same song, different artists

I'll nominate Stevie Nicks's live versions of "I Need To Know." When she toured with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, he introduced the song once by saying "you've never heard this one until you've heard Stevie sing it. She sings it great."

 

FYI, Trisha was married to Robert Reynolds of The Mavericks, not Raul Malo. Malo's just amazing.

 

Tremendous version off his "The Wind" album which he recorded after he was given the news by doctors that he has just a few months to live.

 

It's also Springsteen studio. There's a studio version on the British charity album "The Last Temptation of Elvis"

 

Viva Las Vegas -- Shawn Colvin ( from the Doc Pomus tribute cd)

 

John Coltrane - "My Favorite Things"

 

Jason and the Scorchers -- "Absolutely Sweet Marie."
Best Dylan cover except for the immortal Hendrix "All Along The Watchtower."
(Rod Stewart's "Mama You Been On My Mind" is third.)

 

Great, great call on that one. They do a great version of Phil Ochs's "My Kingdom For A Car" too.

 

In the Tom Waits covered by NJ artists division:

Southside Johnny & the Jukes - "Hang Down Your Head"
Southside Johnny & Bobby Bandiera (acoustic) - "Heart of a Saturday Night"
Bruce Springsteen - "Jersey Girl" (even if he did change the lyrics a little and added a verse)

 

My personal faves (original artist first):

In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins, Nonpoint
Highway to Hell - AC/DC, Iced Earth
It's a Long Way to the Top - AC/DC, Iced Earth
Hurt - Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash
Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode, Johnny Cash
Rusty Cage - Soundgarden, Johnny Cash
Planet Caravan - Black Sabbath, Pantera
Hole in the Sky - Black Sabbath, Pantera
Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent, Pantera
Overkill - Motorhead, Metallica
Damage Case - Motorhead, Metallica
Stone Dead Forever - Motorhead, Metallica
Too Late, Too Late - Motorhead, Metallica
Whiplash - Metallica, Motorhead
Master of Puppets - Metallica, Trivium

 

Some have already felt the love here, some haven't:

"Stagger Lee" - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds take the old traditional and take it as down and dirty as any gangsta rap. "Murder Ballads" also includes an all-star version of Dylan's "Death is Not the End" with PJ Harvey, Kylie Minogue, Shane McGowan, etc.
"Ring of Fire" - Can't believe nobody brought up Social Distortion's revving up a Cash chestnut.
"Hurt" - The Man in Black with a gimme. Might also throw in his version of "The Mercy Seat," with a sad and resigned spin on Cave's outraged original.
"Dead Souls" - Nine Inch Nails gets tribal with Joy Division.
"She's Lost Control" - Grace Jones gets dub reggae with Joy Division (she's done some other great covers, too)
"Guns of Brixton" - Arcade Fire (via YouTube) opened Euro shows this year by playing it in the middle of the hall or en route to the stage through the audience. Even the Clash would love the pummeling drums and violas.
"Comfortably Numb" - Kate Bush & David Gilmour (YouTube). Damn, I wish Kate would come out and play more. The mournful piano carries the tune while Gilmour ditches the acoustic and straps on the electric for the solo.
"Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon" - Why Urge Overkill should live as long as Neil Diamond. Or where you all THAT mesmerized by Uma Thurman and simply forgot?
"Sweet Jane" - how many? The standouts are wildly varied takes from Cowboy Junkies and Lone Justice (w/guest appearance from Bono).
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - I'm not a big G&R fan, but Axl is fun when he gets over the top.

 

That cover of "Guns Of Brixton" is very cool.