Which cover versions improve on the original?

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

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.

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

Divine Comedy's "Life on Mars"

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.

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

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.....

http://www.geocities.com/telephonepolesmusic

Thanks, Brian Hall.

'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

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

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

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

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.

http://plaatjes.hemisphere.nl/007782.jpg

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.

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.

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.

Kiss - Age of Chance

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

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.

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

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?