cover me impressed

Here we laud cover tunes of impeccable stature; those irrepressible covers that will live in infamy and beyond. At the 2013 International Cover Song Symposium four generally accepted subcategories of cover songs were agreed upon and ratified. In keeping with international convention Cover Me Impressed (“CMI”) has relied on these four subcategories to honor its inductees. In addition, we recognize and award the all-inclusive finest cover songs regardless of subcategory it would naturally fall within. The most superb cover tunes from each category are awarded the much coveted CMI Award for Excellence in Replication.

The Hall of Excellence in Replication is currently still a work in progress. The following is a short description of each category of cover song along with its initial inductees.

Patrons of CMI, may nominate other cover songs for consideration. However, to-date their is no indication that RDubbs considers these nominations to be relevant.

All-Time Greatest Cover Songs

Consummate covers of unsurpassed stature and excellency.

Green Grass of Home by John Otway (originally by Tom Jones):

 

Tax Man by Ruder Than You (original by The Beatles):

 

Seasons In The Sun by Too Much Joy (original by Terry Jax):

 

Stellar Interpretations

Taking a good-to-great song and covering it splendidly and creatively, without simply replicating the original.

Better Days by Fountain of Wayne (original by The Kinks):

 

Dreaming by Yo La Tengo (original by Blondie):

 

Going Underground by Lostprophets (original by The Jam):

 

 I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by MxPx (original by The Proclaimers):

 

I’m Your Puppet by Rock*A*Teens (original by The Ronettes):

 

The Mercy Seat by Johnny Cash (original by Nick Cave):

 

Putrid To Palatable

Taking a bad-to-mediocre song and managing to shape it into an enjoyable listening experience.

Hungry Like The Wolf by Reel Big Fish (original by Duran Duran):

 

I Think I Love You by Less Than Jake (original by The Partridge Family):

 

I Wanna Dance With Somebody by David Byrne (original by Whitney Houston):

 

The Longest Time by Me First & The Gimme Gimmes (original by Billy Joel):

 

Top of the World by Shonen Knife (original by The Carpenters):

 

Walk On By by Cockeyed Ghost (original by Dionne Warwick):

 

Putrid To Poignant

Taking a bad-to-mediocre song and managing to not only shape it into an enjoyably-sounding cover tune but to also instill the illusion of poignancy to its otherwise insipid lyrics.

Billie Jean by Robbie Fulks (original by Michael Jackson):

 

 Dancing Queen by Milo Binder (original by ABBA):

 

Like A Prayer by John Wesley Harding (original by Madonna):

 

Bizarre, Creative and/or Outlandish

Fairly self explanatory; however, cover tunes created by those whose primary efforts are in the field of comedy (e.g. Jimmy Fallon, Weird Al Yankovic, Billy Joel, etc.) are excluded from consideration.

Blitzkrieg Bop by The Nutley Brass (original by the Ramones):

 

Purple Haze by The Bobs (original by  Jimmy Hendrix):

 

(Theme From) We’re the Monkees by The Benzedrine Monks of Santo Domonica (original by The Monkees):