Ten Best Rock Covers

There have been covers as long as there has been recorded music. With the advent of the "long play" (LP) format many people filled the space between hits with covers (which is where the term "filler songs" came from). Finding bad cover songs is painfully easy. Thankfully, finding outstanding new renditions of songs is also not difficult.

(Cover of a 1955 hit written and recorded by Carl Perkins)

There are scholars who have debated the "first rock and roll song," and a number of music compilations put together songs that predate the advent of rock and roll that significantly contributed to the origins of the music. That's all well and good, but let's face it: a truck driver from Tupelo recording a cover of a song written by a Tennessee cotton picker (that was his job, mind you, that's not an insult) set the whole world on its ear. People argue that if Perkins hadn't been seriously injured in a car wreck shortly after his recording of this song was released Elvis would be a footnote to music history. Things didn't work out that way, and Elvis' energetic performance proves that's a good thing.

(Covers of a song written by Sonny Curtis and recorded by the Crickets, 1959)

This is an all-time classic song, and quite frankly it's hard to screw it up (although the Dead Kennedys proved maybe it's not so hard after all with their terrible version). The song originated with the post-Buddy Holly Crickets, written and sung by Holly's "replacement" Sonny Curtis. In 1966 it became the Bobby Fuller Four's only hit, and it is Fuller's version that is probably the best known. In 1977 the Clash covered it on Give 'Em Enough Rope showing that it made a good punk song as well.

(Cover of Ray Smith's hit from 1960)

Webb Wilder is a roots-rock icon, the "last of the full-grown men," and creator of the cult classic short Horror Hayride. His 1995 album Town & Country was mostly remakes (including a cover of Waylon Jennings' song "Nashville Rebel"), and the highlight was this driving remake of "Rockin' Little Angel" (which in itself is a remake of sorts: the song is basically the same melody as the old fiddle tune "Buffalo Gals").

(Cover of the James Carr hit from 1967)

This is one of my favorite songs, and there are so many good, diverse versions of it (from Archie Campbell [yes, that Archie Campbell, the "pfft! you were gone" guy from Hee Haw] and Lorene Mann in country to Richard and Linda Thompson in rock), but this one from Joe Tex, known for songs like "Skinny Legs and All" and "I Gotcha!," stands head and shoulders above the rest.

(Written by Roy Orbison for his wife, Claudette, and recorded on Sun in 1958)

Roy Orbison was a good songwriter in addition to having that stunning voice. He wrote "Claudette" about his wife and the Everly Brothers quickly picked up on it, releasing it as the B-side to "All I Have to Do Is Dream." As many singles did in those days, this song got considerable airplay along with its far more famous A-side. This fine cover recording helped launch Orbison's career.

(Cover of a 1990 song written and performed by John Hiatt)

John Hiatt is one of the most gifted songwriters of the past 35 years. It's hard to believe he's been going that long, but Three Dog Night recorded his composition "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" in 1974. For the soundtrack to the film Michael Don Henley covered Hiatt's song from the 1990 album Stolen Moments and did a spectacular job on it, so good that perhaps Henley should consider doing an entire album of Hiatt tunes.

(Written and recorded by Bob Dylan, originally in the film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, 1973)

There is nothing like hearing a man who was just told he's going to die singing this song. It's positively eerie. Zevon chose to cover this song on his final album, The Wind, mostly recorded after he had been diagnosed with mesothelioma and told he had three months to live (some speculated he deliberately had this as the third track on the album to signify the "three month" claim). When Zevon says near the conclusion, "Open up, open up for me," you don't know whether to laugh or cry. Many people have covered this song, but there's no version more spine-tingling than this one.

(Cover of the 1961 hit co-written and sung by Del Shannon)

From the opening moments when Raitt's guitar and Norton Buffalo's bluesy harmonica start the song you know you're in for a treat. Bonnie smokes from start to finish, making this early rock hit a powerhouse blues lament. It was a minor hit for Raitt from her superlative Sweet Forgiveness album.

(Written by John Fogerty and originally recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1969)

THIS is the mark of a great remake: many people think it's CCR who did the cover! There is nothing like Tina tearing this song up (that's in a good way, mind you), and quite frankly this is one of the very few covers I would say is better than the original.

(Written and originally recorded by Al Green, 1973)

Probably the worst mis-classification of a band in history was Talking Heads being lumped in the "punk" movement. Yes, they played at CBGB's, where other punk bands like the Ramones and Television got their start; and yes, "Psycho Killer" probably fits the bill as a punk song. However, from their inception Talking Heads experimented with rhythm and lyrical content far beyond the typical punk song. Their first chart hit was this magnificent bass-driven cover of an Al Green song. They paid homage to Reverend Al with a photo of his church on the picture sleeve, and they gave him a proper salute with the song.