I think the highest compliment any artist can receive is a cover of one of their songs; but I also believe that some of the best should stand alone - untouched. Perfect example: Don Henley's Boys of Summer. Too good to be tampered with, imo. Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys is almost near perfect; needing nary a tweaking. However, I wouldn't mind hearing a group of jazz greats do a special rendition. That would be something special.
Being the post whore that I am when it comes to my Joni, I had to respond here. Joni's been pretty well covered, me thinks. Here is what I found over at one of her websites.
"So far, 1306 covers of 119 of Joni's songs done by 1041 different artists have been found. Technically, not all of these songs are Joni's composition, but over the years have entered our hearts & minds as "Joni" songs."
Joni Mitchell's Most Covered Songs:
1) Both Sides Now (298 times)
2) Big Yellow Taxi (97)
3) Woodstock (90)
4) River (63)
5) The Circle Game (59)
6) Chelsea Morning (46)
7) A Case Of You (41)
8) Urge For Going (41)
9) Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (32)
10) All I Want (25)
And the rest of the list:
11) Carey (24)
12) For Free (24)
13) This Flight Tonight (24)
14) Twisted (24)
15) The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines (18)
16) Help Me (16)
17) Night In The City (16)
18) You Turn Me On (I'm A Radio) (16)
19) (You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care (15)
20) Free Man In Paris (15)
21) I Don't Know Where I Stand (15)
22) Michael From Mountains (13)
23) Black Crow (11)
24) Blue (11)
25) Night Ride Home (10)
26) Amelia (9)
27) Rainy Night House (9)
28) Raised On Robbery (9)
29) I Had A King (8)
30) Little Green (8)
31) Song To A Seagull (8)
32) Blue Motel Room (7)
33) Be Cool (6)
34) Conversation (6)
35) Morning Morgantown (6)
36) The Fiddle And The Drum (6)
37) The Last Time I Saw Richard (6)
38) Cactus Tree (5)
39) Edith And The Kingpin (5)
40) How Do You Stop (5)
41) Marcie (5)
42) People's Parties (5)
43) California (4)
44) Court And Spark (4)
45) Hejira (4)
46) Songs To Aging Children Come (4)
47) Sweet Sucker Dance (4)
48) That Song About The Midway (4)
49) The Hissing Of Summer Lawns (4)
50) Tin Angel (4)
51) Barangrill (3)
52) Blonde In The Bleachers (3)
53) Chinese Cafe (3)
54) Coyote (3)
55) Dreamland (3)
56) Furry Sings The Blues (3)
57) In France They Kiss On Main Street (3)
58) Ladies Of The Canyon (3)
59) Man From Mars (3)
60) Moon At The Window (3)
61) The Beat of Black Wings (3)
62) The Priest (3)
63) The Silky Veils of Ardor (3)
64) Woman Of Heart And Mind (3)
65) A Chair In The Sky (2)
66) Banquet (2)
67) Down To You (2)
68) God Must Be A Boogie Man (2)
69) I Think I Understand (2)
70) My Old Man (2)
71) Nathan LaFraneer (2)
72) Passion Play (2)
73) Refuge Of The Roads (2)
74) Same Situation (2)
75) Shades Of Scarlett Conquering (2)
76) Shadows and Light (2)
77) Song For Sharon (2)
78) Sunny Sunday (2)
79) Sweet Bird (2)
80) The Dawntreader (2)
81) The Gallery (2)
82) The Jungle Line (2)
83) Willy (2)
84) Yvette In English (2)
85) A Bird That Whistles (1)
86) A Melody In Your Name (1)
87) A Strange Boy (1)
88) Blue Boy (1)
89) Boho Dance (1)
90) Born To Take the Highway (1)
91) Both Sides Now (French, "Je N'ai Rien Appris") (1)
92) Car On A Hill (1)
93) Carnival In Kenora (1)
94) Cherokee Louise (1)
95) Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire (1)
96) Cotton Avenue (1)
97) Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (1)
98) Dr. Junk (1)
99) Eastern Rain (1)
100) For The Roses (1)
101) Harry's House (1)
102) Harry's House/Centerpiece (1)
103) Jericho (1)
104) Just Couldn't Help Myself (1)
105) Just Like This Train (1)
106) Ladies Man (1)
107) Lakota (1)
108) Love (1)
109) Midnight Cowboy (1)
110) Off Night Backstreet (1)
111) Ray's Dad's Cadillac (1)
112) Roses Blue (1)
113) See You Sometime (1)
114) Sex Kills (1)
115) Solid Love (1)
116) The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms) (1)
117) Trouble Child (1)
118) Winter Lady (1)
119) You Dream Flat Tires (1)
Now THAT'S a compliment to your craft.
Heh..either that or she really sucks.
Not. wink
