These aren’t the best cover songs because the coverers necessarily outdid the coverees. Sometimes the mark of a great cover song is to tackle a song so lofty, so impossible, and actually do it justice. Some of these covers did outdo the original (“All Along the Watchtower”) and some of them just did a great song well without desecrating the original (“I Fought the Law”). The best of the best, however, are the ones that took the most unoriginal thing a musician can do — covering someone else’s songs — and did something original with it.

1. “All Along the Watchtower,” Jimi Hendrix covering Bob Dylan

What separates Hendrix’s version from Dylan’s is the minute-and-a-half, four-part whirlwind of a guitar solo. Even Dylan acknowledged Hendrix’s version was better — every time he performed the song after the cover was released, he tried to emulate Hendrix’s solo. Dave Matthews Band also attempted a cover of this, but that was probably a bad idea — it’s hard to improve on a song that is already pretty much perfect

.2. “Hurt,” Johnny Cash covering Nine Inch Nails

A strange choice for a song for Cash to cover, but it couldn’t have been done better by anyone else. His build-up through the chorus puts Nine Inch Nails to shame and his deep, gloomy voice portrays the message of the lyrics much better than Trent Reznor’s.

3. “Respect,” Aretha Franklin covering Otis Redding

Despite Redding claiming the song was stolen from him, this is Aretha Franklin’s song through and through. It was her first No. 1 hit and the song that propelled her to the status of the Queen of Soul, and she did it so well that most people don’t even know it’s a cover song — everyone just assumes Aretha wrote it

.4. “Last Kiss,” Pearl Jam covering J. Frank Wilson and Cavaliers

Something is done on this cover that isn’t normally done in cover songs — instead of speeding it up, Pearl Jam slowed it down. Another thing done on the cover version that wasn’t done on the original is that Eddie Vedder actually puts some feeling into lyrics that deserve a lot of emotion, which is something J. Frank Wilson didn’t do.

5. “The Man Who Sold the World,” Nirvana covering David Bowie

This is the best of the covers done by Nirvana for its Unplugged in New York sessions. It is a flawless cover, but Nirvana brings that do-a-lot-of-heroin-and-cry-myself-to-sleep feel to every song, and “The Man Who Sold the World” couldn’t be better for it.

6. “Mr. Tambourine Man,” the Byrds covering Bob Dylan

Despite most people knowing that this is, indeed, a cover, a lot of people don’t think of it that way. Recorded just five days after Dylan’s version was released, the Byrds’ rendition had something the original did not, and Dylan himself realized that, saying, “Wow, man — you can even dance to that!”

7. “Crossroads,” Cream covering Robert Johnson

Cream’s version is actually a compilation of parts of two songs — “Crossroads Blues” and “Traveling Riverside Blues” — by Johnson, the man who supposedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for some prowess on the guitar.

8. “I Fought the Law,” the Clash covering the Bobby Fuller Four

This song went from the ultimate anthem for the late-‘50s and early-‘60s rock ‘n’ roll rebel to the anthem for the late-‘70s punk-rock rebel, and each version was done perfectly.

9. “Me and Bobby McGee,” Janis Joplin covering Kris Kristofferson

Yes, that Kris Kristofferson. Apparently the guy from “Blade” is a musician, too. It is a little puzzling how the lyrics to this song would have worked for Kristofferson, though, considering the song is about a transcontinental love affair between the singer and a man named Bobby McGee.

10. “Twist and Shout,” the Beatles covering the Isley Brothers

The Isley Brothers’ version was great, but the Beatles gave it a more rock feel, adding that British Invasion flare. Plus, the Beatles version was immortalized in the parade scene in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

Runners up

“Revolution,” Stone Temple Pilots covering the Beatles; “You Really Got Me,” Van Halen covering the Kinks; “Cocaine,” Eric Clapton covering J.J. Cale; “Back in Black,” the Hives covering AC/DC; “Mad World,” Gary Jules covering Tears for Fears; “Love Hurts,” Nazareth covering Roy Orbison; “Killing Me Softly,” the Fugees covering Roberta Flack