Which cover versions improve on the original?

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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 (twenty-three years ago)

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 (twenty-three years ago)

eleven months pass...

Lee Perry "How Deep is Your Love"

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 April 2004 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

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

― Tim Ellison, Saturday, 3 April 2004 00:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Bardo Pond - "Call the Doctor"
Distortion > Drone

― Vitamin Leee (Leee), Saturday, 3 April 2004 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)

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

― dlp9001, Saturday, 3 April 2004 01:05 (twenty-two years ago)

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 (twenty-two years ago)

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 (twenty-two years ago)

"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 (twenty-two years ago)

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

― the surface noise (electricsound), Saturday, 3 April 2004 03:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh what beautiful things they snort.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 3 April 2004 03:41 (twenty-two years ago)

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 (twenty-two years ago)

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 (twenty-two years ago)

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 (twenty-two years ago)

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 (twenty-two years ago)

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 (twenty-two years ago)

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 (twenty-two years ago)

"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 (twenty-two years ago)

Geir OTM.

― Jole, Sunday, 4 April 2004 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

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

― Melissa W (Melissa W), Sunday, 4 April 2004 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

one 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 (twenty years ago)

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

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

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

"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 (twenty years ago)

"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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

Amii Stewart's version of "Knock On Wood"

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

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

Phish's "Crosseyed and Painless"

Divine Comedy's "Life on Mars"

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

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 (twenty years ago)

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

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

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 (twenty years ago)

Pixies cover of JAMC's "Head On"

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

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

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

isaac hayes is the best, though

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

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

bauhaus's third uncle.

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

you obviously meant to say telegram sam

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

no, i mean bauhaus's third uncle.

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

not to be confused with bauhaus's ziggy stardust.

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

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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