In the movie "Juno" Jason Bateman's character describes the song Superstar performed by Sonic Youth as "the greatest cover song ever." I do agree with the movie's author Diablo Cody that it is a wonderful song, but I am not sure about greatest ever.
Cover bands are often the subject of ridicule, but a great cover song is something to cherish. The band Marilyn Manson's two biggest hits were Sweet Dreams and Tainted Love. Both were originally performed by other artists. Marilyn Manson was little more than a cover band, and nobody seemed to notice.
When a band not normally known for doing cover songs takes the music of some one else, changes it, and makes it their own, that can be incredible. When the band Less Love took a punk song written by the band Misfits, and did an acoustic version of it, well I don't know if it is incredible, but it is good.
Technically it is two Misfits songs: the song Bullet and the song Skulls put together.
This song is from the band's second LP which was a joint effort with the band Wondernaut called Paradigms in the Design, released by Lackpro Records.
If I was to think about it, and try to name what I consider to be "The Greatest Cover Songs Of All Time" that would be a tough call. There are so many great examples. I think my final decision would either have to be Hurt by Johnny Cash
or Got The Time by Anthrax
I guess there is something to be said about an artist that does so well with a cover, that history forgets it wasn't originally theirs. Another example of that would be Because The Night by Patti Smith. Most folks don't realize it was written and originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen.
The same can be said about Blinded By The Light, poor Bruce.
It certainly doesn't make my top 50 list of best cover songs, but I do want to give honorable mention to the Kermit version of Hurt. Well played sir.
---EDIT 10/25/2014---
This is probably one of the last songs I would have ever thought anybody would cover. Kudos to The White Buffalo for taking an otherwise uninteresting song and making it fucking legit. The song is House of Pain originally performed by Faster Pussycat.
