I thought the Yo La Tengo cover of Speeding Motorcycle really worked..

I dunno.... i mean see what everyone's saying about not covering dylan, the fall, and SY... so far the bulk of people... and jimi... but i still feel it's ok to come up with your own interpretations if you feel you have a connection with the song and wanna play it. Like I wouldn't mind learning how to play memphis blues (it would be fun to jam on with a band) or an sy song.
I mean i'm learning 'johnny b. goode' right now which I'd say probably fits up there with a lot of what's been mentioned... i think the difference is that i just want to learn as I see it as a mantra, moto, to the guitar itself and just fun as hell to play.

But, just to be fair, i think we're mainly talking about recorded covers that are genreally shit.

Yeah, you're mostly right...

but you forgot "In my Time of Dying" by Led Zeppelin.

Led Zeppelin also did some wicked Elvis covers (Plant's favorite), but never recorded 'em...they were played at soundchecks and you can only get them on bootlegs.
Please note that I normally would not use "wicked" as a modifier; in this case, it's appropriate, however.

oh my, that's bob? that's a great one. i love zeppelin.

Of course, the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man" cover made folk incredibly popular for a time, and perhaps, urged Dylan on to destroy it with his electric music.

some bands that are hard to cover:

jefferson airplane
the beatles (many try, no one ever gets it right)
sonic youth
velvet underground
television
animal collective
deerhoof

Even if you can play the music, it's pretty much impossible to create the same atmosphere as they do.

Johnny and June Cash did a cover of It ain't Me Babe, which is a good cover. Ryan Adams would be the best person to do a Dylan cover these days.

OH! i forgot, i love PJ harvey's cover of highway 61 revisited. so i've heard like 4 good dylan covers in my life.

Not true. At the Drive-In did a fantastic cover of "This Night Has Opened My Eyes".

No one can cover At the Drive-In, The Bronx, Refused, or The Blood Brothers. Rage Against the Machine are another band that every cover band tries to play but everyone wonders why they did and wishes they didn't.

my favourite Bob Dylan cover is by Half Japanese. They Do Tangled Up In Blues, it's really fuckin great. I think it's off their first album.

Good Beatles covers-
Within You, Without You- Sonic Youth
Happiness is a Warm Gun- The Breeders
Honey Pie- The Pixies
Across the Universe- David Bowie (arguable, I think it isn't all that bad)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band- Jimi Hendrix -he covered it on the sunday after the friday release of the album (He also covered Day Tripper)
Here Comes the Sun- Richie Havens- I saw him do it live. He's like 70 years old and he is still awesome. Very good cover version.

Plus, apparently there are 20 Beatles covers on the I Am Sam soundtrack, atleast one has to be good. I've only heard the Nick Cave one, it isn't too bad. I think it would have better if he did it in his Birthday Party days.

And people keep saying you can't cover Jimi after I proved you wrong. DEVO MOTHERFUCKAS.

untrue. i like the flaming lips cover of unmade bed.

yeah but i think when you're doing a cover you shouldn't try to copy the original song, you should rework it and make it your own.

now i do, since you've properly explained yourself.
[/smug]

The Smiths can't be covered?

Have you never heard ATDI's This Night Has Opened My Eyes?

Fantastic.

And Jeff Buckley covered the Smiths. Jeff Buckley can do no wrong. Except swimming with his clothes on in the Mississippi. That was pretty fucking dumb.

MOTHA FOCKING DEVO COVERED HENDRIX AND IT WAS AWESOME. SURE THEY CAN'T PLAY LIKE JIMI, BUT THEY'RE AWESOMENESS LEVEL IS AT THE SAME PLACE.

SOME FUCKING RECOGNITION!

SHOUT OUT FOR DEVO MOTHA FOCKA!

DEVO owns all.

Gloria, Yesterday, Louie Louie, and the Batman theme.

Devo are great.