- today
From folk to rock, reggae to metal - these musical transformations will blow your mind! Join us as we count down the most radical song reinventions that completely changed the original's sound, style, and soul. Who knew these iconic tracks could sound so dramatically different in another artist's hands?
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best examples of covers
00:12that went in a completely different direction in terms of sound, feel, and or production.
00:25Number 30, Black Betty, original, Lead Belly, cover, Ram Jam.
00:30If you're a fan of 70s rock, you probably know about this Ram Jam classic.
00:41It's the kind of rocker that inspires you to sing and clap.
00:50Even if you've heard it a hundred times, you might not know that it has roots in the early 20th century.
00:56Popularized by legends like Lead Belly, the track was once known as a work song.
01:07The larger historical context makes the most popular version seem more unexpected.
01:12With updated vocals and changed lyrics, the newer track makes for a more energetic and rock-tastic performance.
01:17Built upon a piece of music history, Black Betty became a more widely known song with notable guitar work.
01:31Number 29, I Will Survive, original, Gloria Gaynor, cover, Cake.
01:36The band Cake is a rock group known for an eclectic array of singles.
01:43They don't scream disco, but they make this Gloria Gaynor hit their own.
01:46Just thinking how you done me wrong, I grew strong.
01:51I learned how to get along.
01:55Who knew that I Will Survive could sound quite like this?
01:58The rockers bring their own sensibilities to a classic breakup tune,
02:01making listeners laugh and enjoy the ride.
02:03I will survive.
02:05I will survive.
02:07Yeah, yeah.
02:10There are even some spicier lyric changes for good measure.
02:14Gaynor's original cannot be touched for its legendary pop status.
02:22But this one has an unexpected fury.
02:28It's certainly one way to get the point across,
02:30giving alternative devotees and 70s fans a reason to join forces.
02:40Number 28, Running Up That Hill, original, Kate Bush, cover, Placebo.
02:52Among the more enduring hits of the 1980s,
02:55Running Up That Hill is one of the greatest tunes of Kate Bush's illustrious career.
03:06It also inspired diverse acts like Placebo to throw their hat in the ring.
03:11Rather than copy the first one,
03:12the alternative band decides to bring things way down.
03:16This change is especially moving and highlights the lyrics even more.
03:19The overall pace might catch you off guard,
03:30but that's not a bad thing either.
03:31They find their own way to show fans how their version is totally unique.
03:35In some ways,
03:36the cover arguably turns the music into a much darker ballad.
03:39Number 27, White Wedding, original, Billy Idol, cover, Queens of the Stone Age.
03:59As one of the representatives of desert rock,
04:01Queens of the Stone Age tore up the late 1990s and early 2000s with their unique sound.
04:06Singer Josh Homme and his band are not afraid to deliver hard rock and a laid-back flow.
04:11This makes them an oddly perfect choice for a Billy Idol cover.
04:14It's a nice day for a white wedding.
04:18When you think about it,
04:20White Wedding has an edge that the younger group can access.
04:22It just needed somebody like the Queens to make it even spookier.
04:25Oh, it's a nice day for a white wedding.
04:30Instead of turning up the volume,
04:33these guys can really bring a dynamic and alternative production to this 1980s classic.
04:45Number 26, Believe, original, Cher, cover, Adam Lambert.
04:50At the end of the 1990s, Cher reignited her career with this modern classic.
05:01The result was a mega hit for the star.
05:09It's hard to imagine anyone else singing the song,
05:12but Adam Lambert may have the finest cover.
05:14He even performed it for the artist at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.
05:27It's a fitting tribute to the icon and a completely different tempo.
05:31The American Idol runner-up sings much slower,
05:34turning the production into an intriguing ballad.
05:36This time around, you can dwell on every word
05:45as the performer shows off his range.
05:47With killer high notes,
05:48Lambert transforms the track while honoring the first artist.
05:52His 2019 recording only capitalizes on his live performance.
05:56I really don't think you're strong enough.
06:00Number 25, When the Levee Breaks, original,
06:07Kansas Joe and the Memphis Mini, cover, Led Zeppelin.
06:11No stranger to an homage,
06:12this British band covers When the Levee Breaks
06:14on their album, Led Zeppelin 4.
06:24It's a much more rocking version than the acoustic original.
06:27Kansas Joe and the Memphis Mini first recorded the track
06:30way back in the 1920s.
06:40Their work encapsulates the authenticity and raw spirit of the blues.
06:44When Zeppelin got a hold of it,
06:46they electrified the production with some booming drums.
06:48John Bonham's performance ranks high among a catalog of amazing work.
06:59There's also Jimmy Page's guitar and Robert Plant's vocals
07:02as noteworthy additions.
07:04Needless to say,
07:05these two represent completely different musical eras and directions.
07:09Number 24, Take Me to the River, original, Al Green, cover, Talking Heads.
07:28On paper, these two acts could not be further away from each other.
07:32In reality, they seem to have a kindred spirit.
07:35Green is one of the ultimate soul legends,
07:37but Talking Heads are an art rock staple
07:39that can do almost anything.
07:48Take Me to the River takes on something of a new meaning
07:51when David Byrne sings it.
07:52The 1978 version also has some edginess
07:55buried beneath its rock exterior.
07:56Take Me to the River
07:58It's almost an experiment,
08:05with the results being an unexpected delight.
08:07Take Me to the River
08:09Drop me in the water
08:13The record gave the band an early hit that showcased their range.
08:18Bringing a subdued take to this gospel number,
08:20the Radical Quartet later funkified it
08:22for their Stop Making Sense show.
08:23Take Me to the River
08:26Drop me in the water
08:30Number 23, Tainted Love
08:33Original, Gloria Jones, cover, Soft Cell.
08:37The song has been covered by several artists,
08:39but Soft Cell took it over in the 1980s.
08:42Recordings by the likes of Gloria Jones paint a much different picture.
08:45Sometimes I feel I've got to
08:49Run away, I've got to
08:52The pop tune then received a couple of changes after almost two decades.
08:56In a newer version filled with synths,
08:58the duo had their most memorable hit.
09:00Once I ran to you
09:02Now I'll run from you
09:05It's hard to imagine the track any other way now.
09:09With a sassy delivery,
09:10the piece feels even better after a makeover of epic proportions.
09:13Some might not even realize that the song originated in the 1960s.
09:25In the end, Jones paved the way for this kind of extraordinary remix.
09:29Take my tears and that's not nearly all
09:33Tainted Love
09:35Number 22, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
09:39Original, Robert Hazzard, cover, Cyndi Lauper
09:42Girls just wanna have fun
09:45Yeah, girls just wanna have fun
09:48Many listeners might be unfamiliar with the work of Robert Hazzard.
09:52He's the songwriter of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,
09:54laying the foundation for Cyndi Lauper's massive single.
09:57Come home in the morning
10:00Like my mother says
10:02When you gonna live your life right
10:05One sounds more like punk rock
10:07Just wanna, just wanna
10:09Come on, boys
10:11Just wanna, oh yeah
10:13While the latter is a certified pop anthem.
10:16Lopper's debut album included this joyful cover
10:18that's got a nice message behind it.
10:20Oh, if I wanna have fun
10:24Girl
10:25Becoming one of her most identifiable recordings,
10:30the track helped catapult the singer into music stardom.
10:33She manages to mold Hazzard's lyrics into an upbeat bubblegum production.
10:38With her inimitable voice,
10:39the performer took the hard-driving original
10:41and gave it a new coat of musical paint.
10:43Just wanna
10:46Number 21, Respect
10:52Original, Otis Redding
10:54Cover, Aretha Franklin
10:56With no disrespect to Otis Redding,
11:06this track has been completely taken over by Aretha Franklin.
11:10Respect is one of her best songs and an anthem for its time.
11:13Redding shows off his R&B talents,
11:23but he's been somewhat overshadowed by the reimagined cover.
11:27She gives even more life to a wonderful piece of music.
11:38Powered by Franklin's undeniable voice,
11:41the second version roars to life with a strong vocal.
11:43Yeah baby, when you get high
11:46Just a minute
11:48Oh yeah
11:48Just a minute
11:50The entire tone switches
11:52with the intensity of the raw performance coming to the surface.
11:55She's given a fantastic backing track that lets her sing her heart out.
11:59R-E-F-E-C-T
12:01Take care, T-C-T
12:03Over her career, this became one of her greatest statements.
12:11Number 20, Everybody Wants to Rule the World
12:14Lord, originally by Tears for Fears
12:16The original version of this song tackles themes of corruption
12:20and humanity's relentless thirst for power.
12:22Welcome to your life
12:25It's a message that stood the test of time,
12:29resonating as much in the Cold War era when the tune was released
12:32as it did in 2013 when Lord reimagined it
12:35for the soundtrack of The Hunger Games' Catching Fire.
12:37Even while we sleep
12:40While Tears for Fears masked their grim commentary with upbeat instrumentals,
12:46Lord fully leaned into the dark atmosphere of the song,
12:48delivering each line with a haunting cadence.
12:51Turn your back on Mother Nature
12:55In her version, the groovy, infectious beats were swapped for ominous percussion
13:00that perfectly captured the twisted, dystopian world of The Hunger Games.
13:08Number 19, Heartless
13:10The Fray
13:11Originally by Kanye West
13:12It's hard to imagine what Kanye West's Heartless would sound like
13:15without the autotune, heavy percussion, and synthesizers.
13:21But if you're struggling to picture it,
13:25rock band The Fray offers a clear view with their cover.
13:28Somewhere far along this road
13:31Lost the soul
13:33Like the original, their version is still a ballad,
13:36although it strips the production down to its core,
13:38emphasizing lead singer Isaac Slade's raw, breathy vocals.
13:42It's a vastly different atmosphere,
13:44yet it remains just as emotionally charged.
13:46Talking, talking, talking, talking, talk
13:49Baby, let's just knock it off
13:52While West's use of autotune and synths brought an innovative perspective,
13:57the Fray's more traditional arrangement let the emotions shine through,
14:00creating a powerful interpretation that stands on its own.
14:03Hurt to be so heartless
14:06Number 18, Get Lucky
14:08Daughter
14:09Originally by Daft Punk, featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers.
14:13By now, just about everyone has grooved to Daft Punk's 2013 hit Get Lucky,
14:18a song that dominated dance floors around the world and became an instant classic.
14:23Like the legend of the phoenix
14:25All ends with beginnings
14:29While countless covers have surfaced over the years,
14:32none stands out quite like that of indie folk band Daughter.
14:35What keeps the planet spinning
14:37The force of love beginning
14:42It's a haunting rendition that flips the original's carefree ode to casual fun into a more dramatic tale,
14:48perhaps one of heartbreak,
14:50and trying to get lucky to numb the pain.
14:53Cause we
14:53come too far
14:56together
14:57It's fascinating how the song's meaning drastically changes,
15:02even though the lyrics stay the same.
15:04And that's all thanks to the moody, restrained vocals,
15:06layered over sparse bass thumps that leave you wishing the song would just never end.
15:18Number 17, You Keep Me Hanging On
15:20Kim Wilde
15:21Originally by The Supremes
15:23Throughout history, only a few songs have managed to top the Billboard Hot 100 twice,
15:28each time by a different musical act.
15:30You Keep Me Hanging On is one of those rare few.
15:33Get me free, why don't you baby
15:35Get on my life, why don't you baby
15:39Originally recorded by The Supremes,
15:41this Motown track already had a unique psychedelic rock vibe.
15:45But 20 years later,
15:46English pop singer Kim Wilde gave it a total makeover,
15:49turning it into an up-tempo disco anthem
15:51that perfectly encapsulated the dance-crazed spirit of the 80s.
15:54The production here is intentionally heavy,
16:03drowning The Supremes' lament about a lingering lover
16:06in a sea of percussive guitars and explosive synths.
16:08Get out, get out of my body
16:11It may sound radically different,
16:17but it rode the same wave as its predecessor,
16:19right to the top of the charts.
16:28Number 16, Smooth Criminal
16:29Alien Ant Farm
16:31Originally by Michael Jackson
16:32What started as a playful warm-up jam before gigs
16:35morphed into an iconic punk rock twist on a timeless classic.
16:42Michael Jackson's 1988 hit Smooth Criminal
16:45was a sleek pop track driven by the King of Pop's signature groove.
16:48But in the early 2000s,
16:50a little-known act called Alien Ant Farm
16:52took the song and cranked the energy up to 11.
16:55The band's version replaced the smooth pop sheen
17:01with heavy guitar riffs,
17:02punchy drums,
17:03and a faster tempo,
17:04giving the song a rebellious edge.
17:06The criminal was no longer smooth,
17:08he had gone full-on angsty.
17:14Alien Ant Farm's cover not only became a massive hit,
17:17it also secured its place in pop culture
17:19with its tongue-in-cheek Michael Jackson-inspired music video.
17:25A smooth criminal
17:26Number 15, Mad World
17:28Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules
17:30originally by Tears for Fears.
17:33The 80s were populated by songs
17:35that paired dark lyrics
17:36with upbeat dancefloor-ready production
17:38and Mad World was no exception.
17:48Nearly two decades after its release,
17:50director Richard Kelly enlisted Michael Andrews
17:53and Gary Jules
17:53to re-imagine the Tears for Fears classic
17:55for his film Donnie Darko.
18:07What emerged was a haunting rendition
18:09that pieced the song apart
18:11and brought it together
18:12with just a piano
18:13and Jules' somber vocals.
18:15The minimalist approach
18:16transformed Mad World
18:17from a danceable track
18:18into a melancholy ballad,
18:20bringing those dark themes
18:21into sharp focus.
18:28After appearing on the Donnie Darko soundtrack,
18:31the cover was released
18:32as a single in 2003
18:33and snagged the Christmas
18:35number one spot in the UK.
18:37Number 14, The Sound of Silence
18:42Disturbed
18:43originally by Simon & Garfunkel.
18:45Inspired by childhood memories
18:46of the sound of silence
18:47echoing through his home.
18:48Hello darkness, my old friend.
18:52Mike Wengren, drummer
18:53of the heavy metal band Disturbed,
18:55suggested they cover it.
18:57I've come to talk with you again.
19:01The band was determined
19:02to put their own spin on it,
19:04but decided to trade their signature sound
19:06for something more subdued.
19:07The gamble paid off.
19:09Disturbed's cover
19:10takes the iconic folk tune
19:11and revamps it
19:12into a powerful brooding anthem.
19:18Unlike the original's
19:19gentle acoustic sound,
19:21this version is dark
19:22and intense,
19:22with lead singer
19:23David Draymond's deep vocals
19:24soaring over
19:25a heavy orchestral backdrop.
19:27It became a huge success
19:28for the band,
19:29earning not only
19:30a Grammy nomination
19:31and millions of streams,
19:33but a seal of approval
19:34from Paul Simon himself.
19:35Disturbed the sound
19:38from silent leaves.
19:43Number 13.
19:44I Will Always Love You
19:45Whitney Houston
19:46Originally by Dolly Parton.
19:48When a cover of a song
19:49becomes so famous
19:50that most people
19:51don't even know it's a cover,
19:52you know something special
19:53has happened.
19:54If I should stay
19:59That's exactly the case
20:02with Whitney Houston's rendition
20:03of I Will Always Love You.
20:04So I'll go
20:06But that's not to take
20:11anything away
20:12from Dolly Parton's
20:13original recording.
20:14Her tender, solemn voice
20:15was perfect
20:16for the country ballad.
20:17However,
20:18Houston's powerhouse vocals
20:19and the sweeping orchestration
20:21completely transformed
20:22the track,
20:23adding an emotional punch
20:24that gave it
20:24a whole new meaning.
20:27I will always love you
20:30It's almost like
20:32a different song altogether.
20:34This cover,
20:34featured on the soundtrack
20:35of Houston's film debut
20:37The Bodyguard,
20:38became a global sensation
20:39and remains
20:40one of the best-selling
20:41singles of all time.
20:50Number 12.
20:51Nothing Compares to You
20:52Sinead O'Connor
20:53Originally by The Family.
20:55In 1985,
20:57music icon Prince
20:58recorded a song
20:59titled
20:59Nothing Compares to You
21:01for his side project
21:02The Family,
21:02which was featured
21:03on their sole
21:04self-titled album.
21:05It's been
21:06seven hours
21:08and thirteen
21:09days
21:11The song was never
21:12released as a single
21:13and would probably
21:14have remained forgotten
21:15as a deep cut
21:16if not for Sinead O'Connor.
21:17Since you took
21:18your love away
21:20The Irish singer-songwriter
21:22reworked the track
21:23for her sophomore album,
21:25stripping it down
21:25from its funky,
21:26understated vibe
21:27to emphasize
21:28the emotion
21:28at its center.
21:29I can eat my dinner
21:31in a fancy restaurant
21:34O'Connor's evocative voice
21:38paired with a
21:39minimalistic arrangement
21:39of strings and percussion
21:40brought the heartbreak
21:42in the lyrics to life.
21:43This approach
21:44gave the tune
21:45an entirely new identity
21:46and catapulted it
21:47from its little-known status
21:48into a worldwide hit.
21:50Nothing compares
21:52Nothing compares
21:56to you
21:58Number 11
21:59With a Little Help
22:00From My Friends
22:01Joe Cocker
22:02Originally by The Beatles
22:03Over his 43-year career
22:06Joe Cocker was beloved
22:07for his cover songs
22:08most of which
22:09elevated their source material
22:10into something extraordinary.
22:12The first cover
22:13that shot him to fame
22:14was The Beatles' 1967 tune
22:16With a Little Help
22:16From My Friends
22:17Would you think
22:18if I sang out a tune
22:20Would you stand up
22:22and walk out on me
22:24For his version
22:25Cocker slowed down the tempo
22:26infused it with gritty vocals
22:28and added a gospel-inspired
22:30backing choir
22:30all of which
22:31transformed the upbeat
22:32pop tune
22:33into a soulful anthem
22:34drenched in blues
22:35As if that wasn't enough
22:41he threw in
22:42some electrifying guitar work
22:43from Led Zeppelin's
22:44Jimmy Page
22:45This bold reinterpretation
22:52earned high praise
22:53from Paul McCartney
22:54and became Cocker's
22:55signature performance
22:56especially after his
22:58legendary Woodstock
22:59appearance in 1969
23:00You gotta get old
23:02to your friend
23:03Number 10
23:03Boys in the Hood
23:04Dynamite Hack
23:06Originally by Eazy-E
23:07Dynamite Hack's cover
23:08is a mellow
23:09and acoustic arrangement
23:10of Eazy-E's
23:11gangster rap classic
23:12Boys in the Hood
23:12Woke up quick
23:14at about noon
23:15Just thought that
23:16I had to be in Compton soon
23:18Here reimagined
23:19with more than a little bit
23:20of post-grunge irony
23:21In place of Eazy-E's
23:29gritty delivery
23:29and hard-hitting beats
23:30Dynamite Hack
23:31turned the track
23:32into a laid-back
23:33acoustic soft rock version
23:34But the real key
23:42to the band's success
23:43is the monotone delivery
23:44of the lead vocals
23:45matched with all
23:46the originals
23:47gruff and boisterous
23:48bravado
23:48which provides
23:49the comedic punch
23:50and timing needed
23:51to make this genre
23:52bending cover a hit
23:53Number 9
24:00Smells Like Teen Spirit
24:02Tori Amos
24:03Originally by Nirvana
24:04Singer-songwriter
24:05Tori Amos
24:06is no stranger
24:07to releasing inventive
24:08unique cover versions
24:09of artists
24:10as diverse as Eminem
24:11R.E.M.
24:12and Slayer
24:13Yet it's this 1992 version
24:15of Nirvana's
24:16Smells Like Teen Spirit
24:17that really strips down
24:23the original's
24:24arrangement and essence
24:25to its basic
24:25memorable vocal melody
24:27Amos' passionate
24:33sensual vocals
24:34are set on full display
24:35here
24:36as is her evocative
24:37and haunting piano playing
24:38which punches each chord
24:40with a charged
24:41palpable energy
24:42If intense headbanging
24:50and rough vocals
24:50are not your scene
24:51you might just enjoy
24:53this powerful rendition
24:54instead
24:54Number 8
25:01Gin and Juice
25:02The Gourds
25:03Originally by Snoop Dogg
25:05Ever wonder
25:05what it would sound like
25:06if a bluegrass band
25:07decided to cover
25:08Snoop Dogg's
25:09classic Gin and Juice?
25:10So much drama
25:11in the LBC
25:12It's kinda hard
25:13being Snoop D-O-double G
25:14Well look no further
25:16than The Gourds
25:16complete with violin
25:20scratches
25:21mandolins
25:22and accented
25:22southern twang
25:23instead of beats
25:24and bass
25:24The Gourds
25:25don't stray far at all
25:26from their musical roots
25:27instead adopting
25:28the original's lyrics
25:29into their own
25:30upbeat musical arrangements
25:31which fit in just fine
25:33with their swinging
25:34country roots rock
25:35Shortly after its release
25:43their cover
25:44eventually reached
25:44the ears of
25:45Snoop D-O-double G
25:46himself
25:47who gave the
25:48alternative country group
25:49his seal of approval
25:50Number 7
25:59I Can't Get No Satisfaction
26:00Devo
26:01originally by
26:02The Rolling Stones
26:03The idea of Devo
26:05covering The Rolling Stones
26:06is a bizarre one
26:07in and of itself
26:08But it isn't until ears
26:15are properly tuned
26:16to the band's cover
26:17of Satisfaction
26:18that the true size
26:19of the situation
26:20can be assessed
26:21Can you say
26:25total musical deconstruction?
26:27Well Devo certainly can
26:28with this unique
26:29and avant-garde
26:30retooling of the Stones classic
26:31stripping virtually
26:32all of the rock bombast
26:34from the original
26:34and replacing it
26:35with the futuristic
26:36and cold machinations
26:37The results are a weird
26:45yet no less driving
26:46take on the song
26:47Although
26:48Died in the Wool Stones
26:49fans are advised
26:50to stay as far away
26:51from this one
26:52as possible
26:52Well I can't get no
26:54Number 6
26:56Billie Jean
26:57Chris Cornell
26:58originally by
26:59Michael Jackson
27:00Stripping down a song
27:01to its most basic form
27:02is a popular method
27:03of covering a song
27:04and this was exactly
27:06the method
27:06Chris Cornell followed
27:07for his take
27:08on this MJ classic
27:09Whereas Jackson's original
27:14was a cautionary tale
27:15against the dangers
27:16of groupies
27:17with super sweet
27:17bass line
27:18Cornell drops
27:19the tone down
27:20significantly
27:20with his version
27:21The same approach
27:27was taken by
27:28Americana duo
27:29The Civil Wars
27:30in 2011
27:31who
27:31just like Cornell
27:32traded in the bass
27:34and drums
27:34for a man
27:34and his guitar style
27:36This gave Cornell's version
27:42a darker
27:42and starker vibe
27:44while his powerful
27:45vocals carried
27:46Billie Jean
27:46into a much harder
27:47rock arena
27:48Still miss that
27:49bass line though
27:50Number 5
27:57Style
27:57Ryan Adams
27:58Originally by
27:59Taylor Swift
28:00When news hit
28:01that Ryan Adams
28:02was going to be
28:02releasing a cover album
28:04of Taylor Swift's
28:05entire 1989 album
28:06expectations were
28:07fairly high
28:08as to what he would
28:09do with the material
28:10Predictably
28:17Adams' 1989
28:18is very much
28:19in the singer's
28:20established approach
28:21of emotional pop
28:22and indie rock
28:22with his take
28:23on Swift's
28:24Shake It Off
28:24and Style
28:25serving as early
28:26standouts of his own
28:27from the record
28:27Adams replaces
28:36the 80s
28:37electro vibe
28:38of style
28:38with a jangling
28:39rock arrangement
28:39not that dissimilar
28:41from classic
28:41Bruce Springsteen
28:42While at the same
28:48time keeping
28:49the big melodic
28:49chorus that made
28:50the Swift original
28:51such a hit
28:52number 4
28:58All Along the Watchtower
28:59The Jimi Hendrix Experience
29:01originally by
29:02Bob Dylan
29:03it takes a certain
29:04special sort of cover
29:05to become better known
29:06than its original
29:07there must be
29:08some way out of here
29:09say the joker
29:11to the theme
29:12and that power
29:14can definitely
29:14be heard here
29:15with the Jimi Hendrix
29:16experience
29:16as they run through
29:17an iconic take
29:18on Bob Dylan's
29:19All Along the Watchtower
29:20The song is very
29:29cinematic in scope
29:30having made appearances
29:31in numerous films
29:32and soundtracks
29:33over the years
29:33and with good reason
29:34The deep production
29:42soulful vocals
29:43and powerful guitar work
29:44of the track
29:45send this electrified
29:46Bob Dylan original
29:47into the upper echelon
29:48of stone cold
29:49cover version classics
29:51number 3
30:00Woodstock
30:01Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
30:02originally by
30:03Joni Mitchell
30:04Joni Mitchell
30:05was dating
30:05Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
30:07member Graham Nash
30:08when she wrote
30:08Woodstock in 1969
30:09but didn't actually
30:11attend the event
30:12thanks to bad advice
30:13from her then manager
30:14Nash and his
30:19CSNY bandmates
30:20David Crosby
30:21Stephen Stills
30:21and Neil Young
30:22would include
30:23an upbeat
30:23harder rocking
30:24version of the track
30:25on their
30:25Deja Vu album
30:26updating Mitchell's
30:34soft and emotional
30:34folk style
30:35into the burgeoning
30:36rootsy rock movement
30:37CSNY's Woodstock
30:42is an aggressive
30:43to the point
30:44road trip track
30:45with hard drums
30:46and some slick
30:46guitar licks
30:47making a musical
30:48snapshot for this
30:49legendary festival
30:50of peace, love and music
30:51this cover song
31:03may have some
31:03of the most
31:04emotional impact
31:05of any on our list
31:06as evidenced
31:13almost immediately
31:14from Johnny Cash's
31:15raw and ravaged
31:16vocals
31:16brimming with
31:17passion and
31:18determination
31:18as he rips out
31:19a heart-wrenchingly
31:20brilliant cover
31:21of Nine Inch Nails
31:22Hurt
31:22this cover
31:26was one of the
31:27final releases
31:27of Cash's career
31:28appearing on his
31:30American 4
31:30The Man Comes Around
31:32release
31:32the accompanying
31:36video also serves
31:38as a moving
31:38tribute to
31:39The Man in Black
31:39while both versions
31:41are intensely
31:42personal
31:42Cash's death
31:43shortly after
31:44the track's
31:44release
31:45adds an extra
31:46layer to the
31:46already emotional
31:47song
31:47before we continue
31:53be sure to subscribe
31:55to our channel
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32:06Number 1
32:09Blinded by the Light
32:10Manfred Mann's
32:11Earth Band
32:12originally by
32:13Bruce Springsteen
32:14Manfred Mann's
32:15Earth Band
32:15took a slinky
32:16disco meets
32:17prog approach
32:17to this
32:18Bruce Springsteen
32:18jam in 1976
32:20Madman drummers
32:21bombers and Indians
32:23in the summer
32:24with a teenage
32:25diplomat
32:26They took the
32:27boss's working
32:27man rock aesthetic
32:28and shined it
32:29real nice with
32:29plenty of smooth
32:30hi-hat action
32:31bright lights
32:31and sequins
32:32turning Blinded
32:33by the Light
32:33into a major
32:34if not quirky
32:35hit
32:36The band
32:42even decides
32:43to throw in
32:44a little bit
32:44of Euphemia Allen's
32:45Chopsticks melody
32:46for good measure
32:47because why not
32:48Of course
32:51there's also
32:52that little bit
32:53of business
32:53about this song's
32:54chorus being
32:55one of the most
32:55commonly misheard
32:56lyrics in the world
32:57For the record
32:58it's revved up
32:59like a deuce
33:00Deuce
33:01Did we forget
33:08another cover
33:09that wildly
33:09transformed the
33:10original?
33:11Let us know
33:11in the comments
33:12below
33:12I'm your Venus
33:13I'm your fire
33:15You're the fire
33:17I'm your fire
33:18You're the fire
33:26You're the fire
33:27you're the fire
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