3 Classic Songs Written by a Legend, but Perfected in a Cover

It’s one thing to cover a song as an homage to one of your musical heroes. But there are times when the new recording creates the standard for a classic song. “Hurt” is one of Trent Reznor’s most vulnerable and moving tracks. A Nine Inch Nails classic. Yet no one hears it the same after Johnny Cash put his voice to it while facing his impending death. In that spirit, here are three classics, written by a legend, but perfected in a cover.

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“All Along The Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix

When a cover surpasses the original, you’d be forgiven for thinking the covering artist wrote it. Especially if the artist happens to be Jimi Hendrix. On “All Along The Watchtower”, Hendrix transforms Bob Dylan’s folk tale into a psychedelic anthem. Impressed, Dylan adapted it to his own performances of the song. With Dylan’s between-verse harp passages replaced by fiery guitar breaks, Hendrix fights back against the story’s overarching despair. Listening to the versions back-to-back, Dylan sounds resigned: “No reason to get excited.” Instead, Hendrix leans into the following thought: “The hour is getting late.” Time’s running out, we’d better make a move!

“Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley

Leonard Cohen’s drunken hymn has many interpretations. But it was John Cale’s cover that inspired Jeff Buckley’s version on Grace. Cohen’s poetry aims for salvation, but this was faith grounded in desire. Want, love, lust, sex, rapture. Cohen’s delivery on Various Positions reveals a hazy mood, like the sun had barely risen on the previous night. Detached, perhaps still intoxicated. Buckley heard Cale’s emotional reading and, with the vocal heights of Nina Simone, offered Cohen’s hymn to the heavens. The messiness of a broken man grasping for enlightenment. Talent shows have done their best to ruin this masterpiece, but when you need to set yourself straight, reach for Grace.

“The Man Who Sold The World” by Nirvana

Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance was eerie for its funeral-like set design. Though Kurt Cobain’s struggles then were public, his suicide months after Unplugged was filmed still shocked the music world. The acoustic collection features an expected set list. This wasn’t Nirvana playing the hits. Instead, Cobain interspersed his songs with covers of artists he admired. On “The Man Who Sold The World”, Cobain ran his acoustic guitar through a fuzz pedal and perfected David Bowie’s psychedelic tune. Still, it wasn’t the only cover that Cobain redefined. Lead Belly’s arrangement of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” and “Lake Of Fire” by Meat Puppets will never be heard the same. You could probably say the same for each cover on Unplugged.

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