The Led Zeppelin version...

...and the Nina Simone version.

Both Nic Jones's version and Kate Rusby's version get a big thumbs-up from me.

The hard-rockin' blues treatment from the Yardbirds:

And the acoustic treatment from Rod Stewart:

By the way, agree with you that Dusty's is the definitive version of Goin' Back, but hats off too for the Byrds' take on it.

I rather liked the Boomtown Rats song but I was totally blown away by Tori Amos' version.

The Dixie Cups:

The Grateful Dead:

probably my favourite song on "Innervisions", because rather than sounding like an overworked State Of The Nation treatise, it comes across as nothing more than a beautiful afterthought tossed off to take the album past the 40 min mark; all great pop songs share that illusion of effortlessness.

The cover:

Because it proves that it is possible to dance and smile at the same time without looking like Lionel Blair.

Not that there's anything wrong...

Pete Molinari's take on Satisfied Mind (here with BJ Cole from the Bush Hall) along with John Martyn's version on Sunday's Child are delightful.

I always thought there was a masterclass on reinterpretation with these two versions of "I Say a Little Prayer" by Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. Are there other versions? I hardly care.

Dionne's take, like so many of her great hits, trades on an understated lightness that gives way to the full Bacharach (and oh, if her niece could do the same).

Aretha, unsurprisingly, takes it to church, fully testifying in the company (at least on record) of who I take to be her sisters. Sometimes I can hardly believe they're singing the same song, but both always stop me in my tracks.

For a more recent version of this phemomenon, how about Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy". In its initial flush of newness, it inspired a proliferation of versions by Ray Lamontagne, Nelly Furtado, and so on (to be found on this here interweb).

Paul Quinn/Edwyn Collins

Velvet Underground

Both sublime.

This is superb , you've gotta love Alela Diane , gorgeous voice

Sorry had to go with three.

First:-

Best:-

Liz Fraser is no slouch with this one.

The original is a corker as well. Only versions on you tube seem to be live ones though...

Brenda Lee did the original, Elvis' is probably the most famous but I hold a candle to these two versions:

Willie's version just seems to nail the emotion of the lyrics while the WEG hitmakers capture the melodic genius and, with its genre busting arrangement, nail its timelessness

is one of the most heart-rending songs written. There's a great version by Ronnie Milsap but my favourite two are the 6os "original" by Chuck Jackson, a voice similar to James Carr - but my favourite version in many ways is by Paul Carrack whose mellow soulfullness lends the song that twisting powerless feeling you get when someone you love has left you without yet leaving

"Any day now, when your restless eyes meet someone new..."

Chuck Jackson

Paul Carrack

Up on the Roof. There’s the Drifters’ version…

and Laura Nyro’s…

...and Kenny Lynch's, and Little Eva's, and James Taylor's...

King of the Mad Dogs

King of the Blues

Wait, make that three (below)

Speaking of Leon (and is anyone else keen on his forthcoming T-Bone Burnett-produced set with Elton John? God, I'd love it to be good), I only recently made acquaintance with this, the rather dark original:

Shortly afterwards, Richard Carpenter found the bittersweet symphony in the song, sung marvellously by Karen, and perhaps now recognised -free of any ironic detachment - as a great record:

Naturally, having recently disparaged Sonic Youth elsewhere, I'll nibble on my words, for this, with pronounced maximum piano chord goodness: