10 Most Underrated Cover Songs In Hard Rock
4. Waterloo Sunset - Def Leppard
As Def Leppard moved up the ranks as one of the biggest bands of the 80's, they did not forget where they came from. From the way they honored their influences on their covers album Yeah!, you could tell these guys had never lost their love of a great hook, tearing through everyone from Tom Petty to T Rex to Iggy and the Stooges.
Right smack in the middle of the record though is "Waterloo Sunset," where the band bring their modern spin on the classic Kinks song. The tune is one of the lowlights of the 60's generation, with a wistful melody and beautiful arrangements that conjure up memories of a simpler time. When given the special treatment, the band's version is brought to another plain with the the vocals, which come in like a miniature soundscape.
Say what you want to about Def Leppard, but they can pull off their vocals better than most, and the way Joe Elliot sells this song has just the right balance between rock and roll bravado and intense reverence for the original tune. Yeah! has been called somewhat of a mixed bag by rock fans, but this tune definitely lives up the band's usual standard.