Best cover ever?

Any cover by Eddie/Pearl Jam.

 

Pretty much, I haven't come across many I haven't liked. And I've heard A LOT.

 

I was going to mention Cornell. That's just a great version that is so radically different, it's almost like an entirely different song. I recommend it highly.

Pearl Jam doing "Rockin' in the Free World" is damn good too.

 

a few that haven't been mentioned yet:

Stand by Me - John Lennon (Ben E. King)
Chimes of Freedom - Springsteen (Dylan)
What's So Funny About Peace, Love & Understanding - Elvis Costello (Nick Lowe)
Road Goes on Forever - Joe Ely (Robert Earl Keen, I think)
Big River - Waco Brothers (Johnny Cash)

 

I forgot to mention Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine." It was a hit for Gladys Knight and the Pips. It was legendary for Marvin.

 

Get out. Seriously? Is this "on record" anywhere or is it just a song they did live?

Oh, and the great covers to end all great covers:

Baker Street, Foo Fighters (Gerry Rafferty)

-30-

 

Hardly.

Tina Turner's version of "Proud Mary." Puts Creedence Clearwater Revival to shame.

 

Cash - "Hurt"
Social D - "Ring of Fire"
Elvis Costello - "What's So Funny...'
Springsteen - "Trapped" (just goddamn great)
Van Halen - "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" (originally, a Kinks song, IIRC).
Michael Andrews - "Mad World" (off the Donnie Darko soundtrack. Originally a Tears for Fears tune).
REM - "Toys in the Attic" (off Dead Letter Office).
REM - "Superman"

 

The Pearl Jam/Neil Young "duet" of "Rockin In The Free World" from the 1993 (?) MTV VMAs is one of the best things ever done. Ever. Anywhere. And it came immediately after or immediately before the Red Hot Chili Peppers tore the roof off with "Give It Away."

Pearl Jam and Neil:

Man. You will NEVER see anything that awesome ever again on the MTV VMAs. Ever.

 

Awesome doesn't begin to describe it.

 

Agreed. That was great and one of the few VMA moments I remember all these years later (up there with Krist Novoselic bashing himself in the face with his own guitar by accident).

There are several covers by Nirvana on the 'Unplugged in New York' album that are great as well.

 

Personally, I love the cover of Jethro Tull's 'Passion Play,' although I'm not a huge Tull fan.
The cover of Yes' 'Close to the Edge' is very cool.