones
the idea of Devo covering the Rolling
Stones is a bizarre one in and of itself
but it isn’t until ears are properly
tuned to the band’s cover of
satisfaction that the true size of the
situation can be assessed can you say a
total musical deconstruction well Devo
certainly can with this unique and
avant-garde retooling of the stones
classic stripping virtually all of the
rock bomb bass from the original and
replacing it with the futuristic and
cold machinations the results are a
weird yet no less driving take on the
song although dyed-in-the-wool stones
fans are required to stay as far away
from this one as possible
number six Billie Jean Chris Cornell
originally by Michael Jackson stripping
down a song to its most basic form is a
popular method of covering a song and
this was exactly the method Chris
Cornell followed for his take on this
MJ classic
so though my
what do me
whereas Jackson’s original was a
cautionary tale against the dangers of
groupies with a super-sweet bassline
Cornell drops the tone down
significantly with his version as with
the civil wars in 2011 dropping the bass
and drums in favor of a man and his
guitar approach this gives Cornell’s
version a darker and starker vibe while
his powerful vocals carry Billie Jean
into a much harder rock arena we still
miss that bass line though
see
you
number five style Ryan Adams originally
by Taylor Swift
when news hit that Ryan Adams was going
to be releasing a cover album of Taylor
Swift’s entire 1989 anticipations were
fairly high as to what Adams would do
with the material
predictably Adams is 1989 is very much
in the singers established approach of
emotional pop and indie rock with his
take on Swift’s shake it off and style
serving his early standouts off his own
from the record Adams replaces the 80’s
electro vibe of style with a jangling
rock style not that dissimilar from
classic Bruce Springsteen while at the
same time keeping the big melodic chorus
which made the Swift originals such a
hit
number four all along the watchtower
Jimi Hendrix Experience originally by
Bob Dylan no reason to get excited
the thief he kindly spoke
many who feel in life is but a Jew it
takes a certain special sort of cover to
become better known than its original
and that power can definitely be heard
here with the Jimi Hendrix Experience as
they run through an iconic take on Bob
Dylan’s all along the watchtower
the song is very cinematic in scope
having made appearances in numerous
films and soundtracks over the years and
with good reason as a deep production
soulful vocals and powerful guitar works
sends this electrified Bob Dylan
original into the upper echelon of stone
cold cover version classics
number three Woodstock Crosby Stills
Nash and young originally by Joni
Mitchell
does we are
Joni Mitchell was dating Crosby Stills
Nash and young member Graham Nash when
she wrote Woodstock in 1969 but didn’t
actually attend the event thanks to bad
advice from her then manager Nash and
his CSNY bandmates David Crosby Stephen
Stills and Neil Young would include an
upbeat harder rockin version of the
track in their deja vu album updating
Mitchell’s soft and emotional folk style
into the burgeoning rootsy rock movement
CSN why’s Woodstock is an aggressive to
the point road trip track with hard
drums and some slick guitar licks making
a musical snapshot for this legendary
festival of peace love and music
into good
number two hurt Johnny Cash originally
by Nine Inch Nails
yeah
this cover song may have some of the
most emotional impact of any on our list
as evidenced almost immediately from
Johnny Cash’s raw and ravaged vocals
brimming with passion and determination
as he rips out a heart-wrenching Lee
brilliant cover of Nine Inch Nails hurt
this cover was one of the final releases
of Cash’s career appearing on his
American for the man comes around
release and the accompanying video
serves as a moving tribute to the man in
black
while both versions are intensely
personal Cash’s death shortly after the
tracks release adds an extra layer to
the already emotional song
I would find a way before we reveal our
top cover song pic here are a few
honorable mentions
everybody wants to you
what’s up
white wedding
you
don’t be so down tweeted me number one
blinded by the light manfred Mann’s
Earth Band originally by Bruce
Springsteen
tonight manfred Mann’s Earth Band took a
slinky disco meets Prague approach to
this Bruce Springsteen Jam in 1976
taking the bosses workingman aesthetic
and shining it real nice with plenty of
smooth hi-hat action bright lights and
sequins turning blinded by the light
into a major if not quirky hit Doosan oh
the wrong the bad even decides to throw
in a little bit of Euphemia allen’s
chopsticks melody for good measure
because why not
of course there’s also that little bit
of business about the song’s chorus
being one of the most commonly misheard
in the world for the record it’s wrapped
up like a deuce deuce
so do you agree with our list what
unique cover songs do you think should
have been included
you’re a womanizer
for more fun top ten list published
every day please subscribe to
watchmojo.com
you
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