In a poll recently conducted by BBC Music to find “the top cover version of all time,” the Pet Shop Boys emerged victorious with their rendition of “Always On My Mind.” The song, penned by John Christopher, Mark James and Wayne Carson, was made famous by Brenda Lee and Elvis Presley in 1972. Arguably most famously in the U.S., Willie Nelson won a Grammy for his 1982 recording; in the U.K., the Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 version reached No. 1 (and hit No. 4 in the U.S.).
Potentially more controversially, Pet Shop Boys beat such worthy contenders as Johnny Cash’s cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” and Jeff Buckley’s take on Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Here’s the rest of the Top 10, from a list of 50 compiled by BBC producers and DJs:
- Pet Shop Boys – “Always On My Mind”
- Johnny Cash – “Hurt”
- The Stranglers – “Walk On By”
- Jimi Hendrix – “All Along The Watchtower”
- Jeff Buckley – “Hallelujah”
- Soft Cell – “Tainted Love”
- Joe Cocker – “With A Little Help From My Friends”
- Sinead O’Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U”
- Muse – “Feeling Good”
- Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You”
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