Thanks GDHAL, I found and played the GD version, guess I preferred Dylan's and even preferred Neil Young's version more.
To each his own, it is very subjective.
But the Bob Dylan playlist is a great mine field for exactly what I am talking about. IMHO lots of people sang his songs better than he did. He was the genius for writing these awesome songs, amazing, brilliant. But perhaps vocally challenged some might say.
Certainly when I was blessed to hear him live in Austin at SXSW, his voice was shot. Terrible, horrible.
As an example, I would give this one to the lovely Peter, Paul and Mary:



God Bless,
Wayne

This YouTube video gives Dylan's "Knockin on Heaven's Door" to Guns and Roses, but I do NOT think they owned it. Several GREAT covers where people did it as well or better than Dylan are around, to me, I cannot give it to any one person or band.



But I agree they called it on "Black Magic Woman"!
God Bless,
Wayne

This Nine Inch Nails song is really amazing, but (I guess all these are pretty subjective) IF you ask me, Johnny Cash owned it!!!

AND I think the Leonard Cohen song "Suzanne" is one of his best, but IMHO Nancy Wilson took it and made it uniquely hers.
I could not find a video of her singing it though.

God Bless,
Wayne

I guess I have a slightly different take on this topic (GREAT topic, Wayne!!!). And that is, what songs, whether written by that artist or not, have become owned by artist/singers who made such a profound impression that their name just pops into your brain as, "awe, that's (fill in the blank)'s song... "

In addition to my prior list (Tears in Heaven, On the Road Again, Hallelujah, Hotel California, Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You), I would add Don Ho's Tiny Bubbles, Elvis's Blue Suede shoes, Bill Haley and His Comets' Rock Around the Clock (about wore out that 45 when I first got it) . I wouldn't quite say that Whitney Houston "owns" the National Anthem, but, dang, her version just mesmerizes me. And even Dolly loves Whitney's take on I Will always Love You.

Keep 'em coming!

Rick

Good one Rick, good comments, and thanks!!!!
Actually I thought several times about including Whitney's version of the Nat. Anthem!!!!
Great minds think alike.
And yes, that is what I mean, when you listen to these songs, often we mistakenly think they BELONG to that artist, even though they are really a cover.
Kinda fun to find out otherwise.
A little bit sorry for the original artist or writer. But, as in this next case, I figures that the cover made the writer a LOT of money anyway.
Although Kris Kristofferson wrote it, it was taken over and owned by a Port Arthur, TX pearl of a girl, the Pearl:



God Bless,
Wayne

How about Patsy Cline covering Willie Nelson's "Crazy"

Willie's version is terrific, but clearly Patsy owns it. You're crazy if you don't think so! (pun intended, just kidding)