We've talked about cover songs here before. To sum up; I think they can have merit, provided the artist brings something new to the equation and doesn't just engage in a straight reinterpretation.
The sole exception to this, in any form and at any time, is Duran Duran.
Sure, I've been aware of their version of the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion" for some time, but wrote it off as poor judgement. "The Crystal Ship?" Doors songs are sufficiently unironic that any cover is justified, frankly. What about "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash? Okay, that one was utterly horrible. But they can't all be bad, right? Certainly D2 had some luck playing around with someone else's songs, yes?
Nope. The sadist programming the internet radio station I've been listening to has subjected me not only to Le Bon and company's rising gorge rendition of "911 is a Joke," but also "Lay Lady Lay" - barely acceptable for human consumption in the first place - and "Foxy Lady." "Foxy Lady?!?!" What numbnuts at the Department of All That is Holy fell asleep at the switch and allowed that out of tune meatball and his gang of shoulder pad-wearing pretty boys to cover...well, anything by Jimi Hendrix?
And I'll never understand why they play these songs live, when no one is poised in the booth to modulate Simon's voice to keep him from veering into first round American Idol territory, as he is wont to do.
They've also, among others, apparently recorded a version of Zeppelin's "Thank You," which I've never heard. And personally, I'd like to thank whatever cyclopean horror rules the universe for that.
"Cyclopean horror" that rules the universe... very nice.