Hah! I was just coming back to post that.

I will say, though, that any list that thinks Bananarama's version of "Venus" is better than Shocking Blue's is suspect.

How come I didn't know this existed?

#3 "Hurt"
by Johnny Cash
ORIGINAL ARTIST: Nine Inch Nails
This is probably the single most requested song for inclusion by retroCRUSH readers. And how can you blame them? You can totally picture Johnny's world crumbling away from him as he sings this mournful tale of how "Everyone I know goes away in the end." The video adds an especially eerie touch as June stands by his side, then vanishes. I don't know how Trent Reznor could ever sing this song again. It's Johnny's now.

This song was on heavy rotation on MTV when a close friend of mine died of AIDS. I still find it very hard to listen to. The Johnny Cash video brought tears to my eyes....

I will say, though, that any list that thinks Bananarama's version of "Venus" is better than Shocking Blue's is suspect.

I love them both (pretty much equally).

First, take what DXM said, and assume I said it about Lenny Kravitz's version of "American Woman." Not that I think the Guess Who had one of the greats there, I just can't stand the guitar riff Kravitz uses in that one.

Beyond that, the list suffers from a defect too often found in lists of that type -- bias toward the present. If they're going to give a nod to Fats Domino -- twice, why leave out "Blueberry Hill" (which started life with Glenn Miller)? Elvis did lots of covers, yes -- but was "Blue Suede Shoes" better than "Hound Dog"?

And I haven't gone anywhere near the Platters yet.

Oh, and I like Bananarama, but "Venus" wasn't one of their best.

One more:

#16 "Superstar"
by Sonic Youth
ORIGINAL ARTIST: The Carpenters
Written for a Carpenters tribute album, this Sonic Youth version of Superstar is creepy, cool, and beautiful. Definitely a unique and brilliant take on an otherwise syrupy classic.

I love love love their cover of this and ITA about the "creepy, cool, and beautiful." A lot of the Carpenters tribute album was great - it made me see the weird melancholy that runs through a lot of their songs.

Top 25 of that list is interesting, the other 75 is filler.

I love love love their cover of this and ITA about the "creepy, cool, and beautiful." A lot of the Carpenters tribute album was great - it made me see the weird melancholy that runs through a lot of their songs.

I adore that album, especially Shonen Knife's On the Top of the World...serious fun. Oh, and Matthew Sweet's Let Me Be the One. ITA about the cover versions really showcasing the sad, sad thread through all the Carpenter's pseudo-chirpy work.

Another cover I love for the same reason is Natalie Merchant's One Fine Day from the soundtrack of the Clooney/Pfieffer fluffballmovie of the same name. Whoa. The Dixie Cups' bouncy rendition covers a truly sad, not to mention co-dependent lyric. And Natalie's torch treatment makes is a classic.

I do believe this is my first venture into the music thread after 2+ years as a buffista. My tastes are so shame-worthy, I figure I can't keep up with the cool kids. But I ambled in today after having a housecleaning fit to a Crash Test Dummies soundtrack. (see the above 'shame-worthy' comment)

The nostalgia for the 5 times I saw them live...and their witty/snarky/smart lyrics caused me to seek the Dummies out on the interbunny...just to see what is up with them. Man. Turned out to be a depressing mistake. One should never look back, eh?

Oh, and it made me think of one show of theirs I saw at the Warner Theatre in DC. Opening act? Milla Jovovich. No lie. And despite coming across as a complete whack-nut, she had one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. And made some very interesting songwriting choices. Who knew?

#3 "Hurt"

by Johnny Cash

ORIGINAL ARTIST: Nine Inch Nails

This is probably the single most requested song for inclusion by retroCRUSH readers. And how can you blame them? You can totally picture Johnny's world crumbling away from him as he sings this mournful tale of how "Everyone I know goes away in the end." The video adds an especially eerie touch as June stands by his side, then vanishes. I don't know how Trent Reznor could ever sing this song again. It's Johnny's now.

Rumour has it that when Trent Reznor found out JC was covering it, he was furious. After he heard the cover, he was just gobsmacked. Said, "He got it right."

I love that cover. Can't watch the video. Makes me just sob.

Rumour has it that when Trent Reznor found out JC was covering it, he was furious. After he heard the cover, he was just gobsmacked. Said, "He got it right."

Trent's interviewed on the Romanek collection of videos about it. He wasn't furious, but he wasn't that moved by the song hearing it in audio for the first time. It was seeing the video that made him really get how right it was.

The DH just called in a tizzy. He was at the counter at Samy's Camera in LA, and at another counter was...Ringo Starr! No one seemed to notice him at all. The crowd at Samy's (which caters to professional photogs) is usually of an age to be Beatles fans, so maybe they were playing it cool. The DH did not speak to him, so I guess he was playing it cool, too.