Covers that are arguably better than the originals:

Re: Re: Good songwriter, crook singer

DrumDude said:
All along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix
or Dave Matthews. I like both versions

modern young people does not listen enough
to the one and only Jimi Hendrix

they do not make such guitarist too often
once every 2 hundred years .. is my guess 😎
 
I know Jeff Beck
I even have some original vinyl LP-s by him, from way back late 60-ies
( was not released, like you say RECENTLY )

he is good ... but noway near Mr. Hendrix
but then again, nobody else is close to the magical Jimi either

🙂
 
john blackburn said:
My vote would go for Dub Side of the Moon by the Easy Star All Stars. http://www.easystar.com/releases/show/2

It's a dub reggae reworking of Dark side of the moon and a fine piece of recording engineering as well. You can turn a Floyd fanatic to a shivering mess with it, and I have.

They just came up with Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band and it's really good: http://www.myspace.com/easystarallstars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOeLCt5Bfw0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRtKip0SVqQ
 
I see somebody mentioned Mary Arden Collins a while back, her cover of Dimming of the Day is indeed lovely, even better if you see her sing it live.

Another great cover of a Richard Thompson song is Walking on a Wire by Knots and Crosses (Carol Noonan's old band).
 
"Smothered Hope" - Ministry (Skinny Puppy, with their lead singer doing the lyrics oddly enough.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2wgEzdrJo

"Hurt" - Johnny Cash (Nine Inch Nails)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go

"Some Velvet Morning" - Slowdive (Nancy Sinatra)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6z-XlkyYk8

Primal Scream does a decent cover of it too, but the Slowdive cover is better.

And of course, without a doubt, the best cover of all time:
"Umbrella" - Vanilla Sky - (Rihanna)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvC6VS4Np4U

If you watch just one of these videos, watch the last one 🙂 🙂 🙂
 
My personal favorites (total cover junkie)

1. Enjoy the Silence-Failure (Depeche Mode)
2. Just What I Needed-The Replicants (The Cars)
3. One Is the Lonliest Number-Filter (3 Dog Night)
4. The Star Spangled Banner-Blues Traveller (ala Jimi Hendrix)
5. Policy of Truth-Dishwalla (Depeche Mode)
6. Cars-Fear Factory w/Gary Numan (Gary Numan)
7. Schools Out-Sevendust (Alice Cooper)
8. Come As You Are-Dani Scicilliano (Nirvana)
9. Come Together-Soundgarden (The Beatles)
10. Another Brick In the Wall, Parts I-III-The Stepkings (Pink Floyd)
11. Mexican Radio-The Stickmen (Wall of Voodoo)
12. Maki Madni-Derek Trucks w/N.F. Ali Khan (N.F.Ali Khan/traditional)
13. Rusty Cage-Johnny Cash (Soundgarden)
14. Lay Lady Lay-Ministry (Bob Dylan)
15. Maggie's Farm-Rage Against the Machine (Bob Dylan)

Ones I didn't see mentioned. And that's just off the top of my head....