10 More Great Cover Songs

The Mountain Goats - The Sign (Ace of Base)
This song began my recent love affair with the Mountain Goats

The Puppini Sisters - Walk Like an Egyptian (Bangles)
After hearing this you'll swear that the Bangles were actually covering an old Andrews Sister tune.

The Minutemen - Ain't Talking About Love (Van Halen)
Most of my favorite cover songs are complete re-interpretations of songs I know well. The Minutemen don't re-interpret this great song of Van Halen's first album, as much as they distill it from three minutes and forty seconds, to well, forty seconds. And that's all the Minutemen ever really needed. eh? Note: for an example of just how bad cover compilations can get, just listen to this version of the same song.

Rasputina - Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin)
One word: cellos.

Unholy Trio - Bring the Noise (Public Enemy)
This just beats out the Gourds "Gin and Juice" for the title of "Best Redneck Cover of Iconic Hip Hop." I hate to ruin the surprise, but listen for "Dixie" in the middle of a Public Enemy song.

Occidental Brothers Dance Band International - Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order)
Almost as good as this steel drum version of Joy Division's Transmission.

Easy Star All Stars feat. Toots Hibbert - Let Down (Radiohead)
Most cover compilations don't work. They're often reggae or bluegrass versions stretched too thin to cover an entire band or genre. Somehow the Easy Star All Stars have gotten it right, covering three whole albums: Dark Side of the Moon, Sergeant Peppers, and OK Computer. "A Reggae version of OK Computer?", you ask. I have no idea how they did it, but it works. This is my favorite track, featuring my favorite reggae performer, Toots.

Nostalgia 77 - Seven Nation Army (White Stripes)
This song is all about the pauses

The Holmes Brothers - I Want You To Want Me (Cheap Trick)
The Holmes Brothers take this song so far away from the pop we're used to hearing from at Budokan and turn it into a beautiful love song.

Corinne Bailey Rae - Since I've Been Loving You (Led Zeppelin)
Makes Robert Plant sound like he's faking it, which he kinda was on this song off Zeppelin III

Huge kudos to http://coverfreak.com/ for providing a good number of the aforementioned songs.