Cover versions which are better than the original

[Black-C5]

Spiderbait's version of Black Betty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU1VfYYKMDk

Genius.

[Ste1987]

A metal band doing an album of Star Wars soundtrack covers, anyone?

https://www.facebook.com/galacticempireofficial/?f...

[chemistry]

Leo Moracchioli's cover of Adele's 'Hello'

https://youtu.be/LtQUJMBH8uE

[LaurasOtherHalf]

marcosgt said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

An interesting one and quite current as I've just been discussing on the George Michael RIP Thread but I thought I'd post it here to see what everyone else thought. I've made no bones about it, I've always rated GM and his talents but I think this, if certainly not his best song (it's a cover after all) shows what the man could bring to the table.

The original is Terrence Trent D'Arby's "Let Her Down Easy", a great song in it's own right but a great vocalist too;
https://youtu.be/LmobsqVKJu8

All well and good. Now listen to George's version, in fact try a live version of it;
https://youtu.be/xJ8DeurBHwo

I'm sure many weren't fans of his, but I think that's a pretty good example of his talents.

I've always admired George Michael's singing (hell, I'll admit to liking the throwaway fun pop that was Wham Rap! ) and he does a good job of covering that, but I hadn't realised it was Trent D'Arby's song and I think the original blows Michael's cover into the weeds...

And I guess the wonderful thing about music is we can both be right eh?


(even if you're wrong )

[marcosgt]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

And I guess the wonderful thing about music is we can both be right eh?

(even if you're wrong )

Of course we can both be right, but in this case, you're not

I was listening to Billy Joel on Sunday and realised that, whilst I like his original version of "Just The Way You Are", it really is a song that suits Barry White's voice so well that I always think of his as the original!

M

[Digby]

Ruby Tuesday - Melanie - 1978.

Dumps on the original if you ask me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeriaOFX6fA

[suthol]

Not sure that it's better but it sure is different

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58SiGKT7_xs

[Zad]

I have a couple of "can't quite decides". Some days I prefer the original, other days I like the cover... Sadly, there isn't a thread for that, so choose for yourselves.

Those of you around in the 80s, or those who played GTA Vice City, will know Animotion's classic DX7 FM synth+guitar track "Obsession"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdnzSLYBHbo

I didn't realise until recently, that this wasn't the original. That was written and recorded by Michael Des Barres and Holly Knight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsshGtZZpjU



In 2002 DB Boulevard had a 1-hit wonder with "Point of View"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVWTS2AsaSk

Which, it turns out, used the track "Heatwave" by Phoenix, recorded in 1999. (Nice timelapse video in this one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I88KiRG5wXU


Maybe sometimes you just have to treat them as separate tracks I guess. Good in their own way. Which, I suppose, is the point of good cover versions!

[Dr Jekyll]

Not exactly better than the original, but works surprisingly well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY4n324Uk80

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Two crackers there Zad, I didn't know about either. With obsession I think I definitely prefer the cover version! Which tv show used it again-clothes show maybe?

The DB Boulevard/Phoenix one is more difficult. I do like the vocal but the original makes for a very different sounding soung, I didn't know Phoenix did it.

[gazza285]

Boogie Pimps, Don't You Want Somebody To Love.

But only if you watch the video at the same time.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t6HSlZBNwUQ


As for How Soon Is Now, which has been mentioned before, I do like the version by Snake River Conspiracy, although the video is garbage.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cSJP38VBbBw

[Morningside]

Dear Prudence - Siouxsie and the Banshees

[ou sont les biscuits]

This version of 'While my Guitar Gently Weeps', Prince, Petty, Winwood, Lynne and a couple of others you might recognise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y

And this version of 'I heard it through the grapevine' Creedence Clearwater Revival.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93S_l0qZrXA

[Zad]

I seem to remember that the Clothes Show used a remix of a Pet Shop Boys track. Wikipedia says Obsession was used in a Canadian show called FT - Fashion Television, so it was possibly that. I won't inflict the Sugababes version on people, it only exists to make the others look good.

[NelsonM3]

Always been impressed by Lindsey Buckinghams cover of Here Comes the Sun;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg8xaRADDa4

Tom Petty covering Friend of the Devil;

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

[Mr Snrub]

Corey Taylor covering Dio's Rainbow in the Dark is pretty good


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az0oBjRnV5c&in...

[vetrof]

ViperPict said:

A copy of the original is a waste of time as a cover I think. A good cover should present the song differently. The Disturbed version of this song certainly ticks that box.

It's certainly different, for me it doesn't meet the criteria of the thread title.

[CanAm]

ou sont les biscuits said:

And this version of 'I heard it through the grapevine' Creedence Clearwater Revival.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93S_l0qZrXA

A good nine minutes long. Excellent stuff.

[S47]

The Outlaws - [Ghost] Riders in the sky - a 3 lead guitar riffing blast, makes the original sound rather weedy

[CanAm]

S47 said:

The Outlaws - (Ghost) Riders in the sky - a 3 lead guitar riffing blast, makes the original sound rather weedy

A Definite +1 from me.

Edited by CanAm on Sunday 19th February 12:57 to change S47's square brackets into round ones so the quote works properly!

Edited by CanAm on Sunday 19th February 13:02