I... I would be the "heroes" COVERS POLL

Nico did a version

The Wallflowers too, right?

Oh shit, just noticed that. Sorry.

Does anyone recognize the scare quotes when covering this? Merritt, maybe? Too bad prime-era Flipper didn't do it.

Nico maybe did, cos she was pretty fucked at the time (81 or so) but she didn't ever seem to have too tight a grasp of irony so I dunno

What about Philip Glass?

I voted for Blondie/Fripp, the sound of cocaine.

Nice try, but that's a different song they did together!

You left out Moby's "We Are All Made of Stars"

I've never heard even a passable cover of this song save for the Magnetic Fields' version. Half of the problem is with the shift to the higher register midway through, and a lot of singers come off sounding screechy instead of dramatic. The other problem is with bands trying to turn it into a straight-up rock song (even Blondie and KC -- Fripp or no Fripp!) instead of some shimmery UFO-landing thing.

Mag Fields' version is great because it's nice and shoegaze-y and he sings it *nothing* like Bowie did.

The Magnetic Fields version has never done anything for me (and I'm a fan).

I am shocked at how great the Blondie version is, so my vote for that one.

Oasis have always been terrible at cover versions, and this is no exception.

The Oasis version totally ignores the slow build in volume and passion, which is pretty much THE POINT OF THE SONG.

Oasis' version starts out OK, but he belts it out all the way through like he's singing "Acquiesce" or something. And of course, it's Oasis, so it's treble-y, overcompressed, and thus pretty much painful on the ears after a minute or so.

Apocalyptica get it several orders of magnitude righter than Oasis.

the crimson version of this was alright although a bit slavishly like the original, but since it had fripp all over it that's why. there are better recordings of this around too.

Clan of Xymox recently released a cover too.

http://www.metropolis-records.com/artists/?artist=xymox

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

The other problem is with bands trying to turn it into a straight-up rock song

This is exactly what the Wallflowers did, innit? They didn't change that much. I've always been interested (partly because most of the times I can't quite put my finger on it) on how particular "minimal" changes can really screw up a great song.

Like "Love Will Tear Us Apart," this is one of those tracks that really shouldn't be covered.

^Seconded.

Going back to what I said upthread, I think with these songs some artists fail
to see that it's specific, often irreplaceable details (and not JUST a good melody/harmony/etc.) what made them great in the first place.

TVOTR: http://tinyurl.com/bovdav

New challengers appear!

Tombs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFWJunTevPE

Janelle Monáe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTWrdxy2uCE

Great Elk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsDb47kdDyI

balls. formatting error.

also if anyone can find the Saint Saviour cover, that appears to have gone off the internet but deserves a place itt...