Which cover versions improve on the original?

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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)

Cool Beans.

http://www.geocities.com/telephonepolesmusic

Thanks, Brian Hall.

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

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

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

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

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

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 (twenty years ago)

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

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

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

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

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 (twenty years ago)

six 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 (twenty years ago)

'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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

'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 (twenty years ago)

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.

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.

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

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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