Nine cover songs that match or even surpass the original

Two sweet covers

Jeff Buckley - "Hallelujah"

An incredible cover version of an incredible original. Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah" has an interesting history behind it, that it even became the subject of a feature documentary - "Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song".

A big part of the film focuses on Buckley’s version of the song, considered possibly one of the best song covers ever. And it is not just that Buckley perfectly felt the essence of the song, but also his incredible, emotional vocals that got just the support of his excellent electric guitar playing, perfectly fitting his version.

Johnny Cash - "The Mercy Seat"

Australian-born Nick Cave is one of those artists who were able to hit the essence of the so-called American Gothic with his songs, particularly with "The Mercy Seat," featured originally on his 1988 album Tender Prey.

So who else would be able to come up with a chilling, stripped-down version of this song than the late legend, king of American Gothic, Jonny Cash? The Man In Black obviously felt every word of Cave’s lyrics, encountering so much darkness himself throughout his life and career.