[DallasBiff]

Give me grief, but the Styx version, is much better than "the Beatles" version.

I know there is a lot of bad sh!t happening, but I needed a break.

[Steely Tom]

“Blackbird” covered by Kenny Rankin.

[fieldmarshaldj]

“Moon River” - Jerry Butler version

[Fresh Wind]

Mama Tried by Ben Haggard (better than his dad Merle’s version IMHO).

[abb]

Manfred Mann’s cover of The Exciters’ Doo Wah Diddy

[dfwgator]

Something Stupid - The Smithereens

[fhayek]

I don't think that this is exactly what you are looking for, but Johnny Rivers was the first to record "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Glen Campbell released it a couple years later, almost exactly as Rivers had recorded it.

Glen Campbell got the hit out of it. Maybe it was how it was marketed.

[John 3_19-21]

Never heard the original by Beyonce but Grace Potter's cover of Why Don't You Love Me is epic.

https://youtu.be/r8qBuxGvGCw

[jdt1138]

Rush - Losing It
Cover by Brody Dolyniuk & Nina DiGregorio
Neil Peart tribute

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ1wNxsQwnY

[AbolishCSEU]

Whitney Houston “I will always love you.” Sorry Dolly.

[lee martell]

A. Nothing Compares 2U. by Prince sung by Sinead O’Connor

B. Woodstock by Joni Mitchell sung by CSNY

C. I Will Always Love You by Dolly Parton sung by Whitney Houston

[AnglePark]

Major Tom by I Hate Kate (originally Peter Schilling), and Prairie Rose by Big Country (originally Roxy Music). Rockin’ covers.

[Levy78]

Sinead O’Connor Nothing Compares To You, much better than Prince’s original.

[BlackAdderess]

I’m not going to say which is better or worse, but you have two versions of Tom’s Diner.

Suzanne Vega
https://youtu.be/j4jtIDaeaWI

Giant Rooks
https://youtu.be/5r3B7yz6J68

[SuperLuminal]

The Stars Spangled Banner...
It never sounded good played with flutes alone...

[abigkahuna]

Joe cocker singing The Letter. And Spooky Tooth did a far better version of I am a Walrus than Styx ever could imagine

[catnipman]

“Me and Bobby McGee” is a song written by American singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson and originally performed by Roger Miller. Fred Foster shares the writing credit, as Kristofferson wrote the song based on a suggestion from Foster.[1] A posthumously released version by Janis Joplin topped the U.S. singles chart in 1971, making the song the second posthumously released No. 1 single in U.S. chart history after “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding.

[lizma2]

Styx used to play at my high school dances before they became famous.

[Jonty30]

I would say Phil Collins, “You can’t buy me love” is a better version of the Supreme’s version.

[Libloather]

You Lied - Tool

[clashfan]

Pieces of April - Three Dog Night

Brand New Cadillac - The Clash

Police and Thieves - The Clash

Easy To Be Hard - Three Dog Night

Stormy Monday - The Allman Brothers Band

Take This Job and Shove It - The Dead Kennedys