Tainted Love

Loser: Gloria Jones

Winner: Soft Cell

Song is so fire. Soft Cell even comes for The Supremes in this one.

All Along the Watchtower

Loser: Bob Dylan

Winner(s): Jimi Hendrix, U2, Dave Matthews Band

I’d first like to thank Mr. Zimmerman for penning such a great song, but then I will politely hand him this L. Here’s what Bobby D said about Hendrix’s cover: “It overwhelmed me, really… He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using. I took license with the song from his version, actually, and continue to do it to this day. I liked Jimi Hendrix’s record of this and ever since he died I’ve been doing it that way…” Don’t sleep on the DMB version either!

Respect

Loser: Otis Redding

Winner: Aretha Franklin

I have to preface this by saying I love Otis Redding’s version. It wasn’t until college though, that I learned his was the original. Aretha’s cover is so good that I bet majority of people think it is hers, like I did. She added the famous “R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Find out what it means to me,” which I’m sure everybody recognizes as associates with the song.

Hurt

Loser: Nine Inch Nails

Winner: Johnny Cash

It’s unfortunate that NIN has to get the loss here because they’re version is not bad. It’s dark and depressing, but a little too long and the dude just doesn’t have the voice the song calls for. Hence why The Man in Black in the winner. It is by far one of the best covers ever.

I Will Always Love You

Loser: Dolly Parton

Winner: Whitney Houston

Some girl tried arguing with me that the Dolly Parton original was better than Whitney’s cover. I’m sure it was well-received by country music fans, but we’re talking about one of the most iconic vocal performances in music history. Each note is absolutely flawless.

The Sound of Silence

Loser(s): the people who don’t know this song.

Winner(s): the people who do know this song.

Both versions are special in their own ways so I can’t declare a Loser. Simon and Garfunkel‘s version was great but Disturbed’s cover is a little more powerful. The perfect song to listen in a dark room by yourself with headphones on.