Fishbone has always been a favorite, especially in my high school/early college years.  They were one of the very first (if not THE very first) bands I ever saw live, and they were astoundingly good.  They were once referred to as "tighter than a mosquito's ass live", and if I'm quoting correctly, whoever said that had it spot on.

Their 1988 album Truth and Soul includes a terrific rendition of the Curtis Mayfield classic "Freddie's Dead."

Click here to watch the video for "Freddie's Dead" on YouTube, with some interview footage thrown in.

This is part of a week-long series on cover songs.