[Mr. Blonde]

Hard to argue with number one, although I would probably put Jeff Buckley's Hallalujah at number 2. Where is Johnny Cash's Hurt and Rusty Cage both much better than the originals.

[jocon307]

Excellent choice for #1, although Aretha Franklin's RESPECT is arguably just as good and should have ranked higher, imho.

[MikefromOhio]

good pick for Hendrix.

Really though, Aretha Franklin should be #2, she really made that song....

[SamAdams76]

For those who like covers, there is a podcast dedicated to covers. "Coverville" by Brian Ibbitt. These are usually very good shows (6 cover songs about three times a week).

[dirtboy]

such as Johnny Cash’s version of U2’s ‘One’,

I'll take Johnny Cash's version of Hurt any day of the week - one of the most haunting songs ever recorded.

And how in the HELL can you have a top 50 cover list that does not include Zep's version of When the Levee Breaks - IMO their finest song, and probably the most subsequently ripped-off drum riff in history.

Who compiled this list, anyway?

[thegreatbeast]

Twist & Shout is, in the mind of this genius, the PERFECT rock and roll song. High energy, driving melody and John Lennon's glorious lead vocal combine to make it a priceless work of art graced by God. The Beatles had been working all day in the Abbey Road studios and squeezed this song out at the end. And the song is about what rock is about: DANCING.
The scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off of the parade & the crowd going wild to Twist & Shout is an exemplar of how the song works.
Curious, isn't it, how the Beatles most perfect number was not an original composition of theirs?

[trisham]

‘All Along the Watchtower’ Jimi Hendrix Experience, 1968 (orig. Bob Dylan, 1967)

*************

Absolutely. It still sounds fantastic today.

[BallyBill]

‘Mr Tambourine Man’ The Byrds, 1965 (orig. Bob Dylan, 1964)

I don't know why, but that version popped into my head this morning and just stuck there. Must've been on a TV commercial.

Dave Mason did an awesome cover of "All Along the Watchtower" when I saw him live many years ago. I wasn't even a fan of his and I had gone to see the headliner(who I forget), but I remember thinking Mason's version was closer to Hendrix than Dylan.

[MotleyGirl70]

‘Tainted Love’ Soft Cell, 1981 (orig. Gloria Jones, 1964)

And it's redone again, in a fun way by a young singer now.

I'll get back to you on this...(it's a great re-re-make).

[VOA]

"‘Mr Tambourine Man’ The Byrds, 1965 (orig. Bob Dylan, 1964) "

Now there's an outrage.
The best cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man" isn't mentioned.
Heck, it's even been remastered and reissued.
And also a killer cover of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"...
(/sarc)

http://www.amazon.com/Transformed-Man-William-Shatner/dp/B0006J2G9I/ref=pd_sim_m_2/002-8069878-1180809?ie=UTF8

[VOA]

And another great album of covers:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000032C1/ref=pd_cp_m_title/002-8069878-1180809?ie=UTF8

[ncdrumr]

I agree with #1. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by CCR is another good one.