In honor of the recent (and what I feel is an amazing) cover of Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son" by Anthrax, I was thinking about what other covers are out there that I love.  And by love, I mean that rock AS much or are even better than their original version.  After a lot of time of searching, far too much thinking, and a whole lot of awesome music-listening, here's my Top 5!

  • Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
    Credit: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
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    1

    Marilyn Manson: "Sweet Dreams"

    Originally a song by the Eurythmics, Marilyn Manson spins the song and makes it sound beautifully dark, twisted, heavy, and sweet.  Manson's voice is enticing, and his version still exudes some of the original pop while twisting it in to rock.

  • Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images
    Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images
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    2

    Red Hot Chili Peppers: "Higher Ground"

    Covering Stevie Wonder, the Peppers added a dash of funk, a pinch of rock, and a ton of Chili Peppers and created something marvelous.  I can't say that their version is necessarily better than Wonder's, as Stevie Wonder is a legend, but it is a marvelous alternative to a great song.  The Red Hot Chili Peppers manage to maintain a pulsating beat without annoying the listener, and make something new and rocking out of something already-unique.

  • Credit: Duane Prokop/Getty Images
    Credit: Duane Prokop/Getty Images
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    3

    Our Last Night: "Heavy"

    I saw a wide range of reactions to Linkin Park's newest single, "Heavy."  Many fans looking forward to the bands classic electric-rock sound were disappointed, while others praised the song-writing and the change.  Either way, I know one great thing that came out of the release of this song: Our Last Night's heavy rock cover.  It's everything I would have wanted from this song.  Plus, hearing it let me breathe a sigh of relief having some rock closure to this song.  And with over 1 million views on their YouTube video, I'm going to go ahead and guess people are feeling the same.

  • Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
    Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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    4

    Johnny Cash: "Hurt"

    Nine Inch Nails will forever be one of my favorite bands.  I've seen them twice live, and they rock, pure and simple.  However, when Johnny Cash dropped this bomb (in the best way possible) on us, he left a deep mark.  Don't get me wrong, seeing Nine Inch Nails perform "Hurt" live definitely evokes emotion, but Cash makes you feel. It's not just emotion, it's physical. And it's iconic.

  • Credit: Charley Gallay/ Getty Images
    Credit: Charley Gallay/ Getty Images
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    5

    Metallica: "Turn the Page"

    I'm not quite sure there is a cover quite as good as this one.  Originally by Bob Seger, "Turn the Page" sounds almost as if it was written with the hope that one day Metallica would cover it.  Bob Seger's version is a classic, of course.  But when I hear the Metallica version, it's as if I can picture myself in a grimy venue, with that dragging feeling of tour life, everything around you passing by while you're just there.  James Hetfield has never sounded so perfect.

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