Cover songs that are BETTER than the original

[Anaxamander]

I vote for Marilyn Manson's "Sweet Dreams."

[Guy_Montag]

1. Stairway to Heavan

by Rolf Harris :evilgrin:

[ironflange]

49. I was gonna say that!

Don't laugh, his take on that song is brilliant!

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
All together now!
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.

[blondeatlast]

2. Respect by Aretha Franklin

Tough one to beat, as the original was done by Wilson Pickett.

But she did it and it mader her a legend.

[MissMillie]

3. I thought the original

was by Otis Redding?

[mark0rama]

6. Redding wrote it.

But I don't know whose recording was released and/or charted first.

[blondeatlast]

28. My mistake--it was Otis Redding.

It's raining here in Phoenix, and it affects the dye job!

[MissMillie]

4. Red Red Wine

by UB40, the original being by Neil Diamond

[mirandaod]

5. Midnight Train to Georgia by the Indigo Girls.

I heard even Gladys Knight likes their version.

[thestatusquo]

50. yes!

I love that cover!

[chaska]

54. BLASPHEMY!!!! Gladys is queen of the universe.

[mirandaod]

57. Now, now....

No disrespect intended to Gladys. I like her original, as well. But I still think the Indogo Girls' version rocks.

[lefty_mcduff]

7. Soft Cell - Tainted Love

Originally by soul singer Gloria Jones (back-up singer for Marc Bolan and T-Rex)

Soft Cell - Where did our love go
Duran Duran - White Lines
Korn - Word Up
ATF - Der Kommisar (I think Falco was the original version)
Sex Pistols - My Way
Siouxie and the Banshees - The Passenger

Woah - stuck in the 80s or what?

[cspiguy]

8. Pat Benetar "I need a lover who won't drive me crazy"

n/t

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. Okay, I'm old, but

Janis Joplin's version of Kris Kristoffersen's "Me and Bobby McGee."

(All the youngest DUers are going, "Who? Who?") :-)

[China_cat]

14. Janis Joplin's version of Kris Kristoffersen's "Me and Bobby McGee."

ONLY version as far as I'm concerned.

[DancingBear]

17. You ain't old, kiddo

Just very wise. :)

BTW, have you seen the movie "Festival Express"? I am not a big movie goer. but the performances of Joplin/Full Tilt Boogie (from 1970) will make your jaw drop.

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. Bobby Bare does it the best IMO!

"Me and Bobby McGee" that is. :hi:

[Heyo]

10. Brown Eyed Girl..

.. by Pennywise..

:dunce:

Heyo

on edit: Concrete Blonde... "Shout, shout" :thumbsup:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. tori amos' cover of slayer by eminem

terrifying and wonderful

[gnofg]

16. Jefferson airplane

Jefferson airplane did a great version of crosby,stills and Nash's wooden ships.

[China_cat]

12. Johnny Cash's cover

of Hurt.

[Anaxamander]

27. I love you

I totally forgot about that, but you're right on the money. I get chills every time I hear his version of Hurt.

[jayfish]

56. Or "Rusty Cage".

I smile every time I think of it.

Jay

[DelawareValleyDem]

73. Long Black Veil

another great Johnny Cash cover

[DelawareValleyDem]

13. Little Wing

Derek & the Dominoes

[gnofg]

20. Hendrix

Jimi Hendrisx's version of All Along the Watchtower

[chenGOD]

22. Blasphemer!!! I cast thee out!!!!

And anyways the SRV cover of Little Wing is better than the Derek and the Dominoes cover...

[ProfessorGAC]

23. I'm With Ya!

I like that version better too. I think Bobby Whitock sings the daylights out of that version, and the two completely different guitar styles are excellently blended.
The Professor

[DelawareValleyDem]

25. Whitlock very underrated

very talented singer, songwriter, and guitarist/keyboardist

[chenGOD]

15. Killdozer's cover of Unbelievable...

is the best thing ever.

[asthmaticeog]

30. FUCK YEAH!

I have that 7" - it's on the flip of "The Pig Was Cool." It's one of my most cherished records.

[CO Liberal]

18. Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (1969)

Much better than Gladys Knight's 1968 version.

(Trivia - Marvin Gaye's version was actually recorded first, but Motown decided to release Gladys Knight's version ahead of Marvin's.)

[CO Liberal]

21. The Duprees' "You Belong To Me" (1962)

Better than Jo Staffords' 1952 version.

[ProfessorGAC]

24. All Along The Watchtower

Both the Hendrix and Dave Mason versions are far better than any version by Dylan i've heard.
The Professor

[Crankie Avalon]

26. "I Fought the Law"

Originally done by the Crickets, perhaps most famously done by the Bobby Fuller Four, but best of all by the Clash.

(Incidentally, to the person who said the Sex Pistols covered "My Way," that was actually Sid Vicious, solo.)

[JimmyJazz]

29. I Fought the Law - I was just about to post that!

Sonny Curtis

[Crankie Avalon]

33. Cheers!

:toast:

A lot of people have covered it:http://taco.com/roots/law.html

[JimmyJazz]

43. I have a sudden urge to watch Rude Boy now - thanks n/t

[Crankie Avalon]

45. WAITAMINUTE!!!!...

...YOU STILL HAVE A COPY OF THAT???

I'm sooooo jealous. I lost mine almost 10 years ago during a move. Why it isn't re-released on DVD, I have no idea...

All the concert scenes were fantastic..."C-O-N (see you in) Control!"

[JimmyJazz]

46. Do you have Essential on DVD? That has I Fought the Law

from Rude Boy. BTW - don't both with the Vanilla Tapes if you haven't already - total waste of time and money - WAY TOO MUCH Kosmo Vinyl - Belch

And, of course I have a copy of Rude Boy. I also have Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains! oh, and Mystery Train - freak that I am...

[Cat Atomic]

61. Social Distortion's "I Fought the Law"... and while they can't touch

Johnny Cash, I liked their version of Ring of Fire pretty good, too.

[PSU84]

31. "Good Lovin'"

Grateful Dead version is much better than the original

[asthmaticeog]

32. Devo. "Satisfaction." 'Nuff said.

[ProfessorGAC]

40. Wish I Had Thought Of That One

The Professor

[ProfessorGAC]

41. Another One - "You Really Got Me" by Oingo Boingo

The Professor

[PSU84]

34. Every cover that the Beatles did

was better than the original - including their covers of Chuck Berry tunes.

[ProfessorGAC]

42. How Hard Would That Be?

I mean you're talking about Chuck Berry. The Beatles couldn't DO a song worse than Berry.
The Professor

[Skittles]

35. not really better

but I LOVED MRS. ROBINSON by - who was it - Lemon Heads?

[patcox2]

37. No, it was better, possibly best cover ever, The Lemonheads

You got it.

[patcox2]

38. Cum on Feel the Noyze, beleive it or not (I hate hair bands)

Even though I hate twisted sister-type bands, that version was great.

[derbstyron]

36. Downtown by Mary Chapin Carpenter

I heard it in concert and I believe its available on a CD single. I was never particularly fond of the song but she made it enchanting and haunting - Like many of her own songs, come to think of it.

[freestyle]

39. Phyllis Hyman's version of Betcha By Golly Wow

is a bit better than the Stylistics. Patti Labelle took Over the Rainbow over the top. Sinead O'Connor's version of Nothing Compares to You is better than Rosie Gaines. That's just a few.

[RivetJoint]

44. Lenny Kravitz "American Woman"

Sheryl Crow "The First Cut is the Deepest"
No Doubt "It's My Life"

[Tom_Foolery]

47. Son of a Preacher Man by Joan Osborne. n/t

[Patiod]

48. Gary Jules "Mad World" & Izzy's "Wonderful World"

Gary Jules redid Tears for Fears' "Mad World" for the movie Donnie Darko, and it was absolutely haunting.

Israel Kamakawiwo`ole did a falsetto/ukelele song that combined "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World". Gave me chills the first time I heard it on NPR. (Friends were in Hawaii during his funeral, and said the whole state shut down that day - they took this as an indication that they should check out his music)

[ironflange]

51. "Venus" by Bananarama

Actually, their take on the song isn't any better than Shocking Blue's, but the video for it puts Bananarama over the top.

[thestatusquo]

52. Sexual healing by Ben Harper

Not better, but as good as. Plus I can play this version on my guitar :)

[Willy Lee]

53. Hank III doing "Cocaine Blues"

Original by Johnny Cash.
They're both good but I like Hank IIIs better

[Rambis]

55. Desolation Row Bobby Weir version

xxx

[DubyaSux]

58. Skid Row

They had a few (I particuraly like their version of Little Wing), but "Cat's In The Cradle" is WAY better than Harry Chapin's.

[FunBobbyMucha]

59. Gipsy Kings' "Hotel California" captures the intrigue and menace

of those lyrics that the white boys couldn't get close to.

And Willie's version of "Always on my mind" beats the shit outta Elvis'. As does Junior Brown's version of "RockaHula Baby."

[Cat Atomic]

60. I was going to say Marilyn Manson, too. But for "Personal Jesus".

:D

[Anaxamander]

64. Yeah, I also love Manson's rendition of

"I Put a Spell on You" and "Golden Years" as much as the originals.

[GreenPartyVoter]

62. Supremes did great with 'Keep me hanging on" but Vanilla Fudge

really funked it up.

[hiphopnation]

63. Bjork's version of "Like Someone In Love"

:loveya:

[Glenda]

65. Pearl Jam: Last Kiss

This was the MOST ANNOYING song in the 70s - or was it before that? But Pearl Jam's version has an edge to it. Didn't they sing it just for fun/warmup, and someone told them to record it?

[bloodyjack]

66. Head On, as covered by the Pixies

of course I'm right

[bikebloke]

67. Lenigrad Cowboys

Their versions of:

Born to Be Wild
Sweet Home Alabama
Those Were the Days

[Glenda]

68. Cheryl Crow: First Cut is the Deepest

I never liked Rod Stewart's version.

[hiphopnation]

69. David Bowie's version

of "God Only Knows" wasn't bad and his version of "Wild is the Wind".

Sting's Version of "Little Wing" with the Gil Evans Orchestra was pretty hip too. Hiram Bullock on guitar.

[tsakshaug]

70. The Gourds

Gin & Juice

[tsakshaug]

71. Bonnie Raitt

Angel from Montgomery.
I like John Prine, but having him sing "I am an old woman..."
just ain't right

[getoffmytrain]

72. Here's a few:

All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix (kills Bob's version)

Knocking on Heaven's Door by Eric Clapton (kills Bob's version)

Bob sucks! :-)

[Modem Butterfly]

74. Warren Zevon's version of "Knocking on Heaven's Door"

It's on his last album, "The Wind". He was dying of lung cancer at the time, and his voice has a different, more frail quality. It gives the song a nicely creepy edge.

[troublemaker]

75. Voice of the Beehive: I Think I Love You

[Modem Butterfly]

76. Tainted Love by Soft Cell

I can't believe no one listed that first!

Also, the remake of the remake of Tainted Love by This Mortal Coil. Very Halloween!

REM's cover of "You Pale Blue Eyes" originally by The New York Dolls is terrific.

Also, Nirvana's version of Led Belly's "Tell Me Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" on the Live MTV verion is amazing. Also on the same album is a cover of The Meat Puppet's "Jesus Doesn't Want me For A Sunbeam" shouldn't be missed. Hell, that whole album is great.

[JimmyJazz]

77. I just heard Springsteen's live version of "WAR" - Wow

that was great! I don't know about "better" than the original, but I wouldn't mind hearing it a few more times.

[Spirochete]

78. Every Picture Tells a Story

by the Georgia Satellites