Original V covers - where the cover is better!…

poopot

We’ve prolly done this before… but what the heck…

songs where the cover version is a belter and overshadows the original!…

my three:

“Maybe I’m amazed” McCartney v Faces

the original is great but the faces version surpasses it for me… Ronnie lane with the sublime vocal on the opening then Rod comes over the top and smashes it!!!! Have to feel a bit sorry for Lane on that one!…


“Respect” Otis v Aretha

Otis is all “woman you better make me a bloody sandwich” and Aretha comes back with “oh really?” Aretha takes that one for me just for the sass alone!

“Comfy numb” - pink floyd v scissor sisters…

one is a great track that makes you feel emotions like no other song, it literally makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck… the other is a dirge by pink floyd…

Tannin

Manfred Mann v Dylan (at least one example, probably several)

Steve 'n Seagulls v ACDC or Metallica or various others




Anyone at all v Springsteen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcWVL4B-4pI

Jonathangus

Blondie - The Tide is High and Denis.

Johnny Cash - Hurt.

GoldenEraGuitars

Street fighting man Oasis vs Rolling Stones

Love the oasis version, I remember hearing it the first time when I was in my teens and I had no idea it was a cover until I discovered the Stones.
 
Whiskey in the jar - metallica vs thin lizzy

Not being a thin lizzy fan I don’t think it’s too hard to better the original. Sounds massive.


Turn the page - metallica vs seger 

Another one from Garage Inc, loved learning this and playing it when I was younger. 

springhead

All Along The Watchtower, I think even Dylan said he preferred Jimi's version.

Cols

Most of Zeppelin’s first album ;P

As All Along The Watchtower has already been taken, I’ll put forward another Dylan number - Rage Against The Machine’s cover of Maggie’s Farm

https://youtu.be/q3euAfNhuR4 

I’m not sure if it counts as a cover when you’ve still got half the band there, but Page and Plant’s version of Kashmir with the full Egyptian orchestra outdoes the Led Zep original.

https://youtu.be/bzEYNsFC2gE 

And then there’s Hey Joe, which is so iconically Jimi that many don’t realise it’s a cover.

https://youtu.be/fe82eYRjiBU 

Neill

Actually whenever this question comes up I can think of loads of songs that have been murdered by bands attempting to put their own slant on things, the Tourists version of the Dusty Springfield classic "I only want to be with you" always springs to mind.  

But Barbra Streisand's cover Laura Nyro's "Stoney End" is one of my desert island discs.

rlw

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Street fighting man Oasis vs Rolling Stones

Love the oasis version, I remember hearing it the first time when I was in my teens and I had no idea it was a cover until I discovered the Stones.
 

Madness.  (Not the band)

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

I think the real test is whether people are even aware that the song is a cover. There are some songs where the cover is so popular or synonymous with the artist that most people don't even know it's a cover.

All Along The Watchtower is an obvious example.

Another would be Have Love, Will Travel . Everyone knows it as a great track by The Sonics, but I bet 95%+ of people don't know it's a cover of an old Richard Berry song...

Musicwolf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6VcYdVEbLs

poopot

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

I think the real test is whether people are even aware that the song is a cover. There are some songs where the cover is so popular or synonymous with the artist that most people don't even know it's a cover.

This is very true…

most people don’t realise “I think we’re alone now” by Tiffany was in fact a cover of the track written by  Ritchie cordell and released by Tommy James and the shondells!…

GoldenEraGuitars

rlw said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Street fighting man Oasis vs Rolling Stones

Love the oasis version, I remember hearing it the first time when I was in my teens and I had no idea it was a cover until I discovered the Stones.
 

Madness.  (Not the band)

If we all liked the same thing the world would be a boring place!

scrumhalf

The Stones' covers of Not Fade Away and I Wanna Be Your Man are better than the originals.

Hendrix's cover of Come On is better than Earl King's original.

Reverend

Whiskey im the jar  really highlights Lars' weakness

prowla

The of-course one is Nilsson's "Without You" vs Badfinger's original.

Mariah Carey murdered it, but the classic "Ken Lee" version was a great interpretation.

FelineGuitars

Judas Priest did a couple of note 

Green Manalishi - the old Fleetwood mac tune

Diamonds and Rust - Joan Baez

Neither are "better" than the original but and good interpretations

Dominic

Word Up
Cameo v Korn

Dominic

In a Broken Dream
Python Lee Jackson v Thunder
-when we did this as a Band I was much more inclined to cover the Thunder version which I prefer ...unfortunately the others preferred the Rod original 

ICBM

Jonathangus said:

Blondie - The Tide is High and Denis.

Hanging On The Telephone is even better.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

I think the real test is whether people are even aware that the song is a cover. There are some songs where the cover is so popular or synonymous with the artist that most people don't even know it's a cover.

koneguitarist

ICBM said:

Jonathangus said:

Blondie - The Tide is High and Denis.

Hanging On The Telephone is even better.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

I think the real test is whether people are even aware that the song is a cover. There are some songs where the cover is so popular or synonymous with the artist that most people don't even know it's a cover.

Yep agree with last bit, Rocking all over the World, hardly anyone knows it’s a John Fogerty song. 

Musicwolf

Dominic said:

Word Up
Cameo v Korn

My favourite version is by The BossHoss, as featured in the second Kingsman film.