Doing covers can be a weird thing and there are lots of different ways to approach it. A band could hate the original musical artist they are covering and decide to make the original song faster or slower, depending on how the first song sounded. They might be a good approach.
The worst approach is loving a song so much that it creates a cover that sounds exactly like it. Why do that? We music lovers already have the original that will sound better than the same-sounding cover.
Thankfully, with the list below, the songs are at least slightly unique takes on the originals. In a couple of cases, they are extremely different. In all cases, the original and the cover are excellent.
Four surprising covers by lesser performers of better musical artists
Yungblud covers David Bowie's "Life on Mars"
There was a bit of time when Yungblood was making original music and seemed almost a bit cutting edge. Maybe he was the next musical artist to challenge us with his excellence. Instead, he appears to have run out of ideas.
In 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, churned out a cover of Bowie's great song. At first, one might think, "OK, what is happening here?" Yungblood somehow overcomes his own limitations with his voice to at least give us the emotional weight the song deserves. He might never have another hit, but Yungblud at least put his full effort into this Bowie tune.
The Dickies covers the Moody Blues "Nights in White Satin"
Heck, the original had no business being as good as it was. It's a bit cheesy and overwrought, and bordering on self-important. But it's inarguably beautiful and aching.
The Dickies heard it and thought, "Yep, that's a pop-punk anthem if we have ever heard one," and remade the track in that fashion. The cover is ridiculously over the top, but it needed to be. The Dickies trying to emulate the Moody Blues would have been impossible because the bands have completely different approaches. The groups meet in the middle on this song.
Eric Clapton covers Bob Marley and the Wailers' "I Shot the Sheriff"
Eric Clapton was great, yada yada yada. He has his acolytes, and he deserves to have them. Is he the best guitarist ever, though he might think so? No. He is a quality English guitarist who thought he understood the American South and tried his best to emulate great African-American music.
He went one step further here, however. He took Bob Marley's tune of African-Jamaican disenfranchisement and still made a good cover. Is it better than Marley's? Of course, not. But for an English guy trying to find the soul of the tune, Clapton did OK.
Alien Ant Farm covers Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal"
Think what you will about Michael Jackson (and whatever you think, good or bad, is correct), but he definitely made a number of popular songs that will stay with us for decades. Were the songs better than the person? Likely. But the music is what he gave the general public.
Alien Ant Farm will never come close to being seen on the same successful plain as Jackson, but they might have one-upped the Prince of Pop on this particular tune. AAF takes Jackson's tune, speeds it up, and somehow keeps the groove. It's brilliant and the best thing Alien Ant Farm ever did.