Over the years, Green Day has covered some amazing songs. Not only do they imitate these songs, but they also try to add their own spin to the classics. A good cover, in my opinion, should make the listener want to hear the original version. Green Day certainly accomplishes this, while sticking to their own unique sound. From live covers to covers released on albums, here's my list of Green Day's top ten:


10. "Knowledge" - Operation Ivy

Originally released on Operation Ivy's 1989 EP "Energy," the song has been played live by Green Day since the band began performing. The song was been played at house parties in the early 90s, club shows in the mid 90s, and festivals in the 2000s. Green Day released a studio cover on their "Slappy" EP, released in 1990. Billie Joe has also made a cool habit of calling people onstage to play the instruments during the song. A guitarist, bassist, and drummer are recruited from the crowd, and "learn" the song onstage. This is definitely a special ritual, which helps support a great song!





9. "I Fought the Law" - The Crickets/The Clash

This song was first recorded by The Crickets, all the way back in 1959. Then, in 1979, the song was covered by The Clash. The Clash are repeatedly mentioned by Billie Joe as a big influence on Green Day's sound. In early 2004, Green Day recorded their version of the classic, which was to be used during the Superbowl in a Pepsi ad campaign. This single was also the last studio recording commercially released before "American Idiot" came out in September of 2004. I personally LOVE the powerful, in-your-face sound of this cover, and I think Green Day interpreted it very well.





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