Which cover versions improve on the original?

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Fairly simple, this one: over the weekend I was subjected to the A-Teens' unspeakably awful cover of Elvis's "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" on the telly, prompting me to utter a sentence I swore I'd never see fit to say about *anything* - "I prefer the UB40 version" - it made me think about cover versions in general...I'll start the ball rolling with Joe Cocker's "With A Little Help From My Friends" - way better IMHO.

― Charlie, Sunday, 8 September 2002 22:11 (10 years ago) Permalink

Fuck off.

― Graham (graham), Sunday, 8 September 2002 22:19 (10 years ago) Permalink

(Sorry, in joke. No offence meant, though don't knock the A-Teens in future)

― Graham (graham), Sunday, 8 September 2002 22:19 (10 years ago) Permalink

"Song To the Siren" by Tim Buckley was improved upon not once, but twice. This Mortal Coil first, and then The Czars.

― paul cox, Sunday, 8 September 2002 22:40 (10 years ago) Permalink

Some days I actually prefer Bauhaus' version of "Ziggy Stardust", but then I just love that squalling feedback, so.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Sunday, 8 September 2002 22:43 (10 years ago) Permalink

Neil Hannon and Tom Jones - "All Mine" (Portishead)

Continuing on the subject of Mr. Hannon, I'm sometimes like The Divine Comedy's cover of "there is a light that never goes out" to the original.

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - "Happy Together", live at the Fillmore 1971(?) ... though there were a couple of Turtles present, so maybe it isn't strictly speaking a cover.

― Captain Sleep (Captain Sleep), Sunday, 8 September 2002 23:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

the A-Teens cover of ICHFILWY is grebt

― Chupa-Cabras (vicc13), Sunday, 8 September 2002 23:06 (10 years ago) Permalink

I'll start the ball rolling with Joe Cocker's "With A Little Help From My Friends" - way better IMHO.

On a similar tip -- I prefer Siouxsie's "Dear Prudence" to the Beatles'. That song was just MEANT to be gothed up.

― Jody Beth Rosen, Sunday, 8 September 2002 23:09 (10 years ago) Permalink

the A-Teens' unspeakably awful cover of Elvis's "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You"

I like Klaus Nomi's version.

― Jody Beth Rosen, Sunday, 8 September 2002 23:29 (10 years ago) Permalink

I meant to add, Wayne Coyne's version of "If I Only Had A Brain" is pretty fucking astonishing.

And nothing, ever, in the past, present or future, is ever going to convince me that the A-Teens deserve to share the planet with right-minded souls. So wrong. And this comes from someone happy to tolerate the Star Girls From Planet Groove, so you'll see my threshold is pretty low as it is...

― Charlie, Sunday, 8 September 2002 23:32 (10 years ago) Permalink

Screw the fucking hataz

― vic (vicc13), Sunday, 8 September 2002 23:59 (10 years ago) Permalink

Lets try again

― vic (vicc13), Monday, 9 September 2002 00:18 (10 years ago) Permalink

such indignation! shame the pics didn't work on my PC...boo.

― Charlie, Monday, 9 September 2002 00:24 (10 years ago) Permalink

― vic (vicc13), Monday, 9 September 2002 00:29 (10 years ago) Permalink

You seem to be pretty interested in talking about them, so what do you dislike about them? I can't hear anything at all objectionable about the song you mention.

― Graham (graham), Monday, 9 September 2002 00:32 (10 years ago) Permalink

The arrangement is objectionable, none of the band seem to give a shit about making an effort or even know what it is they're singing (cf. Sugababes "Freak Like Me"), and - most importantly - they made me think something positive about a UB40 cover version, a situation I never considered finding myself in before.

Please, somebody tell me what's to like about them? Or am I suffering from an irony bypass (again)?

ps. pics now working, miraculously - annoyingly, they look like I *should* like 'em...

― Charlie, Monday, 9 September 2002 02:12 (10 years ago) Permalink

speaking of covers by the divine comedy,i saw them do an excellent version of radioactivity by kraftwerk live once,and speaking of covers of smiths songs,i think the light 3000 by schneider tm is also an improvement on the original..

― robin (robin), Monday, 9 September 2002 02:16 (10 years ago) Permalink

massively unpopular opinion: Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music" was much improved when the Beatles did it. (the original is a dull r&b shuffle which Berry doesn't take all that seriously; it was self-conscious mythmaking even at the time. the Fabs' cover is great because they BELIEVE in that myth and Lennon in particular sounds almost tearfully happy.)

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 9 September 2002 05:15 (10 years ago) Permalink

Eels' take on "Damn, Wish I Was Your Lover" removes the AM radio emotion of the other one, and replaces it with a kind of hangover cleansing of emotion. Which is obviously a good thing.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 9 September 2002 05:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

"I'm sometimes like The Divine Comedy's cover of "there is a light that never goes out" to the original."

Wow! This sentence makes me look like an idiot. Nice.

― Captain Sleep (Captain Sleep), Monday, 9 September 2002 05:28 (10 years ago) Permalink

everything but the girl doing bruce springsteens' "tougher than the rest".

the orig. does NOTHING for me.

and it's not like i hate bruce or anything.

― amykins, Monday, 9 September 2002 05:39 (10 years ago) Permalink

all covers are better than the original, because they are more recent

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 9 September 2002 07:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Whatnots (from Santa Cruz, CA) cover of "You Play Glockenspiel, I'll Play Drums (by Beautiful South) is heart/gut-wrenching.

If you would consider a remix a cover, then on the topic of Elvis the single "A little less conversation" (Elvis vs. JXL) also improves rather than simply changing/modernizing.

― Ryan McKay, Monday, 9 September 2002 08:31 (10 years ago) Permalink

Good one, Ryan. Obv you missed A. Houston's thread about the song. ;-)

― nathalie (nathalie), Monday, 9 September 2002 09:03 (10 years ago) Permalink

I refuse to believe any cover of Can't Help Falling In Love With You can be worse than the UB40 version.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 9 September 2002 09:16 (10 years ago) Permalink

Pretty much all Klone Records covers were improvements - locating handbag-schmalz gold within some of the dreariest records ever made. Are they still going?

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 9 September 2002 09:17 (10 years ago) Permalink

Mark S you pretty and daring flaneur! Money by the Flying Lizards - and that cover of 'Like A Rolling Stone' by a garage band I have to admit I've forgotten the name of - on the first Pebbles compilation?? Where they don't know any of the words but: "How does it feel to be on your own" and they follow it up with "Yeah do you feel alright" ... it's an improvement! Oh and Cher's cover of 'Like a Rolling Stone' is a big improvement but then all Cher's covers are big improvements - sorry Duane

― maryann, Monday, 9 September 2002 09:19 (10 years ago) Permalink

Hey English people are posting at the same time as me - it must be 9am? The perfect time to think about Cher

― maryann, Monday, 9 September 2002 09:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

adeva's "respect" pisses all over aretha's original.

― michael w., Monday, 9 September 2002 09:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

grrr Belgian lass you are not going to revive that hoary old pithecanthropus of a thread! ;-)

However, I must submit "The Logical Song" by Scooter, which is undeniably a visionary work of genius and MY single of the year thus far (sorry Missy, sorry Nelly). Siberia is, as it were, the place to be.

― Alison Houston, Monday, 9 September 2002 09:22 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Beatles version of 'You've really got a hold of me' is better while I'm listening to it (that clomping piano!).

The Smokey Robinson version is better while I'm listening to it (those ragged backing vocals!)

a score-draw I suppose.

― adam b (adam b), Monday, 9 September 2002 09:55 (10 years ago) Permalink

"none of the band seem to give a shit about making an effort or even know what it is they're singing (cf. Sugababes "Freak Like Me")"

Grrrr FITE! The 'babes know damn well what it is they're singing, and they know why they're singing it, too- it's an important public service to make the masturbational fantasies of teen boys (and girls) more interesting. Nuff respect.

adeva's "respect" pisses all over aretha's original.

Apart from the fact that nothing could ever possibly piss over Aretha Franklin, the original "Respect" is actually by Otis Redding.

― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 9 September 2002 11:34 (10 years ago) Permalink

"massively unpopular opinion: Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music" was much improved when the Beatles did it."

"The Beatles version of 'You've really got a hold of me' is better while I'm listening to it (that clomping piano!).

Other Beatles covers that improve on the originals- "Baby It's You" and "Money" (not as good as The Flying Lizards tho.)

― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 9 September 2002 11:36 (10 years ago) Permalink

Apart from the fact that nothing could ever possibly piss over Aretha Franklin, the original "Respect" is actually by Otis Redding.

i feel such a fool.

― michael w., Monday, 9 September 2002 11:50 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Tom Jones and Cardigans' cover of "Burning Down The House" shits all over David Byrne.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 9 September 2002 11:58 (10 years ago) Permalink

(He wishes)

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 9 September 2002 11:58 (10 years ago) Permalink

Scooter's version of "The Logical Song".

― tigerclawskank, Monday, 9 September 2002 12:07 (10 years ago) Permalink

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane and Im So Lonesome I Could Cry
Eric's Trip - Open Your Heart
Husker Du - 8 Miles High
Big Star - Femme Fatale

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 9 September 2002 12:39 (10 years ago) Permalink

Spirit's take on Like A Rolling Stone is fucking incredible.

― Roger Fascist, Monday, 9 September 2002 13:13 (10 years ago) Permalink

Die Kreuzen's version of "Land of Treason" by the Germs is light years ahead of the original.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 9 September 2002 13:16 (10 years ago) Permalink

Inner Life's version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" slaughters the original.

― Andy K (Andy K), Monday, 9 September 2002 13:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

that's the winner!

― michael w., Monday, 9 September 2002 13:32 (10 years ago) Permalink

That one dude who set his guitar on fire and then choked on vomit did a pretty good cover of this song by that one nasal Northern Minnesota guy with the Jew-fro. I think it was about the Jehova's Witnesses or something.

(Well, it's a tired answer. I had to make it interesting somehow.)

Also, the Ramones' version of "Let's Dance" is ace.

― Nate Patrin, Monday, 9 September 2002 14:25 (10 years ago) Permalink

It's Cat Power. It's Wonderwall. It still hasn't been officially released.

And I dunno if it's better, but Cinerama's version of London runs the Smiths very, very close...

I also remember Paul Heaton doing a fantastic version of Lean On Me a few years ago too, the Radio 1 Christmas Carols thing.

― Mr Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 9 September 2002 14:30 (10 years ago) Permalink

Neu!'s Weissensee covered by Autechre is so much more addictive/hypnotic than the original. The best thing I know of Autechre.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Monday, 9 September 2002 15:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Aztec Camera's version of "Jump."
Bob Dylan's version of "Belshazar."
Elvis Presley's version of "Hound Dog."

― Burr, Monday, 9 September 2002 16:37 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Wedding Present covering "Red Shoes By The Drugstore".

― Poppy (poppy), Monday, 9 September 2002 17:03 (10 years ago) Permalink

Actually, the Wedding Present's take on "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones is completely ejacutastic!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 9 September 2002 18:23 (10 years ago) Permalink

Scooter's take on "The Logical Song". Having said that, my left testicle's cover of "The Logical Song" would be better than the original.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 9 September 2002 18:25 (10 years ago) Permalink

My favourite cover of Song To the Siren is by Elvis impersonator The King. There are literally thousands of covers that improve on the original. The best ever, for me, might be Al Green's version of the Bee Gees' How Can You Mend A Broken Heart. Aretha's Respect, already mentioned, and I Say A Little Prayer (Dionne Warwick was first), and Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Gladys Knight was first) all leap to mind too.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 9 September 2002 19:11 (10 years ago) Permalink

The King, oh no, not the guy who covers songs as Elvis, like "Come As You Are" etc.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 9 September 2002 19:15 (10 years ago) Permalink

Yes, a whole album of covers of songs by other dead stars, called Gravelands. The first three tracks on it (Come As You Are, Love Will Tear Us Apart and Song To The Siren) are all terrific, though most of the rest is rather less good.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 9 September 2002 19:45 (10 years ago) Permalink

Apart from the fact that nothing could ever possibly piss over Aretha Frankli,

I bet Ronan could!

There are several gothy/new beat versions of early Depeche Mode songs on _I Sometimes Wish I Was Famous_ that I vastly prefer to the originals. I'm thinking in particular of Systema The Affliction's "Shouldn't Have Done That", Pouppe Fabrik's "Photographic", Signal's "My Secret Garden" and Ater Koma's "The Sun And The Rainfall". S.P.O.C.K's "Ice Machine" comes very, very close to beating the original.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 9 September 2002 20:02 (10 years ago) Permalink

Joan Jett's "Crimson and Clover" and Eugene Chadbourne's "Oh Yoko" belong on the list.

― dan (dan), Monday, 9 September 2002 20:05 (10 years ago) Permalink

GRACE JONES - she´s lost control (joy division) BEN WATT - you´re gonna make me lonesome when you (B.Dylan) BYRDS - my back pages (B.Dylan) CARL BEAN - i was born this way (Valentino) DRAGONS (they are cchinese and have a violin!) - anarchy in the uk (sex pistols) get off my cloud (rolling stones) SCHNEIDER TM - the light 3000 (smiths) Y PANTS - off the hook (rolling stones) Jay-Z Foxy Brown - Ain´t no nigga (Four tops) are a few of them
'

― Jens (brighter), Monday, 9 September 2002 20:25 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Raincoats' "Lola" is one of the best covers ever.

― mike a, Monday, 9 September 2002 20:38 (10 years ago) Permalink

wedding present "let's make some plans" - the definitive version of an anaemic original.
napalm death "nazi punks fuck off" - it just gives it the anger it was always meant to have.
14 iced bears "summer nights" - a revelation, i always thought i hated that song.
and mr swygart is right - cinerama's "london" is the peerless, partly because it's almost a rewrite.
the fall "lost in music" - the original just doesn't sound right any more.

― kieron, Monday, 9 September 2002 20:57 (10 years ago) Permalink

Bob Dylan's version of "Belshazar."

Better than the Johnny Cash original?! This is something I have to hear.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 9 September 2002 21:04 (10 years ago) Permalink

"Gravelands" was ace but by the time "Return To Splendour" was released the joke had pretty much worn thin (I mean, "Under The Bridge"? "CHILD Of A Preacher Man"??)

― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 9 September 2002 21:26 (10 years ago) Permalink

Otis Redding's version of Daytripper

Peaches version of Rock Show

― Dave Beckhouse, Monday, 9 September 2002 22:28 (10 years ago) Permalink

Hmm. From my perspective, it seems like Weird Al's "Polka Power" and "Alternative Polka" improved on a number of originals each, and were also the most entertaining things he produced.

― Captain Sleep (Captain Sleep), Tuesday, 10 September 2002 06:19 (10 years ago) Permalink

Luna's cover of Beat Happening's "Indian Summer."

Sonic Youth's cover of Neil Young's "Computer Games."

― nickn, Tuesday, 10 September 2002 06:39 (10 years ago) Permalink

Glad to see someone namecheck the Dragons. But the best cover of Anarchy I know of was the version by Frazier Chorus - a B s-de - made it spookily menacing, fragile and beautiful. A gem.

I'll think of some more in a minute. My mind's gone blank.

― jon, Tuesday, 10 September 2002 09:38 (10 years ago) Permalink

Cat Power - Satisfaction. By taking away the melody and the chorus Chan Marshall strips away everything that sucks about this song. I am not sure if what is left after is beautiful, but it grates less, for sure.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Tuesday, 10 September 2002 10:09 (10 years ago) Permalink

Sorry, I missed the Elvis remix thread...anyway, the best cover ever and I can't believe I forgot it upon first posting is Killdozer's version of the Jessi Colter single "I'm Not Lisa."

― Ryan McKay, Tuesday, 10 September 2002 10:34 (10 years ago) Permalink

Sonic Youth's cover of Neil Young's "Computer Games."
Hyou mean "Computer Age", yes?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 10 September 2002 13:01 (10 years ago) Permalink

Paul Simon's "Boy in the Bubble" as done by the Blue Aeroplanes. Even Paul Simon fans (egh) like it.

.. Vanilla Fudge's version of "You Keep Me Hangin' On"

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 10 September 2002 18:46 (10 years ago) Permalink

Oh, and Johnny Cash's versions of "One" and "Rusty Cage" - FAR superior.

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 10 September 2002 18:48 (10 years ago) Permalink

Just listening to Bethany Curves cover of Gouge Away which is far more scary than the Pixies original.

My Bloody Valentine's cover of 'Map Ref 41°N 93°W' ever so slightly improves it also.

bis's recent cover of 'Shack Up' was better than the A Certain Ratio version they were covering (it was an ep of Factory covers) but not as good as the Banberra original.

That's all Ican think of at the moment that hasn't been mentioned.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 10 September 2002 20:43 (10 years ago) Permalink

mr bungle doing billy squire's "the stroke" is AMAZING

― chaki (chaki), Tuesday, 10 September 2002 20:48 (10 years ago) Permalink

Some more:
- I wouldn't say that Low's version of Transmission is better than the original but the slow motion is a new interesting perspective of the song.
- The Motorcycle Boy's Run, Run Run is much better than VU's original. One reason is the voice of the female singer.
- The Dandy Warhols version of AC/DC's Hells Bells is quite nice. Pretty slow and melodic.
- The Red House Painters version of Kiss Shock Me is more classic than the original which I don't even remember.
- The AC/DC cover album of Mark Kozelek/RHP is very nice as well.
- Johnny Cash's version of Nick Cave's The Mercy Seat is brilliant and more impressive than the original (his voice is better and his phrasing as well).
- Stina Nordenstam's Purple Rain version is quite bizarre but I like it.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Tuesday, 10 September 2002 21:38 (10 years ago) Permalink

lovejoy's second attempt at biff bang pow!'s 'the beat hotel' is better than the original, i've not actually heard lovejoy's first try.

― keith, Wednesday, 11 September 2002 02:36 (10 years ago) Permalink

i'm surprised no one's said this but, hendrix's 'all along the watchtower', or 'hey joe', or probably anything he ever even thought about covering completely annihilated the original.

― brian badword (badwords), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 04:22 (10 years ago) Permalink

The best covers are transformations of catchy songs by artists who feel whole universes of emotions beyond those of the originators (as opposed to covering a Hank Williams song, which no one could possibly screw up). So I'll pick the Pet Shop Boys' "Go West" - takes the Village People's fun-but-cheesy original, adds some earnestness and thus intensifies the joy a hundredfold, and then adds a tragic undercurrent (you only Go West if there's something you need to escape from).

― B:Rad (Brad), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 05:32 (10 years ago) Permalink

To be fair to the Village People the particular undercurrents (AIDS escapism and the fall of Communism) the PSB put in weren't actually available in 1979.

Am I the only person who prefers Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" by far? I don't think it's a very good song in the first place and I think Hendrix' version gives it a gravitas it really doesn't earn, and unearned gravitas = horrible bombast, nice guitar work or no.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 05:41 (10 years ago) Permalink

Wall of Voodoo -- "Pretty Boy Floyd."
Radiohead -- "Rhinestone Cowboy" (okay, I don't like the original all that much, which makes it too easy)
Kate Bush -- "Rocket Man" (and I -do- like the original, and would ordinarily prefer the best of Elton to the best of Kate).
David Bowie -- "My Death" (does it count as a cover if it translates the lyrics?)
Elvis Presley -- "Sweet Caroline"
Radio Iodine -- "These Boots Were Made For Walkin"
Luxt -- "Genie in a Bottle"
Razor Skyline -- "One Night in Bangkok"

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 05:57 (10 years ago) Permalink

idunno how many songs mentioned here have, uh, gravitas but, hendrix just blew things up, i think.

― brian badword (badwords), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:11 (10 years ago) Permalink

And I'm reeeeeally tempted to say Bowie's cover of the Pixies' "Cactus" (which is saying something, as a former Masshole), but the novelty hasn't worn off enough yet for me to say for sure.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:12 (10 years ago) Permalink

Nice guitar work (sorry blowing things up) w/no relation to song is no better than Whitney vocal-diva stuff w/no relation to song.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:17 (10 years ago) Permalink

As a Dylanite, off the top of my head I can't think of any cover that improves on his Bobness (especially true of "Mr Tambourine Man"). "Watchtower" might get close (the guitar work at least fits the theme), but Dylan could sing better.

― B:Rad (Brad), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:23 (10 years ago) Permalink

I think The Byrds' "Mr Tambourine Man" is as good as the Dylan track. I'm a Dylan fan too but I think he's written a few dull or rubbish songs and unfortunately his most famously covered ones ("Watchtower" and "Knocking on Heaven's Arsing Door") are two of them.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:26 (10 years ago) Permalink

well, if you put it that way, whitney made 'i will always love you' hers too. whether anyone likes it/her/the original or not (i sure don't). i don't particularly think a song needs to have any substance whatsoever to be good music anyway...

― brian badword (badwords), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:28 (10 years ago) Permalink

Tom is right on about "Watchtower." The only Dylan covers I like nearly as much as the originals are by the Byrds, but really I find it hard to call those songs 'covers' - I mean, the Byrds could sing the ingredients list of a cereal box and I'd probably still find it lovely.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:32 (10 years ago) Permalink

Fair do's. I wasn't really talking about substance....I suppose I'm saying that some artists (eg Hendrix, Whitney too probably) have such a unique and strong style that they shouldn't do/have done covers, cos they just overwhelm the material and make it sound like a novelty record.

Actually Justyn is right in that the Byrds also did this, and I love them because they make everything sound so flat and pretty. So my point sort of falls apart.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:37 (10 years ago) Permalink

ehh, i don't even remember the last time i cared to listen to hendrix anyway :)

― brian badword (badwords), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 06:58 (10 years ago) Permalink

flaming lips: "after the gold rush"

chocolate watchband: "baby blue"

shellac: "jailbreak"

the swamp rats: "louie louie"

hendrix's "like a rolling stone" at monterey is better than his other dylan covers. it's also a proven scientific fact that loadsa dylan songs are done better by other people. i think d. zarakov will back me on this...

― cameron, Wednesday, 11 September 2002 11:30 (10 years ago) Permalink

re: proven scientific fact that loadsa Dylan songs done 'better' by other people. Can I just say 'good' yes, 'interesting' yes, 'accoplished' yes, but 'better' nooooo siree.

― Roger Fascist (Roger Fascist), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 11:37 (10 years ago) Permalink

i forgot the lips version of knives out which is rather wonderful. suddenly the song becomes a strange thing in between guitar feedback and epic western soundtrack, maybe not better than the original but an interesting take on it

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 11:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Heptones' version of "I Shall Be Released" is a heap better than Dylan's.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 11:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

Suede's cover of Elvis Costello's Shipbuilding off the Help album is the best Suede song, and the best Elvis Costello song.

Ditto the Pixies, Leonard Cohen, I Can't Forget, I'm Your Fan

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 12:33 (10 years ago) Permalink

I'm sorry but you're all wrong. The three best are Neil Young covering "Oh Lonesome Me", Jeff Buckley covering "Lost Highway", and The White Stripes covering Jolene.

End of discussion.

― John Barlow, Wednesday, 11 September 2002 12:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

also, i prefer dolly parton's "boulder to birmingham" to emmy-lou harris's original, but probably just 'cos i heard dolly's version first.......the preachers (pebbles vol. 1)do the best cover (but not better than the original) version of bo diddley's very much-covered "who do you love?"

― cameron, Wednesday, 11 September 2002 13:12 (10 years ago) Permalink

Thea Gilmore's 'I dreamed I saw St Augustine'
(perhaps we need a 'covers ofsongs off John Wesley Harding' thread.

Is Robert Wyatt's 'Shipbuilding' a cover or Elvises'? It was written for him. Any way, I think much better than the Costello version.

The Clash tribute album had a zydeco version of White Riot that was much better than the original. Which wasn't hard.

― jon, Wednesday, 11 September 2002 13:13 (10 years ago) Permalink

People who put "End of Discussion." with new answers below always look rather silly.

Daphne And Celeste's "UGLY"! I had the misfortune of hearing the Fishbone original and the quality gap is a galaxy wide!

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 11 September 2002 13:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

Suede's "Brass In Pocket" is just as lovely as "Shipbuilding"...

(very pleased people seem to have liked my first ever thread...)

― Charlie, Wednesday, 11 September 2002 22:43 (10 years ago) Permalink

I've always thought that Bryan Ferry's signing "I'm a man of wealth and taste..." on Sympathy for the Devil was a vast improvement. Really, the devil *should* be so smooth.

― Kim (Kim), Thursday, 12 September 2002 00:47 (10 years ago) Permalink

Elvis' live version of "Unchained Melody."

― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 12 September 2002 03:01 (10 years ago) Permalink

I really like Sonic Youth's "Superstar", but that might be a seasonal ~~vileplume~~ gloom thing.
& this might be the teenage Ess Kay speaking, but Nirvana's "The Man Who Sold The World" is k-grebt!

― Ess Kay (esskay), Thursday, 12 September 2002 03:49 (10 years ago) Permalink

oh...i should've said this a few days ago instead of getting in a hendrix/dylan tiff:

nina simone - i put a spell on you.

― brian badword (badwords), Monday, 16 September 2002 21:08 (10 years ago) Permalink

Any Coltrane version of My Favourite Things.

― OCP (OCP), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 15:15 (10 years ago) Permalink

she couldn't come close on "Respect", but amazingly Kelly Clarkson's live American Idol version of "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" cut Aretha's.

yeah, it's a Goffin/King/Wexler song, but Aretha's is the famous version. as for "Respect", Aretha took that away from Otis Redding, but hers has been overplayed so much who wouldn't rather hear the original nowadays...

― Paul (scifisoul), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 16:10 (10 years ago) Permalink

Two painfully cliché answers:
Hendrixes "All Along the Watchtower" is better than Dylans version
Byrds "Mr Tambourine Man" is better than the original.

and one bit of Blasphemy...
The vibrant, fizzy version of "How Soon is Now" off the soundtrack to The Craft is better than the listless, hissy original by the Smiths.

― Lord Custos Alpha (Lord Custos Alpha), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 17:59 (10 years ago) Permalink

i'm not sure if i evah heard dolly parton's version, but whitney houston's "I Will Always Love You" is better anyway

i decided it is my favourite song ever

(hey custos, is The Craft what became Charmed? cz i agree w.you abt that version of "How Soon is Now", if the TV version is the same as the one yr talking abt) (also The Smiths didn't star Shannon Docherty)

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 22:27 (10 years ago) Permalink

travis' radical rework of britney's "...one more time" adds a real musicality and depth that ms. spears' bubblegum pop just couldn't attain.

― michael w., Wednesday, 18 September 2002 07:30 (10 years ago) Permalink

;)

― michael w., Wednesday, 18 September 2002 07:31 (10 years ago) Permalink

you broke ilm!! we're me-e-elting oh waddaworld

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 07:33 (10 years ago) Permalink

Tiffany "I think we're alone now"

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 07:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

Actually, I take that back.

The Warlock Pinchers "I Think We're Tiffany"

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 07:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

the very wonderful Flying Sausages do a mean Parisian Gypsy mix of One More Time.

Went down vrey well at a recent wedding party at 2am. Doesnt translate well to record.

― jon (jon), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 15:55 (10 years ago) Permalink

Neither. XTC! (off "White Music")

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 17:29 (10 years ago) Permalink

I prefer the Dylan original of "All Along the Watchtower" too (legitimately dramatic, as opposed to Hendrix's turgid psychedelia), but I also think it may be one of his ten or so best songs.

― Burr, Wednesday, 18 September 2002 19:17 (10 years ago) Permalink

John Cale. "Heartbreak Hotel". "Hallelujah". Even his "Pablo Picasso" is at least as good as the original. Considering he's completely fucked up and it's brilliant.

― Simon, Wednesday, 18 September 2002 22:02 (10 years ago) Permalink

7 months pass...

The Feelies' version of "Everybody's Got Somethin to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey"

― T. Weiss (Timmy), Sunday, 27 April 2003 17:57 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Pixies version of Head On is much better, I think. They add so much more energy and get way better guitar tones.
And I LOVE Jesus and Mary Chain.

― David Allen, Sunday, 27 April 2003 18:54 (10 years ago) Permalink

11 months pass...

Lee Perry "How Deep is Your Love"

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:50 (9 years ago) Permalink

Boney M's version of "Heart of Gold" (the Neil Young song)

― Tim Ellison, Saturday, 3 April 2004 00:01 (9 years ago) Permalink

Bardo Pond - "Call the Doctor"
Distortion > Drone

― Vitamin Leee (Leee), Saturday, 3 April 2004 00:16 (9 years ago) Permalink

Did I miss David Bowie's "Fill Your Heart"?

― dlp9001, Saturday, 3 April 2004 01:05 (9 years ago) Permalink

Boney M's version of "Heart of Gold" (the Neil Young song)

You what? Is it as good as their versions of The Creation's "Painter Man" and The Smoke's "My Friend Jack"?

As for Bowie's "Fill Your Heart", it's not in the same league as Tiny Tim's version.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Saturday, 3 April 2004 01:09 (9 years ago) Permalink

Snow Patrol "Crazy in Love" THAT'S RIGHT, I said it. He just sounds so eeeeeeevil. I like that

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Saturday, 3 April 2004 01:44 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Is it as good as their versions of The Creation's "Painter Man" and The Smoke's "My Friend Jack"?"

I've only heard "Painter Man." In its own way, yes, it is as good as that! It's a killer.

― Tim Ellison, Saturday, 3 April 2004 02:30 (9 years ago) Permalink

boney m did "my friend jack"?! i gotta hear this

― the surface noise (electricsound), Saturday, 3 April 2004 03:15 (9 years ago) Permalink

Oh what beautiful things they snort.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 3 April 2004 03:41 (9 years ago) Permalink

Copied this from one of those lyrics sites with the pop-up window ads. The Boney M version:

My friend jack eats sugar loaves
My friend jack eats sugar loaves
Sugarman hasn't got a care
He's been traveling everywhere
Been on a voyage across an ocean
Heard the sweet sounds of wheels in motion
He's seen hawks fly high to hail the setting sun
My friend jack eats sugar loaves
My friend jack eats sugar loaves
Sugarman hasn't got a care
He's been traveling everywhere
He's seen the people in the city
And the bright lights looks awful pretty
He's followed dusty tracks into eternity
Eating sugar cain in cuba
Try to grow it in japan
On the west coast, he's real famous
Kids they call him sugar man
My friend jack
My friend jack
My friend jack
My friend jack
My friend jack eats sugar loaves
My friend jack eats sugar loaves
Sugarman hasn't got a care
He's been traveling everywhere
Been on a voyage across an ocean
Heard the sweet sounds of wheels in motion
He's seen hawk fly high to hail the setting sun
Eating sugar cain in cuba
Try to grow it in japan
On the west coast, he's real famous
Kids they call him sugar man
Been on a voyage across an ocean
Heard the sweet sounds of wheels in motion
He's seen the hawk fly high to hail the setting sun
My friend jack eats sugar loaves
My friend jack eats sugar loaves
Sugarman hasn't got a care
He's been traveling everywhere
My friend jack eats sugar loaves
My friend jack eats

― Tim Ellison, Saturday, 3 April 2004 04:41 (9 years ago) Permalink

I'm quite a rebel when it comes to preferring covers. Stevie Wonder's
"We Can Work It Out" surpassed the Beatles', and Buckwheat Zydeco's
"Beast Of Burden" outdoes the Rolling Stones' original recording.
Furthermore (and this is controversial), the Foo Fighters "Have A Cigar" outstrips
the Pink Floyd version. For one thing, the Foo Fighters convey the anger
in the lyrics, whereas the original version was far too laid-back to sound
anything more than tiredly sardonic.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Saturday, 3 April 2004 23:32 (9 years ago) Permalink

Two cover versions of Joy Division's songs improve on the orginals:

Therapy? - Isolation
Nine Inch Nails - Dead Souls

Now you can hate me...

― Elvis is Dead, Saturday, 3 April 2004 23:42 (9 years ago) Permalink

Did y'all see that Motown documentary, "Standing In The Shadows Of
Motown?" Cool film, by the way. Anyway, Meshell Ndegeocello really
did a fantastic version of "Really Got A Hold On Me," I can barely listen
to the Beatles or the Zombies' version now. And Joan Osborne crooned
"What Becomes Of The Broken-Hearted" so powerfully my ears popped.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Saturday, 3 April 2004 23:47 (9 years ago) Permalink

Hmmm. A huuuuuuge thread, and no mention of Jeff Buckley's glorious "Hallelujah" yet.

Anyways, "Mr. Tambourine Man" remains my fave answer here.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 4 April 2004 01:04 (9 years ago) Permalink

palomars version of I'll Come Running by Brian Eno is kind of a completly different song. i don't like it more than the Eno version but i do think it's very bad ass

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Sunday, 4 April 2004 04:07 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Nine Inch Nails - Dead Souls

Now you can hate me..."

It's not better than the original, but the NIN version does do it justice.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 4 April 2004 04:31 (9 years ago) Permalink

Geir OTM.

― Jole, Sunday, 4 April 2004 12:53 (9 years ago) Permalink

I much prefer The Sundays version of Wild Horses to the Rolling Stones'.

― Melissa W (Melissa W), Sunday, 4 April 2004 13:17 (9 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

I don't think I'll ever hear The Arcade Fire's "No Cars Go" again without thinking of vitaminsforyou's cover version.

― StanM (StanM), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 09:48 (7 years ago) Permalink

Really obvious one, but Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt.

― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 10:54 (7 years ago) Permalink

Might have already cited this, but...

"It's Not Unusual" by the Wedding Present (injects Tom Jones' signature track with an amphetamine-fueled, post-punk twitch).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 12:36 (7 years ago) Permalink

Not sure if it improves, but it's certainly different.

http://andrewpaulwoodworth.com/4758290687fg6b689erbg69349gh5g5.html

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:03 (7 years ago) Permalink

Before the New Pornographers existed, Neko Case and Carl Newman did a version of The Everly Brothers "Bowling Green" that appears on an early Neko album. Much, much, much better than the original.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 14:10 (7 years ago) Permalink

"My Back Pages" done by the Byrds. Pisseth all over, sideways and down, and on, Zimmer's own vershion.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 15:56 (7 years ago) Permalink

"Help Me Make It Through The Night" by Sammi Smith miles ahead of Kris Kristofferson's not-bad original.

Oh, I guess lots would say the same about Janis Joplin's treatment of Me and Bobby McGee...

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 16:50 (7 years ago) Permalink

I love Redd Kross' "Dancing Queen" and I don't care for ABBA at all. Also, the Butthole Surfers' "Summer In the City". I really like the original "We Can Work It Out" but there is something to be said for King Missile's take on it.

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 18:43 (7 years ago) Permalink

I prefer Siouxsie's "Dear Prudence" to the Beatles'. That song was just MEANT to be gothed up

Seconded, and exactly the same argument applies to "Eloise", as covered by the Damned.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 18:51 (7 years ago) Permalink

On roughly similar lines (?), I think I prefer Lydia Lunch's and Clint Ruin's "Why Don't We Do It In the Road?" to the Beatles'. As much as I love the white album, that track's a bit of a throwaway but LL and CR add another dimension to it with the campily OTT dark/noisy angle.

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:00 (7 years ago) Permalink

johnny cash's version of the mercy seat. it is startling. johnny really sounds as if he was singing this on the electric chair.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:08 (7 years ago) Permalink

Amii Stewart's version of "Knock On Wood"

― donut e-g (donut), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:16 (7 years ago) Permalink

None of these *improve* the original per se, but certainly impressed me beyond most ordinary cover versions.

A Perfect Circle "Imagine". They can make anything sound scary. Including this.

Bette Midler "Beast Of Burden". She rocked it.

Foo Fighters "Darling Nikki".

Frankie Goes To Hollywood "Born To Run". I love Brooce, but this is great.

Filter "One". I don't even like Filter that much, but I love this cover.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:36 (7 years ago) Permalink

The Fatima Mansions "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)". Not immensely difficult to improve upon, admittedly.

Much as I love the original, I am hugely fond of the Trash Can Sinatras' take on "To Sir With Love".

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:47 (7 years ago) Permalink

Phish's "Crosseyed and Painless"

Divine Comedy's "Life on Mars"

― Suzy Creemcheese (SuzyCreemcheese), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:48 (7 years ago) Permalink

David Byrne's cover of "I Wanna Dance with Somebody".
How about Nouvelle Vague's "Melt With You"? if it doesn't improve, it certainly breathes some life into a song that's become a little tired over the years.

― patita (patita), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 19:54 (7 years ago) Permalink

Byrne also does a FIERCE version of "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 20:29 (7 years ago) Permalink

Peter Prescott always delivers, hence I prefer:

Kustomized's "Dead Souls"
Volcano Suns' "Red Eye Express"

...with "Needles In The Camel's Eye" at least equalling the Eno vsn, which is in my book to touch godhead.

Has no one mentioned The Gourds' version of "Gin & Juice" ?

Agreed Killdozer's "I'm Not Lisa" good call.

Glass Eye's Celicia blows away S & G, speaking of which as does an old Micronotz cover of "Scarborough Faire"

Speaking of which (Glass Eye, not S & G) I just love K McCarty's "Worried Shoes" though again topping D. Johnston, like topping B. Eno is probably just not possible in my book.

Continue discussion...

― Declan Zimmerman, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:13 (7 years ago) Permalink

Pixies cover of JAMC's "Head On"

― That One Guy (That One Guy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:16 (7 years ago) Permalink

ah also Nick Cave's version of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix"

― Declan Zimmerman, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:33 (7 years ago) Permalink

isaac hayes is the best, though

― chris andrews (fraew), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:37 (7 years ago) Permalink

Declan OTM. My favorite of Nick's has to be "Running Scared" though, for the nice little kicker of an ending. Oooh "What a Wonderful World" with Shane McGowan...though they really should have spelled their version as "WADDA WUNNNERFUL WURLLLLLLLLLL". It's truly bewdyful.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 22:12 (7 years ago) Permalink

ya know what?....i take mine back.
i like the jamc's version just a little more than the pixies'.

― That One Guy (That One Guy), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 23:22 (7 years ago) Permalink

bauhaus's third uncle.

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 23:27 (7 years ago) Permalink

you obviously meant to say telegram sam

― donut e-g (donut), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 23:42 (7 years ago) Permalink

no, i mean bauhaus's third uncle.

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 23:47 (7 years ago) Permalink

not to be confused with bauhaus's ziggy stardust.

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 23:47 (7 years ago) Permalink

Some of my favorites:

Aretha - The Long & Winding Road
Bryan Ferry - Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Pavement - The Killing Moon
Arto Lindsey - Simply Beautiful

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 23:50 (7 years ago) Permalink

Hmmm. A huuuuuuge thread, and no mention of Jeff Buckley's glorious "Hallelujah" yet.

I used to think it was the greatest thing ever; now, not.

Maybe it was b/c of its use on the episode of "The OC" where Seth was sailing across the Pacific Ocean or whatever.....

― PB, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 23:51 (7 years ago) Permalink

Laibach to thread. Among other things, they make a version of Let It Be that's listenable.

― Sasha (sgh), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 00:42 (7 years ago) Permalink

Cool Beans.

http://www.geocities.com/telephonepolesmusic

Thanks, Brian Hall.

― Michael Costello (MichaelCostello1), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 00:46 (7 years ago) Permalink

801 doing "tomorrow never knows" is probably the greatest cover ever.

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 00:50 (7 years ago) Permalink

I like The Fall's version of "Victoria" a lot more than the Kinks'.

― Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 05:16 (7 years ago) Permalink

sometimes i prefer wall of voodoo's version of "ring of fire" to johnny cash's version.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 05:25 (7 years ago) Permalink

and the cardigans' version of "iron man" is amusing.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 05:26 (7 years ago) Permalink

I really love the Futureheads' version of "Hounds of Love" from last year.

― Maciej Kasperowicz (Maciej), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 05:57 (7 years ago) Permalink

johnny cash's "in my life." the slits' "i heard it thru the grapevine" (i love the original too, but i haven't gotten sick of this one yet). cat power covering almost anything.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 06:07 (7 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

Guardian Readers recommend covers that are better than the original songs:

'Gloria' - Patti Smith
'Black Steel' - Tricky
'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' - Saint Etienne
'Your Song' - Billy Paul
'By the Time I Get to Phoenix' - Isaac Hayes
'My Favourite Things' - John Coltrane
'Song to the Siren' - This Mortal Coil
'Hallelujah' - Jeff Buckley
'Hurt' - Johnny Cash
'Heartbeats' - Jose Gonzalez

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Friday, 13 January 2006 12:29 (7 years ago) Permalink

'Hallelujah' - Jeff Buckley

If you want to hear it sung by a man instead of a boy, try John Cale's version.

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 13 January 2006 12:33 (7 years ago) Permalink

tears for fears' cover of robert wyatt 'sea song'

and the newer 'sunglasses at night' sounded better that the original

― nique (nique), Friday, 13 January 2006 12:40 (7 years ago) Permalink

'Heartbeats' - Jose Gonzalez

Meh. This is another case of "Oh, someone's turned a pop song into an acousticy earnest number, so it's good," innit?

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Friday, 13 January 2006 12:42 (7 years ago) Permalink

Celtic Frost - "Mexican Radio"
Johnny Cash - "Hurt"
The Epoxies - "Robot Man"
Black Sabbath - "Evil Woman"

And does anyone remember the Slappin' Mammy's? New Jersey group (I think) in the early '90s released a disc Blackface In Bondage featuring thrashin' versions of Al Jolson cuts.

I liked this entire disc better at the time and probably still might because I heart metal and could give a shit about Al Jolson.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Friday, 13 January 2006 12:47 (7 years ago) Permalink

I wouldn't say Jose Gonzalez's version of Heartbeats is better than the original, it's just different. You could say the same for his covers of Love Will Tear Us Apart and Teardrops, both of which are spine tingling.

A third vote for Siouxsie's Dear Prudence, which is amazing.

Kiki and Herb do a very unusual cover of Total Eclipse Of The Heart that almost, but not quite, frees the song of its soft-rock ballad associations.

― klee (klee), Friday, 13 January 2006 13:30 (7 years ago) Permalink

God, Buckley's Halleluja shoulda been aborted. "Look, I have a histrionic warble! I'm the male Mariah Carey! I put notes where they don't belong!" Cale fucking nails it, though, with this sense of resignation and weariness that makes the hallelujahs so powerful.

And I've gotta mention the Spacemen 3 cover of Rollercoaster by the 13th FLoor Elevators. They make that song everything it would have been if Erikson could have just gotten enough acid.

― js (honestengine), Friday, 13 January 2006 14:36 (7 years ago) Permalink

the BOWIE originals rocked but i prefer these covers.
def leppard - ziggy stardust
culture club - starman
midge ure / nirvana - the man who sold the world.
and some hazell dean / erasure/a*teens abba covers were better than the rorginals.

― retrokid, Friday, 13 January 2006 14:52 (7 years ago) Permalink

Them - "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Friday, 13 January 2006 14:53 (7 years ago) Permalink

blondie "ring of fire"

― retrogurl, Friday, 13 January 2006 15:57 (7 years ago) Permalink

checked the thread to make sure i aint dropped my obvious one :

Kiss - Age of Chance

as great as the orig is .. this version still holds a lot of power over my psyche.

― mark e (mark e), Friday, 13 January 2006 16:06 (7 years ago) Permalink

"Surrender" by OX (Vancouver's Will Oldham analog)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 13 January 2006 16:08 (7 years ago) Permalink

Melvins "Going Blind"

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Friday, 13 January 2006 17:26 (7 years ago) Permalink

tears for fears' cover of robert wyatt 'sea song'

Not heard this, but I find it hard to believe, seeing as the original is the greatest 8 minutes of music ever committed to tape. And the fact it's by TFF.

Buckley's Hallelujah is lush, but yeah, Cale nails it.

Talking of Laughing Len, Antony has been doing an almost unbearably gorgeous The Guests on tour. Like his Candy Says, it's possibly the equal of the original.

― stew!, Friday, 13 January 2006 17:43 (7 years ago) Permalink

The Pet Shop Boys' "Always On My Mind" absolutely kills Elvis's.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 14 January 2006 04:13 (7 years ago) Permalink

Oh, and Bauhaus's "Ziggy Stardust."

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 14 January 2006 04:14 (7 years ago) Permalink

Bryan Ferry: The "In" Crowd.

― Cunga (Cunga), Saturday, 14 January 2006 05:01 (7 years ago) Permalink

claudine longet owns this thread - see esp. "let's spend the night together" & that inspired Jealous Guy/Don't Let Me Down medley. Genius!

― prof. felchenstein, Saturday, 14 January 2006 05:01 (7 years ago) Permalink

the birthday party's version of 'loose' is way more unhinged and awesome than the stooges original

i like us maple's 'lay lady lay' a lot more than dylan's

― 6335, Saturday, 14 January 2006 08:42 (7 years ago) Permalink

Gloria' - Patti Smith

Patti Smith rarely improves on anything

'Black Steel' - Tricky

Tough one. Certainly arguable, especially since the PE song goes on for way too long.

'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' - Saint Etienne

Absolutely.

'Your Song' - Billy Paul
'By the Time I Get to Phoenix' - Isaac Hayes

never heard

'My Favourite Things' - John Coltrane

boring, but the original is hardly unfuckwithable to begin with. Weak inclusion.

'Song to the Siren' - This Mortal Coil

Absolutely

'Hallelujah' - Jeff Buckley

y'know, I'm not sure if I've ever actually heard the original, but Buckley certainly did a fantastic job of making the song his own (unlike Rufus Wainwright, whose version makes me want to punch myself)

'Hurt' - Johnny Cash

Again, arguable, though I still probably prefer the original (and without the video, might not even be a contest)

'Heartbeats' - Jose Gonzalez

Of course not. Do people actually think this?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Saturday, 14 January 2006 08:47 (7 years ago) Permalink

M. Ward's version of "Let's Dance" is pretty damn stunning.

― Drew Daniel (Drew Daniel), Saturday, 14 January 2006 08:53 (7 years ago) Permalink

I doubt many of you will agree with me, but I vastly prefer REM's version of "Strange" to the Wire original.

― pfaff, Saturday, 14 January 2006 10:02 (7 years ago) Permalink

The Slits' Heard it Through the Grapevine rules

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 16 January 2006 12:37 (7 years ago) Permalink

fugees "killing me softly"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 16 January 2006 18:16 (7 years ago) Permalink

All improvements:

Donna Summer - "MacArthur Park"
Boys Town Gang - "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"
Cyndi Lauper - "When You Were Mine"
Pet Shop Boys - "It's Alright"
Miss Kittin & The Hacker - "Dirty Talk"
Alcazar - "Crying At The Discotheque"
Peaches - "Keine Melodien"

― LeRooLeRoo (Seb), Monday, 16 January 2006 20:49 (7 years ago) Permalink

The Slits grapevine rules, but the Marvin Gaye original is pretty rediculous as well. I think the Smashing Pumpkins "Landslide" is a little better

― Stephen C (ihope), Monday, 16 January 2006 20:54 (7 years ago) Permalink

just heard the original Jr. Walker version of "Do You See My Love for You Growing" for the first time, the Dirtbombs' version is definitely more good.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Monday, 16 January 2006 21:04 (7 years ago) Permalink

Not sure which was the original but Johnny Cash's version of "Beat the Devil" beats Kris Kristofferson's(who wrote it, but may have wrote it just for Cash, I forget). My favorite Johnny Cash song, actually.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Monday, 16 January 2006 21:10 (7 years ago) Permalink

caetano veloso's billie jean

― powpowpow, Monday, 16 January 2006 21:41 (7 years ago) Permalink

big black - heartbeat

boyce & hart - jumpin' jack flash

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 16 January 2006 21:47 (7 years ago) Permalink

Blue Cheer's "Summertime Blues" just rocks to high heeaven

Japan's "Ain't That Peculiar"

Woven Hand's "Ain't no Sunshine"

The Gurus' "Louie Louie"

Natacha Atlas's "I Put A Spell On You"

― Cliftonb, Monday, 16 January 2006 22:01 (7 years ago) Permalink

Marvin Gaye's "Grapevine" was a cover, too!

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 16 January 2006 22:20 (7 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Pet Shop Boys' "Where The Streets Have No Name"

― Curt1s Stephens, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 21:12 (6 years ago) Permalink

The Band - Don't Do It
(marvin gaye original i think)

― ógy, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 21:27 (6 years ago) Permalink

4 years pass...

Vampire Weekend's Exit Music over the original anyday.

― lambchopelbow, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:32 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

I'd take 'The Day Before You Came' by Blancmange over the Abba original, definitely. I like the fact that Neil Arthur turns the writer from Marilyn French to Barbara Cartland, that's really funny! But I also think Neil Arthur's delivery is close to perfection -- he adopts a tone somewhere between Neil Tennant and Billy McKenzie and they add lots of percussive and instrumental flourishes which make their version more interesting.

― Grandpont Genie, Saturday, 28 April 2012 16:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

John Coltrane's My Favourite Things (Sound Of Music), Flamingoes I Only Have Eyes For You (think it was a broadway musical).
LOve Little REd Book
Roberta Flack No Way To Say Goodbye, First Time Ever I saw Your Eyes.
several Steeleye Span tracks from the first couple of lps, though the Dubliners' versions are also pretty great and that was presumably the source.
Gun Club Run Through The Jungle or at least I certrainly listen to it more than the CCR track it reinvents
MC5 I WAnt You? another major reinvention as regards the Troggs source, though I do like the Troggs

― Stevolende, Saturday, 28 April 2012 18:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

Coltrane's version is great but I prefer Mark Murphy's.

I Only Have Eyes For You is indeed from 1934 but it was written for this film: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dames

That one is a great suggestion.

― Moka, Saturday, 28 April 2012 18:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

(from the spiney-shivery thread)

Cecil Taylor's "This Nearly Was Mine" (South Pacific)

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Saturday, 28 April 2012 20:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

not sure as i never heard the original but i cannot imagine a better version of susie q than the one by creedence clearwater revival.

― alex in mainhattan, Saturday, 28 April 2012 21:38 (1 year ago) Permalink

Yeah, I like CCR version better too.

Still a good time to plug the original. Such a small place the world's been lately.

― pplains, Saturday, 28 April 2012 21:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

Wrong Hawkins pplains. The original is by Dale Hawkins not Ronnie Hawkins and it's miles better than that one you posted. The CCR is really good and I'd also say it's an improvement even tho I love Dale's version.

― Moka, Monday, 30 April 2012 07:45 (1 year ago) Permalink

Galaxie 500's version of 'Ceremony' by New Order

― fishermen are coveted by whores & stoners (Pillbox), Monday, 30 April 2012 09:38 (1 year ago) Permalink

On that tip, I'll add that Luna's version of 'Indian Summer' by Beat Happening.

― fishermen are coveted by whores & stoners (Pillbox), Monday, 30 April 2012 09:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

Aw, Hawkins cousins be cousins.

― pplains, Monday, 30 April 2012 13:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

Love Cave and the Bad Seeds version of "All Tomorrow's Parties." Great squalls of guitar and the frantic drumming...

― kwhitehead, Monday, 30 April 2012 23:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

who is Love Cave? Nick's daughter?

― one dis leads to another (ian), Monday, 30 April 2012 23:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

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