[Diamond Dog]

Not cool, dude. Not cool...

D.D.

[bside123]

Jonell Mosser does a killer version of the Supremes' "Stop In The Name Of Love." She absolutely "owns" this soul song but in a bluesy/country style. I found the cut on a "Hope Floats" movie soundtrack. I've never tired of listening to it, and while hearing it I've also never missed the original!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvpsD07dLiA

[Chromisdesigns]

The original, laminated 3-D cover for Their Satanic Majesties Request.  There was all sorts of interesting stuff going on in there -- the photo that replaced it is no comparison at all.

I guess another possible nominee is the Beatles' White Album...

And the R.Crumb cover for Cheap Thrills, of course!

oh....you guys meant the OTHER kind of cover...my bad!   

In that case, I'd have to nominate Dread Zeppelin, for managing to cover both those guys from the UK **AND** Elvis in the same cuts!

The Dead album of Dylan songs is pretty cool, too.

And The Kentucky Headhunter's "disco" version of Chug-a-lug has its moments, as well...

[Chromisdesigns]

In the "singer doesn't quite remember all the words, but it's the one everybody knows anyway" category, we have Arlo's rendition of "City of New Orleans".

Outlaw Country was playing that one this morning, and I was just getting on my high horse about "yeah, nobody ever plays Steve Goodman's version, and he WROTE the dang thing", when they redeemed themselves by following it with Steve doing "You Never Even Call Me By My Name" -- instead of the David Allan Coe version, which got way more airplay back in the day. 

[Fiftydrinker]

This whole album is covers done really well.

[wgscott]

[InfernoSTi]

The Beastie Boys/Biz Markie cover of "Benny and the Jets" on their Sounds of Science album.  It never gets old...   

John

[Demarche]

Here's another that never gets old, whenever i need a good laugh i just watch this, Shatner performing (and it certainly is a performance) Rocket Man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQwXOCKNLY

and for the Family Guys fans here's Stewie's version http://www.metatube.com/en/videos/6013/Family-Guy-short-of-stewie-singing-rocket-man/

[timind]

Sufjan Stevens - Free Man In Paris (Joni Mitchell cover)
Some great deep bass here if your speakers/sub do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPltG6Vl-ms

My favorite cover album is A Nod To Bob on Red House Records



And I noticed there's A Nod To Bob 2, gotta order that one.

[putz]

Spooky Tooth--I Am The Walrus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzVkzBp7kO8

Guns N' Roses tribute to the late Johnny Thunders--You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory
LAMF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45fGxEaUt5U

Vanilla Fudge--You Keep Me Hanging On
VF was/is the greatest Cover Band of all time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aWFaZgwerY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5WMh9BAFmM&feature=related

[InfernoSTi]

Joe Cocker....yep, pretty much anything!  "One" is a good place to start....

[JerryM]

Randy Hansen. He's been covering Jimi for years.

If you ever have the chance, go see him. You'll have fun.

YouTube Clip.

[Mike Nomad]

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane
Red House Painters - All Mixed Up
The Meters - Stormy; The Look Of Love; Wichita Lineman

[mikeeastman]

Natalie Cole & Reba McEntire- Since I fell for you

Patti Labelle & Travis Tritt- When something is wrong with my baby

Aaron Neville & Trisha Yearwood- I fall to pieces

[low.pfile]

I've got one for ya's....

I heard Zooey Deschanel's (She & Him) version of I Put a Spell on You somewhere and immediately had to have it. I found it on a sort of love song cover compilation album, Sweetheart '09: Our Favorite Artists Sing Their Favorite Love Songs. Produced by Starbucks of all things (Hear Music)!

I was very surprised with the album overall, not being some sappy love song compilation, but a collection of songs, some modern pop (though not mainstream).

And the recordings are very good, though after multiple listens, Zooey's recording is a bit hot compared to the others. It's a simple sound with lots room sound and rawness which I like, but, for the first time ever, I ended up creating/assigning an iTunes equalizer preset to her song (to trim the uppers).

Big surprises in this album are: Katy Perry's cover of Black and Gold, a favorite of mine from a few years ago, Kate Tucker and Jessica Lea Mayfield.

But I had to uncheck the My one and only love track.

Album [link]

samples:
Zooey Deschanel's (She & Him) version of I Put a Spell on You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1_C0qV94bg

Katy Perry cover of Black and Gold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTx2dMJ-DSg

[Stu Pitt]

The Encomium: Tribute to Led Zeppelin has 3 covers which I really like -

Stone Temple Pilots covering Dancing Days
Cheryl Crow covering D'yer Mak'er
Hootie & the Blowfish covering Hey Hey What Can I Do

Can't believe I dig a Hootie song, but they did a great job.  I never liked D'yer Mak'er all that much, but Crow's cover of it sounds like it was written for her.  And I like STP's version better than the original.  The rest of the album is a bit weak, but there's one or two other decent covers IMO.  Great sound quality too.  I use STP's Dancing Days as a demo track regularly.

My all time favorite covers -
Hendrix covering Dylan's All Along the Watchtower
Santana covering Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va
I think most people don't realize those three are covers.

Also...  Pretty much every cover Metallica has done
Red Hot Chili Peppers' cover of Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground