I listen to songs like this and wonder where all the good songs are nowadays. Your version was very nice and I certainly enjoyed listening to it (twice). I liked the verbed drums coming in, the gtr parts, the singing, drum sound.. I liked pretty much of it all.
I am in agreement that if you backed the effects off the intro vocals by 50% and left as is during the song, you would probably be ok.
A great choice to cover, and when the song kicks in, it kicks in. Great job Scott.
.... I can understand "playing around" with the HH, doing something different in the intro.. probably would work too. How far you stray away, and how well you do it, would be the issue, of course. I mean, I suppose I could even hear a rauchy B3 in there somewhere with your "down and out' power sound that you get, but no need to get completely wacky, I suppose!