Very good. You gave two excellent examples of taking a cover way past the original. I’ll add two, Jimi’s “All Along The Watchtower” and Manford Manns
“Blinded by the Light”.
Totally agree. It’s always better to hear an upgrade rather than a rehash. Not to hijack the thread, but the Home Free / Lee Greenwood / army band mashup of “God Bless the USA” is so much improved over Lee’s original. Even Greenwood’s vocals are better.
Not to mention SRV’s covers of Voodoo Chile and Little Wing.