It's the small percentage of stuff that stands the test of time that gives an illusion that songwriters back in "X" were "much better than they are today"

How true! I'm currently ploughing through an archive of around 5,000 pieces of sheet music covering roughly from the 1880s to the early 1960s, once the property of a local, professional pianist. It's a fascinating collection, full of neither-here-nor-there material until, every so often, a title comes along which makes you sit up and take note. And, like today, there were trends which caught on, hits which generated countless less worthy soundalikes. Acres of dross, but with some wonderful songs and tunes scattered throughout.

As for covers, Bonnie Raitt and the Blind Boys of Alabama do a wicked version of Richard Thompson's "When The Spell Is Broken", REM do a wicked version of his "Wall Of Death", and June Tabor does a stunning version of "Strange Affair". 'Nuff said.