-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Covers better than the original
- Thread starter JehutyRunner
- Start date
- Status
Sign of The Gypsy Queen - April Wine Original - Lorence Hud
Stay With Me - Def Leppard Original - Faces
Stay With Me - Def Leppard Original - Faces
I prefer the Orgy cover of Blue Monday to the original, but I still really like the original and would be hard pressed to call it "better". It just scratches a different itch for me.
Anyway, here's my list. I had to stop after a while because I kept thinking of others... I linked the cover and then listed the artist and linked the original as well for people to compare.
10,000 Maniacs - "Because the Night" (Patti Smith Group)
The Bangles - "A Hazy Shade of Winter" (Simon & Garfunkel)
The Baseballs - "Umbrella" (Rihanna)
Club Nouveau - "Lean on Me" (Bill Withers)
Cream - "Crossroads" (Robert Johnson)
The Creepshow - "Halloween" (The Misfits)
Elvis Presley - "Suspicious Minds" (Mark James - the original's good but slower tempo)
Fine Young Cannibals - "Suspicious Minds" (Mark James - vocal will be hit or miss for people, but I prefer it to Elvis' too)
The Fugees - "Killing Me Softly" (Roberta Flack)
Juice Newton - "Angel of the Morning" (Merilee Rush & The Turnabouts)
Junkie XL w/ Lauren Rocket - "Cities in Dust" (Siouxsie and the Banshees - love the original, though)
k.d. lang - "Hallelujah (Live in Vancouver)" (Leonard Cohen)
Nazareth - "This Flight Tonight" (Joni Mitchell)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Higher Ground" (Stevie Wonder)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Dear Prudence" (The Beatles)
Walk Off the Earth - "Can't Feel My Face" (The Weeknd)
I like the originals for most of these, too. Lots of good ones.
TIL The Baseballs did a Martin Solveig cover. Neat.
Edit:
Oooh this is a really good one I forgot.
Anyway, here's my list. I had to stop after a while because I kept thinking of others... I linked the cover and then listed the artist and linked the original as well for people to compare.
10,000 Maniacs - "Because the Night" (Patti Smith Group)
The Bangles - "A Hazy Shade of Winter" (Simon & Garfunkel)
The Baseballs - "Umbrella" (Rihanna)
Club Nouveau - "Lean on Me" (Bill Withers)
Cream - "Crossroads" (Robert Johnson)
The Creepshow - "Halloween" (The Misfits)
Elvis Presley - "Suspicious Minds" (Mark James - the original's good but slower tempo)
Fine Young Cannibals - "Suspicious Minds" (Mark James - vocal will be hit or miss for people, but I prefer it to Elvis' too)
The Fugees - "Killing Me Softly" (Roberta Flack)
Juice Newton - "Angel of the Morning" (Merilee Rush & The Turnabouts)
Junkie XL w/ Lauren Rocket - "Cities in Dust" (Siouxsie and the Banshees - love the original, though)
k.d. lang - "Hallelujah (Live in Vancouver)" (Leonard Cohen)
Nazareth - "This Flight Tonight" (Joni Mitchell)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Higher Ground" (Stevie Wonder)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Dear Prudence" (The Beatles)
Walk Off the Earth - "Can't Feel My Face" (The Weeknd)
I like the originals for most of these, too. Lots of good ones.
TIL The Baseballs did a Martin Solveig cover. Neat.
Edit:
Oooh this is a really good one I forgot.
Children of Bodom - Silent Scream (Slayer) Slayer version just sounds so muffled after hearing this version.
Children of Bodom - Somebody Put Something In My Drink (Ramones) This one has a lot more energy to it than the original version.
Their cover of Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone is pretty awesome too.
Children of Bodom - Somebody Put Something In My Drink (Ramones) This one has a lot more energy to it than the original version.
Their cover of Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone is pretty awesome too.
Ministry - Lay Lady Lay (Bob Dylan)
the_sun_king
Member
The Beatles - "Twist and Shout" (original by the Top Notes)
DirtyManos
Member
I can't really choose a good one that hasn't been mentioned already, but I always liked Starfucker's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" more than the original...
brianjones
Member
soft cell - tainted love
honestly very few covers stand out as being flat out better than the original to me but i appreciate the ones that are a bit .. different (devo satisfaction , flying lizards - money)
not a fan of those covers that turn the song into a weepy acoustic ballad .. feel like thats cheating
honestly very few covers stand out as being flat out better than the original to me but i appreciate the ones that are a bit .. different (devo satisfaction , flying lizards - money)
not a fan of those covers that turn the song into a weepy acoustic ballad .. feel like thats cheating
Sorry but NOPE. Still, both are great but you should listen to that Kate Bush record, it's phenomenal.
VisionaryQuest0
Member
Joe Cocker's With a Little Help From My Friends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCrlyX6XbTU
I think these are really good picks. I especially like the spacey, dreamy, languid cover of Dear Prudence. Are there any good covers of Siouxsie and the Banshees songs, I wonder?
Not sure if it's better than the original by Larry Williams, but I like it better than The Beatles' straight cover of it anyway.
The Jam's cover of "Slow Down."
The Jam's cover of "Slow Down."
My favorite and most controversial picks:
Save Ferris - Come On Eileen (originally by Dexy's Midnight Runners)
I'm not much of a ska fan, but Save Ferris's version of Come On Eileen has so much more excitement and energy than the original. I love how hard the guitar sounds as it leads into the chorus. The lead vocalist was originally trained in opera, and consequently she has a lot more range and emotion than the singer in the original version. The final breakdown that occurs around 3:15 makes the song's ending feel much bigger and more climactic.
No Doubt - It's My Life (originally by Talk Talk)
Another ska band.....huh. As with Save Ferris, I think Gwen Stefani does a much better job on lead vocals. I think having real instruments works better than the synthesizer-heavy original version. I also think the video is pretty incredible -- it was directed by notable photographer David LaChapelle, and it is dripping with his glam style. I love that it was made while the band was on the verge of breaking up, and features Gwen Stefani killing off all of her fellow bandmates just before she embarked on a solo career. I always have to wonder exactly what the mood was on that set!
Save Ferris - Come On Eileen (originally by Dexy's Midnight Runners)
I'm not much of a ska fan, but Save Ferris's version of Come On Eileen has so much more excitement and energy than the original. I love how hard the guitar sounds as it leads into the chorus. The lead vocalist was originally trained in opera, and consequently she has a lot more range and emotion than the singer in the original version. The final breakdown that occurs around 3:15 makes the song's ending feel much bigger and more climactic.
No Doubt - It's My Life (originally by Talk Talk)
Another ska band.....huh. As with Save Ferris, I think Gwen Stefani does a much better job on lead vocals. I think having real instruments works better than the synthesizer-heavy original version. I also think the video is pretty incredible -- it was directed by notable photographer David LaChapelle, and it is dripping with his glam style. I love that it was made while the band was on the verge of breaking up, and features Gwen Stefani killing off all of her fellow bandmates just before she embarked on a solo career. I always have to wonder exactly what the mood was on that set!
Slamtastic
Member
Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Guns N' Roses) Original by Bob Dylan
element
Member
Dr Dog - Heart it Races - Original by Architecture in Helsinki
Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights - Original by The Postal Service
The Fugees - Killing Me Softly - Original by Roberta Flack
Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends - Original by The Beatles
José González - Heartbeats - Original by The Knife
Ryan Adams - Bad Blood - Original by Taylor Swift
Pearl Jam - Crazy Mary - Original by Victoria Williams
Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights - Original by The Postal Service
The Fugees - Killing Me Softly - Original by Roberta Flack
Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends - Original by The Beatles
José González - Heartbeats - Original by The Knife
Ryan Adams - Bad Blood - Original by Taylor Swift
Pearl Jam - Crazy Mary - Original by Victoria Williams
crazyrabbits
Banned
Chet Faker covering Blackstreet's "No Diggity" (best heard at 1.25 speed)
Sarah Polley (The Sweet Hereafter) covering Jane Siberry's "One More Colour" (also Tragically Hip's "Courage")
Midge Ure covering Bowie's "Man Who Sold The World"
Sarah Polley (The Sweet Hereafter) covering Jane Siberry's "One More Colour" (also Tragically Hip's "Courage")
Midge Ure covering Bowie's "Man Who Sold The World"
Tired Lion covering Violent Soho - Saramona Said
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieD2M1pbIOg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieD2M1pbIOg
Tindersticks - If you're looking for a way out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3W7DDJHPFg
(original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1zZm-UO2RI)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3W7DDJHPFg
(original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1zZm-UO2RI)
Power of thy Sword by Rhapsody of Fire [originally Manowar]
Imperfected
Member
I'm guessing A A Static Lullaby's cover of Britney Spear's "Toxic" should barely even count.
I rather like the Lorde cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears, too.
And, as others have said, "The Man Who Sold the World" covered by Nirvana, much in the same vein as "Hurt" performed by Cash, is just enormously better. I love Bowie, but for him that song was just a "story", apropos of nothing and without much sincerity to it. The Cobain version, by comparison, is surprisingly powerful and even haunting.
I rather like the Lorde cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears, too.
And, as others have said, "The Man Who Sold the World" covered by Nirvana, much in the same vein as "Hurt" performed by Cash, is just enormously better. I love Bowie, but for him that song was just a "story", apropos of nothing and without much sincerity to it. The Cobain version, by comparison, is surprisingly powerful and even haunting.
Peter Gabriel - The Book Of Love (originally by The Magnetic Fields)
Transistor
Banned
I actually prefer Trent Reznor's version of the Immigrant Song
Gaiaknight
Member
70% of the songs on the punk goes pop albums
Dash_Riprock
Member
No thank you.
Gaiaknight
Member
To each their own.
Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd read.
On topic: being a sucker for a good punk song, I'm a big fan of Tonight Alive's cover of Little Lion Man and Rise Against's cover of Built to Last. There are others, probably.
Imperfected
Member
Oh hey, that's quite nice, actually.
Gaiaknight
Member
love me some metal/rock covers
I Prevail - Blank Space (Taylor Swift Cover)
Adele - Hello (Cover by The Animal In Me) (she has a beautiful voice)
Simple and Clean Cover - Gates Of Ivory
I Prevail - Blank Space (Taylor Swift Cover)
Adele - Hello (Cover by The Animal In Me) (she has a beautiful voice)
Simple and Clean Cover - Gates Of Ivory
There's a vid somewhere on YouTube that shows Melvins playing this with Gene Simmons on bass
Skip to around 10:20
http://youtu.be/uPC0VIK3_Xc
NumberThree
Member
Martin L. Gore - In a Manner of Speaking (original by Tuxedomoon).
monchi-kun
Member
Regina Spektor - No Surprises (original by Radiohead)
Enter the Dragon Punch
Banned
Such Great Heights - Streetlight Manifesto. Originally by The Postal Service.
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
On my phone so no links
Fuck The Police by Rage Against The Machine
Ready Or Not by The Fugees
Scrubs by Alt-J
Fuck The Police by Rage Against The Machine
Ready Or Not by The Fugees
Scrubs by Alt-J
User 479360
Banned
Metallica's Whiskey in the Jar is superior, but the Garage Album was kind of boring.
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Nancy Sinatra - Don't Let Him Waste Your Time (original by Jarvis Cocker)
Nancy Sinatra - Baby's Coming Back to Me (original by Jarvis Cocker)
Nancy Sinatra - Baby's Coming Back to Me (original by Jarvis Cocker)
- Status