100 Greatest Cover Songs and Remakes
of the 1960s

Two record sleeves for Louie Louie and All Along The Watchtower
Definition:The term "cover version" originally referred to a rival version of a tune recorded to compete with the recently released version of a song. Eventually it went on to have a more general meaning including any performance or recording by someone other than the original artist or composer of a previously recorded, commercially released song. For sake of this list, versions of songs which fit the newer definition of cover version but not the original one are referred to as remakes.

Criteria: These cover songs/remakes of the 1960s are ranked according to their initial and lasting popularity, influence and acclaim, as well as their cultural impact. The greatness of an original record is not taken into consideration. To qualify as a cover version, the song has to be neither the first recorded nor the first released version of particular song.

Last Updated: 2022-04-04
Newly added names are in  Red 
Greatest Cover Songs and Remakes 1960s
Cover Songs and Remakes 1960s collage image
Legend:
Song - Original Artist with first recording (year) | Great Cover Version/Remake (year)
  1. Respect - Otis Redding (1965) | Aretha Franklin (1967)
  2. Louie Louie - Richard Berry (1957) | The Kingsmen (1963)
  3. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Gladys Knight & the Pips (1967) | Marvin Gaye (1968)
  4. All Along The Watchtower - Bob Dylan (1967) | Jimi Hendrix (1968)
  5. Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan (1965) | The Byrds (1965)
  6. The House of the Rising Sun - Traditional | The Animals (1964)
  7. Somebody To Love - The Great Society (1966) | Jefferson Airplane (1967)
  8. Twist And Shout - Top Notes (1961) | The Beatles (1963)
  9. Georgia on My Mind - Hoagy Carmichael & His Orchestra (1930) | Ray Charles (1960)
10. Dazed and Confused - Jake Holmes (1967) | Led Zeppelin (1969)
11. Wild Thing - Wild Ones (1965) | The Troggs (1966)
12. Surfin' U.S.A. - Chuck Berry (1958, "Sweet Little Sixteen") | The Beach Boys (1963)
13. I Got You (I Feel Good) - Yvonne Fair & James Brown Band (1962, "I Found You") | James Brown (1965)
14. The Twist - Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (1959) | Chubby Checker (1960)
15. At Last - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (1941) | Etta James (1960)
16. I Can't Stop Loving You - Don Gibson (1957) | Ray Charles (1962)
17. Unchained Melody - Todd Duncan (1955) | The Righteous Brothers (1965)
18. Turn, Turn, Turn - The Limeliters (1962, "To Everything There Is a Season") | The Byrds (1966)
19. Try A Little Tenderness - Ray Noble and His Orchestra (1932) | Otis Redding (1966)
20. Suspicious Minds - Mark James (1968) | Elvis Presley (1969)
21. My Back Pages - Bob Dylan (1964) | The Byrds (1967)
22. I Fought The Law - The Crickets (1960) | The Bobby Fuller Four (1965)
23. Good Lovin' - The Olympics (1966) | The Young Rascals (1966)
24. Evil Ways - Willie Bobo (1967) | Santana (1969)
25. Mustang Sally - Sir Mack Rice (1965) | Wilson Pickett (1966)
26. Do Wah Diddy Diddy - The Exciters (1963, "Do-Wah-Diddy") | Manfred Mann (1964)
27. Hanky Panky - The Raindrops (1963) | Tommy James & the Shondells (1964)
28. Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard (1957, "Good Golly Miss Molly") and Shorty Long (1964, "Devil with the Blue Dress") | Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels (1966)
29. Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) - Dick Holler & the Holidays (1964) | The Swingin' Medallions (1966)
30. Piece Of My Heart - Erma Franklin (1967) | Big Brother & Holding Company (1968)
31. Hang On Sloopy - The Vibrations (1964, "My Girl Sloopy") | The McCoys (1965)
32. On Broadway - The Crystals (1963) | The Drifters (1963)
33. Needles and Pins - Jackie DeShannon (1963) | The Searchers (1964)
34. Memphis - Chuck Berry (1959, "Memphis, Tennessee") | Johnny Rivers (1964)
35. You Keep Me Hangin' On - Supremes (1966) | Vanilla Fudge (1967)
36. Get Together - The Kingston Trio (1964, "Let's Get Together") | The Youngbloods (1967)
37. Hello Mary Lou - Johnny Duncan (1960) | Ricky Nelson (1961)
38. Twist And Shout - Top Notes (1961) | The Isley Brothers (1962)
39. Blue Moon - Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra (1934) | The Marcels (1961)
40. Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran (1958) | Blue Cheer (1968)
41. Hush - Billy Joe Royal (1967) | Deep Purple (1968)
42. Walk Don't Run - Johnny Smith (1954) | The Ventures (1960)
43. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Nina Simone (1964) | The Animals (1965)
44. Land of 1,000 Dances - Chris Kenner (1962) | Cannibal & the Headhunters (1965)
45. The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds (1939) | The Tokens (1961)
46. Crossroads - Robert Johnson (1936) | Cream (1968)
47. Different Drum - The Greenbriar Boys (1966)| Stone Poneys (1967)
48. For Once in My Life - Jean DuShon (1966) | Stevie Wonder (1968)
49. Magic Bus - Pudding (1967) | The Who (1968)
50. Land of 1,000 Dances - Chris Kenner (1962) | Wilson Pickett (1966)
51. Gloria - Them (1964) | The Shadows of Knight (1966)
52. Summertime - Abbie Mitchell (1935) | Billy Stewart (1966)
53. Time Is On My Side - Kai Winding & His Orchestra (1963) | The Rolling Stones (1964)
54. Misirlou - Traditional | Dick Dale (1962)
55. Night Train - Jimmy Forrest (1952) | James Brown and the Famous Flames (1961)
56. I'm a Man - Bo Diddley (1955) | The Yardbirds (1965)
57. Barbara Ann - The Regents (1961) | The Beach Boys (1965)
58. It's All over Now - The Valentinos (1964) | The Rolling Stones (1964)
59. With A Little Help From My Friends - Beatles (1967) | Joe Cocker (1968)
60. Get Ready - Temptations (1966) | Rare Earth (1969)
61. Hey Joe - The Leaves (1965) | Jimi Hendrix (1966)
62. Sloop John B - Traditional | The Beach Boys (1966)
63. Go Now - Bessie Banks (1964) | The Moody Blues (1964)
64. Rainy Night In Georgia - Tony Joe White (1969) | Brook Benton (1969)
65. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - Kelly Gordon (1969) | The Hollies (1969)
66. Tobacco Road - John D. Loudermilk (1960) | The Nashville Teens (1964)
67. Last Kiss - Wayne Cochran (1961) | J. Frank Wilson & the Cavaliers (1964)
68. Heart and Soul - Larry Clinton & his Orchestra with Bea Wain (1938) | The Cleftones (1961)
69. I'm into Something Good - Earl-Jean (1964) | Herman's Hermits (1964)
70. California Sun - Joe Jones (1960) | The Rivieras (1964)
71. Surfin' Bird - The Rivingtons ("Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" 1962 / "The Bird's the Word" 1963) | The Trashmen (1963)
72. My Boy Lollipop - Barbie Gaye (1956) | Millie Small (1964)
73. Hippy Hippy Shake - Chan Romero (1959) | The Swinging Blue Jeans (1963)
74. Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In - The Cast of "Hair" (1968) | The 5th Dimension (1969)
75. Bewildered - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (1938) | James Brown and the Famous Flames (1960)
76. Such a Night - The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter (1953) | Elvis Presley (1960)
77. Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry (1956) | Beatles (1963)
78. Mean Woman Blues - Elvis Presley (1957) | Roy Orbison (1963)
79. It Ain't Me Babe - Bob Dylan (1964) | The Turtles (1965)
80. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone - Paul Revere & the Raiders (1966) | The Monkees (1966)
81. Susie Q - Dale Hawkins (1957) | Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968)
82. Worst That Could Happen - The 5th Dimension (1967) | Brooklyn Bridge (1968)
83. Walk On By - Dionne Warwick (1964) | Isaac Hayes (1969)
84. By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Johnny Rivers (1966) | Isaac Hayes (1969)
85. I'm Henry VIII, I Am - Harry Champion (1911) | Herman's Hermits (1965)
86. My Little Red Book - Manfred Mann (1965) | Love (1966)
87. The 'In' Crowd - Dobie Gray (1964) | The Ramsey Lewis Trio (1965)
88. Iko Iko - Sugar Boy and His Cane Cutters (1953, "Jock-A-Mo") | The Dixie Cups (1964)
89. Little Red Rooster - Howlin' Wolf (1961) | The Rolling Stones (1964)
90. Tell Mama - Clarence Carter (1967, "Tell Daddy" ) | Etta James (1967)
91. Hair - The Cast of "Hair" (1968) | The Cowsills (1969)
92. Baby It's You - Shirelles (1961) | Smith (1969)
93. Both Sides, Now - Judy Collins (1968) | Joni Mitchell (1969)
94. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Joan Baez (1962) | Led Zeppelin (1969)
95. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones (1965) | Otis Redding (1965)
96. Blowin' in the Wind - Bob Dylan (1963) | Stevie Wonder (1966)
97. Train Kept A Rollin' - Tiny Bradshaw (1951) | The Yardbirds (1965)
98. Silence Is Golden - The Four Seasons (1964) | The Tremeloes (1967)
99. This Magic Moment - The Drifters (1960) | Jay & The Americans (1969)
100. Dedicated To The One I Love - The "5" Royales (1957) | The Mamas & the Papas (1967)








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