As much as I love a good original song, I also really love to hear how a band reinvents someone else’s music. Here are my picks for the top ten covers (by bands that I like of course)…feel free to add. Also anyone know who originally did “Jet Boy Jet Girl” –conflicting results say Chron Gen or The Damned.
1. Honky Tonk Women (Pogues cover of The Rolling Stones)
2. Head On (Pixies cover of The Jesus and Mary Chain)
3. This Town Isn’t Big Enough (Siouxsie and the Banshees cover of Sparks)
4. Picture Book (Yo La Tengo cover of The Kinks–heard in concert. I’d love to get a copy of this.)
5. Victoria (The Fall cover of The Kinks)
6. Down in the Park (Marilyn Manson cover of Gary Numan)
7. Hounds of Love (The Futureheads cover of Kate Bush)
8. Alone Again Or (The Damned cover of Love)
9. Perfect Day (Duran Duran (yeah really) cover of Lou Reed
10. All Tomorrow’s Parties (Japan cover of The Velvet Underground)
*My apologies if any of these are incorrect–I have had a whole lot of coffee.
Julie Joyce's Non-SEO'd Music Blog 
Heaven forbid… Julie listed Marilyn Manson. I’m not sure I can forgive her for that one.
I would have to add Bauhaus covering Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie) and Frente covering Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order)… and I can’t believe you omitted Roxy Music’s cover of Like a Hurricane (Neil Young) being the Bryan Ferry fan that you are.
I would give high marks to Grizzly Bear’s cover of He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss) by the Crystals and just about all the tracks on the first Nouvelle Vague CD.
Ah, good ones sir! I did struggle with the Like A Hurricane actually but since I never truly loved the original, I didn’t list it. I would put it at number 11 though. Excellent catch on Frente as well. And actually, I DID forget Bauhaus. I would most likely have put that in in place of Duran Duran doing Perfect Day.
I think my favorite cover is Cat Power’s version of “Satisfaction” (but you’ve already got a Stones cover on your list). Plus, Travis Morrison’s cover of Ludacris’ “What’s Your Fantasy?” never fails to make me laugh.
Oh, and according to Wikipedia, “Jet Boy, Jet Girl” is an Elton Motello song that has been covered by both Chron Gen and the Damned.
I’m not sure if I should be pleased or embarrassed (probably the latter) to see that it is my head taking up lots of space in the second of your Midnight Movies photos. 😉
Chris–glad to know whose head that is.
Thanks for the clarification about the Jet Boy song. Can we trust Wikipedia?
Cat Power’s cover is good…excellent catch. I think Chan Marshall actually used to live in Greensboro where I am now. I’ll check out the Ludacris cover if I can work up the nerve.
I can’t believe anyone is reading this blog. I am elated.
I think — and I’m certainly no expert here — that Captain Sensible initially did the song and then Chron Gen covered it. Its really not a Damned song. I recall reading this when I was trying to locate the song.
Could have been Captain Sensible (who was in The Damned)…it’s a mystery, like the tide.
I’m sure about the Captain Sensible part because thats the first place that it appears. I’m just not sure if his version pre-dates the one by Elton Motello.
My favourite cover and seeming you already have one of Katie Bush try ‘Running Up That Hill’ by Placebo.