Ten Most Awesome Cover Tunes

Now, we did the "worst" list the other week. Here are ten phenomenally good cover versions of great songs--or good covers of songs by metal bands. I'm not picky. I like all of these. Hopefully you will too.

Metallica in cover band mode.
Actually, it's the back cover of Garage Inc.

1) Selina Martin: "The Spirit of Radio."
An acoustic(!) cover of the Rush classic. Reinvents the song thoroughly and you can actually make out the lyrics in this version.

2) Metallica: "Astronomy"
Probably my favorite cover among the many that Metallica have recorded. This is a super-heavy version of the Blue Öyster Cult classic, available on Garage Inc.

3) Anthrax: "Got the Time"
Anthrax ripped through this Joe Jackson classic on their superb Persistence of Time record. The funny thing is, the original is just about as fast, but it doesn't have the mosh part in the middle.

4) Tesla: "Signs"
The biggest hit Tesla ever had is in fact a cover. This hippie anthem was originally recorded by the Five Man Electrical Band. Tesla played it as part of their "Five Man Acoustical Jam" tour in June of 1990. And yes, I was in the audience at the show at the Ritz. The next night, at the Trocadero in Philadelphia was the one that was recorded.


5) Dream Theater: "Tenement Funster/Flick of the Wrist/Lily of the Valley"
Dream Theater have done a lot of cover tunes over the years--I've been at shows where they've broken into Rush songs or played all of a Metallica album. But they also release EPs of covers. This Queen tryptich--three songs from Sheer Heart Attack in order is among their best. DT drummer Mike Portnoy does all of the backing vocals and multitracks.

6) Marillion: "Toxic"
The British progressive band covered this Britney Spears pop ditty as part of a special fan convention show. Listen to how a masterpiece of pop songcraft sounds when it is performed by, y'know, actual singer and musicians.

7) Rush: "For What It's Worth"
As the new film Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage points out, the Canadian power trio started as a cover band playing in church basements. In 2004, the boys celebrated their 30th anniversary with Feedback an EP of covers.. Also worth hearing: their thunderous take on the Blue Cheer version of "Summertime Blues," which was a staple during the R30 tour.

8) Tori Amos: "Raining Blood"
The sylph-like singer-songwriter covered this Slayer classic for her album Strange Little Girls. Profoundly disturbing, in a good way.

9) King's X: "Manic Depression"
Texas' finest un-bearded power trio recorded this scorching Jimi Hendrix tribute on their Dogman album. Rumor has it that KX have planned an all-covers release at some point.

10) Slayer: "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida"
Slayer tore through this seminal metal track by Iron Butterfly for the Less Than Zero soundtrack. And no, their version doesn't have the five minute organ solo. Probably for the best.

Marillion covering Britney Spears' "Toxic"