My favorite cover, is a cover of a cover. It goes thus...
Leavin' Trunk....'Sleepy' John Estes
Leavin' Trunk....Taj Mahal
Leavin' Trunk....Jaimoe's Jasssz Band
None of them do. The running joke is that uninformed concert attendees always shout for it, but unless you are OCMS, you don't play it. I'd be pretty disappointed if any of the bands I follow brought it out, not that I don't like the song, just that it passed cliché so long ago.
Saw JP open for Bonnie one time in Charlotte and a JP fan shouted "Angel from Montgomery" before each song. Finally she stopped and seethingly said " say it one more time and I swear to god I won't play it". Of course JP joined her onstage for the encore and they played it. Bonnie Raitt is a pistol. Ask her roadie for a guitar pick if you want to see a look of terror.
Oooh, just remembered a great one... "We Shall Overcome" - Bruce Springsteen sings Pete Seeger songs. Lots of fun.
House always had some great music, especially at the ends of the episodes. Three of my favorites were covers, Jeff Buckley doing "Hallelujah", Taj Mahal doing "Honky Tonk Woman", and Elvis Costello doing "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera. I believe that I read that Costello did that recording specifically for House.
Also, on the Clueless soundtrack, Counting Crows RUINED "The Ghost in You" by the Psychedelic Furs. It was so bad, it was many months before I realized what they were trying to sing. Don't mess with the Furs.
I do think Bono did a decent job on Can't Help Falling in Loce With You from the Honeymoon in Vegas soundtrack.
And I have been listening to The Boss (and the band) playing Purple Rain in their first show after Prince's passing.
Hendrix's ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER has to be on that "awesome covers" list...
"One POSSIBLE future. From your point of view... I don't know tech stuff.".... Kyle Reese
I was recently reminded of an old Monkees tune, Daydream Believer, that was done by Dan Baird.
Baird is a lot like Warren Haynes. A prolific songwriter that has probably forgotten more music than most will ever learn in a lifetime.