Top Ten Songs Covered by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones did quite a few cover songs; in the early days, their entire repertoire was made up of cover songs. Even as their skills as songwriters improved, they still enjoyed covering other people's songs. I will be ranking the Stones version of each song on the list, not the original. Feel free to add more songs to this list; if you do, please tell me who was the original artist.
A Robert Johnson cover. They slowed the tempo down, slightly changed the chord progression, and brought in Ry Cooder to play a mandolin solo. One of my favorite covers of theirs.
Another Robert Johnson cover. Unlike Love In Vain, The Stones ended up going for a tougher, more raw sound.
Originally written by Bobby Womack and recorded by his family's band, The Valentinos. This song was one of the Stones' earlier hits.
Originally by Howlin' Wolf. As I've mentioned before, it's the only blues song to ever hit number one on the UK Singles Chart. Brian Jones thought that was one of their finest acheivements.
Originally by The Temptations. While the original is mellow and laden with strings, the Stones version is slightly faster and more guitar oriented.
This song was originally written by an American blues singer and preacher named Robert Wilkins. It fits in perfectly with the album's acoustic theme.
Another one of their earlier hits. Their rendition was based on the Irma Thomas cover of this song. There's two versions. One version begins with an organ intro, while the other version (which is more familiar to the general public) starts with a guitar intro. I prefer the guitar version.
Originally by Chuck Berry. The first album was mostly made up of cover songs. This one's my favorite because I think it rocks.
A song by blues musician Slim Harpo. The groove on this song is hypnotic.
Another Temptations cover. This one is also more guitar oriented. The reason I put it on the bottom is because I don't like the guitar solo, but otherwise, it's a good cover.
Originally recorded by bluesman Mississippi Fred McDowell. From what I've read, Fred was happy with their cover, keeping the slow, acoustic feel of the original rather than turning it into a rock song.
Originally by Little Walter. The whole Blue and Lonesome album is made of covers of Chicago blues songs, and I love it. It sounds like an actual band playing together, and it's just raw enough to be appropriate for the material (blues should not sound polished).
There are two versions of this song. The version from Rolling Stones No. 2 is five minutes long (really long for the early 60s), while the version on Rolling Stones Now is about 2 and a half minutes. Although not confirmed, it's believed that London Records (in America) issued the wrong version by mistake.
Originally by Don Candoval. This song has some spectacular guitar playing, although the guitar on the original song is even better (it's accepted that the guitar player on the Don Candoval version was a pre-fame Jimi Hendrix).
This doesn't count. A cover means that the song wasn't written by the band. This was written by them (specifically Mick and Keith). Please don't vote.
Again, not a cover.
The Beatles gave it to them
