6 Cover Songs That Just Might Be Better Than The Original

It’s a “Covers Are For Lovers” Weekend on JACK so what better time to hand-pick 6 cover songs that just might be better than the original?

What makes a great cover song? Well, the best often offer a completely unique take on the song, making it something different from the original. But it almost always takes a great original song to make a great cover. If the song is great, it can often be recreated and re-imagined in a variety of styles. And cover songs are meant to be fun. They’re kind of like a glimpse into an alternate universe, and who doesn’t love a good alternate universe once and a while?

Without further ado, here are 6 cover songs that I, the humble JACK music director, think eclipse the original recordings.

Gipsy Kings – Hotel California

You might recognize this one from the Big Lebowski soundtrack and this might be the most sacrilegious pick on the list but there is just something about hearing this song in Spanish with such a great Latin flair that makes me always choose this version over The Eagles. “Hotel California” is also one of the most-played songs ever, so hearing it refreshed and in Spanish also gives it a new life.

The Bangles – Hazy Shade of Winter

Cover songs are often a big part of any band’s live act, and since The Bangles had already been playing their cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Hazy Shade of Winter” during their shows it made sense that they recorded it for the Less Than Zero soundtrack in 1987.

Jimi Hendrix – All Along The Watchtower

Even though Bob Dylan’s original version is also excellent, this song has become synonymous with Jimi. His frenetic guitar playing just takes this song to another level. Due to the high-quality songwriting this song is also great in other incarnations, especially’s U2’s “All Along The Watchtower” from Rattle & Hum and Eddie Vedder’s cover from the “I’m Not There” soundtrack.

Soft Cell – Tainted Love

Most people don’t even know that this is a cover song. The original by Gloria Jones is great but wasn’t a hit, so when Soft Cell dropped their interpretation and it shot up the charts the band was able to commandeer the legacy of the song. And their version is one of the most iconic songs of the ’80s.

The Fugees – Killing Me Softly

Roberta Flack’s original is great. Really really great. But when Lauryn Hill & The Fugees put their hip-hop infused spin on this classic slow jam it became a ’90s classic. It won a Grammy in 1997 and remains one of the most endearing songs of that decade. A classic reinterpreted into another classic.

Johnny Cash – Hurt

Universally acclaimed as one of the greatest cover songs ever recorded, Johnny Cash’s absolutely haunting rendition of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt” is a cover like no other. Here’s a quote from NIN’s Trent Reznor about how he felt about the Man in Black’s version:

“Having Johnny Cash, one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time, want to cover your song, that’s something that matters to me. It’s not so much what other people think but the fact that this guy felt that it was worthy of interpreting.”

And boy did he interpret it. Just watch the video below and try not to get goosebumps.

Honorable Mention: Willie Nelson “The Scientist” [Coldplay], The Gourds “Gin & Juice” [Snoop Dogg], Ike & Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” [Creedance Clearwater Revival]

What cover songs did we egregiously miss? What’s your favourite cover? What cover song do you think was just HORRIBLE? Let us know all weekend on Facebook and Twitter and make sure when you hear JACK play a cover song this Family Day long weekend TEXT the word “Covers” to 969007 for a chance to win a $1500 gift card from Sleep Country, “Better Sleep Starts Here”. Full contest details HERE.