25 Cover Songs That Are Better Than the Originals

Cover songs. For the most part, they are what they are -- passable renditions of songs you already know. Of course, some are utter trainwrecks and make you want to put a fork in your ear, but every once in a while, you get one where the band/artists took that song to a new level and did the near impossible -- they took someone else's song and made it better. Here's a look at 25 times that has happened in recent history.

25. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - "Different Drum" [Linda Ronstadt]

Let's start off slowly -- the original of this song is great [yes, fine, I like a song by Linda Ronstadt. Want to take it outside?] But Me First takes this song and makes it into pop-punk fun and that goes a long way with me. Less drama, more bounce.

24. Propagandhi - "I Want You To Want Me" [Cheap Trick]

I don't believe Cheap Trick had a vegan/bacon bit in their original, hence, the improvement. Plus, you can really dance to this cover.

24. Kill Hannah - "The 15th" [Fischerspooner]
The original is a great song, but Mat Devine gives it a little something extra with his breathy vocals.

Blasphemous... almost. But Aiden had production values that the Misfits just didn't, and wiL's voice does this song justice. Lots of people have done Misfits covers and failed horribly; this is one of the rare times it worked out.

22. The Sisters of Mercy - "Gimme Shelter" [The Rolling Stones]

The Rolling Stones always sound better when covered, but especially when it's a super goth cover. Andrew Eldridge has a haunting voice, and this song will pack a dance floor in about two seconds at any goth club.

It's the haunting vocals that does it, though the way this cover is used in the movie Donnie Darko adds a lot to its appeal.