I never heard the original version of Hurt but I love Johnny Cash. He had a way of inhabiting songs that made you believe he lived each and every lyric.

I thought Los Lobos did a good job with Richie Valens' La Bamba, gave it a more contemporary feel. I liked Elvis' My Way better than Frank Sinatra's...maybe because I've never cared for Sinatra, and Elvis' version holds a more tragic poignancy, both because of what happened to him and because of the way he sang it.

Honestly, most of the songs I've heard covered by at least two artists I've usually ended up liking both versions very much (Baby, I Need Your Lovin' by The Four Tops and Johnny Rivers comes to mind).

I adore that song. The Sundays' version takes me right back to college.

Luka Bloom has a kind of loungey cover of LL Cool J's "I Need Love" - it's weird, but it grows on you, then it becomes sort of addictive. He also has one of the sweeter covers of "Throw Your Arms Around Me" which has been covered by everyone in the world.

My 23 year old son's current top 3 cover songs....

Reel Big Fish doing Aha's "Take On Me" -- Aha's video of it with the cartoon coming to life is still one of my all time faves

Brittney Spears "Toxic" done by Local H -- his girlfriend liked Brittney--he never did--says she's way overated

and

Stevie Nicks "Landslide" done by the Smashing Pumpkins (Dixie Chicks did a good cover of that one too)

Has anyone heard Roy Orbison's "Crying" sung in Spanish by Rebekah Del Rio (Llorando)? It was featured in the movie Mulholland Drive...fantastic.

Wow, hard to imagine a cover of that one. Will have to try to find that later.

The best cover ever hmmm. I can't just pick one.

Creep - The Cure (originally by Radiohead)

&

The Headmaster Ritual - Radiohead (originally by The Smiths)

Gary Jules' version of "Mad World" from the Donnie Darko soundtrack, originally by Tears For Fears.

I had to find it on youtube myself--it's a ska version and really good

That's a really good cover!!!

Tom Jones and The Cardigans - Burning Down The House

Ditto

ooh, yes! I love that version!

I actually like The Chapin Sisters remake of Toxic (Britney Spears). Their voices make the song so haunting and beautiful.
And PJ Harvey's remake of Highway 61 Revisted (Bob Dylan). She just makes the song sound like the apocalypse is coming. Which, IMHO, fits the lyrics much better than the original.

I knew I wouldn't be the first to mention Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah."

Fountains of Wayne did a decent cover of Brittney Spears' "Hit me baby one more time." I kinda like it.

Everyone has their favorite version of "Landslide"... I liked both the Dixie Chicks version and the acoustic one by The Smashing Pumpkins. Not a big fan of the original.

I preferred Marilyn Manson's "Golden Years" over Bowie's.

Land of Confusion-Now Disturbed, then Genesis

Weird little side note. I learned that song in high school Spanish class. When the movie came out I could sing right along with it in Spanish right away. Still can. Bizarre the things that stay with you, buried away, for years, until pulled back up again, still intact.