These acoustic versions of rock classics are somehow better than the original songs. Stripping them down made them even more impressive. They shine a different light on these efforts. Once you hear these versions, you never hear these hits the same way again.
“Everlong” — Foo Fighters
The acoustic version of the Foo Fighters’ rock staple “Everlong” became so popular it rivaled the original song. Recorded on The Howard Stern Show, this acoustic rendition let the lyrics take center stage, stripping away the distractions of their typically rugged sound.
“Come down and waste away with me / Down with me / Slow, how you wanted it to be / I’m over my head / Out of her head, she sang / And I wonder / When I sing along with you,” the lyrics read. This romantic song becomes even more so when the listener can really get down to what the band is singing about.
“The Man Who Sold The World” — Nirvana
Nirvana delivered an acoustic cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” during their famed MTV Unplugged session. While the original version appeased fans, this cover has become even more popular. Fans have made it the definitive version of “The Man Who Sold The World.”
With Kurt Cobain’s stripped-down vocals and nothing to distract from them, the central message is even more potent. “I gazed a gazeless stare / At all the millions here / I must have died alone / A long, long time ago,” the lyrics read. This secondary rendition has more than rivaled the original for a reason. This song feels as though it was made to be heard in this way.
“Hurt” — Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash perfected Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” with his acoustic cover. “The needle tears a hole / The old familiar sting / Try to kill it all away / But I remember everything,” the lyrics read. The stripped-down, rootsy version played even better than the original. It got right down to the core of this track’s emotion.
“I wear this crown of thorns / Upon my liar’s chair / Full of broken thoughts / I cannot repair,” Cash sings later in the song, breaking down any airs he had left. He left everything out on the table with no lush production to hide behind. He made the song even more powerful by stripping it back to the bare bones.
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