Cover Songs That Are As Good...If Not Better Than...The Original

I love cover tunes. Any time an artist or group decides to redo a song as a tribute to the original artist or group, it's awesome.

In my years of collecting, I have found some really good covers and I've heard some extremely painful covers.

Today, by request of my sister-in-law, Erin, I am going to list my Top 12 All-time favorite covers.

Basically there is one simple rule (in my opinion) for a great cover:

Does the artist covering the song, make it his/her own without totally losing the feeling behind the original?

Having said that, I now present Cover Songs That Are As Good...If Not Better Than...the Original.

(In No Particular Order)

1. Common People (Original by Pulp, covered by William Shatner)
Pulp's version of the song is great. I listen to it quite a bit, in fact. Having said that, I don't think that there is a finer cover out there than Shatner's rendition of this song. It's bloody near perfect in execution and Shatner makes it his own, at the same time, not changing it so much that it can't be recognized from the original.

2. Sweet Child O' Mine (Original by Guns 'n Roses, covered by Luna)

Luna slowed the song down a bit, but it's very recognizable as the classic from G-N-R.  This is one of those songs that I pop into the CD player when I need to just relax.

3. Angie (Original by the Rolling Stones, covered by La Ley)

La Ley is a group from Chile. I heard this song on the radio one day while I was down in that country and I knew the lyrics, but couldn't figure out what song it was. I don't know if these guys did the song simply by phonics, but either way, I think it's impressive.

4. The Bare Necessities (Original by Baloo the Bear on Disney's Jungle Book, covered by Harry Connick, Jr.)

I'm sorry, but this is the way this song was meant to be sung...and I LOVE this song as sung by Baloo.

5. Come As You Are (Original by Nirvana, covered by The King)

James Brown is a postal worker from Belfast. He also sounds a lot like Elvis Presley. His version of Nirvana's classic is done exactly the way Elvis would do it, if he were still alive.

6. Hurt (Original by Nine Inch Nails, covered by Johnny Cash)

Nine Inch Nail brainchild, Trent Reznor, said the following about Cash's cover: "Immediately my throat had a lump in it, and at that point, it really struck home. It was heartbreaking. I had goosebumps, which I have right now even thinking about it. It became really inspiring to me. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would write a song that Johnny Cash wanted to sing. I haven't listened to my version since then."

7. Little Green Bag (Original by The George Baker Selection, covered by Tom Jones & Barenaked Ladies)

The original was used in the movie Reservoir Dogs. Tom Jones' version comes from his Reload album, which contains some brilliant covers. (Including a cover of Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life". You haven't lived until you've heard Tom Jones say, "You know I've had it in the ear before.")

8. Bang Bang [My Baby Shot Me Down] (Original by Cher, covered by Nancy Sinatra)

There are actually quite a few covers of this Sonny Bono-penned tune. Stevie Wonder, Vanilla Fudge and even Frank Sinatra has taken a shot at this song, but Frank's daughter, Nancy, has the ultimate version. Included on the Kill Bill soundtrack.

9. Baby Got Back (Original by Sir Mix-A-Lot, covered by Richard Cheese)

Pat Boone had an album of Heavy Metal songs done in swing form, but the difference is, Richard Cheese didn't take it so seriously. (Paul Anka also had one that has some very good rock/pop songs done the Anka way.) Cheese's rendition of "Baby Got Back" is just hilarious. (His version of "Insane in the Membrane also ranks up there in my favorites.)

10. Can't Help Falling In Love (Original by Elvis Presley, covered by Bono)

I wish I could find the original version of this on YouTube, instead of "live". It comes from the Honeymoon in Vegas soundtrack and Bono sings his guts out on this song, all the while, an interview of Elvis plays quietly in the background.

11. Everybody Hurts (Original by R.E.M. covered by The Corrs)

I HATE R.E.M. If I were to list my Top Twelve Least Favorite Bands, R.E.M. would definitely make the top five. I do, however, LOVE this version of their blah song, "Everybody Hurts."

Plus the Corrs are much hotter than Michael Stipe will ever be.

12. Who Wants to Live Forever (Original by Queen, covered by Sarah Brightman)

Nobody, but nobody, can be Freddie Mercury. The way he sings this song is simply brilliant. Sarah, however, brings a different style to the song that I think Freddie would not only love, but would probably have offered to produce himself.

Things That Are Old In Movies

1. Rappin' Grannies or Any Other Person that Isn't Very Rap-Like - In The Wedding Singer, the little old lady starts rapping to the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight". The people in the theater were laughing like it was the funniest thing. EVER. It's one of the reasons why I haven't seen that movie a second time.
   
2. Swearin' Grannies - Along with the hip-hoppin' grannies, there's nothing that makes me want to turn off a movie faster than when some old lady drops the F-Bomb for a laugh.
3. Men in Drag - It wasn't funny in Some Like it Hot. It wasn't funny in Mrs. Doubtfire. And it for sure wasn't funny in Big Momma's House 1 or 2!
4. Eddie Murphy Playing Every Character - This kind of goes hand in hand with the previous entry. It was kind of cool to see Eddie play different characters in Coming to America. It was even mildly entertaining when he played the fat guy in The Nutty Professor. Now it's just old & tired and I wish people would stop hiring him in movies for this reason.
   
5. Breakdancing People &/or Animals - Unlike most people, I didn't like Shrek. Sure, it had it's moments, but it really wasn't that funny. And by the end, when the three little pigs are busting a move, I never wanted a movie to end so bad in my life.
   
6. Teen Angst Films - You know this type of movie: A horny virgin teenage nerd completely humiliates a jock with his cunning wit and is able to get the hot cheerleader babe in the end of the movie. Meanwhile the "plain" girl that wears glasses and keeps her hair in a bun the entire movie has had a crush on the horny nerd for years, but he was never able to see her for who she is until she takes off her glasses and takes her hair out of the bun, allowing her flowing locks to drape her shoulders. These movies were well covered in the 80s, so we don't need any more, thanks.
7. "Plain" Girls Portrayed as Librarians - And while we're on the topic, let's include the previously mentioned "plain" girl with the glasses and the librarian hairdo. Is anyone ever surprised when she allows her hair to fall that she's beautiful? Especially when said "plain" girl is portrayed by someone like Kate Beckinsale. (NOTE: I can't think of any movie where Kate plays that part, but most of you know that she's my movie crush, so I figured I would use her as an example.)
   
8. Men Getting Hit in the Groin - I don't know what the fascination is with directors where they have a guy get hit in the groin. Granted, I'm a guy and getting hit there is no picnic, but people don't seem to find humor in any video where a girl gets slapped in the face. What's the difference? Fortunately, this mostly happens in kid live-action movies, and I don't watch very many of those.
   
9. Burps & Farts - When I was in Scouts, there was nothing funnier than one of the kids ripping a loud one in the tent at 12:30 am. We'd all crawl deep inside our sleeping bags to save us from the stench and to cover up our laughter from the leaders. I'm 35 now. When I see a movie where a guy farts, it's just not funny. Ditto burps.
   
10. Underdog Movies - I know that we all love the underdog: Movies where the "homely" girl gets Prince Charming; or a movie where a team of misfit hockey players lasso their way to the championship; or a movie where a baseball team with a pitcher that has a crazy haircut and causes you to have the song "Wild Thing" stuck in your head for days goes against the odds and wins. That's fine, but enough of them already.
11. Using "Wild Thing", "Bad to the Bone" or "Born to be Wild" In the Movie or Trailer - Yes, this was inspired by the previous entry. And to be fair, I didn't mind it all that much in Major League. But the whole "zooming up the body to a ten-year-old kid wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses while George Thorogood is playing," is just plain overdone.
12. Unnecessary Sequels - There are some people that hate all sequels. I'm not one of those people, but I do think that some movies - good or bad - shouldn't have a sequel. For instance, Baby Geniuses didn't need a sequel. At the same time, neither did Psycho, The Exorcist or The Terminator. (NOTE: I loved T2, but it wasn't really necessary.) If the sequel doesn't tell another story, instead of just another rehashing of the original, there's no point to make it. (See also Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3, The Matrix 2 & 3, Grease 2, Superman 3 &4, The Next Karate Kid, The Sting II, Nightmare On Elm Street 2-686.)
    

Worst Christmas Songs

NOTE: This isn't a list of singers I hate. In fact, some of the artists here I usually like. I just hate their renditions of Christmas songs. In the case of Barba Streisand, I hate anything that comes out of that woman's mouth.

1. Joy to the World - Neil Diamond
   
2. Wonderful Christmas Time - Paul McCartney
   
3. Merry Christmas Baby - Bruce Springsteen
4. Happy Christmas - John Lennon
5. Deck the Halls - Mannheim Steamroller
6. The Christmas Shoes - NewSong
7. Grown-Up Christmas List - Anyone who sings it
8. Last Christmas - Wham!
9. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! - Gloria Estefan
10. It Must Have Been the Mistletoe - Barbra Streisand
11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Michael Bolton
12. Where Are You Christmas - Faith Hill (I included this on the Tayster Christmas CD the year it came out because I didn't mind it then. After playing it twenty times a day on a Top 40 radio station that same year, I'm officially over this song.)

Best Christmas Songs

1. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting...) - Nat King Cole
3. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
4. Little Saint Nick - The Muppets
5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan
6. When My Heart Finds Christmas - Harry Connick, Jr.
7. Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
8. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2
   
9. Still, Still, Still - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
10. Christmas Eve Sarajevo - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
11. Oiche Chiun (Silent Night) - Enya
12. 12 Pains of Christmas - Bob Rivers

NOTE: This is probably the most difficult list I have ever made. I love so many Christmas songs, so I'm sure I'll miss one or twenty.

Scary Movies

Since Halloween is coming, I figured I would post the twelve scariest movies I have ever seen. Some of these I haven't seen for a few years, but I'm basing it on the feelings I had the first time I saw the movie.

(In Order Of When They Come To My Mind)

1. Arachnophobia (1990) - Scariest. Movie. Ever. I'm not even kidding. I was 21 when I finally saw this film. I was dating my wife at the time and she talked me into renting it. There I was, sitting in my basement with the lights off, squeezing the hand of the woman that I was going to marry. She kept glancing at me to see if I was still breathing and then she would laugh at the fear that was on my face.

"You're so white!" she would say between giggles. "And could you let go of my hand, please? You're going to break it."

I haven't seen that movie a second time, nor will I.

2. The Shining (1980) - I was eight at the time. We had this thing called "Channel One" which was the predecessor of cable and satellite TV. My parents went out for dinner and a movie. My brothers and sister decided to watch The Shining. Since I was the youngest and had the choice of either going to bed or watching it with them, I chose the latter.

Jack Nicholson scared the crap out of me. In fact, a few years later I saw a movie trailer with Jack in it and I recognized him as the guy from The Shining. I knew nothing of the movie at the time, but I figured even with a name like Terms of Endearment, Jack played an axe-wielding psycho.

3. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - Before Freddy Krueger became a parody of himself, he was actually quite creepy. I saw this at a Halloween party when I was twelve or thirteen. There were quite a few girls at the party, so I sat next to one of them. The way I saw it, if she got scared, she was going to have to hold onto me for protection.

Well, I don't remember the exact part of this movie, but something made me jump - spilling Dr. Pepper all over my lap - and forcing out a yelp that caused the rest of the party to laugh uncontrollably. They even pushed pause on the VCR while they all laughed at my soaked pants.

I swear it was Dr. Pepper!

4. The Exorcist (1973) - We saw this as a family at the drive-in when I was seven. It was a Double Feature with The Amityville Horror (1979). We loaded up our Suburban and we drove out and waited for it to turn dark. The Amityville Horror was first. Parts of it frightened me, but it really wasn't that bad.

And then The Exorcist began. My parents were hoping that I was asleep by the time this movie started and I obliged them by pretending at first, but by the time Regan was possessed, I couldn't pretend any more.

It didn't help that my brother, Martin, told me the next day that it was actually a documentary and that everything I saw was real and that the devil takes over bodies when they are in bed.

Like I could sleep after that.

5. Blair Witch Project (1999) - I saw this on opening night with my friend, Trav. The midnight showing was sold out, so we bought tickets to the 2:00 am show. It was at this little rundown independent theater in Salt Lake.

We were the only people there not dressed in black.

The only thing I knew about this movie before standing in line was what it said on the trailer. It wasn't until one of the emo chicks in line said something about it being "fake" that I even knew that it wasn't a documentary.

I'm glad I saw this movie before all the hype because I was seriously freaked out by what wasn't seen. I would've done so much better if they showed some fake witch or something. Instead, all you hear are noises in the night and what not, all the while, I was surrounded by a bunch of goths.

Fortunately, I was doing a morning radio show at the time, so when the movie ended, I was able to go straight to work instead of going to bed.

6. Halloween (1978) - Overall, I think the Halloween series of movies are the best of the the slasher genre. With the exception of Part III, which had NOTHING to do with the first two movies, each of the Halloween films had a redeeming point. Maybe just one in some cases, but the last few Elm Streets & Friday the 13ths were just plain stupid.

I think the thing that made Michael Myers scarier than his wisecracking contemporary, Freddy, was his silence.

Quick story. Halloween IV & V were both filmed here in Utah. One night I was driving in downtown SLC and I saw a bunch of lights and cameras set up in a local park. I drove up to see what was going on and who should I see but Michael Myers.

Just standing there.

Bigger than life.

Even though I knew it was a movie set, the sight of Michael freaked me out.

7. Pet Semetary (1989) - There's nothing creepy about a cat coming back from the dead. There is, however, something very creepy about a kid coming back from the dead and killing his loved ones. This is probably one of the best book-to-movie adaptations from Stephen King's horror library. (Key word is "horror". Shawshank, Green Mile and Stand by Me are some of the best adapted, but they are not horror.)

8. Nosferatu (1922) - I don't know what it is with silent bad guys - see Halloween above - but they creep me out more than their talking counterparts. Nosferatu is one of the best vampire movies out there. Max Schrek's Orlok looks nothing like Bela Lugosi's Dracula that is synonymous with "vampire". Orlok is much freakier, with the long fingers and the pointed ears.

The first time I saw this movie - coincidentally with my brother, Martin - I had nightmares for weeks.

In fact, at least once a month or so, I have a recurring nightmare where I'm hiding with my oldest daughter in a basement from one of my childhood friends and Nosferatu is coming down the hall looking for us.

Funny how the mind works.

9. Jurassic Park (1993) - I know that this movie seems out of place on a list filled with vampires, slashers and living dead, but the simple fact of the matter is, this movie scared me soooooo bad. I had just returned from a mission in Chile. I had never heard of this book and this was before the internet was what it is today, so I didn't know anything of the story. All I knew was that it was about dinosaurs.

I expected to go see a movie filled with claymation dinosaurs - although I knew that they would be better quality claymation than dinosaur movies of the past.

What I saw instead was a movie with real dinosaurs!

The first time T-Rex came out and roared, I thought I was going to wet myself.

10. Alien (1979) - I'm starting to see a trend here. This is a movie that my brother, Martin, had me watch with him when it was on Channel One. I figured, "How scary could it be? E.T. was an alien and he turned out nice."

Holy schnikes! Was I ever wrong.

A few days after watching this movie, Martin played a trick on me while we were eating breakfast. He had slipped his left arm into his shirt and while he was eating his Froot Loops, he punched his shirt at chest level so it'd look like an alien was going to bust out of his chest.

Now do you wonder why I turned out like I did?

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Scream (1996) - I went to see this one opening night with my friend, Trav. We are both movie junkies - and I especially love a good horror film - so we were excited to see it.

I loved that they made reference to other horror films and mocked the way horror films follow a certain formula.

Overall, this movie wasn't really scary, but the opening sequence starring Drew Barrymore was, in my opinion, one of the greatest openings of any movie. (Right up there with Raiders of the Lost Ark.)

Most horror movies make you sit through 45 minutes of dialogue and back story before they decide to kill someone. And even then, it usually someone that is not a "household name" like Drew Barrymore.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) - Guess who I watched this movie with? Yep, Martin.

When I watch this movie today, it doesn't really scare me. But the first time I saw this film, I had zombies on my mind for weeks. This was the movie that made me fascinated with zombies and which led me to watching other zombie films like Evil Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead and Dead Alive.

Invented Bands

This is a tough list to make. Let me rephrase that. This is a tough list to name. Basically they are bands that were invented - or created - for a TV show or movie. (And, in one instance, a comic strip.)

A few of these did go on to become real bands, in the sense that they had albums and concerts and such.

I know it doesn't make sense, but you'll see what I mean.

NOTE: I have excluded The Monkees from this list because they actually became a real group with real albums and real fans.

That and I really don't like the Monkees.

1. Spinal Tap

This is the one that everyone else strives to be. The self-proclaimed "Loudest Band in the World" is a band that was created for a 1984 movie called This Is Spinal Tap. Since then, they have released some CDs, done some touring and even appeared on "The Simpsons".

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2. The Commitments

Some may argue the placement of this band on this list, but the simple fact of the matter is, they were a band invented by an author (Roddy Doyle) and then later put together for a movie directed by Alan Parker. That doesn't change the fact that they are the greatest soul band to come out of Ireland. ("All the great sixties bands were 'The Somethings'.") You can't listen to Deco Cuffe (Andrew Strong) and not be moved emotionally by the power of his voice. (It's hard to believe that he was only 16 when this movie was made, according to the DVD sleeve.)


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3. The Wonders (One-Ders)
So many people love Tom Hanks for Forrest Gump or Philadelphia, yet I rarely hear people give credit to Tom for this movie and more importantly, this group. Tom wrote & directed That Thing You Do!, a story about a Beatles-esque band that made it big. This was a tough one to include because while the actors did actually spend time practicing instruments and singing, a lot of it came from other musicians. The main reason I decided to include them is because the title track is so catchy.


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4. Soggy Bottom Boys

This fits in the same category as The Wonders. George Clooney didn't really sing the songs that were associated with the Soggy Bottom Boys. (That credit goes to Union Station's Dan Tyminski.) Still, the overall excitement of the crowd at their performance during the governor's speech is worthy of mentioning.


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5. The Be Sharps

This band was formed in the city of Springfield. The members of this band include Homer Simpson, Barney Gumble, Seymour Skinner and Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. (Chief Wiggum was almost a part of it, but he was too "Village People".)

For me, the most amazing part of The Be Sharps is the fact that the song is being sung in character and yet the harmony is incredible.


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6. Mitch & Mickey

The movie A Mighty Wind has some great faux bands in it, but the songs performed by Mitch (Eugene Levy) & Mickey (Catherine O'Hara) stand out from the rest. When they performed this at the Oscars, I about cried.


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7. Deathtongue (Billy & The Boingers)

This comes from the comic strip, "Bloom County", about the time that Tipper Gore was trying to ban all "evil music". Up steps Berkeley Breathed with his fictitious band, Deathtongue, a heavy metal group featuring Bill the Cat (Singer/Lead Tongue), Opus (Rhythm Tuba) and Hodge-Podge (Drums). With such songs as "Skateboarding for Satan" and "Guillotine Your Parents", they went straight to the jugular of Tipper. Later, after being named, the band was forced to tone down their music and they changed their names to Billy and the Boingers (a reference to the 80's group, Billy Vera and the Beaters.)

Classic stuff.


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8. Crucial Taunt

From the movie Wayne's World, this band featured lead vocals of Cassandra, played by Tia Carrere. ("She's a fox. In French she would be called 'la renarde' and she would be hunted with only her cunning to protect her.") From their covers of Hendrix's "Fire", Private Life's "Touch Me" and Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz", Crucial Taunt wailed. Double live gonzo! Live at Budokan.


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9. The Rutles

Created in 1978 by Monty Python alum Eric Idle, The Rutles are a Beatles parody band that do the Beatles almost as good as The Beatles themselves. Quick story about how good these guys are. Back when the Beatles released their Anthology albums, I listened to all the "new" music as much as everyone else. At about the same time, I received a single for the Rutles "Shangri-La". I was listening to it at my house and my wife said, "I've never heard this Beatles song. I like it."

I told her it was the Rutles and she didn't believe me.


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10. Tenacious D

This comes from AllMusic:

Few people would imagine that two chunky guys bashing on acoustic guitars, singing songs like a tribute to the greatest song in the world (because they forgot how the greatest song in the world went after conquering the Devil with it) became one of the biggest cult bands of the late '90s and 2000s.

Jack Black & Kyle Gass did just that. The first time I heard Jack Black sing was on High Fidelity. After the movie, my friend, Thom, told me that I needed to check out some Tenacious D. I did and I loved them.


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11. The Blues Brothers

Joliet "Jake" Blues and his brother, Elwood, were on a mission from God.

I debated whether I should include this band, created for Saturday Night Live by John Belushi & Dan Aykroyd. The Blue Brothers, after all, sold millions of records, sold out concerts and even had their own movie. I decided even with all of that, they should be included because, well, it's my list.



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12. Dr. Teeth and Electric Mayhem

The creation of all-around genius, Jim Henson, this band was led by Dr. Teeth on piano and it featured Janice on guitar, Floyd on bass, Zoot..."sax is his axe" and the wildest drummer ever, Animal.

The current crop of "punk" bands that invade our radios don't have half the talent as this band of Muppets.

Hamburgers

NOTE: This is not a list of the best hamburgers in the world. They are the best hamburgers that I have personally eaten.

(In no particular order)

1. The Works (Fuddruckers) - Bacon, mushrooms & American cheese on top of a third of a pound of beef - cooked to your liking - all wrapped up in the best hamburger bun ever made. Add your own toppings and you have the perfect burger from a franchise restaurant. It's a little more expensive than your typical fast food hamburger, but if I knew I was dying tomorrow, this would be my final meal, along with their fries and a nice cold Dr. Pepper.
2. Hamburger (Dick's Drive Inn) - Out near the booming metropolis of Kamas, Utah there's a little burger place called Dick's Drive Inn. I don't think they have a special name for their burger, we always just call it a Dick burger. (Trust me, they've heard all the jokes.) It is one of the best burgers you will ever eat. Make sure you get yourself some fries and a shake, you will not be disappointed. (And the price will not disappoint either.)
3. Big H (Hire's) - There's a thing here in Utah called "Fry Sauce". Basically, it's ketchup & mayonnaise mixed together, but the two things together make an awesome sauce for your fries or onion rings. Fry Sauce is the thing that sets the Big H apart from other burgers. Well, that and the bun, which is baked fresh daily. Add a nice frosty mug of Hire's Root Beer and a large order of onion rings and you have yourself a great meal, all delivered to your car from the friendly carhops.
4. Jalapeño Burger (Carl's Jr.) - If you like your burger to bite back, this is the burger for you. Jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, onion, tomato with a spicy Santa Fe sauce. Not eye-watering hot, but those of you with "Gringo Tongue" should avoid this. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
5. Garlic Burger (Busy Bee) - I know that some people out there will argue that Cotton Bottom has a better garlic burger - and it is pretty tasty - but the Busy Bee has something that the Cotton Bottom doesn't: Texas Toast. There's something amazing about two odorous burger patties being served between two thick slices of toast. Plus, the Busy Bee has fries. You can only get chips at the Cotton Bottom and since I'm a burger & fry guy, I'll stick to the Bee.
6. Pepper Jack Bacon Cheeseburger (Wendy's) - I should tell you that this burger no longer exists on the Wendy's menu, but it left such a lasting impression on me that I have to include it on this list. I mean, it has bacon - which is one of the main ingredients on a lot of the burgers listed here. Then you have the finest (in my opinion) cheese in the world, pepper jack. Add to that the freshness of Wendy's burgers and you have a nice little burger that made Dave Thomas a genius in my book.
7. The Baconator (Wendy's) - I tried not to put more than one burger per restaurant, but since the Pepper Jack Bacon is no longer served, I figured I should give Wendy's props for their newest burger. Six strips of bacon on top of a half a pound of burger. This is the hamburger your doctor warned you about.
8. Blue Bacon Burger (Training Table) - Bacon and blue cheese dressing top this amazingly messy hamburger. Don't forget the order of cheese fries and dipping sauce. And lots of napkins.
9. Sourdough Jack (Jack in the Box) - We don't have a Jack in the Box here in Salt Lake. The closest one is in St. George, Utah. Fortunately, my parents live in St. George, so I make sure to stop at Jack every time I visit. A sourdough bun is an added bonus to an already tasty burger. Even my wife, who isn't a hamburger fan, finds this one tastier than most.
10. Double-Double (In-N-Out) - The nearest In-N-Out is in Las Vegas, Nevada, so I don't get to eat there as much as I would like. When I get the opportunity, however, I get myself a nice Double-Double with cheese and onions. It's probably the freshest fast food burger you're ever going to eat.
11. Fat Boy (Ab's Drive-In) - Ab's has been around the Salt Lake Valley since 1951 and there's a reason for that. They have quality food. The Fat Boy has two patties, cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a special relish sauce. It's made fresh. In fact, you won't even see a heat lamp in Ab's. Great shakes and hand cut fries, too.
12. Crown Burger (Crown Burger) - Imagine a flame-broiled hamburger covered with a huge mound of pastrami. This is the often imitated, never duplicated Crown Burger.