When the cover beats the original

[Rantz]

YouTube - Johnny Cash - 'Hurt"

Also, Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah is pretty good

Here's another obvious one : The man who sold the world

I like Nouvelle Vague, I think they're a great cover band and they've pwned some of the original songs.

I agree with all of these. My favourite Nouvelle Vague cover would be "Come on Eileen"! I also love Mason Jennings cover of Dylan's "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll". The original is hard to beat, but I think Mason does it. Cat Power has some original artists beat on her album "The Covers Record", same with Patti Smith on her "12" (her "Gloria" is also the best version of that song).

Oh, and let's not forget Fiona Apple! Her cover of "Across the Universe" has Beatles' version beat by a mile imo. She does Elvis Costello's "I Want You" really well, too.

Uh... what else? Ooh, I just found this new artist, Anna von Hausswolff, who recorded a version of "Gloomy Sunday" which surpasses any other version I've heard of it yet including Billie Holiday's. Can't find a link, sadly.

Others in no particular order:
Amy Winehouse - "Valerie"
The Byrds - "Mr. Tambourine Man"
Meaghan Smith - "Here Comes Your Man" (totally cute live video!)
Nostalgia 77/Alice Russell - "Seven Nation Army" (hells yeah outclasses the original so hard)
Marilyn Manson - "Tainted Love"
She & Him - "I Should Have Known Better"
Hanne Hukkelberg - "Break My Body"