Welcome everyone to the latest edition of Top Five Fridays! With today apparently being National Cover Songs Day, why not give out my favorite cover songs of all time.
There’s so many out there, it’s hard to really peg down a concrete list since there’s bound to be another cover that comes out next week that could blow some of these out of the water. However, I’ll give you my top five favorite cover songs at the time of this writing. On with the countdown!
5. Save Ferris – Come On Eileen (Originally Performed by Dexy’s Midnight Runners)
Let me start by saying that Save Ferris is underrated. With that out of the way, I’ve got to say how much I love this version. The second the horns hit, you’re immediately getting hooked into it. The group blew on the scene at exactly the right time when bands like Reel Big Fish, No Doubt, and Goldfinger were all over the airwaves. While their other single off the album It Means Everything in “The World Is New” got a lot of mainstream run, there’s no doubt their cover of the one-hit from Dexy’s Midnight Runners is their calling card.
4. Royal Teeth – Heartbeats (Originally Performed by The Knife
When I first heard this song at Festival International a few years ago, I didn’t even realize it was a cover. It’s a little bit deeper of a cut from a Swedish duo that got a lot of love across the pond and not so much stateside in terms of making the charts. The second that beat gets started, I have to crank it up and get into that mode to fully enjoy the song. Then again, most every song that Royal Teeth has made over the years gets me in a very good mood.
3. Pearl Jam – Last Kiss (Originally Performed by Wayne Cochran)
This wasn’t on an official release, that’s how popular this song was when it came out as a Christmas single in 1998. In fact, it was one of the most bare bones productions they’ve ever done spending only a couple grand to mix it down. It’s also an incredibly beautiful song that anytime it comes on, I’ve got to crank it up and that’s why it’s towards the top of the list.
2. Nirvana – The Man Who Sold the World (Originally Performed by David Bowie
Back when Nirvana was in its heyday, I was a young kid who largely listened to whatever his parents had playing at the house or in the car and Nirvana was probably the last thing that I was hearing. All that being said, I vividly remember seeing this performance not long after he sadly passed away and was blown away by it.
1. Johnny Cash – Hurt (Originally Performed by Nine Inch Nails)
Right after Johnny Cash passed away back in 2003, I heard this song nonstop on VH1 and MTV. No matter how many times I heard it, it’s never gotten old. It seems like a cop out choice, but when Trent Reznor gives the song all the praise it so rightfully deserves. Also, as a longtime wrestling fan hearing this song reminds me of the video package that they used for Eddie Guerrero after his passing. Who’s cutting onions?
-Clint@1063RL