My Top Five Favorite Song Covers

Sometimes a song is so good that other artists will want to put their own spin on it. And sometimes those versions become iconic in their own way. I've heard a lot of song covers over the years, and while a lot of them are very well done, there are some that have left such a personal impact that I can't help but think about them even when listening to the original versions. The following isn't necessarily a "better than the original" list, but more so just my thoughts on how these specific versions stood out to me. So without further ado, these are my top five favorite song covers.

5. "THE BOYS OF SUMMER" BY THE ATARIS

Original version by Don Henley

In 1984, Eagles vocalist Don Henley produced a classic song about lost youth and summer love with "The Boys of Summer". In 2003, the Ataris took the song and were able to put a pop punk spin on it, resulting in the band's most successful single. Both versions are able to deliver emotional vocals and encapsulate the sound of the decade they were released in. Where I think the Ataris' version shines best though is how it closes out, screaming out the final verse with the music gradually reaching a stopping point rather than continuing while slowly fading out. Even when I'm listening and singing along to Henley's version, I'll still belt out the end as if it were the Ataris' for that strong conclusion.

4. 'RUNNING UP THAT HILL" BY PLACEBO

Original version by Kate Bush

Kate Bush's 1985 song "Running Up That Hill" has seen a resurgence this year thanks to its inclusion during the fourth season of "Stranger Things", resulting in a considerable amount of radio airplay. Personally though, the first time I actually heard this song was as a cover by Placebo. I first heard it when it was used in a video package hyping up the match between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI, later on in episodes of CSI and Bones, and I even felt it could be used to describe Peter and Harry's relationship in the Amazing Spider-Man films. Through all that though, it wasn't until this year that I realized it wasn't Placebo's song to begin with.
When you compare the two versions, it's clear how Placebo made the song their own. A haunting tone coupled with the unique vocals of frontman Brian Molko brings about darker implications of the song where you can really picture someone desperate and at the end of their rope.

The resurgence of Kate's original is honestly what prompted me to make this list because Placebo's version always comes to mind whenever I hear her's. It made me start thinking about what other song covers impact my listening of their originals.

3. "CARELESS WHISPER" BY SEETHER

Original version by George Michael

This is another instance where I heard the cover version first and it took me awhile to really appreciate the original. Seether's cover of "Careless Whisper" was released in 2009 while I was a senior in high school and the hard rock sound resonated with my young emo heart about to close a chapter of my life with graduation. George Michael's original just felt tame to me by comparison. As I matured and my musical tastes started to expand, I began to enjoy the original "Careless Whisper" in its own right.

There's much to love about both versions when you think of them as two sides of the same coin when it comes to the pain of lost love. George Michael is more somber and reflective while Seether's is raw and frustrated. Still, whether it's a saxophone or guitar, either version of "Careless Whisper" should be able to get you in the feels.

2. "PATIENCE" BY CHRIS CORNELL

Original version by Guns N' Roses

Before his death in 2017, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave fame recorded a number of cover songs. This collection would be released posthumously in 2020 on the album "No One Sings Like You Anymore". One such track included his own take on Guns N' Roses' 1989 hit, "Patience." The song had significance for Cornell, recording his version in 2016 after teaching his daughter to play the song and learning of GnR's recent reunion. While this may seem blasphemous, in my opinion, Cornell's version truly outdoes the original.
I just feel Cornell got right to the point of the song. I don't think it's out of line to say you could look at the Guns N' Roses version as a tad drawn out and its message could be missed in the long musical interludes. Besides trimming some of the fat so to speak, I feel Cornell's iconic vocals helped elevate the song and including one last chorus at the end was a stroke of genius.

The big reason this is one of my favorite covers though has to do with the time of its release. 2020 was a tumultuous year to say the least that affected everyone to some degree. Cornell's version received some significant airplay upon its release and hearing it repeatedly during this time made me think about who and what was important to me. I think a lot of people had some similar introspection in 2020; Chris Cornell's "Patience" just had a hand in my personal journey.

And my number one favorite song cover is...

"UNDER PRESSURE" BY THE USED AND MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

Original version by Queen and David Bowie

I will admit that my being a big fan of My Chemical Romance might have played a part in this being my top choice, but it's nevertheless a great cover.

In a collaboration between Queen and David Bowie, these legends of rock released one of the greatest and most beautifully crafted songs of all time in 1981 with "Under Pressure." 2005 saw the song covered when The Used and My Chemical Romance joined together in an effort to provide relief for the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami through profits made from the single's release. As two of the biggest alternative rock bands at the time, they were able to bring their own style to the song and create a version that rivals the original. The faster pace gives it high energy that matched the "Revenge" era MCR while the distinct vocals of Bert McCracken of the Used and Gerard Way complement each other just as Bowie's and Freddie Mercury's did.

Both versions have merit in my opinion for their unique compositions and duets, and much like the message of "Under Pressure", it goes to show what can be accomplished when people are able to come together.

Do you agree with my choices? What are some of your favorite song covers? Leave a comment below and let's get the conversation started.