Lament wrote:This is another one I'd put in the same class as Love is Blindness, except the differences are even more stark. The original is one of the most gloriously uplifting songs ever written. This cover makes me want to sit in a dark corner and die. Both are fucking amazing.
Speaking of Beth Orton. I've always enjoyed Ryan Adams cover of the sweetest decline.
It all started right here for me, I picked up Elvis live at Madison Square Gardens waaaaaaaaay back in like 1994? I was just starting to get into my own music, and man, his band, IS ON FIRE! and this song, with its pounding drums and killer bass solo changed me forever. It even indirectly got me into Pearl Jam, as it was Elvis's bass players playing on the doors "LA Woman" album that got me into the doors, and it was Ed singing with the doors that got me to check out Pearl Jam. So, here it is, one of my all time favorite versions, of my all time favorite cover song.
It's not much loved, but Nina Simone's My Way makes an obnoxious song as festive as any Christmas celebration. I have yet to have it scientifically proven to me that the guy on hand drums didn't die right after the fade out.