Top timeless cover songs

“WILD THING” by Jimi Hendrix. Chip Taylor, the younger brother of actor Jon Voight and the uncle of Angelina Jolie who went on to make a name for himself as a professional gambler, wrote this song for the English group the Troggs. Their version went to No. 1 in 1966. Jimi was known for great covers, including “All Along The Watchtower” and “Hey Joe.” His “Wild Thing” gave the song a whole new life, especially after his historic performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967, after which he lit his guitar on fire. But the Monterey version is the only one available, as he did not do a studio version.  This is not to be confused with “Wild Thing” by rapper Tone Loc, which is a completely different song with a completely different vibe.

“I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, this tale about a broken relationship became Motown’s longest-running No. 1 hit when Marvin Gaye released his version, topping the U.S. chart for seven weeks in 1968. Gladys Knight actually released a version a year before Gaye, and several other artists have taken a crack at it also. But CCR’s helped the song cross over beyond R&B enthusiasts and into the realm of rock and roll. Its cover, from the 1970 “Cosmo’s Factory” album, clocks in at over 11 minutes.

“LIGHT MY FIRE” by Jose Feliciano. Of course, this was one of the signature hits of the Doors. It appeared on their debut album and became a No. 1 single in 1966. There was an infamous performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” when they were asked to change some lyrics that might be interpreted as suggestive. After agreeing, Jim Morrison sang the offending lyrics anyway, incurring Ed’s wrath. Many have covered it, including UB40, Stevie Wonder and Nancy Sinatra. But there’s something about Feliciano’s Latin rhythms and passionate acoustic strumming that stokes this fire even more than Morrison did (legend has it that Morrison hated this song and everything its popular success represented). Blind since birth because of congenital glaucoma, Jose went on to great success in both the English- and Spanish-speaking markets.

“DEAR PRUDENCE” by Siouxsie and the Banshees. This was written by John Lennon and is about Mia Farrow’s sister Prudence, who came along to India with the Beatles when they visited the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi but stayed in her room the whole time and meditated. It appeared on the double “White Album” and was said to be one of Lennon’s favorite songs. Siouxsie and the Banshees covered it as a single in 1983. While it’s difficult to do justice to a Beatles song– some people have never forgiven Frank Sinatra not only for his swing-a-ding-ding version of “Something” but for wrongly attributing the writing of that song to Lennon and Paul McCartney rather than George Harrison – Siouxsie & Co. handle the song with respect, yet still manage to infuse it with their own post-punk irreverence.

“DANNY BOY” by Jackie Wilson. You have to assume that a song that was written in 1910 has been covered by many, especially since it is one of the most heartfelt love songs ever. It has been recorded by a veritable who’s who of the entertainment business, including Judy Garland, Cher, Diana Krall and Joan Baez. It has developed over the years into an Irish anthem, even though the man who wrote it wasn’t Irish, and is just one of over 100 songs that were made from the same tune, called “Londonderry Air.” The best versions of “Danny Boy” come about when the singer belts it out with every fiber of his or her being. That is the case here with Wilson, who recorded one for the ages. Actually, he recorded two versions, one in 1952 and another in 1965. The latter was the bigger hit, but either one will likely reduce you to tears.

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